An important component on our weight loss journey is getting - and keeping - our head in the game. Along with keeping our head in the game is the challenge of managing the emotional changes that accompany our weight loss. The meal portion of the plan is simple - all we have to do is follow the 5&1 and the weight comes off! We don't even have to believe the program will work, we just have to do it. The mental and emotional part of the journey is far more daunting.
Several friends of mine have done really well on plan and have gotten within striking distance of goal. Interestingly, as goal loomed on the horizon for them, something happened to get them off plan. A couple of friends momentarily stepped off and then got right back on plan, while others have struggled to get back on plan after watching several unwanted pounds return.
What my friends experienced is something I've seen over and over again. When people are closing in on goal, there is a real danger that they will either experience complacency or they'll experience fear.
Complacency often settles in because by the time someone is within ten pounds of goal, particularly if they've lost a lot of weight - they feel SO much better about themselves, they're in smaller sizes and they look and feel pretty "normal." They may now be smaller than many of their friends, which makes it hard to stay on plan when all of their friends are eating other things. I know this was true of me when I was about ten pounds away from goal. I was in a size 10 by that time, the same size as many of my friends, yet they were eating things that were still off-plan for me. There were times when I just wanted to be done with the plan and say "good enough." I'd lost over 100 pounds, seen my blood sugar return to normal and I looked and felt pretty good! The problem was, even though I was in a size 10, I wasn't at a healthy BMI and I wasn't at my goal. Complacency definitely reared its ugly head and I had to refocus over and over again on what I really wanted, and what I really wanted was to be healthy, and I didn't want to settle.
The other emotion that often catches people by surprise is fear. We get really good at losing weight and being on 5&1 becomes a safe place for us. After years of battling weight, we finally found something that actually works and we want to stay in our cocoon forever. The thought of reaching our goal can be scary, as it means that what has become familiar is about to change as we begin to introduce food groups back into our diet. We can become afraid that we'll start gaining the weight back. I've seen people self-sabotage so that they stay in a gain-lose cycle because it feels safer than facing the unknown of being at their goal weight.
For those of us who have used our weight as a protective shield, closing in our goal means we aren't invisible to people any more. People are commenting about the weight we've lost and we're getting compliments, and that can become uncomfortable. For many women, having other men suddenly noticing us can be extremely unsettling. If we don't acknowledge the fear and find healthy ways to address it, we can find ourselves heading in the wrong direction once again.
A while back I read a good definition of fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. This definition was part of a devotional that I read about how we deal with the challenges in our lives. The devotional talked about the story from the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus walked on the water. One of his disciples, Peter, stepped out of the boat at Jesus' invitation and began to walk towards Him. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was fine, but when he looked at the waves around him, he immediately began to sink. The devotional said that "the circumstances of our lives, whether unusual crises or everyday difficulties, batter our senses into believing untruths. We cower at the authority of these winds and waves--these very concrete illusions--as though their authority is real. It isn't. We must do what is extremely difficult to do--ignore them."
When I faced many of those fears as I approached my goal, I had to choose to keep moving forward and trust that just as God was faithful to me each step of the way on my weight loss journey, He would also be faithful to me as I reached my goal and beyond. I knew I couldn't lose the weight on my own and I knew (and I still know!) that I would need to depend on the Lord and keep my eyes on Him to keep the weight off. As long as I do that, I can ignore the waves around me and keep on walking! And so can you :-)
As I approached the fourth year anniversary of reaching my goal (I'll celebrate that anniversary three months from today!), I still depend on the Lord to give me the strength I need to make the choices I need to make. Like you, this is a daily walk for me - one meal and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Fat Tuesday
Today is Fat Tuesday. For those Christians who follow the Lenten season, this is the day when all of the fat and sugar would be eaten to get it out of the house in preparation for Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter.
While observing Fat Tuesday and the 40 days of Lent is not part of my own Christian tradition or practice, I do identify with the "Fat Tuesday" thinking of eating it up and "making it go away," because that was one of my "strategies" for years.
