People are noticing my weight loss. It’s nice to know others think I’m looking good. Feeling more confident, and happy with my appearance is definitely part of this journey for me. I feel physically better like it’s easier to move, I feel stronger, and I have more energy. That is something I am very grateful for.
My habits are ticking along and require very little effort on my part. I’m in the zone and I can promise you that if you dedicate yourself to habits, that serve you well, the same will happen for you. How does that sound? In my mind, I imagine you shaking your head, yes, and I hear you say, “I’m ready to do this for keeps this time.” In my mind’s eye, I can feel your resolve to be the changemaker in your own life.
I’m cheering for you. We can all do this, it’s not easy but it’s also not always hard. Please remember, you are worth the effort! Come with me, do this with me, because it’s something you want for yourself.
A friend sent me today’s cover image. She is traveling with her husband in their RV across the country. Driving on highways and local roads gives an intimate perspective of the land that air travel cannot give. They are experienced RVers who have done this every summer for many years. They know the ropes for how to pack, they can calculate how long it will take to get to their destination, and they know where to make reservations for the better campgrounds. They have an understanding of how this process works, and so they have clear expectations for what will happen along the way.
Knowing what to expect and having the capacity for doing what needs to be done, makes a successful journey possible. This thinking works for weight loss too. For so many of us, we know what to do to plan for successful weight loss, and yet we stop ourselves from actually taking the journey. Why? A reason might be because although we get close we never make it to the ultimate destination. Another reason might be that we reach the weight loss goal but can’t sustain it. Yet another reason may be that something significant changed in life, and now the systems to achieve a healthy lifestyle had to change.
Where are you on your weight loss journey right now? Maybe you’re all packed up and seeing the sights. Maybe you had to take a detour and are figuring out your new route. Maybe you took a pit stop and now your vehicle won’t start, you’ll need the tools to fix it. No matter where you are on your weight loss journey, please believe that you are the one who holds the keys. You are the only person who can decide what happens next to you.
When thinking about all the possible scenarios that could inhibit weight loss if you find yourself in the worst situation; like you’re stuck on the side of the road, your tire is flat and it’s raining... all is not lost. Sometimes, the best choice is to call in help from a friend. It’s true that this journey is one of self-reliance (only you can decide to take the trip) but it doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers. Sometimes the best thing you can do to get yourself moving again is to ask a friend for help.
Right now, I am hungry. Reflecting on my hunger I would say I am a 3 that is starting to lean toward a 2 on the Hunger Scale. But… it’s not quite dinnertime yet. So I am taking action and going to nosh on some salad to tide me over until it’s time to eat. This reflection is a big deal for me because it would be so easy to open up some chips and dip without even thinking about it.
It’s Father’s Day, and we are having a Whale of a Dad ice cream cake from Carvel later for dessert. If I want to have my cake and eat it too, I need to make some choices. Do I want chips and dip or cake? The Carvel cake is the winner today. This is how I’m learning how to live my life and lose weight, and some days are harder than others. For today, I was able to maintain control, and for that, I’m just going to say thank you and take the win.
For all the dads out there, Happy Father’s Day! I hope you are having a wonderful day with your families and friends. Let’s hear it for dads!
Lasting weight loss seems so elusive to so many because weight loss is seen as a temporary measure to deal with an immediate problem. Whereas the root causes of weight gain have long-lasting ties, that run really deep with many of us. The hard work comes when we need to reconcile lifestyle choices with weight loss goals. For me, I want to lose weight and I want to have some fun too.
I am in the midst of a three-day weekend, and I went out to an amazing restaurant for dinner (The Farm Italy) I had a very fun cocktailnand a delicious entree:
I drank the drink and ate the food, and had a lot of fun, and I fully expect to lose weight this week. There has to be room for fun if this is going to work. Life is precious and our time here has a limit. We have to be able to have some fun along the way before we reach our weight loss goals. You are worth every ounce of effort you put into this journey, and I really hope you believe that. We really can have it all (with moderation) if we know how to find the balance.
The past is your shadow, it is an exaggeration of your shape and form. Sometimes it is light and airy, and other times it pools beneath your feet. The energy you feel inside your body is the present. It’s verve or apathy; calm, or ebullience – it is you right now centered in this moment. The future is the step you take before your foot hits the ground. It’s the freefall of not really knowing what will happen next.
You have the power to change your beliefs about yourself. Your identity is not set in stone. You have a choice in every moment.
— Atomic Habits by James Clear (@AtomicHabitss) April 3, 2023
Who you decide to be in this life is up to you alone. If it’s weight loss, a different career, or building stronger relationships that your after, go for it. Don’t let hesitation dissuade you; be unabashedly bold and never diminish your joy. Then make a move to bring others along with you – dedicate yourself to helping others to be more than they thought was even possible. Being a force for good in this sometimes weary, jaded world is the ultimate act of gratitude for this life we get to live.
