The word victory seems too big for turning down candy at professional development. It is hyperbole to use a word like that for such a small act. Victory is a special sort of word; one that sits high in the curio cabinet, bathed in the light waiting for “company” to arrive. To do something to earn such a word is to be admired. A rarified word that is meant for greatness, and not all meant for simply having some self-control during a work day.
Do you believe that? I really hope you don’t because weight loss is just plain old hard work for so many of us. And listen, if you turn down the candy bowl, or eat the lunch you pointed out and prepared instead of ordering out, and that makes you feel like a winner, I say, “Celebrate your victory!” It’s time to embrace these small acts because they add up and when you’re standing on the other side of “Goal!” with a big grin on your face it will certainly feel like VICTORY then.
Fun Fact: Werner Roth (a distant cousin) played alongside Pelé on the Cosmos and had a role in the soccer movie, Victory
New Year’s offers us a clean slate, and is there anything more appealing than a clean slate? Just like that (as if in a snap) all of the mistakes of the past are discarded, and everything is brand-spanking-new. A well-constructed resolution is truly something to admire. As if it were frozen in time, or under glass like the constitution or something. Especially one that has to do with weight loss, it catches the imagination, a new year, and a new me. It invites the willing heart, “This year will be my year to reach goal.” I can hear myself whisper it as if it were a magic chant just as the ball drops. For that moment it is easy to believe that a resolution will remain potent long after the strike of twelve. It is a belief that is, in a word – unspoiled – it is perfect.
Here is a secret, perfection is an enemy to process. Losing weight is a process of letting go of unhealthy habits while embracing healthy ones. So, why romanticize perfection when it comes to weight loss? For one, the inner critic loves perfection because it is unattainable. The very idea of it offers up bountiful opportunities to pummel the fledgling habits that are, let’s face it, a lot of hard work to establish. Another reason for the allure of perfectionism is it requires no work on our part. It is a symptom of a fixed mindset if I can’t be perfect, then it can’t be done. Intellectually, it is easy to call this out as being irrational and dumb. Emotionally, it is another thing altogether. It is like wearing a scarlet WW across one’s chest. Yes, you failed and everyone knows it because you sure can’t hide weight gain.
Is it all that dreary as we approach our end to another orbit around the sun? Chin up buttercup. It’s going to be okay. The good news is, I’m not perfect, and neither are you. There have been some false starts, and sudden stops to my weight loss journey this year, but I still believe I can do this. And you know what else? I believe you can do it too. Just don’t expect it to be easy and you are halfway there. Surround yourself with some inspiration, and some positive people who can help you along the way. So cheers to 2023 and imperfection! We are better together, and together (with a lot of hard work and persistence) we can get this done.
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.
The best thing about a person’s day can be so many things. What’s the best thing to me, may seem insignificant to someone else. It really doesn’t matter what the “thing” is it matters that it is acknowledged. For me, the best thing was that I got right back on plan. I didn’t spiral into a binge, and I didn’t make the decision to put this goal of weight loss away on a shelf until after the holidays. That’s the best thing for me today.
The topic of my WW meeting was to reflect on poor choices and hit the “rewind” button. Think back and pinpoint what would you do differently. Then “replay” the tape with the improved outcome. This is a strategy that gives us opportunities for to rehearse effective decision making. When practicing this strategy it’s important to do it from a kind stance. This is meant to be a strategy that encourages reflection and problem solving not self-loathing.
I shared this strategy because it’s a good idea, one I hadn’t thought of before, and maybe it can help someone. I plan on trying it when I find myself wishing I had made different choices. I will rewind my mind and find a better way whenever I need to, and I will be kind to myself. I will be careful to remember that it’s not one choice that makes or breaks this. It’s many choices over time.
Down another 2.2! Woo! Hoo! I just want to enjoy this moment. It feels good to see results when I’m putting in so much effort. Moments like these make me feel capable, and in control. For every positive there is a negative. Moments are funny because while the good ones seem to go so quickly, the hard ones seem enteral.
Sometimes a moment can seem like everything. The pull of wanting something can consume me, it’s like I want this… cookie, bread, pasta, or whatever it is and I lose perspective. My perspective becomes very narrow, and I think, I want it and that’s all there is. Then interior dialogue pipes up and begins to rationalize as if I’m playing, Let’s Make a Deal. Sometimes, the trajectory of a day lays in the balance of a single moment.
