Here’s to 2021

On By TerriIn Activity, Food, Inspiration, Mindset1 Comment

Happy New Year!  I don’t know about you, but I am so thrilled to have 2020 behind me and am looking forward to 2021 and a return to some normalcy. 

A new year offers an opportunity for change.  An opportunity to recommit to our goals. 

New Years day often finds us making resolutions…. Promises to lose the weight, get healthier, workout more, and so much more. 

Did you make your resolution yet? 

I stopped making resolutions years ago.  Why?  Because, frankly, I never keep them.  I always had grand ideas of what I was going to accomplish, but often lost motivation a few weeks, sometimes a few days into the new year.  So, I stopped making resolutions.   Instead, I decide a theme for the year, something that helps me to grow into a better version of me, something that challenges me to step outside my comfort zone and to make real change.  Something that encompasses ALL of me, not just my weight or health. 2021 is the year I continue to live mindfully, present in the moments of each day and it is the year I focus on kindness, toward others and myself as well as focusing on daily gratitude.   

But not setting a New Years Resolution does NOT mean I don’t set weight/health goals when the new year arrives.  I set them all year, but the new year allows me to refocus. and gives me an opportunity to look back and see what worked and what didn’t work the previous year.  Then I can set my course toward the goals I have in mind—long term goals and short-term goals.  I can learn from the past and use those lessons to help me achieve the goals I have for myself in the new year. 

2020 was rough.  REALLY rough.  I struggled. I started 2020 by getting a virus in mid-January that turned into pneumonia, keeping me from participating in my favorite 5k race…. The race I look forward to ALL year.  I was sick for over a month.  And then, a couple of weeks after getting better, I injured my back, seriously.  I couldn’t walk.  I couldn’t do anything for a few weeks.  Slowly I got better.  Slowly my back began to heal….. but by then, we were in the midst of a stay-at-home order and I wasn’t going anywhere.  Life just stopped.  For everyone.  Our routines were upended.  Life as we knew it was at a complete halt.  Being sick was stressful.  Being in pain was stressful.  BUT a pandemic, and all its effects, THAT was even more stressful. 

Stress became the daily staple of my life.  And my weight was showing it.  I found myself 34 lbs above my goal weight and very close to a point I said I would NEVER go back to again.  NEVER!  I had to do something.

But we were in a pandemic.  And what worked for me in the past, well, it wasn’t there now.  I couldn’t meet with my friends for weekend walks.  There were no in person 5ks to sign up for or train for.  And Weight Watcher workshops were all online…..which just isn’t the same.  I couldn’t talk to friends online before the workshop or visit after.  It was NOT the same.  The world was different, and I was going to have to figure out how to do this differently.

All of this added to the struggles of 2020.  I am an emotional eater, so the stress, the worry, and the fear were taking a toll. I REALLY struggled.  (Oh, how I long for the day I can meet with friends and hug people again!) 

More health struggles popped up for me…. the end of May found me excessively tired and dealing with a bad cough.  This lasted for months.  I thought I was losing my mind….it had to be all in head, right? And then more symptoms, more pain, this time in every joint of my body….severe enough to prevent me from walking at times or prevent me from using my hands to pick up something…… making any thought of exercise out of the question!  And bronchitis….. Finally, in early December, a diagnosis of Valley Fever and the beginning of treatment.  THIS was and still is testing my patience, but that is for another post.

Yes, 2020 was a struggle. 

Yet, I found, through the challenges that I have inside me, what I need to get to where I want to go.  I have what I need to reach my goals, right there inside of me. 

I just have to believe in myself. 

I have to make me a priority. 

I have to remember what is really important to me. 

I have to remember to not give up what I want most for what I want in the moment.  

And I have to remember just how far I have come!

I took the first steps to getting back on track the beginning of November.  I stepped on the scale and told my husband right away what it said.  He is my weight accountability now.

What other steps have I taken to get me back on the path that will lead me to my goal?  This–

—A little movement is better than NO movement!  I found that if I wait until later in the day, the pain is not quite so severe and I can go for a walk, sometimes just around the block and sometimes a mile or two.  Just depends on how I am feeling.  I also discovered that the more I sit, the more pain I am in, so moving helps me heal.

—Tracking and portions!  I found that tracking is not so difficult on a phone app.  I am not perfect in my tracking, but I am tracking.  That awareness is so very important.  How can I know what I need to adjust if I don’t know what and how much I am really eating?  And that means, weighing and measuring my food too. 

—Accountability and motivation—I still use my WW app and read the stories, but I don’t follow the points for now.  I track calories and I pay attention to calorie-density of foods.  I look for the foods that will keep me full longer and keep me satisfied.  I have an accountability coach that checks in with me every week to see how I am doing and helps me to set a new weekly goal.  And I find motivation online, reading stories of others and in my talks with and messages with my friends. 

—I am taking time for me.  Time for meditating, using the CALM app and time to just read or listen to music.  With all the stress of these days, I need to take a step back and just breathe sometimes. 

—And starting today, I am adding yoga to my days, to help with the pain and to give me those moments where I can just breathe. Another way to take care of me.

These are just the first steps in taking back the control of my health and my weight.  And they are working.  I am down 9 lbs now in 2 months.  Would have been more, but Christmas goodies happened…….

I am jumping into 2021 full speed.  I have my long-term goal to get to my goal weight and then below it.  And I have my short-term goal—just 5 lbs.  5lbs at a time.  I CAN do that! 

Add to that my 2021 theme of being kinder to others and to myself, practicing daily gratitude and living mindfully and the year should be a much better one!

This journey, though, is far from perfect!  But it is so worth it!  I am worth it!  And so are you! 

What are your goals for 2021?  What are you doing to get yourself on that road toward your goals? 

Let’s do this together! 

Here’s to 2021! 

What do I Get From Lemon Oreo Cookies?

On By TerriIn Food, Mindset, Uncategorized6 Comments

It has been a while since I have written. 

The last time I wrote I was struggling with defining what success looked like to me, for this pandemic.  And I set a goal—to track most days, to be mindful in my eating, to focus on things I could control rather than those I couldn’t….. well……

My focus has not been there.  Motivation is hard to find when the “routine” things I rely on are not routine any longer. 

Things are still not back to normal.  I am still staying home.  I am still doing online shopping.  I am not getting together for lunch with my friends.  I don’t get to go to my workshop.  I am not meeting with my friends to walk and talk.  I am not running errands.  I am staying home almost all of the time.

Life used to be chaotic.  Life used to be busy.  Life used to be routine.  My world was bigger than it is now.  My world now, is here, at home. 