When we'd have sweets in the house (which was too often in those days), my focus was often just eating them up and getting them out of the house. My ability to eat them in moderation was nil, so I wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible. There was never any thought of just throwing the rest away, because that would be "wasting food."
What I realize now was that I was really the human garbage can. I didn't want to waste the food by throwing it away, so I ate it, whether I was hungry or not, whether I even wanted it or not. All those starving children in India or Africa or wherever . . . how could I waste food by putting it in the trash?
Does anybody identify with this, or am I alone in this type of thinking?
Part of my weight loss journey was learning to look at food as fuel, not an object of comfort, AND learning that it was OK to throw something away. My throwing the food away didn't impact those starving children at all (please note: my heart breaks when I see pictures of those children, so I am not making light of them).
I learned to respect myself enough to NOT be a human garbage can anymore. That's not an easy thing, because I grew up in a family where wasting anything, including food, was absolutely NOT done. Those childhood tapes still run in my head, so learning to make healthier choices required - and still requires - a conscious decision to make better decisions.
When I was working outside the home, I could almost count on a co-worker or two picking up some Fat Tuesday pastries from the store and bringing them in as a treat. I'm guessing that some of you may be facing the same temptation today.
Hang in there! Don't lose sight of what you really want! You've been doing great, so today is a day to recommit to staying on plan TODAY. Today can be your THIN Tuesday, not your Fat Tuesday :-). Like every day, the choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
While observing Fat Tuesday and the 40 days of Lent is not part of my own Christian tradition or practice, I do identify with the "Fat Tuesday" thinking of eating it up and "making it go away," because that was one of my "strategies" for years.
When we'd have sweets in the house (which was too often in those days), my focus was often just eating them up and getting them out of the house. My ability to eat them in moderation was nil, so I wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible. There was never any thought of just throwing the rest away, because that would be "wasting food."
What I realize now was that I was really the human garbage can. I didn't want to waste the food by throwing it away, so I ate it, whether I was hungry or not, whether I even wanted it or not. All those starving children in India or Africa or wherever . . . how could I waste food by putting it in the trash?
Does anybody identify with this, or am I alone in this type of thinking?
Part of my weight loss journey was learning to look at food as fuel, not an object of comfort, AND learning that it was OK to throw something away. My throwing the food away didn't impact those starving children at all (please note: my heart breaks when I see pictures of those children, so I am not making light of them).
I learned to respect myself enough to NOT be a human garbage can anymore. That's not an easy thing, because I grew up in a family where wasting anything, including food, was absolutely NOT done. Those childhood tapes still run in my head, so learning to make healthier choices required - and still requires - a conscious decision to make better decisions.
When I was working outside the home, I could almost count on a co-worker or two picking up some Fat Tuesday pastries from the store and bringing them in as a treat. I'm guessing that some of you may be facing the same temptation today.
Hang in there! Don't lose sight of what you really want! You've been doing great, so today is a day to recommit to staying on plan TODAY. Today can be your THIN Tuesday, not your Fat Tuesday :-). Like every day, the choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Monday, February 20, 2012
Trying to Fix the Wrong Thing
People are desperate to find a solution that will allow them to finally win their battle with obesity, and more and more are turning to weight loss surgery. Others are looking to the pharmaceutical industry for an answer, hoping and praying for a pill that will enable them to lose weight. Time and time again, weight loss drugs fail to win FDA approval because clinical trials reveal major health risks, but the drug companies continue their quest to develop the magic pill that will cure obesity.
The problem with both weight loss surgery and diet drugs is that these methods are trying to fix the wrong thing. Weight loss surgery addresses the issue of obesity by reducing the size of the stomach, with the assumption that if the stomach is smaller, people will feel full with less food and less food will result in weight loss. Drugs are developed to suppress the appetite, with the expectation that if people aren't hungry, they won't eat and will lose weight.