The Power of a Pause…
Learning how to pause, and think through a momentary craving or impulse is a big step on the journey. I believe learning how to do this is the work ahead of me now. While I’m not there yet, I am aware of the need to get there and that’s a good beginning.
Growing up is hard. As I think back to my emotional teenage years, I am grateful that I had such loving insightful parents. One memory came to mind as I was reading an article this morning. Teenage me had a huge argument with my mother, I sat in my messy room crying My dad came in my room and said, “Clean up your room, it will help put things into perspective.” He patted me on the shoulder and closed the door quietly behind him. Sure enough, as I picked up each piece of clothing strewn on the floor (dirty and clean alike) I began to feel lighter. Sniffling waned as I cleared off my vanity, putting away mascara, wiping down the mirror, hanging the blow dryer on the hook nestled into it side, and then capping the big white aerosol can of hairspray Halfway through I started feeling calmer and more centered. By the time I was done, I did feel better, dad was right.
I used to watch sitcom reruns from the 1950’s & 1960’s as a kid this was a recurring theme.
This was a lesson I’ve kept with me my whole life. Cleaning up the chaos around me, helps me find the calm within me. Funny thing, decluttering your environment also happens to help with weight loss. I’m dong a deep dive this week into all the articles that helped me to develop my tool, WW Recovery Checklist.
Today, I’m thinking about the Prevention article, How Getting Organized Can Help You Lose Weight. Essentially, science agrees with my dad: organizing your environment helps to organize your mind. If we are faced with too many choices off the bat we can struggle to pick the best option. Decluttering the environment helps to make our options more readily available and that helps to put control back in our hands. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
My dad used to come home with little gifts for me and this album was one of my favorites. As a kid I fell in love with the music (even commercials) of his generation.
The author, Joni Sweet, recommends starting with the refrigerator:
Getting organized is just the good strategy I need as I get ready to head back to school. As I took some time to clean my refrigerator I kept thinking, “I’m doing this for me. This is a way to be kind to myself.” I had a my candle burning, the cheerful music playing, and in the end a clean, well-organized refrigerator was not my only reward, I felt really good. I felt calm, centered, and cared for. This is one way to help myself lose weight and live my life in better health.
I am closing out a great week on plan. Of course, I hope I go down on the scale tomorrow but no matter what I’m happy with my progress. I did a lot for myself this week! My checklist really helped me tune into what was going on internally while reminding me of all the good habits I can lean into to feel great and lose some weight.
Writing notes really made the difference. This tool helped me.
I made a point to practice mediation. I enjoyed it and it made me feel calm and helped me make better choices;
I took time to prepare and plate foods that I enjoy, and ate mindfully. I paired zero point foods and lower SmartPoint foods to keep my meals fresh.
These choices may seem small but they are potent. So if you’re feeling stuck pick one small change work on that and you’ll see one change leads to another. The better you feel about yourself the better a health and wellness journey will go.
A good snack 1 sp. and fun to eat in this playful cow pattern measuring cup!
If you are looking for a place to get a nice easy lunch that is SmartPoint friendly, Panera is a great option. The two for two lunch deal was only 5 SmartPoints. I had a cup of the Ten Vegetable Soup and 1/2 Asian Chicken Salad for 4 SmartPoints and an apple 0 SmartPoints. It really hit the spot and and left me feeling good.
1/2 Salad 4 SmartPoints
1 cup soup 1 SmartPoint
I learned about, Mark Hyman who is part of the Cleveland Clinic, and his work dealing with healthy immune systems in a Facebook group, #dailyjounalprompts . Here is his talk if you want to check it out for yourself:
Molecules in motion they go the way our emotions do so chronic stress is so bad for us. Everyone know it has negative impacts on health. However, do you know about the immunology of joy? Joy improves health, and it’s easy to do. A gratitude journal – yielded these amazing results. The amount of touching that goes on makes us healthier – a hug has profound effects. This blows me away.
More fun facts – Rheumatoid arthritis – there is a genetic predisposition, so gene plus environment equals a result. However, it can be greatly influenced by diet: plant based diets, eating fish, it all has an impact! A meatless Monday – so easy. Activity – moving just a bit more it helps a lot. A common sense approach that sounds a lot like the WW program – it all makes sense to me.
Late spring rain (even though the sky is dreary it makes everything all around look so vibrant and green).
It was another good day on plan. My husband brought be home a Carvelite ice-cream (I guess that’s number four on the gratitude list). I have been rolling over SmartPoints for the last two days. I’m going to keep at this, I hope you do too.
Getting to Goal 