Month: January 2019

Good…

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On reflecting on my week, I did… good. I didn’t work out as much as I would have liked but all-in-all it was a good week. I stayed within my SmartPoints range. As a matter of fact, tonight I’m rolling over four points.

I will forever be a work in progress. I’m fine with that. I hope I always have something to work on because I’m a learner. I want to grow and be more today now than I used to be. That said, I also embrace where I am right now because it is all process of becoming.

Carol Dweck said that we like to believe that really talented successful people were born different than the rest of us. We tend not to believe that our idols are, for the most part, ordinary people who made themselves extraordinary. I guess that would be a reminder of how it’s so important to keep striving.

No…

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Sometimes the answer is “No.” I had professional development and I was surrounded by candy. I looked at and then I said, “No.” I snapped a picture and moved on. It was difficult in the moment (I realize that it doesn’t look so great, but it was very appealing in the moment).

Then later I went to dinner with friends. I said no to the unhealthy choices and went with grilled chicken over salad. It was delicious. I really enjoyed it and after I was happy. The evening was about friendship, not food. Sounds simple, but it was an NSV for me.

  • I had the chopped salad.
  • Very fun evening

Funny, sometimes saying “No” is saying “Yes” to me.

Reality…

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The reality of weight loss is that it takes a lot of planning and dedication to make it happen. I track, weigh, and measure food every day. I set goals for myself like, “I will try a new recipe this week.” or “I will go to spin class three times this week.” Then I do my best to achieve them, sometimes I make it and sometimes I don’t.

This is a friend to weight loss.

Someone reading this may ask, “Is it worth it?” It is worth it, I feel so much better, and I am a lot more confident. However, my reality for getting to goal and making Lifetime is different than I thought it would be. It is not that I had any false sense that I would achieve Lifetime and be “fixed”. I knew going into this that it was for the long haul. Knowing and living are different.

This lifestyle takes effort. Some days are amazing. I feel so great because I’m in control, I feel and look good. While some days are almost impossible. I feel like everything I want to eat is too many Smart Points and I through myself a pity party. Some days are mundane. It’s like I go on autopilot and my habits take over and I don’t even think about it. Those days are tricky because I think I need to think about this in order to maintain my weight loss.

This is my reality. I hope reading this post helps someone. This journey is not on a paved path. Really, it is a trail and it is a mountainous one. However, the view from a mountaintop is brilliant and my perspective on my life has been totally changed. I never want to go back to my life before now that I know what it took to get here. As always, thank you for reading.

Self-Care…

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Self-care means sitting on my loveseat and writing this post. It means spending some time with my kids and just talking. Self-care is part of my journey because it is kindness turned inward. Do you believe in self-care? What are you doing to take care of YOU?

I weighed and measured all my foods for dinner. I have used a total of 23 sp today and I feel pretty good. My only regret was that I had to cancel my spin reservation for 5:15 am. Working late really impacts my ability to go. I’m not giving up. I’m going to try for Thursday.

I’m so grateful I’m learning how to maintain my weight loss. I feel so much better physically and I am more confident. Weight loss hasn’t solved all my problems, but it has helped me to feel better about myself. Better, because this was something I wanted to change and I did. Thank you for taking time to read my little blog. I appreciate your support.

Stamina…

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This is true…

Tonight was brutal. It really was. There will be no spin class for me tomorrow morning because it’s far too late for that. I still have work to do and it’s very late for a school night. My lunch isn’t made and I am getting sick. This not self-care!

This is true…

Stretching myself beyond what I am right now to what I hope to become is difficult. I can do hard things. I accomplished a lot and I didn’t give up. This is a remarkable quality I am tenacious! Here is what I’m going to do next, am going to finish what needs to be done and then I will get some good sleep.

Sometimes the right thing to do acknowledge both sides of the same reality. I think I gained weight because I didn’t know how to manage my stress levels. There is no magic strategy but I am becoming more self aware.

