Here are some things that are absolutely true about weight loss:
Losing weight is something you do for yourself.
It takes a long time to see results.
It requires care and attention to detail.
There will be setbacks
Reflection on how it’s going helps the process.
Welcome to the work of weight loss. It’s not glamorous, and it takes patience but it offers the chance to transform my life for the better. My journey is more than physical – having perseverance, optimism, and the flexibility to stick with it are qualities that remind me to believe in myself.
My featured image shows the harbor in my hometown. It’s filled with boats, and at first glance, paints an idyllic summer scene, bobbing boats at twilight. What you can’t see, is that today was unseasonably cool, and it felt as though summer was packing her bags because vacation had come to an end.
Change is tricky, it is both desired and feared depending on the situation. Change is exciting, or scary. It may leave you stronger or weaker, it may come on strong or gradually over time. But the one thing that is certain is that change will always come. It is the great equalizer, it happens to us all for nothing in this life is static. So how we cope with change matters and this is especially true on a weight loss journey.
The First Day of School
I fell right into step with change as if we were doing a familiar dance step. I packed my lunch, laid out my clothes, and planned for how to fit in activity after a busy day. I left my workout clothes in their usual position, resting on the hard wooden chair in my living room. When I got home, I began the ritual of putting away the lunch box and cleaning the vegetables that would be part of tonight’s dinner. Once dinner was cooking I didn’t overthink it, I quickly changed my clothes and did a 20-minute workout.
This is what living a healthy lifestyle looks like for me. This was a glimpse into my day on the precipice of change. As I reflect, I am full of gratitude. I see that all the work to establish strong healthy habits equipped me to cope with change. Everything happened seamlessly and required hardly any effort on my part. So as I wave goodbye to summer and all the wonderful gifts she brings, I realize the greatest gift of all is my lesson learned, “I am what I do.” I take this to heart and it comforts me.
When I first started losing weight I would have thoughts like, “I can’t believe it, it’s actually working.” Then I would reflect, and think, “Ok, so what did I do to make this happen? I had zero-point breakfasts and five-point lunches. I kept my points within a twenty-point maximum, and would roll over four points a day.” It’s true, reflection is a game-changer when it comes to weight loss; however, after, I would engage in a little “black and white” thinking” for my big takeaway: “So all I have to do, is make sure I do exactly that same thing this week.”
Time Out!
If only I had a coach on the sidelines who was able to see my faulty thinking. Someone who would call me over to correct my game, because the truth is, maybe I could do it exactly that way the following week, but certainly not forever. I get in trouble if I start making up little rituals that lead to superstitious thinking.
Rituals are complicated because they can be good or bad. Many helpful habits are born from little rituals that grow into systems that support successful weight loss (click here to read more on that). However, when ritualistic thinking is driven by black-and-white thinking, there is a big difference. When the ritual has more power than we do there is a problem.
My Evolution for Reclaiming My Power
Every week, I would go to Weight Watchers and “weigh in”. That number on the scale usurped my power. If the number went up and I had an amazing week, I felt demoralized. If the number went down, and I had a sense that I had “gotten away with it” I felt “lucky”. If the number reflected what I deemed an accurate result of my efforts, I felt validated. Do you see the problem? The scale had the power, not me.
When it occurred to me that the scale was more powerful than I was, I decided not to weigh in at all. I didn’t weigh in at Weight Watchers or at home. The thinking was, I would only weigh myself once a month to look at my progress over the long term. That really didn’t work, and the same problem persisted – the scale had the ultimate say in my progress.
Part of the learning that comes with a weight loss journey is to understand that the number on the scale isn’t the “be-all” in success. If I’m being rational, I know that the number on the scale is just a data point. I love data, I do. I think it helps to unravel complexities. So what if, I lean into the thing that is upsetting me the most? That was how I decided to weigh myself every day at home. In doing so, I took back my power, and I learned so much about my natural weight fluctuations. The scale does not hold the power anymore, it just offers useful pieces of information that I can use to benefit my results.
I am sharing this story with you today, with the hope that you will evaluate your own weight loss journey. Ask yourself:
Are any of my weight loss rituals driven by superstition?
If yes, what am I really afraid of?
How can I take this fear and use it to my advantage?
Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity impacts 42% of Americans? That is so many of us! Just under half of Americans are obese. The percentage grows to an incredible 69% (Harvard) when rates of obesity are combined with those of us who are overweight. The trends for obesity are pretty startling because only 13.4% of Americans were obese in 1980 (the National Library of Medicine). In 1980 I was still in elementary school. That is such a significant increase during my lifetime.
All that digging into obesity statistics was prompted by an article that I read in this morning’s New York Times, and my subsequent dive into obesity trends weren’t the only part that gave me pause:
Obesity affects nearly 42 percent of American adults, and yet, Dr. Engel said, “we have been powerless.” Research into potential medical treatments for the condition led to failures. Drug companies lost interest, with many executives thinking — like most doctors and members of the public — that obesity was a moral failing and not a chronic disease.