I miss routine.  I miss hugs.  I miss meeting friends and visiting with them.  I miss having people over to my house.  I miss walking into a store.  I miss…… a lot. 

So, with these days still in the twilight zone, motivation is hard to find.

I am finding ways to deal with things.  Instead of in person gatherings, there are messages, emails, phone calls and video chats.  Not the same, but better than total isolation.  I am writing, maybe not here on my blog or on my other blog, but I am writing.  I am watching lots of movies and binge-watching Netflix.  I am scrapbooking, traveling the world through my memories and pictures.  And I am practicing mindfulness through meditation and walks in my pool. 

But…. I miss my life!

When routines are out the window, motivation is hard to find.  The world feels chaotic.  Stressful.  Uncertain.  And that is when old habits pop back up!

Emotional eating has always been my Achilles heel.  And right now, that habit has come roaring back.  It is familiar.  It is routine.  It is “normal” in a world that does not feel so normal.  Habits bring comfort.  Even habits that are not healthy.

Habits make it so that we do not have to think.  It just happens automatically.  Without thought.  Sometimes that is a really good thing.  Imagine if you had to think about it each time you brushed your teeth, took a shower, tied your shoes…. You get it, right?  I just do those things, no thinking about how to do it, the steps involved, nothing….just do it.  Those habits free my mind to think about other things. 

But some habits are not so helpful.  They are still automatic, and I don’t think about them, but in the long run they just don’t help.

In many WW workshops we have talked about habits.  And I am currently reading (for the 5th time) the book “Target 100”, written by Liz Josefsberg (a former WW Leader and now motivational speaker and weight loss coach) and I am listening to a masterclass on the CALM app called “Breaking Bad Habits”.  All three reinforce the same thing—a habit consists of a trigger, followed by a behavior, followed by a reward.  The trigger causes the behavior and the reward reinforces that behavior and then we repeat the habit.  We get something from the habit, or we would not keep repeating it.

But what do we get?  What is the reward?

Those are the questions I asked myself when this happened—Lemon Double Stuffed Oreos! and I ate most of them in less than 24 hours.  There were only 3 left when I asked my husband to PLEASE throw them away, in the big garbage can so I couldn’t get to them.  Only 3 left.  That is when I KNEW I was emotionally eating.  Until that moment, yesterday, I hadn’t really been paying attention.  The chips didn’t signal me to stop.  The cookies.  The crackers.  The bagels.  The brownies.  The cake.  No, none of those made me think that maybe, just maybe I was eating more from emotion than true physical hunger. 

I was tired.  So, I ate. 

I was stressed.  So, I ate.

I was lonely.  So, I ate.

I was sad.  So, I ate.

I was angry.  So, I ate.

I was bored.  So, I ate.

I was……. (fill in any emotion).  So, I ate.

Then those Lemon Oreos happened.  And this morning I listened to more of the masterclass on CALM.  Yes, you guessed it.  Todays lesson on breaking bad habits hit on eating—non-physical hunger eating.  And I heard the question— “What do I get from this?  Is there something better?”

What do I get from eating when I am not hungry?  What reward does food provide me? 

Comfort.  Relief.  Numbness.  Avoidance.  Distraction. 

Food provides those things for me.  But only temporarily.  For a moment.  Then the guilt steps in and I eat again.  It is a cycle.  A habit that is not helpful.  A habit that I know I can change, I have done it before…… but life is different now and going back to old habits brought about a comfort I need when the world is as uncertain as it is right now.

But awareness is the first step to changing a habit.  And now I am aware (again).  So, how to change it?  How do I stop eating when I am tired?  Bored?  Stressed?  Lonely?  Sad?  Etc.? 

I have to work with the habit loop.  The emotion is my trigger.  And instead of it triggering me to eat,  I need another action—call a friend, write, go for a walk, scrapbook, read, take a nap, swim, just sit outside, listen to music, dance…. There are so many things I could do instead.  So many things that would give me what I need, reward me in ways that won’t make me feel guilty.    So many things that will provide me a reward that is the same or better than what food provided me… and the reward from a non-food behavior will be much more long-term instead of temporary.

But there are a lot of emotions that drive me to eat and changing them all at one time, will be too overwhelming.  So, this week, I am going to focus on one.  And I am going to be specific about the new behavior.  Being specific means, it will be doable.  And I am going to be accountable, right here, because accountability means I am more likely to do it.

So here is my plan, my habit change and how I am going to do it this week–

Stress is the hardest emotion for me to not eat.  Instead of eating, when I am stressed, I am going to go outside—in the pool, in the hammock or walk.  How will I remind myself to do that instead of eating?  My sandals will be by the door and on my fridge and pantry will be a picture of my backyard with the words– Feeling stressed?  Go outside!  You won’t feel guilty after! 

And my reward will be the calm I will feel. 

Stress (trigger)— Go outside (behavior/action)— Calm (reward)

What’s your plan to battle the emotional eating habit?  What are you going to do instead and how are you going to remind yourself to do it?

What Success Looks Like to Me

On By TerriIn Mindset, Uncategorized2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago WW asked a question in the weekly given to members each week (currently online versions only) as part of that weeks topic.  The same question I asked of members in my workshops when we would discuss goals—seasonal, holiday, long-term, short-term— and it had me thinking.

What does success look like to you??

We are in the midst of uncertain times.  Days are filled with stress, worry, interrupted routines….. life does not look the way it did a few months ago. Change is hard.  Emotions can make the journey of weight loss and being healthy difficult. Old habits can creep back in, unnoticed at first and then…. Well, before we know it old habits are the go-to, taking the control from our newer, healthier habits.  And we wonder what the heck happened!

I have been asking myself every day for the past couple of weeks—What does success look like to me?  What will make me feel good and successful when this pandemic is over, the stay-at-home order is lifted, and life gets back to “normal” for me?  Where do I want to be on my journey when I get to be back in my comfort zone?  Ahhh…….THAT comfort zone.  Where I feel safest, where things are easy, where change doesn’t happen…. But, as I have said before, stepping outside my comfort zone is where the greatest growth happens.  Maybe, just maybe, defining success for me and what it looks like, will help me to navigate this uncomfortable area, give me a goal and a focus for taking care of me and help me continue down the path of being the healthiest and best version of me that I can be… 

What does success look like to me, now?  An important question.  Asking it makes me look at my journey, and what I want, what is important. Without asking and defining success for me, I cannot set goals or identify the steps I need to take that will help me move toward that success.  Without asking and defining success, I am essentially choosing to let emotions and old habits take over…. I would be traveling down a road with no plan, no map, no eventual destination, eventually ending up in a place I do not want to be.