Both of these approaches assume that the root of overeating is hunger - that if hunger can be better managed, either surgically or chemically, people will eat less and lose weight.
I can't speak for anyone else, but physical hunger had very little to do with my morbid obesity. In fact, when I started on this program, it had been a long time since I could remember actually being hungry. I ate for lots of reasons, but being physically hungry was often not one of the reasons. I was an emotional eater and would often eat until I was numb.
When we are using food to try and meet our emotional needs, we are trying to fill a bottomless pit. There isn't a surgery or an appetite suppressant that can fix our heart hunger, which is why a distressing number of individuals who've had weight loss surgery end up gaining much or all of their weight. The surgery fixed their physical hunger, but it couldn't touch their heart hunger.
If we are going to be successful long term, we have to change how we emotionally relate to food. For those of us who are long-term emotional eaters, we have to find new and healthier ways to deal with life. As I've shared so often here, my weight loss journey resulted in unexpected emotional and spiritual growth as I learned to go to the Lord instead of food. Only God could meet the needs of my heart, and as I gave Him my stress, my anger, my disappointment, I found a comfort and a peace that food was never able to offer.
Changing emotional eating patterns isn't easy, and it may be one of the most difficult things that some of us ever do. But it IS possible! It starts with recognizing the source of our hunger, then being willing to change how we respond and make a difference choice. Making changes happens one day, one meal, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
The problem with both weight loss surgery and diet drugs is that these methods are trying to fix the wrong thing. Weight loss surgery addresses the issue of obesity by reducing the size of the stomach, with the assumption that if the stomach is smaller, people will feel full with less food and less food will result in weight loss. Drugs are developed to suppress the appetite, with the expectation that if people aren't hungry, they won't eat and will lose weight.
Both of these approaches assume that the root of overeating is hunger - that if hunger can be better managed, either surgically or chemically, people will eat less and lose weight.
I can't speak for anyone else, but physical hunger had very little to do with my morbid obesity. In fact, when I started on this program, it had been a long time since I could remember actually being hungry. I ate for lots of reasons, but being physically hungry was often not one of the reasons. I was an emotional eater and would often eat until I was numb.
When we are using food to try and meet our emotional needs, we are trying to fill a bottomless pit. There isn't a surgery or an appetite suppressant that can fix our heart hunger, which is why a distressing number of individuals who've had weight loss surgery end up gaining much or all of their weight. The surgery fixed their physical hunger, but it couldn't touch their heart hunger.
If we are going to be successful long term, we have to change how we emotionally relate to food. For those of us who are long-term emotional eaters, we have to find new and healthier ways to deal with life. As I've shared so often here, my weight loss journey resulted in unexpected emotional and spiritual growth as I learned to go to the Lord instead of food. Only God could meet the needs of my heart, and as I gave Him my stress, my anger, my disappointment, I found a comfort and a peace that food was never able to offer.
Changing emotional eating patterns isn't easy, and it may be one of the most difficult things that some of us ever do. But it IS possible! It starts with recognizing the source of our hunger, then being willing to change how we respond and make a difference choice. Making changes happens one day, one meal, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Friday, February 17, 2012
For Those Who Are Struggling
I wrote this blog in January of 2008, about 7 months after I started my weight loss journey. I hope that it will be an encouragement to someone today!
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For all of my friends who are struggling to stay on plan right now, I wish I could give you a big hug! My heart goes out to everyone who’s struggling, because I have SO been there!
Every last diet I’ve been on for the past twenty years ended in failure because I wasn’t able to stay focused. “Life” happened over and over again and I reached to my old friend, food, for comfort. And that “friend” was always there with soothing words, assuring me that yes, this piece of chocolate or this bag of chips or these cookies or whatever would absolutely make me feel better. And it did, for just a few minutes. Then the guilt about what I’d just eaten would replace the comfort I’d just gotten, and food would again say, “Having some bad feelings right now? Just eat this and those bad feelings will all go away.” And the cycle would continue over and over again.
