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So, a heads up to some folks. I've decided to start tracking calories on MFP (My Fitness Pal). I feel like their calorie tracker is accurate and I really enjoy having access to the fitness forums.
To that end, my 65 day plateau ended last Sunday, ironically the day after I decided to switch to MFP, LOL. Not that I think that was the reason. It was just a .2 lb loss that finally landed me at exactly 186 lbs for two days in row. But, just as amazing is that I've only fluctuated between 186.0 and 186.8. I have not gone above. To date I have not since starting this last February had such a minimal fluctuation. I realize that means little to folks here, but definitely a feat to be celebrated in the "Half size me" community.
Which, is the next announcement. Heather Robertson opened up her doors to the community for membership. There were only 75 slots to be filled, but I got one of them. Heather Robertson is the founder of the "Half size me" community. She is also a weight loss maintenance guru and has currently maintained her 170 lb loss for FIVE YEARS. Her emphasis is on losing with maintenance in mind and REALLY WORKING on getting the mind prepared for this journey. She does not focus on diet plans. Her focus comes from looking at weight loss, health, and fitness from a place of self love, self discovery, in addition to realistic and pragmatic approaches to weight loss regardless of the WOE. For this reason the community is inclusive and kept non judgmental.
But, the woman had me at "maintenance". LOL And, her own journey is just as remarkable.
It became apparent to me after seeing a post written last week on here, which I felt to be extremely patronizing, condescending, and a bit insensitive to others struggling in this journey that there's the need for support on this path, and then there's the need for the "right" support. I understand that differs for everyone, but since I've already been pulling from Heather's podcasts the past nine months and found myself further inspired by her perspectives, especially after being diagnosed with MS, there's no doubt it's a community I want to be a part of in terms of sharing and mutual support.
However, one of the things I can use this site for are homework assignments. The half size community has some wonderful webinars and classes about how to approach this journey and some essential questions one needs to ask themselves if their interest is to lose the weight for the last time. The first homework assignment is one I never considered before.
Note: I want to preface that I do not consider this current journey a failure whatsoever. It's been to date the only successful attempt in this girl's life and the beauty is the reason it's been so successful is due to the amount of respect and growing love for this body and form (with all it's frailties and imperfections) that extends well beyond the value of a number on the scale.
Anyway, the below are some of the questions I'll be considering for my next homework assignment:
What have I learned from my previous weight loss experiences about what honestly worked and what didn't work?
-Did I have unrealistic expectations? What were they?
-What was the motivation?
-What were some of the feelings/situations that led me to discontinue previous weight loss attempts?
-What are things that make me feel inspired to continue?
-What feels different this time around?
I'm going to take some time to gnaw on these before I write it out. They are wonderful questions. These questions are really meant to be answered from a thoughtful and emotional space. It's not just about meal prepping, macros, or logging meals. They're also meant to be answered from a place of understanding one's "mental" state of mind during previous attempts. I really like Heather's concept of no longer looking at previous attempts as failures, but as learning opportunities. I think my favorite analogy during today's webinar was,
"Does a child learning how to walk give up after they've fallen. No, they get up over and over again and each time they try something new that gets them one step closer to standing on both feet and taking their first step."
I'm an analytical girl with an analytical mind. I enjoy opportunities to approach being retrospect in this way because it's been my experience it actually can and does change the outcome of the present moment and just like a child learning to walk, can bring us one stumbling step closer to the place we want and deserve to be.
Anyhow, have a blessed day everyone. May the end of all of your journey's end in self love and self discovery.
Take Care.
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