So, I have been asking the question every day.  And the answer hasn’t been easy to find.  I know that long-term I want to be at or below my goal weight.  I want to be healthy.  Don’t we all?  So WHY is it SO HARD to define and picture what success looks like for me—success at the end of April? The end of May? The end of this pandemic? 

Worry, sadness, loneliness, stress, anger, anxiousness…… those darned emotions!  Uncertainty.  Not knowing what is going to happen.  Not being able to CONTROL what is going to happen.  Being outside my comfort zone where I have little control over events.  Yes, these are the things that make it difficult to focus on my goals, on me. 

Yet, I have NOT lost all control.  I control my choices, though the choices are limited and different right now, I still have a choice.  I control my attitude and how I react to the things that are outside my control.  I GET to choose what success looks like for me, despite the current circumstances I find myself in.  So, I have not really lost ALL control. 

Once again, I go back to that question asked a couple weeks ago—What does success look like to you?  For each of us, it will look different—losing weight, maintaining weight, not gaining more than a few pounds… or not weight related at all, instead success is a behavior—continuing to move every day even if it is in a different way, or controlling portions or any other behavior that moves us toward health and weight loss.  Defining what success looks like will help us to set a goal and then the plan for how to get there can be formed.

Taking everything into consideration, I have finally come up with what that looks like for me.  Success for me is NOT going to be focused on weight, though weight loss will be a benefit of achieving my success.  And frankly, focusing on the weight right now is just too darn stressful. So I am taking a break from the scale and removing some stress at a time when stress is so high. INSTEAD I am going to FOCUS on something a little less stressful for me. Success for me, when this is all over, will be that I tracked most days.  Success means I paid attention to my portion sizes, sticking to small portions, weighing and measuring them. 

I CANNOT control much right now, but I CAN make a CHOICE to be mindful when I eat, even if the food is higher in points.  Portions and tracking are key to success for me.  When this is over, and I look back on these months of uncertainty, I will be proud of myself for tracking and for controlling my portions. I know I won’t necessarily be perfect, which isn’t what this is about. As long as I track and pay attention to portions MOST days, FORGIVING myself for the times I slip a little, then that is TRUE SUCCESS! And I will feel successful, no matter what the scale says. 

Because, sometimes success IS NOT about the scale.  Sometimes success is about a BEHAVIOR. Especially when that behavior gives me some control at a time when life is feeling so out of control.  And right now, controlling what I can and letting go of the rest is most important.

My goal through this is to track, weigh and measure my portions and make the best choices I can, for me right now.  Now I can set my course, map my route and create a plan. 

FIRST STEP is just to track ONE meal and the portions.  Focus on ONE meal.  My food scale and measuring tools are on my counter to remind me to pay attention to portions.  First step.  One step. 

Going to just take this one-step-at-a-time.  One-day-at-a-time.  One-meal-at-a-time.  One-choice-at-a-time.

The benefit is that I will be more mindful, more present, more focused.  And we all know that the scale follows along, eventually.   

What does success look like to you?  What will make you feel successful when this lockdown is over, and life starts to get back to normal?  Where do you want to be the end of April?  The end of May? 

Once you decide what success looks like for you and what your goal is, then ask yourself, “What is ONE thing I can do right now, TODAY, THIS WEEK that will get me on the path toward success?” 

CAN you do that one thing?  WILL you do that one thing?

One step at a time.  One day at a time. One choice at a time.

The Gift and a Little Creativity

On By TerriIn Food, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The anticipation was growing.

I was waiting…..  excited…. Ready to burst! 

And then I heard the garage door open and in walked my husband and my son with bags.  Bags of food!

I was sooo excited!!!

And Anxious!!

Did they find any?  Were they successful??  Oh… just let me see!! 

You see, times are challenging right now.  Our country, the world, is experiencing a pandemic and it is causing panic across the country.  Add to that, neither my husband nor I can drive right now, and we both are moving a little slower than normal, he because of recent total Knee Replacement surgery and me because of a severe back injury.  So, we rely on our son to take us places.    

During this challenging time, stores have been out of my “go to” foods, at least later in the day when my husband could get to the store.  What??? 

It feels as if my world has turned upside down overnight.  (not just because of the lack of food choices currently available.)  And I am lost.  How am I going to stay on plan?  How am I going to make healthy eating a priority when all that is left in the stores are the foods I have avoided for years, foods that are way too high in fat or sugar, and the foods that were my go-to foods for dealing with emotions?? 

I just want my low point/low calorie bread, my extra lean ground turkey and ground beef, fresh fruits, fresh veggies and so much more…. But those are very hard to find.  Instead, on my husband’s previous trip to the store, there were a few cans of high calorie soup, some Velveeta mac & cheese, a loaf of high calorie (and therefore high point) bread, and not much in the way of fresh veggies….

I am not used to shopping this way.  I am not used to having to figure out my meals based on what I have available.  I am a planner.  I plan 2-weeks’ worth of dinners and then go shopping based on my planned dinners.  Oh, I don’t always stick to the plan, not strictly anyway.  But planning the meals helps me create my grocery list which in turn keeps me on track.  But now I am not able to do that.  The chances that those items I would need to make those meals, would actually be on the shelves in the stores was quite low.  And that had me feeling even more discombobulated….. more lost….. Ugh!

So here I was, a couple of weeks into the craziness in the stores and a month since my last trip to get groceries (our pantry and fridge were quite low since I only shop for 2 weeks at a time.) and I was waiting, anticipating what he would find this time….. 2 previous trips to the store had not garnered those much-desired items…. But maybe, just maybe, this time would!

Let me tell you, when he walked in with bags in hand, I was ready to explode!  And finally I was able to go through the bags, finding some high calorie things I would not normally eat, including brownie mixes, frostings, cookie and cake mixes… and THEN I found the gifts (insert childlike scream and huge grin!)

They FELT like GIFTS.  Those precious, precious gems!  I felt like a kid in a candy store or a kid opening a much desired gift on Christmas morning— my butter!!  Zucchini!!  Strawberries!!  Cucumbers!!  Tomatoes!! Yogurt!!  Flour!!  Yeast!!  Onions and Potatoes!!  An Avocado!! Apples!! Low fat buttermilk!!  Canned Chicken breast!!  Oh my!!  Yes!!  Score!!  We struck gold!!

NEVER in my wildest imagination would I have imagined that I would EVER be this excited about vegetables!  Or fruit!  Or Yogurt!  I was ecstatic.  I was that kid on Christmas morning who just opened that one present that was the only one I had wanted!  