OR I would feel that I “deserved” to eat this or that because I had been SO good on my diet, or because I’d had such a tough day.
I have always been a “live in the moment” kind of person, so long-range thinking is not something I do naturally. I am embarrassed to admit that I am very much into instant gratification (my dad used to often say that “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”), so eating what I wanted at any given moment was always more satisfying than NOT eating it and waiting for the reward sometime down the road (i.e., weight loss).
Given my dieting history and multiple failures over the past twenty years, I wasn’t particularly hopeful that THIS time would be any different for me. I am more surprised than anyone that it HAS been successful so far, actually far more successful that I could have ever imagined. Most surprising of all is that in seven months of being on plan, I haven’t cheated once. I’m amazed even as I type that! There is no pride in saying this, only amazement. I am well aware that Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” I’m not saying that I will never cheat, and I’m certainly not saying that it’s not possible, because I know how easy it would be for me to go off plan.But something HAS changed in my thinking over these past 7 months. I’m sharing this for those who are new on Take Shape for Life and wondering if eventual cheating is inevitable. I’m also sharing this to hopefully encourage some of my friends.
When I placed my first order, I was seriously considering weight loss surgery. This surgery isn’t covered by my insurance, so financing options would have included a second mortgage on my house – I was that desperate. I had been diagnosed in September of 2005 with Type II diabetes and I knew that my obesity was a contributing factor, along with a strong family history. After my diagnosis, I went on a diet and lost a little over 30 pounds, dropped two sizes and gave away all of my bigger clothes. My glucose levels dropped (I never was on medication) and I thought I had FINALLY figured “it” out. I got pretty cocky and over-confident (forgot about that verse in Proverbs!) and ended up falling flat on my face. By last June, I had gained back almost all of the weight I’d lost and had gone back up those two sizes. Going shopping once again for pants in size 24W/3X was incredibly depressing. Traveling with my daughter to Phoenix, the Grand Canyon and Sedona was fun but frustrating because my clothes were tight and my energy level sucked.
Last June I attended a Grand Rounds lecture by a bariatric surgeon at the hospital where I work. He was talking to physicians about the after care of patients who’d undergone bariatric surgery, but he also spent some talking about all of the health risks associated with obesity. I sat in the back of the room and wanted to crawl under the table—I was miserable! It was immediately after that lecture that I began researching weight loss surgery options, and that’s when I came across information on Take Shape for Life/Medifast.
I had to think long and hard before I ordered it, because $250 for a month’s worth of food is a lot of money. I had to really, honestly ask myself if I thought I could really stay on a diet for a month, and I decided I had to try. I promised my husband—and myself—that I would give the program an honest try for four weeks, then re-evaluate. I spent a lot of time on the boards and was really inspired and encouraged by people here, and I began to hope that perhaps this really would be the tool to release me from twenty years of obesity. I printed out recipes and put them in a binder, I copied every hint I could find on how to succeed on this program, and I got started.
The fact that, once I got into fat burning, I have feel wonderful and am NOT hungry has been a bit part of me staying on plan. I don’t want to go through the “getting into fat burning” misery again, and I haven’t found any food yet that’s been worth the miserable headache I had for the better part of two days. Someone had posted that it would take a minimum of three days and 15 Medifast meals to get back into fat burning once we’re out, and at $2/meal, that meant any deviation would cost me a minimum of $30, and I haven’t come across a brownie or anything else that’s worth $30 to me.
But it’s more than feeling good and not wanting to waste $30 that’s kept me on track so far. I really do view this time on this program as a short season in my life—it is NOT the rest of my life! I have wasted twenty years struggling with obesity and being on one continual diet (or feeling guilty that I SHOULD be on one) and I’m sick of it. I want this weight loss season to be my very LAST one, and I want it to be as short as possible. I have been tempted many times to go off plan, but the thought that my going off plan could extend this weight loss season by a single day has been enough to stop me in my tracks. I don’t want to spend another day overweight that I don’t have to! I want to get on with the rest of my life!!
