So, this is my manifesto, but I don't really explain in my post how I came to realize these things. It actually took a couple of years of reading and thinking about some things before I got to the point where it clicked. It was like how people describe enlightenment - they try for years until one day they realize that it's actually quite easy. It's the easiness of it that trips people up!

But of course, you can't just tell yourself to make it easy. You have to get there somehow, and I don't know how other people can get there. I know how I got there, but I don't know how interesting that is to other people.

Also, I haven't been perfect ever since that day I reached weight loss enlightenment. I actually had 3 or 4 different nights of binge eating that otherwise would have thrown me off track and have me abandoning my plan altogether. Surprisingly, I didn't fall into a pit of shame. I looked at it logically, realized it would be easy to learn and get back onto it, and got back on the next day.

Anyways, thanks for taking the time to respond. I'm open to taking more about it if anyone is interested.