For years I have enjoyed fresh fruits and veggies.  And I miss them when I don’t have them.  Now with the stores being so very crazy and running low on my favorites, I was really missing my foods, the foods I have relied on to keep me healthy, to keep me on plan and to fill me up.   

My husband just smiled and then laughed while he watched me. 

Now to figure a way to use these low point gifts, along with the higher calorie/higher point foods (that I hadn’t eaten in a really long time) to make meals that would help me eat healthy, stay in my points and keep me satisfied.  And I needed to get creative to make the meals that would keep me from gaining weight during this stressful and challenging time, when staying home is necessary and exercise wasn’t possible. 

Yes, this would be a challenge. 

But, I was ready to RISE UP to the challenge, get creative and put my health at the top of my priority list. 

All those years sitting in WW workshops and all the years I had worked for WW and stood in front of members, facilitating the workshop had prepared me for this challenge.  I had tools to help me.  The tips I had heard over and over in those workshops were the tools I needed now.

Those tips came rushing back to me—

               –Wash and prep fresh produce BEFORE putting them in the fridge (I have not always been great at this, and many a fruit and vegetable have died a slow death in the vegetable bin of my refrigerator).  Done!  This fresh produce needed to be treated like diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems.

               –TRACK!  Track everything!  Even if I don’t know the points value, at least write it down.  Take a picture of the food if I can’t write it down.  Tracking, with or without the points keeps me aware of what I am eating.  And how often I am eating.  And whether or not I am really, truly physically hungry.  TRACK!

               –Portion Control!  Weigh and measure EVERYTHING!  Now, more than ever, this is important for me to do!  Paying attention to my portions keeps me mindful.  And mindful eating is important for me, an emotional eater.  The emotions I am feeling and trying to sort through threaten to sabotage my efforts to be healthy.  Portions help me to control the amount of points I consume while using he higher point value foods, taking the control from the food and putting it back in my hands.   

               –Have a Plan!  So important.  Just like a plan helps when we go to a party, potluck or out to eat, planning meals will keep me on track.  And planning how many points I want to use for a certain meal will help me navigate the higher point foods and meals I have in my kitchen right now.

I have discovered this past week that by watching the portion sizes and tracking everything, I CAN stay on plan and within my points, even with higher calorie/higher point foods.  I just eat a smaller portion. I decide ahead of time how many points I want to use and then portion it out to meet my planned points.  And I am satisfied. Planning Works!

–Try new recipes.  Mix it up.  Keep food from becoming boring– Instead of planning my meals and then getting the ingredients, I am now having to look in my pantry and my fridge/freezer and plan meals based on what I have on hand.  Some meal ideas come easier than others.  Grilled Chicken and frozen veggies.  Easy.  But those are limited items right now in my kitchen so I can’t do it every day.  I have to plan so that I can stretch those ingredients into more meals.  And that, along with the current choices in my kitchen (many things I would not and have not used in a long time) is making me get creative with my meals.  I look through my recipes and cookbooks as well as online for meal ideas and recipes that help me make a delicious, flavorful, and filling dinners.  And sometimes I just wing it, using what I have on hand to create a flavorful meal. 

I am using my leftovers more than I ever have.  NOTHING goes to waste! 

I am having fun creating.  I am excited about meals again.  It isn’t boring!  I am having a blast channeling my inner Chef.  I am loving pretending I am a participant on WW MasterChef! 

I am making homemade bread!  Buttermilk biscuits.  Brownies.  Hamburger Buns.  Donuts.  I am using high point meatballs in my spaghetti (just one.  It is all about the portions!) and using pasta because I haven’t had zucchini to spiralize.  I am grilling, sauteeing, and air-frying.  I am repurposing leftovers from dinner for breakfast and lunch the next day.  And I will be using canned pumpkin (I LOVE pumpkin spice EVERYTHING!) because that is what I have in the pantry.  Tonight, I am making my grilled Greek turkey burgers, with some substitutions, of course, and homemade hamburger buns.  And we are having a big salad too, thanks to the greens, tomato and cucumber my husband brought home.  The salad will save points so that I can enjoy the homemade hamburger bun and higher point ground turkey. 

So. Many. Ways. To. Be. Creative.

I am finding success during this challenging time.  I am playing with my food again, in a good way.  I am trying old favorites.  I am experimenting.  I am eating things that previously scared me because they were so high in points.  I am eating foods I avoided. 

And you know what?  I am in control.  I am enjoying my meals.  I am not feeling deprived! 

All the things I have learned, all the things I have heard, and all the tips shared in WW workshops, are helping me to find balance, to find my creativity and to stay calm during this time of uncertainty.  And I am finding success!

What are you doing to stay on track?  How are you getting creative in the kitchen?  How are you channeling your inner chef?  How are you staying mindful when it comes to your food choices?  What is your plan? 

Sharing our challenges, successes and tips will help us all to get through this challenging time.  Together.  Because we ARE better TOGETHER!!

Here is to 2020!

On By TerriIn Activity, Food, Inspiration, Mindset1 Comment

It is the end of the year, the end of another decade and a time for reflection. 

2019 was a good year.  But I did not accomplish all the goals I had set for myself.  Sometimes life steps in and we have to adjust our sails and get back on course.  It happens.  Life happens. 

I am looking forward to 2020!  I have already set some goals for myself when it comes to my health, my fitness, my weight and my mindset.  All things I have control over.  And all areas I struggled with in 2019.

September saw the beginning of a few months of health issues for me.  And lots of visits to doctors.  Ugh!  Let me tell you, health issues can be quite the wake-up call.  Thankfully, all is well.  But all the testing and doctor orders kept me from exercising the last few months of 2019, completely throwing off my game-plan for my 5ks. 

Life happens.

Sometimes we need to adjust those goals so that they are more reasonable and achievable.  Adjusting goals is far better and much more motivating than giving up.  So, I adjusted.

My goal for my upcoming January 5k will be to finish, instead of pushing myself beyond what my body can do, because I want to reach my original goal of finishing my fastest 5k.  If I did not adjust my goal, I would be setting myself up for disappointment and failure, both of which would sabotage any efforts I may attempt at getting healthy and would make me give-up.  It is better to adjust goals than to give up!

My goal for getting back to my lifetime WW goal did not materialize.  So, I am giving myself more time.  The goal to lose that much weight in such a short period of time was not reasonable.  Adjusting my goal to losing more slowly is far more achievable and takes the pressure off me, removing the guilt that ends up sabotaging me and making me quit.  Adjusting goals is better than giving up!

