Category: #holidays

Count Your Blessings

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Weight loss is not easy, and this is especially challenging during the holidays. Stress abounds all around us. For some, the holiday season is a magical time of year a backdrop for happy memories to unfold. For others, this time of year is a terrible struggle. As for the rest of us, the holidays are a mixed bag of highs and lows. Try to remember this, no matter where you are on that spectrum, kindness to each other helps to even our varied perspectives on this season of hope, peace, and joy.

I am not really tethered to my goals and I am reaching for what is convenient rather than what is a better choice on plan. I really want to get it together. Yesterday I wrote some goals that were not specific enough. So here is my redo:

  • I will track breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • I will use the Peloton 3 days a week for a minimum of 20 minutes each time
  • I will continue to write daily posts and I promise to tell the truth

I’m doing this, not to stress myself out. Instead, I am doing it to help myself to recover. I love myself, and I want to be healthy. I want to feel good. I want to look good too. I have to believe that I can do it because I have a lot of people who depend on me and I want to be the best version of myself.

I’m a Believer

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Half of the battle of weight loss is believing that that you can do it. It all seems so impossible at first. Sometimes it takes a while to catch on to the habits of healthy eating and regular exercise, but when it clicks, it becomes second nature. It’s really so strange the way it works, but the take-away here is that it does work.

I can’t say that it has clicked for me yet. I just really want to get through the holidays without gaining (more) weight. I am going to focus on tracking and I’m going to start a regular routine for spinning. I can do that and it is going to feel amazing when I make it happen. What are you ready to try?

A Change in Plans

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If weight loss were a destination its route would not be a straight shot from one place to the next. I would involve lots of stops along the way for directions, with plenty of wrong turns. This is a journey, and even when things don’t go as planned, it’s worth remembering that engagement means something. This was not a perfect weekend for me on plan. I went to lunch with one of my kids, and I didn’t track it. We had pizza for dinner, and now I’m feeling a little sick to my stomach. Tomorrow is another day and (with some effort and care on my part) be a better day.

Yes It’s Real Love

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How many hours have I spent wrapping gifts? I can’t even begin to guess. I carefully select the paper (making sure to keep it varied). Then I find the right-sized box, tuck the gift in, folding over tissue paper to suspend the delight of the recipient for just a moment more. During the good times, we always want to hold a moment just a little bit longer, knowing that this space in time is one of many fleeting moments that make up our lives.

I think the reason why the holidays present such a challenge for so many of us trying to lose weight is that nostalgia is all wrapped up in the traditional foods we eat. My sister makes my grandmother’s eggplant parmesan and it is out of-this-world delicious. I make my mom’s spaghetti aglio which is quite good too. All of it comes hot from the kitchen with a message attached, “I love you, I’m here to care for you. Family, this is who we are, let’s have a great time.” So it goes, another glass of wine, one more cookie… anything, just let’s let this moment linger before it’s gone forever.

This is life, and if I can’t indulge in these moments then there is something seriously wrong. At WW today we talked about strategies for how to be in the moment so we don’t go overboard. One member spoke very eloquently about how she is selective and chooses that one cookie that looks really good. Another spoke so wisely about how she savors the food to fully experience it. These are good tips, and I for one plan of keeping them in my back pocket to use when the time comes.

So, in the meantime, my friends, “Eat, drink, and be merry” and remember that real love stems from that our most precious gift; the time we have with each other.

I Did It

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Today is the last day for my WW goal. I blogged every day for a week to reflect on my “why.” On one hand, I feel really good about keeping my promise – I set a goal and I achieved it. I tracked every day, I thought about my food choices, and I did not deprive myself. All of these things are a total win. On the other hand, I know I have a long way to go (again) and that can be extremely daunting. It is extremely daunting. This blog has always been a safe place for me to tell the truth and this success this week is a celebration, and it’s also a little bit sad.

I am doing this to improve my health, to have more energy, and to feel better about myself. I am worth this effort, and (if you want to lose weight) so are you. Come on, let’s do it together. This can be the best gift we give to ourselves.

Watching Love Actually tonight looking at the tree and thinking about all the gifts I have to wrap.