My time is in the Lord’s hands and I don’t know how many years He has planned for me, but I do NOT want to die prematurely of something as preventable as obesity. With God’s help, I will NOT die of obesity. I am no longer diabetic (according to my doctor!), my cholesterol is normal WITHOUT meds, and my blood pressure is also perfect, also without meds. At this moment, I am 55 and HEALTHY!
I also stay on plan because I’m scared to death to go off plan. I’ve read a lot of blogs from people who got off and are really struggling to get back and stay on—some are recommitting for the 3rd and 4th time. I love the fact that they continue to pick themselves up and try again, but it scares me. I’ve failed so many times in the past and I’m afraid that if I go off plan and get myself completely out of fat burning, whatever “clicked” in my brain will “click off” and I won’t be able to get my head back in the game.
So I’m gritting my teeth when necessary and staying on plan. It isn’t always fun, and sometimes I’m absolutely sick of doing this, but I committed to doing what I know I need to do, regardless of how I feel. I don’t want to live with regrets, wondering how things might have been different for me if only I’d been able to lose the weight.
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That was written a little over four years ago. I could NOT have imagined at that point in time just how much my life would change - all for the better! I stayed on plan and reached my goal on May 22, 2008 and I have never regretted for one second the decision I made to get healthy. It wasn't always easy, but it was worth it! Make the decision, then choose wisely :-)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
When, Not If, Temptation Comes
As much as I wish it wasn't so, the reality is that we will be tempted over and over again. It would be wonderful if we could escape into a temptation-free, stress-free bubble while we're getting to our goal (actually, it sounds like a pretty nice place to live permanently!!), but there is no such bubble. Even if we started our weight loss program overflowing with resolve and firmly focused on our goal, temptations will come. It's not a matter of if, but when.
So now what?
First of all, we have to be realistic and acknowledge that there WILL be temptations. If we expect that somehow we won't be tempted, sooner or later we will be greatly disappointed. Temptations of all kinds, big and small, are pretty much a constant.
We also have to be responsible and realize that, despite the temptation, we are ultimately in charge of the choices we make in the face of temptation. Nobody makes us cave, and no circumstance is beyond our ability to handle. We always have a choice and we need to take responsibility for our choices and not blame our spouse, our children, or our boss.
We also need to be ready for the temptations that will come our way. We don't always see them coming, but if we're realistic and anticipate that there will be temptations along the way, we will have the opportunity to plan our strategy in advance. Sometimes that strategy will require us to face down the temptation, and sometimes our strategy will be to get as far away from the temptation as we can, as fast as we can. You already know where you're vulnerable, so don't wait until the heat of the battle to figure out your game plan. Make a list of your known areas of weakness - when and why are you most tempted to go off plan - and write down how you're going to handle the temptation the next time. Thinking through the situation and visualizing a successful outcome can really make the difference!
Finally, get refocused. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want. The more you try to fight the temptation, the harder it is to fight. Don't focus on fighting it, focus on what you want and where you want to be in three months, six months, a year from now. Shifting your focus changes the dynamics immediately. When I was on 5&1 and the inevitable food temptation showed up, I would tell myself (sometimes out loud!) that "this isn't going to get me where I want to go." I constantly had to refocus my attention off of the temptation and back to what I wanted . . . then I got away from the food temptation immediately!
Temptations will come - maybe even today. When they come, you will have a choice to make . . . choose wisely :-)
So now what?
First of all, we have to be realistic and acknowledge that there WILL be temptations. If we expect that somehow we won't be tempted, sooner or later we will be greatly disappointed. Temptations of all kinds, big and small, are pretty much a constant.
We also have to be responsible and realize that, despite the temptation, we are ultimately in charge of the choices we make in the face of temptation. Nobody makes us cave, and no circumstance is beyond our ability to handle. We always have a choice and we need to take responsibility for our choices and not blame our spouse, our children, or our boss.
