Month: December 2018

Acceptance…

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Learning to understand that some days won’t go as I planned is a constant lesson. Some days my resolve will be weaker than others. That is the way it goes. The important part is to keep going.

So if today was a great day on the journey – celebrate that feeling because that’s very good news to be happy about. If today was a difficult one give yourself a hug and say it’s ok, tomorrow is a new day.

Learning to change habits that have been set over time is not easy and they creep back in. Expect that will happen and then when it does know that you are the one who gets to decide what to do next. You can do this believe it.

Embrace…

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New Year’s is coming and this is the time of year where we all reflect and make resolutions to change ourselves for the better. Don’t. You don’t have to change anything about yourself – trying to change who we are is kind of crazy. We are not broken, we are not in need of fixing. That said, I do think we are here to grow and learn. Growth stems from acceptance and in many ways change is consequential to that growth.

Do you. Embrace yourself for who you are imperfections and all. After all, it is our imperfections that make us perfectly human. What would the world be like if we looked at our imperfections as an opportunity for greater awareness? Maybe we would begin to see our weakest attributes as our strongest gifts. This is something I’ve been thinking about today.

It’s been said so many times before, but we really are better when we think together. At my WW workshop, my friend Beth mentioned this great new app: Paprika.

I have to say, it is amazing! I think it’s going to be very helpful. It organizes and saves recipes. It creates shopping lists and it is just the tool that this fledgling cook needs. I think I can create menus for the week using this app. Anyway, right now, I’m pretty excited to get started with this.

I want to laugh more in 2019. Who is with me?

This is just too funny.

Just because it’s still the holidays and I want to hold onto them for as long as possible...

Balance…

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Sometimes living my healthy lifestyle feels like…

Some days, you just want to twist and shout!

Other times it feels like this…

Some days, you just want to ask, who said this was a good idea?

I felt in charge and in control today. I went off plan a few days this week; however, I am very happy about achieving my activity goals I wanted to go to spin at least three times and I went four!

I fully embrace that I am not perfect and I am confident at the same time. I am not afraid to fail publicly – if some good can come out of it. The only regret I would have would be if I missed an opportunity to grow – this journey is about personal growth.

The truth? There is no good or bad in my pursuit for lasting weight loss. It is not a success or failure sort of endeavor. There is only a continuous inner search for balance. Today I tapped into my balance reserves and I felt in control and empowered for most of the day. That is a gift and I am grateful.

Routines…

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Coming home to routines is a comforting thing once the holiday rush is through. Comforting, yet, tricky because it’s easy to get used to more liberal snacking I’ve decided not to overthink it – just do what I’ve been doing.

I went to spin class this morning, I threw myself into it totally and after I felt fantastic. Later, when I was hungry between meals, I snacked on multicolored carrots, an apple, and I was careful to stay hydrated. I went out with my sister and tried on some clothes – I didn’t buy anything (another reality after the holidays is reign in spending). It’s still amazing to me that I fit into these small sizes.

  • Sunset Clouds
  • Northport Dock
  • Cow Harbor
  • Dusk Outside My Door
  • Twilight
  • Good-bye Sun

I keep thinking about my mom and dad. My parents, especially my mom, would have been so happy to see me like this. Unfortunately, I didn’t figure this out until after they passed on. The thing is no one can convince you to lose weight. This is something you can only do for yourself.

When you’re feeling tempted or feel like you may break newly formed habits, ask yourself: What do I really want? Then you will know exactly what it is you need to do next. Treat yourself as you would someone you really love because you are incredible.

Honest…

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The quickest way to recover from the holidays is to be completely honest. What I mean by that is, it is a very good idea to track everything that is eaten. Tracking what I eat continues to be an important part of my weight loss transformation. “Always let your conscience be your guide…”

A clean conscious helps me to make better choices. I now understand that the only person I’d be fooling is myself – so instead, I just track it all. My decision to do this, to track what I eat, is the very thing that grants me freedom and control.

I am signed up for 5:15 am spin class tomorrow. I’m excited that I can use the amazing new gym bag that my beautiful daughter bought me for Christmas. These are the getting back to basics moves that will keep me 93 pounds lighter.

So… if you are thinking that maybe you are losing control and are feeling a little nervous – don’t. Just be honest. Write it all down and think about what you want your next move to be. You can do this because you are strong, resilient, and you know you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Happy…

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Christmas came on in a big way. There were lots of gifts, laughs, and (of course) food. In the esteemed tradition of Bob Cratchit, I made rather merry and pretty much ate and drank whatever I wanted.

Tomorrow will be the decider – how I bounce back from holiday eating, will be a real indicator on my path to maintaining my goal weight. The good thing about taking a while to achieve weight loss is that all that time provides repeated practice and experience. That time is like a teacher that helps good habits to take root.

The big take away – the journey goes on regardless of Lifetime status. Achieving this is a big deal to me and it does help to know that I could do it but it’s not really done. They call it “Maintenance” for a reason – maintaining my weight loss over time is my next goal.

Time escapes us, and the thing I keep thinking about is to appreciate each day and to be grateful for each other. So looking back on Christmas 2018 – it was a great one for the books.

  • Christmas morning 2018
  • Crab Meadow Christmas 2018
  • Christmas lunch for the birds.
  • Christmas 1987
  • David’s Christmas Wish: “To cut the Christmas ham for dinner.”

Remember the past, and plan for the future but treasure today.

Blessings…

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Love is the thing that makes everything else worthwhile. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the Christmas rush and that frenzy can even be part of the fun. Dizzy with excitement and plans it’s easy to let go of the consistency that good strong habits form – but that’s ok because this is a two-day affair and my goal is to just enjoy it and to practice mindfulness and gratitude.

Take it from Bing and Rosemary, whatever your plans or goals, count your blessings. As I think about it there are many. Christmas Eve and family are synonymous and I am so grateful. Spending Christmas Eve together is a tradition that is like an anchor that keeps me close to who I am and who I strive to be. Shared history, generous, loving, funny, encouragement, believe these are all words that adorn the word family for me.

These are the words that shape my inner thoughts about who I am and what I can achieve. What words are shaping your inner thoughts? If you celebrate the holiday, don’t worry so much about overindulging. Make happy memories and have a good time. Be mindful and selective about the food but don’t let any worries about it distract from the experiences.

Love is the gift that matters most.

Celebrate…

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In many ways, this is a new day one. It’s the first day after hitting Lifetime and the only thing I’m sure about is that this new phase of my journey is going to require a learning curve. I started the day strong, I went to the gym and had an amazing spin class. Then I ran around like a nut trying to tie up loose holiday ends, I waited too long to eat lunch and by the time I ate I was starving. Then I overcompensated by overindulging and in doing so, I went right out of my Blue Dot status.

It’s ok, that’s what this is – this is my life and I’m learning how to live as a healthier version of myself. Learning about moderation, mindfulness, and motivation are new goals for me to set. In the meantime, I can tell you I am having some fun along the way…

Learning how to maintain weight loss is what’s next for me. This is something to think on, but I’m too tired now and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I will start the day in spin class again and work from there.

Thank you thank you thank you for all the kind words of encouragement and for reading these posts. I am humbled and grateful to have you in my corner. Here is what I have to say to you. You are amazing because there is no one quite like you. You are strong. You are wise. Share what you know and how the journey is going for you. You never know who might be reading or listening and your words may help another through a rough time.

You can do it and so can I so lets keep at it and make change happen.

Lifetime!

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After forty-eight days from hitting goal, I am now a LIFETIME member! In the #WW world, the status of “Lifetime” means you no longer have to pay for your seat at the workshops. I made it it’s the best Christmas present I’ve ever given myself.

Now I’m heading into Christmas, knowing that I achieved this goal. That is an incredible feeling. Since my journey began I have lost over 90 pounds. This would have been insurmountable had it not been for all the support and love my #WW community has given me along the way. There are so many difficult days, but there is also amazing days. The thing is not get blinded by one or the other.

Sometimes this weight loss transformation feels like a gift I’m not allowed to keep. Sometimes it feels like it is something I was meant to have and have always been. The truth is neither of those two scenarios is real. The truth is that it is always a choice and the choice is mine.

My parting words for today, you can do this – BELIEVE that you can. Expect some days to be really difficult, expect some days to be amazing. Both will happen. There will be monotonous days along the way where you may be tired of all the work that goes into achieving this goal. There will be days that your habits will be so strong doing this will feel like breathing. Expect it and welcome all these days. When this happens to you, you will know you’re on the path to better health. I’m cheering for you. I’m sending all my positive energy out to you because I understand what it takes and I believe in you.

#WW #LIFETIME #Freestyle #weight loss transformation #HO! #HO! #HO!

Day Forty-Eight…

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It was the faculty breakfast. Full of desserts, candy, french toast, bacon, potatoes, bagels, and lest I forget – sausage. There was also a tray of fruit salad. I had some fruit and a chocolate dipped macaron. That did it for me, I was good. I didn’t pick on any candy all day and I am proud of that.

Tomorrow is weigh-in and all I can say is let’s see what happens. My week was full of ups and downs and that’s ok because it is the reality. I can’t help but think how cool it would be to make Lifetime tomorrow… I’ll let you know.