Day 607 A Friend Sums It Up Nicely and Can I Explain What I Eat?

Day 607

A Friend Sums It Up Nicely and Can I Explain What I Eat?

Thank you so much for the e-mails and comments on yesterday's peanut butter post. There is a big difference in me in regard to how I handle a situation like that. I was trying to work out the explanation in my mind when Zaa from www.zaaisshrinking.blogspot.com summed it up perfectly:

Big hugs to you Sean. Our new habits lull us into a false sense of security. We have not arrived yet. There are still many dozens of cookies I will bake in the future. Many family dinners I will host, many desserts concocted to take to potlucks. I am going to have to watch myself for the rest of my wonderful life. Am I complaining. NOT ONE BIT.

We all have our moments. You had a moment with peanut butter. I had one with these chocolate peanut butter layered bars with coconut and pecans that I made the other day. Old me? Beat myself up over my 'failure' and 'lack of self-control', declare that I just can't lose weight (why am I EVEN trying when I'm such a loser) and go back to my old habits, gaining more weight in the process. New me? I accept it, adjust my calories, and move on.

I like the new me.
I like your new me too.
I, too, appreciate your honesty. It's what struck me when I first visited this blog last year.

Yeah Zaa, that's it! I like the new me too! And we do react differently to these situations. It's crazy to think that a small little meltdown could be powerful enough to end a journey like this, but I allowed it that power many times in the past. Now? Those once ingrained actions and reactions don't have a chance. This is the new me. I've identified and eradicated those old reactions. I'm loaded with understanding of my past weight loss failures because I've been educated the hard way and now, nothing is as hard as it once seemed. That clarity I speak of all the time, it's real my friend, just ask Zaa---she'll tell you.

Today started in a wonderful way. I jumped up, did my non-weighted exercise routine of squats, push-ups, and sit-ups, paused to feel my abs in that cool new “ab-feeling” position I discovered the other day, fixed coffee, made a nice egg white-mushroom-cheese omelet, and sat down to write. This is the start of a good day, I thought. And it was.

I noticed the peanut butter jar still on the counter. Hmmm, Amber must have thought I was joking when I requested she hide it from me. It's fine---I've learned, I gave in, it will not get me today, better: I will not get me today. Because really---something I identified very early on this road was my number one nemesis: ME. We can be our best friend or our worst enemy, it's completely up to our day to day choices. Fully understanding that psychological dynamic brings home the bottom line around here: Self-honesty, responsibility, and accountability. We choose how this road goes everyday.

Amber and KL joined me for a wonderful musical at NOC tonight. Jeckyll and Hyde was a ReAct production and it was just incredible. The acting, the singing, everything was perfectly intense. The battle between good and evil within all of us was a theme I could relate to in relation to weight loss. It was a wonderful evening indeed.

In reading the post from last year on this date---I was reminded how some people are completely surprised when I tell them about my “nothing is off limits” philosophy. Bonnie isn't the first person to have all of their questions answered by reading the archives. Although it might take a little longer now! From May 15th, 2009:

A comment question on last night's blog came from a reader named Bonnie.

Her question: Can you explain what you eat? You say normal food and normal portions, but what does that mean?

I completely understand that question. For years I wanted to know the magic combination of foods and exactly how much I could have and still lose weight. We're conditioned from an early age to believe that losing weight is a complicated process. So when someone comes along (and I'm not the first-thousands before me) and says “you can eat pretty much anything,” it comes off sounding like a late night weight loss infomercial. I've heard “It can't be that simple,” uh, yes it can! I can remember many of my past weight loss attempts that started by going to the store and buying all kinds of “diet” foods. I'd buy canned chicken chunks, celery, carrots, a huge bag of grapefruits, cottage cheese, and anything else I had heard was good for losing weight. Then, surrounded by stuff I didn't normally eat, or even like, I would get completely discouraged. Keep it simple. Don't make a special trip to the store. Eat what's normal for you, just discover calorie contents and adjust your portion sizes to fit in a reasonable calorie budget.

I remember during a “Lose To Win” seminar, someone asked Melissa Walden about counting carbs and fat grams too, and Melissa responded by telling her that she didn't need to worry about that stuff right now. Keep it simple, count calories, and when you're far enough along you can start getting specific about certain things in an effort to meet particular nutritional goals. That's exactly what's happened to me naturally over the last 243 days. I eat way better than I did in the beginning. I eat more fruits and vegetables and I now make a point to get enough fiber grams (24-26 grams daily!). I didn't make a conscious decision to start making a few healthier choices everyday, it just happened naturally. Let it come to you naturally as you progress.

The first thing I thought of when I read Bonnie's question was, I hope she goes back into the archives and reads throughout this journey, because then she'll discover what I mean by “normal” foods and “normal” portions. I was shocked to discover another comment from Bonnie, nearly 24 hours later---here's what she said:

Hi--I have just finished reading your blog from day one. So, I know the answer to my earlier question. I am totally inspired and totally intimidated at the same time. Thank you for doing this and telling the world that it is possible for a real person.

I am so very impressed with you Bonnie! The whole blog, all 242 post, every single day---you read it all in less than 24 hours? That's very cool! And it makes me feel so honored and proud. Thank you so much Bonnie! Don't let it intimidate you. It's strange I know, because some of the foods I've enjoyed along the way really fly in the face of what we've been taught our entire lives. I knew that the only way to teach myself how to handle food responsibly was to eat regular, everyday, normal foods. You can't learn how to handle food responsibly if you're not handling regular food, right? What do meal replacement diets teach us about handling food in everyday life? Nothing! How are we going to react when the shipments of pre-packaged and portioned foods stop showing up on the doorstep and we're forced to face real world food decisions on our own? Lost. Take that inspiration Bonnie and turn it up! Let it flow from you to your husband, and both of you are going to be on your way to an amazing side of life! You two can do it!

That was a fun excerpt to find. Thank you for reading. Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean