The NSVs (non-scale victories) just keep coming! Even as I move ever closer to leaving the 200's behind forever (currently at 206!), I'm enjoying some great NSVs which keep a silly, but very contented, smile on my face.
One HUGE NSV is shopping. Oh my goodness!! I don't know when the thrill of shopping in Misses sizes will begin to dissipate, but it's still there in full-force every time I walk into a store. Last Saturday I went to a store in the mall that had 40% off of the total purchase, so I happily shopped the sale racks for clothes in the next size down, knowing that there would be an additional 40% taken off - gotta love that! I bought a pair of Misses 14 slacks which zip and button, but are too tight to be worn in public, but I bought them in FULL confidence knowing that I'll be in them in a few weeks. I also bought a couple of Misses size 12 blazers - a bit snug yet, but not for long!! I have to keep reminding myself not to go crazy - yet - because I'm not in my final size. But after spending years with very limited fashion choices in the Women's department, this is way too much fun!
With some very wintery weather moving into Michigan yesterday, I realized that I needed a new good winter coat. I bought a new winter jacket a couple of weeks ago, but had hoped that the wool coat I bought 3 years ago might work for this year, but not a chance! The coat is a 20W and it was ridiculously huge - there was absolutely NO way I could wear it this year. When I bought it, I hadn't been able to find anything in the store that fit my 268 pound body, so I ordered it from L.L. Bean. Now that I am 62 pounds lighter, the coat was beyond huge on me. Oh darn - I had to go shopping again! It was wonderful to walk into the department store and have CHOICES - choices of color, style, length. I found a great wool coat on sale for half price, which was wonderful because it will be WAY too big next winter!
And my last fun NSV was when my husband and I were walking a couple of days ago. We were talking and holding hands when he commented, "You're walking a lot . . . smoother . . . these days!" He hesitated and searched for the right word before he came up with "smoother." I told him that it was probably because 1) my knee was feeling SO much better and I wasn't limping any more and 2) because my thighs don't rub together any more when I walk! He just shook his head and grinned, but we swung hands while we walked!
If someone would have told me last June 24, my very first day on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, that I would be enjoying these things today, I'm not sure I would have believed it. But taking it one meal and one day at a time, life has gotten much sweeter, and the best is yet to come! Is it worth giving up some former favorite foods? What do YOU think?!
What's interesting now is reading - and sensing - the joy I had at that point in my journey. I was only four months into what would end up being an eleven month process, so I still had a long way to go when I wrote this. I'm so thankful that I didn't wait until I reached the end of my journey and was at my goal to find things to celebrate.
It's hard to stay motivated when our goal is months away, and there are certainly days when staying on plan is no fun at all (I had plenty of those days!). While I really encourage individuals to stay focused on their goal, sometimes it's helpful to shift our focus for just a moment.
Sometimes we need to look back at where we were when we started, just to remind ourselves of how far we've come. We really ARE making progress, one day at a time.
Sometimes it also good to stop for a moment and look at where we are right now. We may not be where we want to be, but thank God, we're not where we were, so celebrate that!
Stay focused on your goal, of course, but don't put your life on hold until you get there. There is a lot to celebrate now. Every day that you choose to stay on plan, you are choosing to change your life! Choose wisely :-)
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