My New Healthy Outlook

Many of you know I have been losing weight, trying to hit my goal weight, exercising, and trying to eat right. Last week I decided I just wanted to be done, hit my goal weight and start learning how to maintain. So I decided to eliminate carbs for 2 weeks. I thought this would be a great way to drop the weight fast and hit my goal weight before my birthday. Now I wasn't going to be crazy and cut out all carbs like fruit, but just the "outright" ones such as bread, pasta, rice, cereal, and the like. I lasted three days... and of those three days, I didn't even do that well! One of them I ate some spaghetti because I was at a friend's house and they had already prepared dinner and I was not about to be rude and say, "I'm sorry, could you make me something else? I'm not eating carbs." Another day I got a frappuccino from Starbucks because they were having the Happy Hour Half Price Frapps! Seriously! You can't pass up that deal! So maybe, MAYBE, one day I stuck to it. By day 4, all I wanted was to eat some bread... I had breakfast pizza at work that morning and ate mostly vegetables for lunch, not bad. Day 5? I had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and we went to Pizza Inn for lunch... Can you say, "going off the deep end?" I must stick up for myself a little, I didn't eat near as much at the buffet as I typically would, so I was proud of myself for that :o) But it got me to thinking, what is so "magical" about this goal weight? Why is it so important to hit that number and in the process be frustrated by what I can and cannot eat? Why would I choose to not eat bread, CEREAL, pasta, PANCAKES, just to hit a certain number on the scale that no one will ever see but me? I am so happy that I've lost nearly 35 pounds since I started this weight loss journey. I mean, that's so great, and to get hung up now is just ridiculous because here's what will happen (because it's happened before): I don't let myself eat certain things, I restrict my calories, I work out, and I finally get close and/or hit my weight... then what? In the past, I have always bounced right back up by about 10 pounds and then I'm frustrated all over again because I worked so hard to lose them, and it was so easy to put them back on! It happens to me time and time again -- starting in January I get back on the wagon, I do pretty well until my birthday, the summer is kind of a holding pattern, and by the time New Year's Eve rolls around I'm back to where I need to lose 10-15 pounds again. Why? Because I feel like since I deprived myself so much at the beginning of the year, I "deserve" to eat what I want at the end. But how can this be good for me? I don't think it is. I'm tired of this yo-yo effect and how much it wears me down, stresses me out, and frustrates me!

I've heard before that it is so much better to lose weight slowly, over time. The "experts" seem to hold firm to losing 1/2 pound a week as a good goal. Well, when I see my friends losing weight -- sometimes 2-3 pounds a week -- and hitting their goals weights, I'm happy for them, but then I also want that too. So then I try to really "buckle down" knowing all along that slow and steady is better. It's all been head knowledge before that I've wanted to prove wrong. I've wanted to lose the weight quick and keep it off, but guess what-- it has never worked! So I'm finally letting this truth resound in me: I am proud of the hard work I've done and the weight I've lost up to this point. I am much healthier now than ever before - I can run 9 minute miles on average, I work out 4-5 times a week, and I generally eat healthy meaning lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean meat with the "other stuff" added in more sparingly. So I'm going to enjoy where I am, take it slow, eat a few less calories than I need every day, but feel like I'm eating for "real" because I'd SO much rather be eating normally and do that every, single day for the rest of my life than try to eliminate carbs and go into a carb frenzy just a few days later and actually GAIN weight! Not cool! It's going to take a little while to grasp this new concept and really make it concrete in my mind because I have been so inundated with "Tips for Losing Weight Fast", "Get Your Summer Beach Body - Now!", and "Lose 10 pounds in 2 Weeks with these 3 Simple Rules." No, I know better. I can do better! <-- Name that movie :o) And I will, it starts now.

In a few weeks you may ask me, how's your weight loss going? Are you getting closer to your goal? Hopefully, instead of getting sad if I haven't budged on the scale or frustrated because I haven't hit my goal weight, I will say, "No, but I feel better than ever and every day that I choose to eat healthy and exercise I am enjoying my life and hopefully inspiring others to do the same."

To life... and my new healthy journey!