Have you ever been clipping along, doing well with your eating choices and activity level, making progress towards your goals only to have an event or a situation arise and completely throw you off for days afterwards? Grrrrrr! If so, you’re not alone, read on!! If you don’t have the time to read this post, here’s the bottom line…Be kind to yourself. You can make any change you want. All things adjust, just give it time. It doesn’t have to happen over night. Recognize yourself for all the good choices you are making each day along the way. Give yourself a break and realize “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” You are perfect just as you are right now❤️
I spent a few fabulous days back in Illinois celebrating with family and friends. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and didn’t regret or feel the least bit bad about any of my choices. I knew I just needed to get right back on track when I got back to California and keep moving forward. Sounds so simple doesn’t it? Well it wasn’t. What the heck??
It took me a full week after Thanksgiving to get back to what was working for me before I left. So not only was I doing my own thing the week I was traveling, but then I continued the party for an additional week after I was home for no reason! Have you ever experienced this??
I love my app, but suddenly I didn’t feel like it. I was riding my Peloton bike every morning before I went on my trip and I felt so good about it! All of the sudden it feel like a drag. I’ve long considered myself a creature of habit and I’m learning maybe I shouldn’t put that label on myself. Habitual and flexible don’t really go hand in hand! I don’t have all the answers, but here’s what I’ve learned….
Think about kids. It takes some children longer to learn to read than others but once they catch on, the ones who were slower to start may become better readers than the early adapters. How quickly they learn to read doesn’t necessarily determine how well they read over the long haul. It doesn’t really matter how long something takes, what matters is that we are all allowed to go at our own pace and continue the mastery process. We all progress at different speeds and one speed isn’t better or worse than another. I see our journey to a healthy lifestyle the same way. Because I’m a Wellness Coach as a profession, I knew I had to stay at it and because I know the other path, I wanted to!!
During the week I didn’t feel motivated to jump right back in, I made a conscious effort to shut down the negative self talk anytime it creeped into my thoughts. I’m not a master at this, but I am far better than I used to be. As I cut myself some slack rather than beating myself up for not getting right back on track, I started to feel more myself. I focused on the healthy habits I wanted to do (for me it was meal planning and meal prep, even if I wasn’t keeping track diligently) not the ones at felt I had to do or “should” do. Before long, I actually felt like getting back to my biking workouts, tracking and other habits that are important to me. Including writing this post😊. It just takes me longer than my preconceived notion of how long it should take me to adopt (or re-adopt) a routine. Maybe that’s the case with you as well? So what if you haven’t jumped right back to it full steam! What matters is that we don’t allow ourselves to feel guilty about our actions or lack thereof and we don’t give up altogether. This is a mental journey. The more pressure we put on ourselves, the less fun we have and the more we want to do the opposite to find relief.
I’m writing this today to anyone who wants to give up or put your healthy lifestyle on “hold” until after the holidays. In my “pre WW days” this story would have a far different ending. I would have become frustrated, ashamed and overcome with negative self talk. I would have stopped trying all together. My excuse would have been because the holidays are here, what’s the use in even trying? I probably would have told myself I couldn’t do it and to instead eat whatever I wanted until January and try it again in the new year. Meanwhile, gaining (at least) the typical 5-7 pounds Americans gain between now and January 1st. Ouch. No thanks.
If you have any thoughts resembling these, I strongly encourage you to reconsider. Stick with it. Be kind to yourself. Make one small change today. Pick a healthy habit that feels good and you enjoy doing. It might be making a great recipe or taking your dog for a walk or tracking a meal. Whatever brings you JOY. Build on that and allow yourself to feel great about it!! Feeling good is the name of the game. When we feel good, we invite more good into our lives. It’s exponential!! “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” You are perfect just as you are today.
Later this week I’m going to start a weekly series of air fryer recipes and the top 10 reasons I absolutely LOVE mine (https://amzn.to/2rmMf66) so stay tuned!
All is well❤️
Love,
Terra🌺
Terra, I got your email. thanks. It’s the witching hour here and I’m having a cup of decaf coffee. Plan to change spots after dinner. sitting in the family room is where I get into trouble.
❤️❤️❤️
Wow. I really needed to hear this today. I had just texted a friend and told her I”m thinking of quitting WW. I have been eating anything I want and not really caring about the consequences–until the next morning when I hate myself. It’s such a mental game and my mind is not in the right place. Thanks for the reminder to be kind and stick with it. I”m really struggling, but you’ve inspired me to start again.
We all feel like that at times, Monica….but you CAN move forward! Think about when you make your plan, then the difference in how you feel when the time comes time to execute it. You’re describing a disconnect that is VERY common. For example, you feel strong and excited to maintain/lose weight in the morning, let’s say….then when the evening comes, you just don’t feel like “making healthy choices”. What’s changed? That’s where the behavior modification comes into play. Whatever scenario(s) that are tripping you up, think of what’s gong on at that time and what you can/will realistically do at that time. It may be to have more low point snacks on hand, it might be to get out of the kitchen or place you do the eating or it may be to simply save more of your Points for that time. Don’t know if this helps, but it’s what I’m working on and I know it’s where many of us struggle. So happy you’re going to stick with it!! Miss you❤️
Hi Terra!
Thanks Stu!
2018 was a good year for me, getting started on the program and adding walking. 2019 has been a lot of up and down, with eating and with walking. I’m not quite back where I started, but close. However, I still tracked every day, tried new recipes (and bought an air fryer last month!), and attended weekly workshops nearly every week. My goal for the rest of the month is to walk 3 times a week.
You can do it, Nancy!! The walking will definitely help you feel your best!!
Thank you Terra, I really needed this today. I have been feeling just like this the last two weeks, and I have to reset my mind to not beat my self up and relax to just take one day at a time.
I’m so glad this was helpful! You’re not alone and it’s great when we can bring each other up❤️
Terra-love your post! So many good thoughts.❤️
Thank you, Mom❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! Hoping you’ll be receiving this comment via email. Lmk if my new feature works!
Terra
Thank you for this post. I tend to get into shame a lot around my food when I am not on my game. This reminds me how to be nice to myself because it does always change
You’re sooo welcome, Leslie! I love that we can help remind each other❤️
Terra. just bought an air fryer so I am looking forward to your recipes. Loved the post it will help with the negative thoughts I harbor … doing ‘blue” and happy with my results i have to keep reminding myself it is a long journey to goal it didn’t happen overnight so work it and it will happen. Thank you for the post they help.
Rosalie
Hi Roasalie! Oh how I love my air fryers! Yes, air fryerS! I have two! Glad your doing well in blue and I’ll be reaching out with a recipe/food idea post later this week. Miss you!