There it was written so casually, “moral failing”. There is something really terrible about thinking about obesity as being a “moral failing”. Everything about weight gain is hard, and then knowing that society views weight gain as a character flaw just makes it all so much worse. It’s as though everyone is looking for that “quick fix”. Anyone can lose weight; however, there are no easy solutions.
Weight Loss Drugs
Here are my top takeaways after reading the article:
The discovery of weight loss was accidental. Researchers introduced massive amounts of a natural hormone to the brain and that triggered weight loss.
Medical experts and researchers do not know what the long-term effects of using these drugs will be.
These medications are intended to be used for life. if the medication is stopped people will gain back weight.
The drugs work by suppressing appetite, and not changing metabolic rates. People are satisfied with smaller portions.
Clinical trials show that Wegovy also gives some protection from heart attack and stroke.
I don’t think weight loss drugs are the answer for me. I am getting good results following the Weight Watchers plan. I am also learning a lot about myself on this journey. This is true for me, and I cannot underscore that enough, it’s working for me, The only one common thread we all share is that everyone is so different. For some, the internal struggle with food is constant, and for others, behavioral changes can make a tremendous impact on weight loss.
My wish for you is that you do the work of knowing yourself well, understanding what you want, and developing a plan for how you will get it. My hope is that you realize you’re not alone. We are all in this together, and we can support each other along the way.
Dinnertime was always a struggle for me because by the end of the day, I’m tired and I don’t want to make any more decisions. So, I’d either: make something convenient that was not so helpful on a weight loss journey; or, get takeout (also not helpful and too expensive). I knew that If my weight loss journey was going to be successful, I knew dinnertime was something that I’d have to overcome.
Strategy #9: Building Better Systems
I had to build a better system that would accommodate my needs. A couple of things I know about myself:
I’m a planner. If I have a plan I will follow it.
I need a variety of food. I don’t want to eat the same thing every night. I would quit tomorrow if I had to eat grilled chicken over salad every night.
I need a little flexibility. If I have all the ingredients in the house for these recipes – I like the option of moving them around to suit my needs. Not everything is set in stone but there is enough structure so I don’t have to think too much.
Paprika helps me with every aspect of what I need to plan for dinner. I typically plan the beginning of each week (it’s nice because I can create grocery lists and export them on my Reminders). If I want to get SmartPoints values I use Weight Watchers or Skinny Girl, or sometimes I use the nutritional values to create a food.
Tonight is the last night for my planned dinners for the week. We are having Mexican Chicken, a Weight Watchers Recipe:
Mexican Chicken 2 Smart Points3 SmartPoints
I’m not trying to sell you on using Paprika or joining Weight Watchers, because I can’t know what will work for you. Only you know yourself. Do a little inventory about what is not working for you. Consider why it’s not working. Then build a better system. Try it out, reflect, and tweak it as you go. I promise you can find the solutions you need and make meaningful actionable changes that make your life better.
To be transparent, the title of this post is a bit misleading. There really are no shortcuts for weight loss… sorry. But stick with me anyway. Technology has been helping me in some very important ways to make my habits stick.
Strategy #6 Automating Good Habits
Weight Watchers – This app is motivating me to keep tracking my food. It makes it easy to figure out the nutritional values (we use SmartPoints). It gives me activity points and synchs with my smartwatch. There is an online community through connect, live coaching, and a suite of other services like fitness, articles, and recipes. It really offers everything a person could need.
Apple Smartwatch – I love this more than I thought I would. My sister had one and Christmas was coming up, and I didn’t know what to ask for so… why not an Apple Watch. I set fitness goals and it gives me these rewards. It links up with my sister, daughter, and some friends. It also synchs to my Peloton and my Weight Watchers App. I love it. Plus I use the timer often it helps me with my Two-Minute Rule and my other goals like reading for 20 minutes a day.
Peloton – Activity has to be something I love to do or I will not do it. I love Spinning. Before COVID-19 I went Spin at my local gym 3-4 times a week. When the pandemic hit I really missed it. Thanks to my husband, he bought me the Peloton, I have this incredible piece of equipment and now I ride every day. Find something you love doing then you’ll feel so much better and stronger as you travel your weight loss journey.
Paprika – Dinnertime has been the bane of my existence for many reasons. One: by the evening, I am tired and don’t want to make any more decisions. Deciding what to cook was so draining for me. Two: having a solid plan for what to make for dinner helps me manage my weight loss efforts. I know how many points (or calories) to save for dinner. Three: knowing what I need to have in the house helps me make smart food shopping lists. Plus, Paprika synchs to my Remind app on my iPhone, so I have my shopping list ready to go.
WordPress – Writing is an excellent way for me to reflect. So much important learning (consolidation) happens during reflection. I am the kind of person who wants a big community, and sharing my reflections with all of you is an important piece of why I have my weight loss mojo back.
Now you have my list of favorite apps. What are yours? If you are feeling up for making connections here I would welcome your comments because we can learn so much from each other. As always thank you for reading.
Getting to Goal 