Sunday, August 23, 2009

Day 343 Large Scale Liberation and Making It Easier

Day 343

Large Scale Liberation and Making It Easier

It's really strange, in the last few days I've communicated with three different weight loss friends who have experienced depressing weigh-ins that showed ridiculous gains, some happening in less than a twenty-four hour period. We're all intelligent enough to agree that it would be almost impossible to really gain six pounds of fat in twenty-four hours. Other factors are at play. Water weight for sure, and for one friend, a reaction to her medication. I'm certainly not an expert, so I can't technically explain why these things happen, but I can tell you how to keep them from affecting you. Stop weighing daily.

I have a good friend that does weigh daily and she says it works for her, and that it sets a positive tone for her day regardless. If she's lost, she's thrilled. If she's gained, she's determined and strict. I guess if you can stay positive about it no matter the number, then sure, whatever you want to do. But if you allow it to wreck your emotions when something like this happens, then it's clearly causing you unnecessary difficulty along this road. Why would we choose to make this harder? What's the hurry? Why the need for sudden and instant results? If you're honestly making the changes necessary with food, exercise, and mind---then the results will come. Liberate yourself from the control you've allowed the scales to have on you. You're still going to have normal weight fluctuations, but think about it---not if you don't see them!

I visited Fitcetera's blog today and found the most wonderful post. You can find her at www.katschisfitcetera.blogspot.com She talks about how this becomes easy and how she only weighs once a month. ONCE A MONTH! Awesome. She sent me an e-mail today that explained so perfectly why: I am a reformed scale junkie. That thing drove me nuts (it's a short drive) I can't tell you how many times I've allowed that number on a scale to derail past weight loss efforts. It's almost heartbreaking. I'm sure you understand. For the very first time in my life (I'm 49) this has FINALLY become easy. Finally. I've been doing this for at least 30 years and you're right ... it is "sweet to relax and allow it to flow.” Her attitude is the best.

If you haven't already, go back a day and read the text of my article titled “How Long Is This Going To Take?” It's in the blog from yesterday and it might help you if you're a naturally impatient person like me. Yes, I'm impatient too! BUT—In analyzing why all of my former weight loss attempts failed—this is one of the big reasons why. Impatience. That “I want results now” attitude is a killer. If you focus on getting your food intake under control, exercise regularly, and really get super honest with yourself about all of the excuses and rationalizations that have held you back, then results will happen! Forget about the scale long enough for the fluctuations to level out and a real honest weight to show. The scale shouldn't be your enemy, it should be that friend you occasionally visit, just to see how they're doing. Fitcetera weighs once a month and she's got an easy button because of it and her wonderful attitude. Where's your easy button? It's certainly not on those blasted scales. I hope you check out her very popular blog if you haven't already. We could all gain some inspiration from her incredible attitude and approach.

Today has been wonderful. Good food, good exercise, good friends, and a confident feeling of unstoppable optimism. It wasn't always like this. But once I stopped trying to make it difficult, once I stopped being my own worst enemy, once I decided to make it as simple as it can be...it all got easier, and quickly. We're conditioned our whole life to think that losing weight is hard. We automatically assume that it has to be hard. It will be whatever you make it. You can complicate the process until you feel defeated and completely done. Or you can decide to simplify the process and rid your road of self-imposed walls and speed-bumps.

I'm looking forward to the week ahead. I'm excited about my renewed commitment and consistency in the weight room. I don't need to be embarrassed because I'm weak. So what if a twelve pound free weight can make me moan, sweat, and strain right now. With a consistent positive effort it will all change. I like that last sentence. Let me say that again. With a consistent positive effort it will all change. Isn't that the truth! Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean

19 comments:

  1. It's the consistent part I have trouble with--eating that is. About weighing--I fluctuate between being a scale junkie and not being a scale junkie. I really feel like what has kept 50 lbs off and up to 60 lbs off (for a few weeks now) is weighing every morning. I don't let it get beyond a certain point. It can also make me crazy, but for the most part I find encouragement in not letting it get out of control. I just wish that I would see big losses instead of small ones, but if I weigh daily I have to be happy with small losses more frequently.

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  2. She is my favorite-estist!! It is amazing to see what she is doing... easy= results?? I would have never believed something like that could have existed until blogland...

    Impatience is superduper huge in the process. It is the GREAT DESTROYER. I have been fighting it since... oh, DAY ONE!! I was ready to be done on day one, and it was just beginning.

    I loved this post!

