Wow. I haven't posted anything here in a month! It turns out that I am not always inspired to share my thoughts on the weekly topic. And while I do find the value in wearing an activity monitor and monitoring my activity in general, I guess those things didn't really inspire me to share much.
We start a new routine this next week that I think will be much more thought-provoking, because it gets to a behavior that can often cause us problems: mindless eating. When you come to the meeting next week we'll start talking about the routine of the month which is "To eat all of your meals free of distraction." This is a routine that will truly be a joint effort, because it's one that I confess I am not very good at following. With how much we all multi-task these days, it's a rare moment when we can sit, eat, and not do anything else. Will that be possible? Will it make a difference? There are probably lots of ways we can interpret the routine and apply it with the end result of more mindful eating, so be ready for that in May!
In the meantime, I do want to reflect a bit on having a weight loss anchor. Over the years I've used a lot of different objects to be a reminder to me of why I continue my healthy habits:
* Before photo - I actually don't have the photo that caused me the most angst before I re-joined (because I tore it up and threw it away!) but I have a vivid memory of it.
* Marathon finisher's medal - this reminds me of my perseverance, and if I can run when my body wants to stop, I can probably say no to a doughnut.
* My weight records from when I was losing weight - I didn't lose quickly (a year to lose just 26 pounds?) and so it's a good reminder of patience.
* Mantras - these have evolved over the years (Outsmart the Fat! being one, and you've probably seen plenty of them around the internet) but having wise words always helps. I even have one set as a reminder to me on my phone every day.
Whatever helps you tap into those inner resources can become an anchor. Even if you've never successfully lost weight or improved your health before, if you possess the traits necessary (patience, persistence, focus) as applied to another area of your life, you've got what it takes to succeed. Sometimes you just need to remind yourself.
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2 comments:
I have a bookshelf that i use to display all my achievements. It helps to remind me of what I am able to achieve and helps to keep me motivated to achieve even more.
Love all these suggestions!
I tend to be a snacker, which is fine when I'm really hungry, but too often it's just for entertainment. I'm working on building up some different brain circuitry: when I reach for something, there is a moment of decision I can play around with--I've been practicing "impulsively" putting the item right back on the shelf and walking out of the room with the idea I can come back if i'm really hungry. Most times I don't.
I think of it as mental exercise, building more neocortical control over subconscious habits. I view it as a 'win' every time I put something back, even if I come back 10 minutes later and decide to eat it! The more I activate the "stop!" button, the more habitual it becomes to stop myself.
We'll see how it goes...
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