So, thinking about what I want to achieve in 2020—better health, better mindset, healthy weight loss and better fitness, has me thinking about the steps I can take now to help me move toward those long-term goals.  The steps I can take today, this week and the coming month.

Breaking the long-term goals into smaller steps makes the end not so far away, makes it seem as if those goals are within reach and it motivates me.  Each small step taken and achieved gives me confidence that I CAN do this and I WILL do this.  Each step is another step on the path to success.  And those missteps, the detours, well they are another steppingstone helping me to build my path to success. 

I have got this!

The past two days I have taken a couple of steps toward those long-term goals of better health, fitness and mindset. 

First I signed up to do the Run the Year 2,020 miles in 2020.  Yes, 2,020 miles in one year.  I was not going to do the Run the Year.  Friends of mine had done the 2019 Run the Year and were registered to do the 2020 Run the Year, but I was going to skip it.  But my health issues gave me quite the wake-up call and yesterday, I decided that the Run the Year race was exactly what I needed to motivate me to move more, to get out and walk more.  So, I registered.  And the race bling is added incentive for me! 

The second step was to purchase a new Fitbit.  My old one died.  And I have not worn a fitness tracker in over a month now.  My birthday is coming up soon, and I told my husband that I wanted the gift of health this year and that meant a new Fitbit.  I am wearing it right now.  An early birthday present.  One that will motivate me to move more.  To walk more.  Another step on my journey to my goals.

I am planning for 2020.  I am looking forward to 2020.  I am certain I will achieve the goals I set for myself this coming year.  I know it will be a great year.  With the support of my family and my “tribe”, I CAN and I WILL move forward….

One step at a time!  One small goal at a time!  One day at a time!

Here is to the new year!  I hope that all your goals are achieved this year—one small goal at a time! 

Surviving the “Eating Season”– The Holidays pt 3– PIE!

On By TerriIn Food, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Only two more days!

I am amazed at how fast the year has flown and how quickly Thanksgiving has arrived.  2 more days!

I love Thanksgiving!  It is a lot of food prep and work for me to cook the holiday meal for my family, though the past couple of years have been a bit easier….less food and less prep.  Tomorrow morning, I begin making pie.  And I love pie!

Pie is a staple of Thanksgiving!  Apple pie, Chocolate Cream Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie….. oh, there are so many pies to choose from! 

For years I made three types of pie every Thanksgiving—Pumpkin Pie (either one deep dish or 2 regular pies), Chocolate Cream Pie (with an Oreo crust) and Pecan Pie (for my husband, as I do not like Pecan pie).  I would have a slice of Pumpkin pie and Chocolate cream pie on Thanksgiving after dinner (from which I was over-stuffed and really had no room for pie).  And then as I watched a movie later at night I would have another slice of Pumpkin pie.  Breakfast the day after Thanksgiving was always easy for me—Chocolate Cream pie and Pumpkin pie. 

Pie all day long until it was gone.  And the size of the slice varied, depending on what meal and how many pies I was eating at that time. 

I really did not pay attention to portion sizes or what a true portion of pie looked like.  Why should I?  It was Thanksgiving Day….. weekend….. week…. And I was surprised when I would gain 10 or more pounds over the “eating season”?!  Maybe the excess pie had something to do with it (and the cookies in December, too!).

Then I joined Weight Watchers in March of 2006 for the 5th time.  That first Thanksgiving I went to the workshop and made a plan…kinda…. But not really.  But I did pay attention.  It was that workshop where my then leader showed us the plate and how we could use that plate to really see a true serving size of pie.  WOW!  THAT was a HUGE eye-opener!  Because, what she showed us was the same size as the small piece of pie I would cut when I was having both Pumpkin and Chocolate Cream pies…. I thought my 2 small pieces were less than or equal to one piece of pie.  Boy was I wrong!

It was not until Thanksgiving 2007 that I took that lesson to heart and really paid attention to my portions for Thanksgiving and for Pie.  My leader again showed us the plate demo for a pie slice and I again was amazed.  But this time I was serious and determined to reach my goal….I was so close and so I stuck to that serving size of pie—one slice. 

And I was satisfied with one slice…one true portion of pie!  Who knew?!  I did not need the excessive amount of pie.  I did not feel deprived eating a portion and sometimes even smaller.  And I could enjoy my pie.

Over the years I have adapted recipes and found ways to enjoy pie without the guilt…. Always paying attention to the serving size.  Last year I made a slow cooker Crustless Apple Pie from skinnytaste and it was delicious!  It is now a staple for my Thanksgiving and for other times of the year.  I still make the Chocolate Cream pie for my son and have a slice and that satisfies me.  I don’t make Pumpkin Pie because I am the only one who eats it and I don’t need the whole pie…instead I make a Pumpkin Spice truffle with Pumpkin Pie yogurt, crushed graham cracker and whipped topping.  Oh…it is good!  And this year I will be using Pizzelle cookies to make pie shells for the slow cooker apple pie filling and for the pumpkin yogurt…..very low in calories and smartpoints and delicious!  I can enjoy a treat or two or three and still feel in control. 

And when I have that one slice of Chocolate Cream Pie, I will have that true serving size based on this plate demo—this is what my leader showed us all those years ago and what I shared with those who attended the Weight Watcher workshops I led every year –

Take an 8-inch paper plate—This represents an 8 inch pie.

And fold that plat in half— No that is not a serving size of pie….. we may want it to be…but…..

Fold the plate in half again— okay, this looks like my kind of pie slice….but this is NOT a true serving size of pie, Not the size slice of pie that those smartpoints are based on…. So…..

Fold the plate in half again— Now THIS, THIS is a true portion of pie.  1/8 of an 8-inch pie is what the smartpoints are based on.  This right here is a true portion of pie…doesn’t look too small….until you place it in your hand or on a dessert plate…with the fork next to it.  And those Costco pies?  Well this is a pretty small slice of that pie!

This Thanksgiving enjoy your pie.  Eat it.   Savor it.  Before enjoying it, practice this plate demo…..Being aware of what a serving size of pie looks like, helps us with portions and helps us to not feel guilty! 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Surviving the “Eating Season”– the Holidays part 2

On By TerriIn Food, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The week before Thanksgiving.   Traditionally, at least in the past, this week before Thanksgiving meant the annual WW Great Plate Thanksgiving prep workshop.  I loved that week in Weight Watchers meeting rooms.  I looked forward to it every year.  That workshop gave me an opportunity to plan for the holiday meal, to learn tips and tricks for navigating a food laden holiday and one that could be stressful. 

I learned a lot in that one annual workshop.  The first time I attended and really absorbed the ideas of the Great Plate workshop was 2006, on my 5th journey with WW.  My then leader, gave us all paper plates and then we planned. 

This year and last year we did not do the Great Plate workshop and I miss it!  I miss the planning, the discussion of the point values of all our favorites, the ideas shared, the tips on how to navigate the day and the weeks that followed. I miss the recipes shared, and the tips on making a favorite recipe a little lighter, and lower in point values.  I miss the connection with others and sharing of challenges that the holidays presented and how we could get through those challenges. 

Workshops were then and still are where the magic happens!  And I have learned a lot over the past 13 years in those workshops from other members sitting in the chairs.  With Thanksgiving next week, I have been thinking a lot about what I learned for many years in the Thanksgiving Great Plate workshops and how I could use those lessons this year. 

How do I navigate the holiday?  What has helped me and will help me as I go through this years “eating season”?

Here are just a few of the things I have learned these past few years—

–-Know your budget—And build it!  Whether your budget is calories or points, know what it is and how to increase it.  With WW we all have a daily and weekly budget to spend on food.  Know what that is for yourself.  Save those extra weekly points for the day of your holiday meal.  Add in some fitpoints, earned through exercise and activity for the week leading up to the holiday.  Save some of those daily points and roll them over into the weekly to use for the holiday meal.  All of this builds a great budget for us to use and not feel guilty when we indulge in our favorite foods! 

–Plan your meal—This is what the Great Plate workshop did…. It helped us to plan our meal.  What are you going to have?  What are the special family foods that will be at the meal?  Write your meal on a paper plate so you can see what you will be eating on Thanksgiving.  Planning and visualizing the meal will help when the day finally arrives. 

–-Know the smartpoint values of the food—Once you plan your meal, check the point values of the foods you would like to eat, the ones you wrote on your plate.  Knowledge is power and knowing what the food will cost you, will help you to plan and to build your budget so you have plenty to spend on your holiday meal. Look up the smartpoints of your foods on the WW app and run your recipes through the recipe builder to get the smartpoint values.  And if you don’t have the app or recipe then estimate—look for similar foods.  Know before you go… Know before you eat!

–Lighten up Recipes—There are tons of recipes online (Skinnytaste, Emily Bites, Pound Dropper, WW) that are lighter versions of favorite Thanksgiving foods.  Try one or two.  Or find ways to substitute ingredients in recipes that will bring down the calories and ultimately lower the point values…try light butter, use phyllo dough for pie crust, use unsweetened applesauce in place of oil, use egg whites, etc.  Over the years I have made many changes in recipes, some were successful, and we still use them (Cauliflower Stuffing from Delish) and some didn’t work so well…. There are just some foods that we love as is, and that don’t work when we lighten them up.  The most important thing is to find a way to lighten up a recipe without losing the flavor—that is how we will feel satisfied and we won’t feel deprived!

–Choose Wisely—focus on the foods that are special for this holiday and skip the food you eat regularly.  Walk around the buffet table BEFORE dishing up your plate and pick what is really worth it to you.  What is worth it to you??  I only make my roll recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas and attempts to lighten the recipe just didn’t work….it wasn’t the same, so those rolls are absolutely worth it to me and I will spend a chunk of my budget on those rolls.  Knowing and building your budget and planning how to spend that budget BEFORE Thanksgiving will help you to make decisions that work for you and that are worth it to you! 

–Skip the Stretch– wear tighter Clothing—Don’t wear loose fitting, stretchy clothes to Thanksgiving.  Why?  Well, have you ever eaten a big Thanksgiving meal and had to unbutton your pants or loosen your belt?  That is why we don’t wear loose fitting clothes.  Tighter pants will help us to stop eating sooner, keeping us from eating to the point of being over-stuffed and about to burst.  Skip the stretch this holiday season!

–Get in some activity—before, during and after Thanksgiving.  Go for a walk after the meal…..  Play some football…. Participate in a Turkey Trot…. Go for a hike…. Just move a little and maybe start a new family tradition.  My husband and I go for a long walk or a hike on Thanksgiving morning.  It helps me to feel like I have earned a little treat but more importantly that activity puts me in the right frame of mind to stay on track and not over-indulge too much.

–Pay attention to Portions—some serving utensils are also measuring utensils in disguise and you can use them to dish up your food without anyone knowing you are portioning out your serving.  You can also use your hand to estimate portions.  If measuring isn’t an option and you can’t remember the hand portion estimates you can always use the Island method—a method I shared with my members every year that I coached the Great Plate Workshop—Make Islands NOT continents or volcanoes on your plate with your food.  Making islands helps to control portion size and keeps us aware!

–Have an anchor—An anchor is the thing, thought, or visual that reminds you of your goal, your why.  You have set a holiday goal of where you would like to be on January 1st, now find an anchor that reminds you of your goal.  It can be something you can touch or a mantra you say or a photo or a picture in your mind.  Whatever your anchor is, use it to help you get through the Thanksgiving holiday. 

–Enjoy the day—focus on loved ones.  Focus on conversations and traditions.  Yes, Thanksgiving is a food holiday, but it is also a day to enjoy family and friends and to be thankful.  Have your plan but don’t stress about it…. control what you can and let go of the rest.  And Enjoy the day!

–Have a “Day after” plan—yes, pre-plan the day after.  Get rid of the leftovers so they aren’t tempting you.  Plan the healthy meals you will enjoy the day after Thanksgiving.  And plan the kind words you will say to yourself if you over-indulge and go off plan.  Plans are great, but sometimes we just take a detour.  If you have the “day after” plan ready it will make forgiving yourself easier and will help you to get right back on track. 

What is your plan for Thanksgiving?  How are you going to handle the day?  How will you build your budget?  What foods are worth it to you? 

Knowledge is power!  And planning is a powerful tool.  Use it to help you navigate the day so that you feel successful! 

And remember—Don’t Gobble ‘Til you Wobble!

It is a HoliDAY, NOT a HoliWEEK! 

(One more surviving the eating season blog post is coming—the next one will be on pies and pie servings with a visual on how to estimate what a true serving size is!)

Surviving the “Eating Season”– the Holidays (part 1)

On By TerriIn Food, Inspiration, Uncategorized1 Comment

We are smack-dab-in-the-middle of the “eating season”.   The season that kicks off on Halloween and ends with the New Year.  The Holiday Season.  The challenging season. 

I refer to this as the “eating season” because of all of the food that abounds during these two months… the parties, the celebrations, the gatherings and the holiday….. ALL centered around food!  And THAT is a challenge for me…. for anyone who struggles to lose weight and/or maintain their weight.

So how do we navigate the holidays?  How do we get through them without feeling like a failure? 