We also need to be ready for the temptations that will come our way. We don't always see them coming, but if we're realistic and anticipate that there will be temptations along the way, we will have the opportunity to plan our strategy in advance. Sometimes that strategy will require us to face down the temptation, and sometimes our strategy will be to get as far away from the temptation as we can, as fast as we can. You already know where you're vulnerable, so don't wait until the heat of the battle to figure out your game plan. Make a list of your known areas of weakness - when and why are you most tempted to go off plan - and write down how you're going to handle the temptation the next time. Thinking through the situation and visualizing a successful outcome can really make the difference!
Finally, get refocused. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want. The more you try to fight the temptation, the harder it is to fight. Don't focus on fighting it, focus on what you want and where you want to be in three months, six months, a year from now. Shifting your focus changes the dynamics immediately. When I was on 5&1 and the inevitable food temptation showed up, I would tell myself (sometimes out loud!) that "this isn't going to get me where I want to go." I constantly had to refocus my attention off of the temptation and back to what I wanted . . . then I got away from the food temptation immediately!
Temptations will come - maybe even today. When they come, you will have a choice to make . . . choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Watch Out for Orange Peels
Every now and then I hear a bit of trivia that captures my imagination. I read about someone who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel on July 25, 1911. Having visited Niagara Falls and marveling at the beauty and power of all that water, I can't imagine anyone thinking that going over the Falls would be a good idea, but several individuals have done so and lived to tell the story. This particular individual was Bobby Leach, the first man (and second person) to go over the Falls. He used a steel barrel in his stunt, and although he survived, he broke both kneecaps and his jaw in the plunge. What fascinated me was learning that years later, while touring in New Zealand, Bobby slipped on an orange peel, injured his leg and died from complications due to gangrene. He survived Niagara Falls but an orange peel led to his demise.
So what on earth does this have to do with losing weight and getting healthy, you may be asking?
Simply this: it's often the little things that trip us up - the things that we aren't watching for, the things we're unprepared for. We may plan and prepare for our food Niagara Falls - the family get-togethers, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day - then hit an orange peel when we encounter some unexpected stress or find ourselves in a situation where we're really hungry and we don't have a Medifast meal.
Thankfully, those "orange peel" situations don't have to be our undoing, if we're prepared. Those situations, while unexpected, aren't unfamiliar to us, because they are often our food triggers. As a recovering food addict/emotional eater, I know that stress was a trigger to eat. When I went on 5&1, I couldn't control when or how the stress would appear, but I could plan ahead for how I would handle it. Knowing how we've responded to our orange peels in the past is the first step in planning for future situations. If necessary, write out a typical "orange peel" scenario, then detail how you will handle the next one.
If your orange peel is a busy lifestyle that sometimes finds you caught without a Medifast meal, keep extra meals in your car, your desk, your purse, etc. so that no matter where you are, if it's time to eat, you're prepared. I still keep a box of Medifast pretzels in my car, along with several bottles of water. I always have a couple of crunch bars in my purse and, when I was still working outside my home, I kept several meals in my desk drawer.
Even when we do hit an orange peel, we always have the ability to choose our response. Our food orange peels don't have to land us on our backside - we can keep standing and keep moving ahead. We just have to make the decision to get to a healthy weight, plan ahead, then choose wisely :-)
So what on earth does this have to do with losing weight and getting healthy, you may be asking?
Simply this: it's often the little things that trip us up - the things that we aren't watching for, the things we're unprepared for. We may plan and prepare for our food Niagara Falls - the family get-togethers, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day - then hit an orange peel when we encounter some unexpected stress or find ourselves in a situation where we're really hungry and we don't have a Medifast meal.
