"You just need to take this journey ONE CHOICE AT A TIME!!!"
I love this piece of weight loss wisdom. It seems that weight loss works when things are broken down into smaller bits, one day at a time, one pound at a time, one step at a time... The idea of thinking even smaller - one choice at a time - guarantees countless victories. Every time I say no to ice cream (which hasn't been happening) is a victory! Every time I choose to work out - more victories! Every time I choose to drink a glass of water - victory!
I've been having a hard time transitioning out of "holiday eating." There is a reason Dr. Bernstein says no cheat days - because if you are a carb addict like me, one bit of pie and your whole resolve cracks. It is literally like being a recovering drug addict.
So - back to tracking until I feel that I'm in control of my food choices and portions. I also just started reading Living Low Carb: Controlled-Carbohydrate Eating for Long-Term Weight Loss, which my dad got for me to help me figure out how to get over some of the stringency of Dr. Bernstein's plan. And now I've got this wonderful mantra to add to my arsenal of success weapons.
All of this sets me up for
Also, I'm happy to report that my fitness regimen is going off without a hitch. This is what I've accomplished so far in January:
1/3 - walk
1/4 - yoga
1/5 - walk
1/6 - bike ride
1/7 - elliptical and weight training
1/8 - yoga
I'm also following Shelley, who is following Wendy, in a January plank challenge. I'm a few days off the beginning of the challenge, but by the end of the month I should be able to hold a plank happily for 2 minutes and 20 seconds. All of this sets me up for
One choice at a time until I reach my goals.
That is SUCH a good idea. I've been having one of those days where I'm overwhelmed by everything I've got to do. One person told me there's no way I would graduate this summer and another person was like yeah, definitely. I need to slow things down and focus on one choice at a time.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I know how you feel about the going off the wagon thing. There's been some interesting research about coping with stress because addicts typically fall off the wagon during stressful times. And some of the more recent stuff has said that a cold turkey dissociation really works in the short term but its best transitioned with a deeper introspection into whatever it is you're compulsively doing to cope with stress.
Yesterday, I was on the no carb left behind journey. Our lab had a big celebration with lots of goodies and everyone just found out I'm engaged and I found it all very overwhelming in the face of my academic responsibilities. So I ate every cinnamon bun in sight! This morning I felt like I had a carb hangover and the scale was up. In the past I would have chastised myself, but today I told myself it's ok, let's just get back on track because eating cleaner makes you feel better and is a stronger act of love for yourself than carbs. I think it was a success...one that took me years to even get to that place, and I think may be the key to my weight loss over the next few months.
Your attitude is wonderful. I feel like we are partners in this journey. Small successes, each choice at a time. And when you make one bad choice, just make the next one a good one (at least I'm telling myself that after a day of not so good choices).
DeleteWow, well done on the exercise front! I'm hoping to restart at a gym this week.
ReplyDeleteAnd I like the 'one choice at a time' concept, cos it really is... just a matter of a lot of choices adding up to changed behaviour, I guess...
Deb, I'm sure you are going to find your workout mojo soon. And you are absolutely right - a lot of little choices lead to big change.
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