"You've designed such a wonderful plan for yourself!"-Anonymous reader
First of all, thank you, A, but I can't take all the credit.
I'm not a weight loss genius. It doesn't come naturally to/for me. I don't have all the answers. And I certainly don't know it all. Had I designed the plan, like so many times in my past, I would still be a 500-pound man.
What I did during what I refer to as my "turnaround from relapse/regain" and what I do in maintenance mode, are a collection of practices and perspectives proven to work by countless others before me. When I started studying people with long-term weight maintenance, I quickly discovered several common practices and perspectives. People who have long-term track records of healthy body weight maintenance have what I want. The question shifted from, "what do I need to do?" and into "Am I willing to do what they do?" Could I somehow suspend my desire and need to be right? Could I suspend my need to control?
Could I let go, open my mind, shift my perspective away from diet mentality and into something sustainable--even if it meant doing things I'd never done before and looking at things in ways I hadn't?
The weighing and measuring my food, the logging everything, the support connections I maintain, the willingness to be aware, the willingness to reach for support--the determination to defend this precious reprieve each day, the abstinence from my drug of choice, refined sugar--and the willingness to abstain from my other known trigger foods---Most of these things, with a couple of exceptions, are things I didn't do before my turnaround from relapse/regain.
What kept me at 500 pounds for nearly 20 years was the thought that I had all the answers already--I just had to wait for the right time to happen, and it would all fall into place.
I've learned that, number one--I don't have all the answers and that's okay, and number two--there's no such thing as the right time. It's a myth. Because even if everything had lined up in a certain way, my brain would have created wonderful sounding reasons why it wasn't the right time.
The right time is always now. Because if my plan can't ride the ups and downs of life--if it needs a clear and smooth path in order to work, it's not very stable and certainly not sustainable.
Today: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with wonderful support.
Today's Accountability Tweets:
Good morning! #morningdeal complete. 2 cups water, 20 push-ups & 20 squats✅Done. Coffee pass earned. ❤️☕️ pic.twitter.com/lfIdGL9u30— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Two tablespoons half & half in the first cup of dark. Another two tablespoons in a refill, soon. 80 cal. pic.twitter.com/GWuOspp87V— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Breakfast in MyFitnessPal. Not shown in screen shot: 1 slice cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel toast w/1oz cream cheese & 3.5oz fuji apple. pic.twitter.com/9IT85gztr1— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
2 eggs&1 wht w/1 slice swiss. 193g red pot, 64g red pepper&36g redonion w/4secOOSpray. Cin-rsn Ezekiel w/1oz crm cheese. 3.5oz apple. 634cal pic.twitter.com/rIikuoaTqj— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Extra cup of coffee with two tablespoons half & half. 40 cal. pic.twitter.com/oJb3DOQBfg— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
2 tablespoons half & half in this afternoon coffee. 40 cal. pic.twitter.com/YffTuCJoTU— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Lunch in MyFitnessPal... pic.twitter.com/cSO0N3B1WF— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Weighing and measuring are important elements. It's something I can do; a positive action that brings certainty & integrity to my food plan. pic.twitter.com/pm8QFNZcgJ— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
How much calorie dense cornmeal does it take to coat a large filet? Before & After weighing gives me the answer: 23g, or 77 calories worth. pic.twitter.com/XdzWXhJOuj— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
1.5 cups water with lunch #watertracking pic.twitter.com/6CIknLnDhJ— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
Flaky, delicious, oven "fried" catfish! pic.twitter.com/HxNVXxMbPP— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
303g catfish filet (big!)w-1/2 large egg white&23g cornmeal, seasoned w/salt&pepper&baked w/6secOOSpray. 177g red pot.w/30g sr crm. 602 cal. pic.twitter.com/0289DDZFB2— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 14, 2017
2 cup bottle of water #watertracking pic.twitter.com/Vt6KzF0yFh— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 15, 2017
Dinner in MyFitnessPal... pic.twitter.com/H2XX3BfxxO— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 15, 2017
BeanTostada&TwoChicken Tacos. 1/2 cup refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, approx.4oz chicken, approx.28g cheese, approx.15g sr crm. 576 cal. pic.twitter.com/bnJ52geGHT— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 15, 2017
2 cups water meets today's #watergoal 35g smoked almonds & 124g banana #lastfoodofday 318 cal. pic.twitter.com/wCIgZqUfTV— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) April 15, 2017
Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
Extremely well written. I refer to this as "leaving the ego at the door". In other words, entering willing to learn.
ReplyDeleteI ditto Vickie here. Entering the willing to learn.
DeleteThe right time is while you are still alive. The optimum time is before there is massive damage to your mind, body, and soul.
Onward Sean!