More importantly, how do we survive this “eating season” and feel successful?

First, we must define what success means to us through the holiday season.  What will make you feel successful when January 1, 2020 arrives?  For me success has looked different through the years.

Back in 2006, success through the holidays for me was to not gain more than 10 pounds.  In 2007, success meant I would lose weight, any amount would count, even .2 lbs.  In 2008, my first holiday season at goal and as a Lifetime member of Weight Watchers, success meant maintaining. 

Some years I didn’t think about it, didn’t think about setting a goal.  Some years I set goals based on what success looked like to me.  By defining what success meant on January 1st of the coming New Year, I took away the power that guilt held over me and gave myself the power to control my choices.  I was in control.  And defining what success meant to me, it gave me a focus, something to work toward and gave me flexibility.  My choices followed whatever my definition of success was. 

This year, success through the holidays looks like a loss at the scale.  It doesn’t matter to me the amount, just that it is an overall loss on January 1st. 

But how am I going to do that when there are so many temptations?  When there are so many challenges? 

That is where the second step comes in.  Once you decide on what success looks like to you, you can then set your goal based on that.  The holiday goal is what success looks like to you.  My holiday goal this year is to lose, at least a little.  To step on the scale that first week in January 2020 and see a loss from where I am today.  That is my goal.

Then once you set your holiday goal, ask what steps you need to take to get there.  What will help you to get to that goal?  What will help you to achieve success? 

For me, having a loss over the holidays does not mean that I HAVE to deprive myself.  It does not mean that I won’t get to enjoy the holidays…all the events….all the gatherings….all the celebrations.  And it does not mean that I won’t be able to enjoy my favorite foods and treats.  Because, if I deprive myself….if I don’t enjoy the holidays…..if I stress about the celebrations and parties and holiday gatherings because I tell myself I CAN’T have this or that…..if I deny myself my favorites….. I am doomed!  I am setting myself up for failure.  I am setting myself up for a big slip down that slippery slope.

So, how do I enjoy the holidays without over-indulging?  How do I enjoy the holidays and all that they bring and STILL reach success as I have defined it for myself? 

I do it by setting my holiday goal, and by figuring out what will help me to achieve that success! 

I know that eating mindfully is important for me, especially during challenging times.  And mindful eating means that I am tracking.  Tracking gives me awareness of how much I am eating, and what I am eating.  And mindful eating and tracking also means I am paying attention to portions.  So, tracking and portion control will help me to reach success.  But I need more to help me as well.  Moving will help.  Exercise will help.  And movement and exercise are two different things.  Exercise for me is intentional.  It gets my heart rate up.  It works my muscles to exhaustion.  So, exercise in the form of my bike, strength-training, and walking (fast) will help me to get closer to that holiday goal.  But I need to do more than a workout.  I need to move during the day.  I need to not sit so much.  Moving in the form of parking farther away, cleaning house, getting out in my garden, going for a leisurely walk after dinner, dancing around the house to my favorite holiday music, and making sure I get up out of my chair every hour will help me move closer to my holiday goal and help me to reach success.  And going to workshops will help me.  I need to step on the scale.  I need the accountability and I need the inspiration and support of others traveling this road we are on. 

Once we are aware of what we need to do, of the tools that will help us to achieve our success, then we can set small, weekly goals to help us get to that bigger holiday goal…. One-step-at-a-time!  Each week, ask yourself, what can I do this week that will move me a little closer to my holiday goal?  What one thing can I do this week that will help me reach my success?  And set that smaller weekly goal.  Just one thing. 

For me, this week, tracking will be key.  Tracking every day.  Tracking every food I eat.  Tracking the portions.  Tracking my exercise.   Tracking will give me the awareness I need about my food and exercise habits.  And tracking will give me the information I need to make adjustments next week… adjustments that will help me reach success!

How do we navigate and survive this “eating season”?  By defining success as it pertains to each of us.  Then setting our holiday goal based on what success means to us.  Once the goal is set, coming up with the actions that will help us to reach that goal will give us a focus.  And then we ask what we CAN do this week that will move us closer to our holiday goal.  Once we answer that question, we set a smaller weekly goal to get us moving in the direction of success.  This is how we survive the holidays.  This is how we reach success; whatever success means to each of us.

And then one final question—after asking what you can do, and setting the smaller goal ask yourself–WILL you do it?  Because we all CAN do it, but the real question is Will we do it!  And that is where the commitment and power lie!

What does success this “eating season” of holidays look like to you?  What will make you feel successful when January 1, 2020 arrives?

This Change Gives Me Control

On By TerriIn Food, MindsetLeave a comment

I love that WW (formerly Weight Watchers) is now giving us a choice….making this the most personalized program I have seen in my many years as a member of WW. 

This week, WW is launching the new program—My WW.  And I am excited.  Why?  Because there is choice!  Weight loss, weight maintenance and healthy living have never been a one-size-fits-all way of life.  Every person is different.  And what works for one may not work for another.  So, we find what works for us.  Any food/exercise/health plan needs to fit into our lives so that it is livable.  If the food plan is not livable will we be successful….maybe in the short run but not for the long run.  And the long run is what makes us healthier for life! 

WW realized this and implemented the new program this week, offering a choice of three food plans so that members can choose the one that will work for them in their life.  Every couple of years WW changes the program, and the changes are always backed up by science.  And as you probably know, science changes, we learn new things and adjust.  In the past, the program changes meant getting rid of the old, even if it worked for members and moving everyone to the new plan.  There was never an option to stay with the previous plan, the tools all supported the new plan.  There was no choice.

Not this year!  Not this change!  With the introduction of My WW and the offer of 3 food plans to choose from, WW is also providing the tools for each plan.  We get to choose what works for us, which makes much more sense to me, because the only person who really knows what works for me is me!  And now I have the support of WW and the tools to go along with my choice. 

Before I get into the changes and the choices I want to talk about what is staying the same— the things I loved about Freestyle—freedom and flexibility.  That comes from the weekly extra points budget and roll overs.  Those are NOT changing.  I love that the rollovers are staying.  Those rollovers give me a lot of flexibility.  The option to save some of my daily budget for holidays, weekends, my birthday or anytime I need a little extra.  And that provides me with less guilt.  I can enjoy an indulgence without the guilt because I have planned and saved for those indulgences.  Those weekly extra budget points also allow me to enjoy going out to eat with family and friends and they will give me the freedom to enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. 

There is also no change in how food points are calculated.  The points are still smartpoints and take into consideration calories, saturated fat, sugar and protein in assigning point values to food.  No change there!  And, no change in how we figure our daily smartpoint budget—it is still based on age, height, weight and gender. 