Organizing…

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Getting myself together can be a real challenge. Sometimes, I just can’t get out of my own way because I overthink things. There are days when I just have to write a list for what needs to be accomplished. Today I want to:

  1. Work on the book (I am writing a professional book for teachers).
  2. Lesson planning for the week.
  3. Pack up the rest of Christmas and put it away.
  4. Clean the house.
  5. Create a dinner menu for the week.
  6. Go food shopping with a list.
  7. Pay my bills.
  8. Workout for 45 minutes.
  9. Spend some quality time with my husband.
  10. Prep for the week.

That is quite a list. It is a beautiful Sunday morning and I am very hopeful that I can make this happen today. I’ll let you know.

How’d I do?

So far… I’ve accomplished most of what I set out to do. I did not get to the gym but at least I walked the dog with my husband. Some quality time and activity rolled up in one. I prepped food for the week. My meals are packed for tomorrow. I paid my bills, and the Christmas decorations are packed away. The house is clean, and I did go food shopping. I have a little more planning to do before I go to sleep. Having clear intentions and organizing myself makes all the difference.

Productivity…

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Sometimes I have to push myself to get past the barrier that separates productivity and procrastination. I’m a pro at both. However, today was good day. I accomplished my goals and that is a relief.

Another positive for today was that I kept my cool and got rid of some foods that were tempting me. It feels so good to just say, “No” sometimes and to make that “No” stick. Sometimes it feels like old habits and new habits are competing inside my head and that is when I have a choice to make. If I think about the cookies, I find, I choose the cookies. If I think about how healthy my body is now I choose health.

In many ways I think the key to weight loss is that we are what we think. It has become very important for me to reflect on what I want and why it’s important over the course of this journey. The more I reflect the great my resolve becomes.

I tell myself every day that I can do this. I can be the exception to the rule. I can beat the odds and be that person who loses a lot of weight and maintains that weight loss. I wonder what do you tell yourself? If you are looking for a tip, I find, it helps to write your reflections down. A journal, a scrapbook, a sketchbook, a blog are all ways to get your thoughts out of your head and make this process more visible.

Tomorrow is weigh-in I might be out of that two pound range. I will be disappointed if I am, but I don’t want to dwell on that. My last words for tonight, be proud of everything you’ve accomplished because you made those things happen. You. You are amazing.

Stress…

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Worries followed me like my shadow today. Plus, I was very unlucky and lost my seat at the 5:15 am spin class. I left my breakfast and lunch home. On top of that, I dealt with some difficult conversations at work, and then I ended up staying late to help manage a situation after school. It was a stressful day.


On the other hand, my husband took the 40 minute ride dropped off my food at school. What a guy. I had a great day coaching and teaching. I was there or my colleagues when they needed me. Even if I can’t please everyone I am still worthy and good. I am enough.

Present…

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The best thing any of us can do is to fully engage with our authentic selves. There is no one else like you, or me and we are exactly what the world needs. My advice to you is don’t be an imposter in your own life.

14 grams pecans and blueberries 3 sp. The Black Cherry Merlot candle is amazing! Get one you’ll love it.

If you want to lose weight and transform your physical health; first, make it a goal and then keep that goal really close to you. Clarify why you want to do this and then you will see, it will begin to happen.

Lunch and breakfast are packed for tomorrow: Breakfast: 2 sp. (yogurt/banana/14 grams slivered almonds) Lunch: 6 sp. (2 slices Schmidt 647 bread, 2 oz Ovengold turkey, Vegetable sticks, 1 Mini Babybell Cheese, 1 green apple, 1/3 cup Wonderful Pistachios).

Have patience, because it may take a long time to happen. That is the truth. In the meantime, the happening can be an amazing experience. It is a dramatic act of self-love and caring to lose weight (if that is what you want for yourself). Be your own cheerleader because I’m cheering for you too – I’ll just sit back and watch you be amazing because I’m positive you are.

I understand the significance of resisting the urge to eat when you’re not hungry. I understand the power that resides in the moment when you keep your cool and walk away from temptation. You do that because you want to achieve your goal more than to soothe stress.

There are many moments that have the potential to sabotage your efforts. However, there are also many opportunities to show yourself how strong you really are. Make a mantra, I am amazing. You really are.