Sorry about missing the post this past Tuesday. Cameron was out of commission much of last week. Seems like for the past few years at the turn of the seasons in the Spring and Fall I can count on becoming sick for a week or two with some nasty crunk. Not really allergies. Not really a cold. Just a mix of me not feeling well, wanting to drink homemade Orange Julius, and lying in a dark room, hacking and sniffling, waiting to die. I actually missed about a day and a half of work last week. And Cameron never...ever...misses work.
When we get sick don't we often automatically throw out any rules or habits we've carefully crafted for ourselves? It's almost like a video game where the field of play stops and it is GAME OVER. When I'm sick I don't want to go to the gym. I'm not motivated to track my food selections. When I'm sick I want comfort food (which last week turned into a hot mess of chicken and melty cheddar cheese whipped into those horrifying instant mashed potatoes. It was amazing while sick. I would not touch it when feeling well.)
Why is that our well-laid plans of weight loss and healthy living often are cast aside when we don't feel 100%? I'll be the first one to admit that when I'm sick I don't want a salad. I don't want to battle people at the gym for equipment. I will eat that ice cream in the freezer. And that sleeve of Thin Mints that I resisted so well two weeks ago? Nom Nom Nom! All gone now!
It happens to me and I'm sure it happens to you. Please don't beat yourself up over it. One day or one weekend won't derail your progress. But two weeks of slacking off will! Case in point:
I'm back up to 260 lbs. Sigh.....
What emotions do you feel when you gain weight? Here are some of my feelings:
Shame is what I felt going in to my weigh-in today. I knew I was up a few pounds and was dreading the scale.
Guilt/Anger. Cameron--you're an idiot! You worked so hard to lose the weight two weeks ago.
Denial/Blame: Stupid scale must be wrong. Or I must be wearing my heavy denim pants.
After we go through all the negative feelings, the positive ones usually start to appear.
Acceptance: It's all my fault. It's ok. Let's pick up where we left off. I'll try to do better. No, I WILL DO BETTER!
Resolve: It's Business Time
For me I seem to have a very organized and well executed professional life. I'm extremely detailed and love to follow proven and established process. My personal life could use a little tune-up. Sometimes I don't pay attention to when I slowly getting off track and engaging the necessary actions to get me focused on weight loss. Applying some of the proven tactics from work to weight loss and healthy living would be beneficial.
At work when something goes wrong on the production process I do an analysis to IDENTIFY AND ISOLATE the root cause of the problem. Then proactive measures are established to prevent the mistake from happening again. We call this creating Corrective Actions.
So far as I've been on this weight loss journey I've seen positive and effective things that help me to lose weight. I'm also becoming very aware of bad habits that are preventing me from enjoying greater success. I need to IDENTIFY AND ISOLATE the root cause(s) of my problems that are preventing me from enjoying weight loss success and replace them with effective measures.
To Be Continued: I will continue this post tomorrow night (as it is well past midnight) and describe some of the Corrective Actions I am enacting for myself to get myself back on track.
In the meantime, I've had requests for healthy recipes that I've created. Since I'm short on time I'll instead post some lovely recipes from a blog that I follow that uses one of my very favorite fruits--Strawberries! Enjoy!
This one is funny...the recipe is so-so.
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/03/strawberry-spinach-salad.html
Not really a funny story, but a much better recipe. This is what I imagine when I think of a strawberry salad.
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/05/chick-food.html
How interesting! The only times I've been full blown I-wanna-die-someone-get-the-shotgun sick have been when I wasn't exercising regularly. I've been really fortunate that my workout regiment seems to have kept that at bay. Sure, I've had a few VERY minor colds here and there, but nothing I couldn't run 4 miles with. I've also really lost my love/hate relationship with food over the last two years. If I want to make an ice cream sandwich with two thin mints, I do. And I eat it. And I enjoy it. And I move on. It doesn't happen every night and I think because it isn't "clandestine" or "oh so naughty" I get over the craving a whole lot faster than I used to... You have given me lots to think about oh wise one. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I can't judge, I ate half a mini-pan of brownies Sunday night. It's business time for Amy too.
ReplyDeleteAll I can think of is Power Lunch. Power Lunch, kicks butt and takes names! You are Power Lunch.
Jen-
ReplyDeleteI rarely get sick enough to sideline me. But when it hits, it hits hard. It always seems to coincide with a major change in the seasons. Can't explain it.
I love your perspective about food. If you want a cookie, you eat it then move on. I've found that eating a little bit of a treat does help the cravings to go away and I don't have to eat the large portions I used to eat. Love the idea of a Thin Mint ice cream sandwich!
Amy--Love Power Lunch! My favorite running superhero! (aside from Big Baby, of course!)
Your use of the third person and being sick reminds me of Cameron from Ferris Bueller. "You're not sick, you just can't think of anything good to do."
ReplyDeleteDon't beat yourself up over little setbacks- they are normal and to be expected. I hope you get well and stay well and continue to use your business time (yay, FOTC) strategies for success!
You can make your own ice cream sandwiches out of thin mints????????????????????????
ReplyDelete