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  3. Easy is the new difficult :D
    Thank you so much for the shout out, Sean, along with your praise. I totally agree with your weight loss philosophy!
    "Stop doing what hurts." is one of my 3 targets that I'm aiming for this time around and getting on that scale not just daily but even weekly did nothing to enhance my efforts. I needed something more tangible to measure my weight loss success.
    If I eat well daily I can see that I've reached success. If I move my body I can see that I've had a success. If my clothes are fitting better ... well that gets another check for success.
    I'd also like to mention my 2 other Targets for Success: Don't buy/eat what makes you fat & Laugh Yer Ass Off ~ meaning ENJOY the journey ... don't make happiness your destination make it your mode of transportation.
    It TRULY is just a matter of making a shift in thinking ... it IS that easy.
    That's the magic pill we're all seeking and it's right between our ears ... one thought.
    Here's the paradox ... by slowing down and being patient the weight loss is going faster. Go figure.
    Your second to last paragraph describes perfectly how I'm approaching my weight loss efforts this time around (the LAST time at being round).
    I hope more and more people adopt this way of thinking for themselves and discover the "secret" to permanent, almost effortless weight loss.
    Great post and thank you again for the thoughtful, kind words. I appreciate them very much!

    Take it EASY,
    Karen
    :D

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  4. Thank you for this post, Sean. I needed it to refocus on this early Monday morning. It's a great start to my week.

    I think I am still in the analyzing stage in my journey. I am still finding out what works and doesn't work with me. I will work out the kinks and this will run a but smoother for me. Blogland is a wonderful place to come and get great ideas and tips from others who have had great successes. Thanks to Karen for her ideas. I will give them a try. And thank you for your words of encouragment everyday. I wouldn't want to live without them.

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  5. I'm an impatient person, too, which is why I weigh daily. I try to look at the number on the scale without emotion, sort of like your friend. If it's low, great, I must be making the right choices. If it's high, then I need to look at what I'm doing. And what if it's still high and I'm making the right choices? Hormones.

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  6. Its funny. My new doctor TOLD me to start weighing every day. I tried it for 4 days and stopped. I did, however, put my own spin on it. Instead of weighing every morning (which is when I weigh for my weigh-ins each week), I weigh a few evenings during the week. This way I can see if I did any major damage to myself that day - I know what I weighed on 'weigh day eve' and as long as its less than that, I know I am progressing. If its more, its time to buckle down.

    Eh, not for everyone, I know.

    I love how you address issues that are plaguing your online friends - it shows amazing compassion, and that is just wonderful.

    You are amazing, Sean!

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  7. This post really got me thinking about how impatient I really am. I have been focusing on the scale way too much! Thanks for another great post!

    P.S. I love the new mp3 feature!

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  8. If there was a rehab for scale junkies I would have to be admitted. It's like some crazy addiction. I probably weigh 7-8 times per day. Any suggestions because I do drive myself crazy? Must have something to do with my old high school wrestling mentality...

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  9. I admit i do weigh daily although that neither makes it a great or a bad day. I really should start just doing it once a week although i'm so used to it now i'd probably stress over it.

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  10. I too loved that concept from Karen. Luckily, though I've had distorted perceptions and ideas around weight loss on and off since I started in my mid teens, the one thing I got from day one is to not weigh more than once a week. What is the point? Even if it doesn't through you (even though for most people I would argue that it does), it's still not a very realistic way to gauge your weight loss.

    Great post as always. Hope you have a great day!

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  11. Great post!!! Goes with my "making the best of it" motto and "letting go". I do think we make our lives more complicated than it needs to be just by our thinking (or should I say stinking thinking).

    As for scale power, I've finally let it go I think and though it still on occasion defines my mood I really try hard not to let it.

    Glad you had a good weekend.

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  12. I find that I weigh daily when I am on track and hardly ever weigh when I am not...so weighing is a good thing for me. I do know that the scale is only a measurement, like BMI. It is very subjective, and if you can keep that in mind, you are okay, I think.

    Not sure I could go a month without weighing on or off track...that might drive me crazy.

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  13. Love your blog, I will on the weekend have a good look at it in more detail. Martine (Australia)

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  14. Sean,

    Please keep the Jack Sh*t interview on for a few days. I'm going out of town and don't want to miss it!

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  15. Sean,
    I read your day 327 and I'm going to start acting "as if". I could never put into words what was holding me back until I read what you were saying about potential. I was always the smart pretty "chubby" which eventually turned into "fat" girl that had so much potential but could never get past the tape in my head of believing that the reason I wasn't succeeding was because I was just too fat. Thanks for your inspiring words and actions.

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  16. I have found your blog via your lovely wife's. You are both amazingly inspirational people. I so enjoy reading your posts daily.

    I couldn't agree with you more on today's message. I learned long ago that I couldn't weigh daily because it wrecked havoc on my mind. So, I weigh weekly - mostly out of the habit of going to so many Weight Watcher's meetings over the years. I would love to get to the point where I only weighed monthly. That would be freedom!

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  17. So sorry I stressed you out so badly, lol. Thanks for caring...it means a lot. :)

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  18. Awesome post!!!!! Once your mind, body and soul are committed to losing weight, you're right, it's not hard. It just becomes a way of life.
    Staying overweight, hating yourself all the time, now that is hard!
    I'm a daily weigher...but it's not always positive ;)

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  19. I could not open the link for Kathy? It says for readers only
    The Old Guy

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