Hey friends. I know the title of this post isn’t very positive. But I promise this will end well. Trust me k? Alrighty, let’s get started. At the end of last summer, I embarked on a “journey” to get healthy and shed some pounds. It was hard work let me tell you. I had re-developed some bad habits. I say “re” because I had been doing well, balancing my eating and exercise. But some challenges of life presented and, well, I turned to food to cope. Ya’ll know how it is. So anyway, the pounds crept back and I was unhappy with my body. So last year, I decided to change that.
Here’s what I did last summer into winter:
1. Stopped eating at fast food restaurants. Yes I went cold turkey! Nothing nada zilch! This was particularly challenging when I’d drive past Chick Fil A.. those yummy chicken sandwiches.
2. Learned to read nutrition labels. I lived most of my life ignoring nutrition labels. I relied on the fancy catch phrases on the front of boxes. For instance, if it said “made with whole grains” … color me SOLD! I never really thought about how much sugar was in many of my favorite products. I cannot tell you the shock and awe as I begin reading. Needless to say, a lot of my grocery habits had to change – drastically.
3. Created a plan. I could no longer rely on the “wait and see” approach to meals. I had to seriously plan (ya’ll know I’ve talk about that on the blog before). I developed breakfast, lunch and dinner options that would provide variety. Preparing your own food really helps you to stay on track. You can control what goes in and ensure it’s what does your body good.
4. Increased exercise. I’ve never been a stranger to the gym. I just was not in a routine. I was more your hit or miss girl. This was a necessary step. Period. No short cuts. I had to learn to love sweat.
5. Created a support system. Allow me a moment to brag, just a bit. I have the best husband/man IN THE WORLD! Seriously, he is the most supportive person in my corner. He encouraged me daily and let me vent when I needed. The biggest thing was his support of our new eating lifestyle. My cooking style changed completely to support our healthy eating and he always appreciated the meals I prepared; and never complained about the lack of pasta or bread. You need a strong support system and I value him immensely.
Now, back to the title of this post, how I derailed that all of that. Well, I got complacent. Combining all of those steps, I did lose weight. And folks started to notice! My clothes felt better. In fact I was able to fit into dresses or pants that had been gathering dust in the back of my closet. The more compliments I received, the better I felt. Yet, at the same time I felt a bit of pressure to keep it up. I felt as though people would be “looking” to see if I lost more weight or if I gained it back. Crazy I know, but that’s real talk.
I eventually became more lax with my secret of success, as stated above. I would skip a workout here or there, for no real reason other than I was tired. Then I would get fast food again, but just the kids meal portion, because, hey that’s a “better” choice. I let stress from work get the better of me and once again turned to food for comfort. Then the husband/man and I got really sick, him pneumonia and me bronchitis. We were down for a while and when we eventually recovered, working out was really hard. We had to find that rhythm again. Slowly but surely some of the pounds came back. Not all of them (thank GOD) but some of them. And I felt defeated. I felt like I had let myself down but going back to things I knew would not benefit me in the long run. But I knew I couldn’t stay in that place. And, there you go my friends, that’s how I derailed my diet.
Where does that leave me? Back to square one. Returning to the basics. Starting with #1 on my list above. I’m back in the mental zone. I’ll be sharing my adventures with you here on the blog and I hope you enjoy/appreciate/sympathize/empathize/laugh/cry when you read them. Let me know in the comments below how you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