Taking stock of how it’s going on a weight loss journey is essential. Reflection unlocks the process in ways that are both revealing and significant because everyone’s journey is unique to their own experience. We can all “do a program” but results will vary as to our level of understanding and practice. The focus of my last’s post was identifying what habits help weight loss. The flip side to this discovery is to also identify what habits are hindering progress.
First Comes What Then How
What habits don’t work? I know one thing that is holding me back is the habit of eating dessert every night. Maybe not every night but certainly most! To be clear, the desert is a low-point option. I am losing weight, but maybe I don’t need dessert almost every night. Maybe desert has become a habit over a desire. Another thing that isn’t helping, is having seconds at dinner without considering if I am really still hungry. Knowing the answer to this question, what habits aren’t working for me, is like leveling up when it comes to weight loss.
This is not a surprise – eating breakfast is becoming a habit. That’s also the point.
How can you adjust your habits to improve? One thing I know for sure, nothing good ever comes from admiring a problem so making an action plan comes next. You. might be thinking, “Whoa… I just got to a place where I have habits for weight loss, I am not even ready to make any changes to them yet!” I read a quote recently that really hit a strong belief I hold:
You’re never ready for what you have to do. You just do it. That makes you ready.
Flora Rheta Schreiber, Journalist
Maybe you don’t want to address everything at once. Maybe you want to adjust one habit at a time, either way, taking action to make a change is the critical thing if you’re serious about weight loss. So here is my “how”, here is my action plan for my desert situation:
I am going to eat dessert, it can be any kind of dessert I want but I have to track the points value in my tracker before eating it.
It can be any three nights I want because I want to break the habit of routinely eating dessert.
When I eat dessert I will eat it mindfully. This means I experience the taste of the flavors textures, visuals, and scent of what I am eating.
Here is my action plan for limiting seconds during dinner:
Dinnertime is social for me. I am going to keep pace with my slow-eating husband.
I serve dinner from the stovetop, this keeps me more intentional about additional servings.
My parting words are here to remind you that you are worthy of the work it takes to reach your health and wellness goals. Keep looking for the good in yourself and in the others within your communities. Together we can all reach our full potential.
Satisfaction can come from many sources. Yesterday’s, mission was to search for beauty in nature. Today, the mission was to breathe deeply for one minute. These two challenges seem to dovetail perfectly.
The human body is made up of complex systems. It is said that there are 86 BILLION neurons in the brain. Your body is a highly connected structure made up of organic molecules interacting within cells, hooking into tissues connected to organs. All of these systems are interconnected, all working together in harmony. Amazing.
Yet so many of us who are actively trying to lose weight take our bodies for granted. It’s easy to forget to be grateful for what we already have. So often, many of us are self-critical and sometimes even feel loathsome about our outward appearance to others.
So for today, I took a long look in the mirror. I took in my form and thought about all the things my body does for me. I said, “Thank you, for letting me move in the world. Thank you, for letting me spin and dance (albeit without any sense of rhythm). Thank you, for letting me hug those I love. Even if it’s not forever, I am so grateful for what my body can do today.
I truly feel better about myself. Now, the journey continues with a refreshed sense of deep gratitude and self-love. Thank you, readers, for coming on this journey with me. Onward!
Successful weight loss depends on habits. We know this. The problem with habits is that (the successful ones) are repetitive. Wake up, record my weight, put on my Apple Watch, fill my water jug, and get my lunch… did I lose you yet? Wait, don’t stop reading, this post will get better, hang in there with me.
This is all the good news… I do appreciate my habits, they are in synch and doing what I need them to do – I am losing weight. I am down 5.5 pounds just from April 1st. The “number” is feedback just one part of the process. The thing I’m even happier about is how I am feeling. I have good energy, and I am doing something to take care of myself.
Make your habits easy. The less energy a habit requires, the more likely it is to occur. Your objective is to make it easy to do the things that pay off in the long-run.
This is the downside… it takes time to figure out the process. Then sometimes, you figure it out, and then something out of your control forces a change that causes a setback. So sometimes (while you’re doing all the work to get the process in gear) you need a little distraction to keep your spirits high. I work with young children, and I can tell you that there is no substitution for a little novelty to get kids to do things that are hard for them. To that end, I have created a little gift of sorts for you in the May Challenge! Take a look, feel free to download it, and come do this with me. It will be fun.
After finishing a challenging thirty-minute Peloton class, I was not looking forward to cooking dinner. After washing my face and changing my clothes, I checked my fitness app to see if I closed my “rings” and right at that moment a DoorDash notification banner popped up. Shaking my head, and giving a big sigh I headed down the stairs with as much enthusiasm as a kid diving into homework after school.
So much of weight loss success relies on determination and engagement. After cooking dinner, everyone at my house was surprised to see how tasty it was. Then it felt great (after) just as it is with so many different things. Working out feels great (mostly after). I’m never sorry I do these things but having the fortitude to actually get it done is sometimes REALLY hard to do.
Anything worth having takes care and consideration if weight loss is the thing you REALLY want – I hope you have the fortitude to see it through because you are worth every ounce of effort. You can do this, just don’t give in.
Getting to Goal 