I fell off the wagon yesterday.

Losing weight is 100% mental.  First you have to be mentally ready to even begin the journey, then you have to have staying power.  Since I restarted my journey two weeks ago, I've been doing well.  I've been applying all the bits and pieces of wisdom I've collected over the years and I've been satisfied, i.e., not hungry.  I find that when I follow a plan - even one I create - it works out well.  So I've been eating lower calorie foods, practicing portion control, avoiding certain foods altogether, and keeping track of what I eat.  

But sometime this week depression started to set in.  I don't know why or from whence it came but come it did and I couldn't shake it.  It lasted for about three days.  And although I maintained my weight loss strategy for the most part (I ate more but didn't go over my WW allotted amounts), I definitely consumed more than I had the week before.  And although my mood started to shift yesterday, it turned out to be the worst of all the days.  I wasn't motivated to prepare any meals and I settled on pizza and cheesy bread, (mostly cheesy bread).  Yesterday, I fell off the wagon.

I'm not sure what damage was done but I know I can't beat myself up over what's already been done.  It's likely a setback to last week's three pound loss and disappointing because I thought I was finally where I needed to be mentally.  But I also feel like I've satisfied a need and in the process pressed a reset button on my journey, one that I'll likely have to press several times on the road to my weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals.  I mean this is life, right, there are setbacks and we don't just give in to a lost job or a failed relationship.  No, we get up and try again until we get it right.  So although I'm not happy that getting on the scale probably won't be as exciting this week and may actually disappoint, I'm going to get back up and back on the horse and writing about it is one way to help myself move forward mentally rather than getting stuck in regret. 

My Strategy 

*Track what I eat using the WW app.  This keeps me in check.  It's my calorie counter so I know when I'm supposed to be done for the day.  It can be annoying when I'm busy but it's relatively easy.

*Portion control by measuring how much I'm having.  I measure everything.  I was surprised to discover how much sugar I consume.

*Have fruits close by to munch on.  A WW strategy that is spot on.  If I have cut up fruit on my desk, I don't have to get up to go looking for anything else.

*Slim Fast shake for lunch.  I know it's not the healthiest solution but it definitely helps with fullness and it's a part of the short-term plan.  I drank it almost everyday the first week - with fruits.

*Cruising the WW social media posts for inspiration.  Some of those posts show you that anything is possible if you stay focused and some remind me that things could be much worse.  Either way, even though I'm not yet ready to post, it helps.

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