So I've been mulling over the reason I get complacent and let myself slide, besides the fact I love food just a teensy bit too much. It used to be discouragement, because I wasn't seeing any results, but I have been doing much better this effort than I ever have, normally I get to 10-15lbs and then nothing. So, I'm pretty sure it's not that. I think a lot of it is wanting this to be about health and balance and not about sacrifice, so I tend to choose slack vs. sacrifice when my schedule isn't co-operating with a healthy lifestyle. I have to realize that I can sacrifice in a way that isn't so sacrificial, if that makes any sense. Like today, for my birthday, my co-workers were kind enough to avoid a cake (which is the tradition) and they brought me a tremendous fruit salad with some lower calorie icecream on the side. That tasted just as good as cake, was less filling, and much less calories (= guilt). I need to work a little harder at finding healthy foods that I can opt to have when I need that balance between slack and sacrifice. Fruit is a great place to start. I'd really love to start savoring more natural food (well food period, for someone who loves it so much I scarf it down way too fast). God gave us such good fruits and vegetables but because they don't keep very well I tend to avoid them. I love the fruit and nut picnic, and the spagetti squash mentioned, that is something I may just have to try. In my new house, where I will have room for a blender, I'm going to have to try the fake mashed potato recipe I love again.
I think the other thing I may be lacking from focusing on healthy vs. losing weight is my lack of motivators. I used to have an event I was losing weight for, or I'd start because otherwise I'd have to buy new, bigger, clothes, etc. It would push me to be disciplined, albeit for a short period of time. This time I want it to be about living healthy, taking care of my body, and the dropped weight will be an added bonus. Therefore, this time I haven't given myself any motivators. This week I'm back at having lost 19 lbs (after a 3 lb gain after my Saskatoon trip), so I'm happy, but to help along my new resolve (thanks to last week's posts) I'm trying to find new motivators and getting over that 20 lb hump is definitely one of them! I do also have a wedding in 2.5 weeks, and I'd love to once again fit into a dress I already have, or if heaven forbid that's too big, I'd have an excuse to buy something new : ) That's another one that can light a fire under my butt, for the time being. I know focusing on my health is the right way to go, but it doesn't hurt to have a few additional reasons why I want it! I'm thinking of making a list and posting it on the fridge, of all the health related reasons I want this, and then add sticky notes for the temporary motivators so I can change them as they revolve.
5 comments:
Your co-workers are incredibly thoughtful! That's awesome that they could support you in this, even on your birthday!
I was going to recommend you take a look at the very post you mentioned. Just reading about her picnic made me want to take the time to make a big ol' bowl of fruit salad!! (usually I'm much too lazy!)
There's another LWW post that mentions being a little discouraged about behaving but not noticing any results ~ until she went to the doctor and for the first time in a long time has NORMAL blood pressure again! That's kinda what I'm working for. At 35, I'm too stinkin' young to be on meds for this for the rest of my life, dang it!
I think finding the right motivators is so incredibly important. I find that if my focus is always just on weight loss, then I get very easily discouraged if I've had a 'bad' week and the scale says I've gained a pound or two. If my focus is on training myself to make smart food choices and try to become more active for health reasons and to set a better example for my girls, it's a lot easier to stay focused even when I've had a week (or month!) where I haven't been terribly disciplined with how much I ate.
Another thing I've seen some people do is post a list of rewards for each milestone in their sidebar. Like, a new purse for 10 lbs, a pedicure for 20, etc., and then each time they reach one, it gets crossed off for the world to see what they've achieved and how they've rewarded themselves.
Stick with it, Lori! You WILL succeed!!!!
PS. Don't forget to sign the Mr. Linky so others can pop over and visit!
You have awesome co-workers!!
PS...do you have a blender? they are great for frozen fruit smoothies too!
I have a food processor actually, but I hope to get a blender once we move and get rid of the big, bulky food processor, which I only used to blend, lol. Mmmm, smoothies, another awesome idea!
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