One Small Goal at a Time

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At the end of each WW meeting, we are asked to share one goal with the group. So, I didn’t really think about it when I volunteered to share my goal of writing daily posts and posting them in the private FB group. After I did it and was on the ride home, I thought about it a little more, sharing this goal would be very public, and anyone would be able to see if I was keeping it or not. It felt accountable – and I think maybe I needed some accountability. I am so glad I shared it with the group. Having a community of others who care about you and your goals makes a big difference.

One more day before this week comes to a close and I accomplish this one small goal. The thing about goals is that they need to be attained if any momentum is going to happen. So I stayed in my “blue dot zone” every day except Tuesday. I recovered from that slip-up, and I feel a little better about this whole process. If you’re like me and on a weight loss journey I hope you are in a good place. If you’re not and reading this blog, know that you’re not alone. This is really hard for so many of us. My advice, for what it’s worth, set one small goal and do your best to stick to it.

Am I Flexible or Fixed?

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Today was a lot. I was in for a full day of work and then facilitating after-school professional development. I am always a little nervous when I’m going to present. It’s not because I’m not confident about the content, I always put in the work, meaning, I study and prepare. I get nervous because I really want it to be a great experience for everyone. So, I started the day off right – for me – I made time for breakfast before I left the house.

Frozen raspberries, 20 grams of granola, 170 g Greek Yogurt (3 points)

I packed my lunch carefully. Today there would be no almonds with lunch because I had granola for breakfast. I was going to reserve the apple and the cheese stick for the afternoon. I had a well-thought-out plan. Go me!

The day was going good, beginning with a morning meeting, and teaching – by 11:45 am I was famished. I looked around my desk – no lunch. In my haste to get to school, I must have left it in my car. That was not the case, there was no lunch. I left it at home. I felt overwhelmed, my plan was trashed. Now what?

I went to the deli and bought a small chili, a banana, and a bag of pretzels. I was short on time, and I made hasty choices. Then came the candy. Feeling stressed, I ate two hefty handfuls of candy from the bag set aside for professional development. Instead of having a flexible approach, I fell back into a fixed response. Afterward, I thought, “Well, that sucks.”

By the time the day was over, I was home and it was time for dinner. Today felt like a failure. We went to Chick-fil-A – I got a grilled chicken sandwich and fries. My husband’s meal included the chocolate shake ( I wanted that too – but I didn’t get one ). So there was a bit of redemption.

Today can be a blip in an otherwise strong start back to being on plan or it can be the end of that start and I can kick the can down the road. Will I have a flexible approach or a fixed one? I’m still here, blogging to stay true to my goal. It’s a blip, and I am going to keep trying.

All in a Day…

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Here is a glimpse into my day:

  • Working through lunch was a bad idea. I was so busy and it was so cold outside that I didn’t want to stop to eat lunch in my car. I ate my sandwich on the ride home, and by then I was famished.
  • Dealing with pressure and coping with stress. There is a lot of work to do get services up and going for students. That, and there are many #COVID19 cases everywhere, and I am very afraid of catching it.
  • The healing power of a home cooked meal. When I came home from work, my daughter had prepared a delicious turkey breast, with gravy mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. The whole family ate dinner around the table and it was a special way to end a long day.

In the end, it was a good day on plan. I am rolling over two SmartPoints and that feels pretty great. I am relearning how to roll with the ups and downs of living a life on plan and thee is no place I’d rather be.

Home for the Holidays…

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Well… COVID19 has me feeling anxious. I am doing my best to cope with that but it is very hard. Anxious, is how I am feeling and I am just trying to live within this moment, knowing that it is important to feel my emotions and not suppress the unpleasant ones. Yet as I look around my house, it is very warm and the decorations look so beautiful. My house has never looked more lovely during the holidays as it does right now.

I think I need my home to be a beautiful space because I need a sanctuary, a safe haven against a world full of bad news. I need home more than ever which is strange because just like many of you, I have spent more time at home than ever before. Now I find myself counting the days till Christmas vacation because all I want is to be safe at home with the ones I love.

It was not hard to have a good day on plan, and that makes me very happy. I can feel the habits slipping into place, giving me the support I need to grow my comeback to my healthy lifestyle.

Tis the Season…

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Driving through Huntington Village we came across the building that you see in my featured image. I just have to love the creative spirit that reimagined an old building. We actually went to Huntington to see their Tree of Hope:

Our COVID19 rates are getting higher and it was very crowded so we did not walk around but it did look beautiful.

Today was another successful day, and it was easier. I am so grateful things are turning around.