Fitpoints earned for activity and exercise is not changing either.  And the ability to choose whether or not you swap those Fitpoints for smartpoints is not changing—we still get to decide whether or not to swap and that helps us to personalize our plan.  I love to earn Fitpoints, but I don’t like to swap them.  My choice.  And one that works for me! 

So, then what is changing?

We now have the choice of 3 food plans—Green, Blue, and Purple!

Green is equivalent to the old smartpoints, Beyond the Scale plan…the plan before Freestyle.  On green you get a higher daily smartpoint budget (the minimum is 30 daily points) and there are fewer 0 smartpoint foods.  Fruit that is fresh, frozen or canned in its own juice is 0 smartpoints and most vegetables are 0 smartpoints (starchy veggies are NOT 0 sp—think potatoes, corn, peas, legumes, etc).  If you need more parameters—tracking, portions, points—then Green is for you. 

Blue is equivalent to the current Freestyle plan.  On blue you get less daily smartpoints for your budget (23 daily points is the minimum) and there are 200+ foods that have 0 smartpoints.  Blue means less tracking for those who don’t want to track everything.  If Freestyle worked for you and you loved it, then Blue is for you!  You do not have to change anything!

Purple is, in my opinion, very close to the old Simply Filling or Core programs.  On Purple you have the least amount of daily smartpoints for your budget (16 is the minimum daily points) and there are 300+ foods that are 0 smartpoints.  There is less tracking to do which gives some that sense of freedom.  If you like that freedom and can eat to satisfaction and stop, then Purple is for you!

All three plans still allow rollovers and give you your weekly extra smartpoint budget.  With all three food plans you only “have to” track the foods with points but can track everything if you want to.  These plans all give us freedom and flexibility so that we can live our lives, our way and still lose weight, maintain and get healthy.  Which one you choose is completely up to you!

I am sure you can guess after my last blog post which plan I am going with— Green.  Why?  Because the parameters of points and portions gives me control.  I don’t have the ability within me to cut-off food, to know when I am satisfied vs stuffed.  Less tracking and less foods with points means I could eat as much as I wanted of those because they were 0 points and then eat my daily points too and most weeks my weeklies.  That didn’t work for me.  I need guidance.  I need the safety net of portions and points.  I need to know that ALL foods count!  So, for me it is Green.  That is not to say that one day I may be in a place with my relationship with food that I could try blue or purple….. and let me tell you purple appeals to me because Potatoes are 0 smartpoints!  I almost chose purple for those “free” potatoes.  But that would be dangerous for me!  Right now, where I am at currently in my relationship with food, “free” foods are like kryptonite!  So, I am going Green!  Because 0 smartpoint foods ARE NOT “free”!!  And until I change that mindset I need to count points for most foods! 

Mindset plays a huge part in my choice.  I know me.  I know where I trip up.  I know what tempts me and sends me down the hole…… I am choosing Green today because the parameters of points and the accountability of tracking along with portioning all foods takes the control from the food and gives it back to me!  I am back in control!

I am really excited for this new plan.  My WW is the most personalized plan I have ever seen.  I am excited for where this is going to take me, and I am excited to see where others go with this new choice in food plans!  Whether you choose Green, Blue or Purple, make sure you choose the one that is right for you, not the one that is right for someone else!  Only you know what is right for you!

Let’s take this perfectly imperfect journey together—-after all, whether we are Green, Blue or Purple, we are in this together and we are better together!

How Cookies led to Self Forgiveness

On By TerriIn Food, MindsetLeave a comment

Just one of those days…..

Last night I met with a group of ladies for our weekly book club (I will be sharing about the book and our group in a future blog post) and our discussion was about stress—how it affects our bodies, our weight and how to begin to change the response habit to stress and create stress relief habits.  It was a great discussion.  And I was ready to work on how I deal with stress…..

We had met at Panera Bread and I had bought a bagel, my favorite, to take home to have for breakfast this morning.  I planned my day ahead so that I could make that 10 SmartPoint bagel work.  And it was good! 

But…..

I got up way too early this morning, ate my breakfast way to early this morning and then started my day.

I was exhausted before the day started and well, exhaustion does NOT bode well for healthy choices!

And the stress hit…. appointments to take my son too (2 before 10 am) and waiting time in a waiting room.  Lots of to-do list items that I needed to take care of, and I was getting pretty stressed about them, while waiting in the waiting room. 

Rushing to appointments so that we are not late STRESSES me! 

Having no control over my schedule and life STRESSES me!

A million things on my to-do list (that may be an exaggeration) STRESSES me!

Starting my day without my quite reading time STRESSES me!

Ugh!  Let’s be real….  EVERYTHING STRESSES me when I am EXHAUSTED!

So, that plan I had for my day to stay on track and make me a priority while enjoying a favorite bagel…. well….. it got lost somewhere between the soda and the cookie isle in the grocery store…..

And the Pepperidge Farm Milano Pumpkin Spice Cookies found their way into my cart, at the register and then in the car heading home.  Once home, the cookies found their way to the end table next to my favorite chair and there I sat, exhausted and stressed.   And I ate a cookie.  Then another…. And another….. and another and before I knew it 2/3 of that bag of cookies was gone.  And I hadn’t even tasted them.  What the heck?

At that moment I stopped.  And I threw the rest in the garbage.  And I remembered what was said in workshops this week about our character strengths and using one of those strengths to help us to reach a goal this week….. I hadn’t chosen which I would use yet.  But today I choose mine while I was sitting there thinking about what I had just done and how it undermined my progress… And before I could beat myself up, I decided that my strength would be forgiveness.  

I am great at forgiving others, but me, not so much.  It is hard to overlook my mistakes, and even harder to let them go without some pretty harsh words directed at me.  So, forgiveness was my character strength this week, one I could use to help me forgive myself.

And I did!  I forgave myself!

I realized that forgiving myself for letting old habits pop up to deal with exhaustion and stress was another way I made me a priority!  I am never going to be perfect.  I know that there will be times that stress leads me into old habits. There will be times that exhaustion leads me into old habits.  I know that there will be times that life throws me curveballs and best laid plans, well they fall apart.  By forgiving myself, I end the cycle— stress, eat, guilt, eat, guilt, stress, eat…. I can then move on and get back on track.

The cookies are counted.  A light dinner had.  And I don’t feel guilty! 

THIS is how I make me a priority!  THIS is how I change old, unhelpful habits.  THIS is how I reach my goals! 

Today forgiveness gave me back some control on my perfectly imperfect journey.