Thankfully, those "orange peel" situations don't have to be our undoing, if we're prepared. Those situations, while unexpected, aren't unfamiliar to us, because they are often our food triggers. As a recovering food addict/emotional eater, I know that stress was a trigger to eat. When I went on 5&1, I couldn't control when or how the stress would appear, but I could plan ahead for how I would handle it. Knowing how we've responded to our orange peels in the past is the first step in planning for future situations. If necessary, write out a typical "orange peel" scenario, then detail how you will handle the next one.
If your orange peel is a busy lifestyle that sometimes finds you caught without a Medifast meal, keep extra meals in your car, your desk, your purse, etc. so that no matter where you are, if it's time to eat, you're prepared. I still keep a box of Medifast pretzels in my car, along with several bottles of water. I always have a couple of crunch bars in my purse and, when I was still working outside my home, I kept several meals in my desk drawer.
Even when we do hit an orange peel, we always have the ability to choose our response. Our food orange peels don't have to land us on our backside - we can keep standing and keep moving ahead. We just have to make the decision to get to a healthy weight, plan ahead, then choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy - and Healthy - Valentine's Day!
Even though most of us do pretty well staying on plan most of the time, we are often challenged to stay committed to our healthy goals when holidays and special events arrive. Today is Valentine's Day, a day that often includes a multitude of food temptations. If your Valentine's celebration usually centers around food, how will you graciously deal with those who want to buy you candy, or make a decadent meal or dessert?
A friend of mine sent me an article from Dr. Phil that addresses just such a scenario. Here's what Dr. Phil suggests:
I think this is a GREAT way to let people know that while you appreciate their thoughts and efforts, their best gift to you this year is their support. If you may be facing such a scenario, I really suggest that you practice saying this until you're comfortable. If you look someone in the eye, smile and tell them how much you appreciate what they want to do (or have done), it really will be OK :-).
This is your journey to a healthier you, so don't be afraid to make the choices you need to make today to keep you moving in the direction you want to go. Reaching your healthy weight will enable you to celebrate many Valentine's Days with the people you love for years to come. That's the best Valentine's Day gift you can give to them, and it's the best Valentine's Day gift you can give yourself.
But since this is a day for giving gifts to those we love, how about making today's choice to stay on plan your Valentine to others? The cards that are given today will soon be thrown away (or tucked away to be all but forgotten), the flowers will fade and be tossed, and the chocolate . . . we won't go there :-). These traditional expressions of love have a pretty short shelf life, and while they are nice sentiments, they don't have lasting value. With that in mind, another response to someone who wants to give you a food gift today might be, "Thank you so much for caring enough about me to give this to me/make this for me. My gift to you is to get healthy so that we can enjoy many more years together." What do you think?
As always, it's your choice. Choose wisely :-)
A friend of mine sent me an article from Dr. Phil that addresses just such a scenario. Here's what Dr. Phil suggests:
"You have been very good about sticking to your healthy eating plan and don’t want to find yourself sliding backward. How can you resist the pressure from family and/or friends to eat a big, decadent meal? You might say: “I have a lot invested in what I’m doing, so please don’t take offense if I either bring my own food or turn down something you’ve worked hard to make. This is really important to me, and I appreciate your support.” "
This is your journey to a healthier you, so don't be afraid to make the choices you need to make today to keep you moving in the direction you want to go. Reaching your healthy weight will enable you to celebrate many Valentine's Days with the people you love for years to come. That's the best Valentine's Day gift you can give to them, and it's the best Valentine's Day gift you can give yourself.
But since this is a day for giving gifts to those we love, how about making today's choice to stay on plan your Valentine to others? The cards that are given today will soon be thrown away (or tucked away to be all but forgotten), the flowers will fade and be tossed, and the chocolate . . . we won't go there :-). These traditional expressions of love have a pretty short shelf life, and while they are nice sentiments, they don't have lasting value. With that in mind, another response to someone who wants to give you a food gift today might be, "Thank you so much for caring enough about me to give this to me/make this for me. My gift to you is to get healthy so that we can enjoy many more years together." What do you think?
As always, it's your choice. Choose wisely :-)
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