May 1st, 2019 It Was Good

May 1st, 2019 It Was Good

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

Kristin and I celebrated her birthday last night with dinner and a movie. We chose the closest restaurant to the movie theater--and that just happened to be the Mexican restaurant I typically frequent. It's good, easy to order on-plan, and it's economical--especially ordering ala carte, which is what we both did in honor of our individual plans. That's one of the great things about Kristin, she works her own plan each day as well--she's right along this road, too. It's certainly not a requirement in a relationship, but it can be a benefit!

The young lady on her special day. Awe yes, I remember that age. I guess me being 3.5 years older than her is good. She's always the young one!

I ordered the ingredients ala carte, then assembled my sour cream/fajita beef crispy tacos at the table. It was a very satisfying meal right before our excursion into the world of Marvel.

Like I mentioned in yesterday's (late night) edition, it was my first Marvel movie. I think I'm going to watch the series of films in backward order of release. I was lost most of the movie, of course, and I didn't want to spoil her experience by asking a million questions, like, "what's the deal with these stone thingys?" or, "Did they really do a whole movie dedicated to the adventures of Antman?" Even for a non-fan like me, the film contained some very enjoyable parts--the humor inserted along the way was a lot of fun. And of course, there were a couple moments when it got very emotional, very fast--and I felt like that kid who walks into an awkward room full of crying adults and doesn't know what to say. I remained quiet. I think that was a good move. This was clearly something very devastating to the majority of the audience. See how I did that without spoilers? 

It was a late night last night and a short night of rest. I had my sights on an afternoon refresher nap today prior to tonight's group support calls and possible weather coverage late tonight--and I got one, it was good.

Why We Practice our plans each day, from the archives:
I must start each and every day humbly admitting that I need help and then, I ask for help in maintaining the non-negotiables of this daily practice. The disease of food addiction/compulsive overeating is a powerful one. I have it. There's no denying this fact because I've lived it my entire life. Not everyone has it. I do.

In order to maintain non-negotiables, it takes a structured approach--the practice, each day. All of the elements are important. Staying connected with support, remaining accountable, creating and honoring a personal trigger list, and when it comes to emotional and stress eating triggers--creating enough space, or pause, to act instead of reacting. Acting on life instead of reacting to life is a big deal along this road. It takes intentional actions each day. These actions act like rails I can hold onto. These actions or elements become pillars supporting the plan each day.

Confidence is a great thing. Over-confidence can derail quickly because it encourages a loosened grip on even the most basic elements needed for continued success.

My relapse/regain period really taught me some valuable lessons. That's why, in relation to my continued recovery and weight loss maintenance, you'll never again hear me say "I got this" or any variation of the phrase.

I've learned the hard way, as soon as an over-confidence is embraced, it immediately starts chipping away at important foundation elements. My continued recovery is never guaranteed. I don't have it down. What I do have is a daily practice of elements, disciplines--that I make important each brand new day. If I become loose with these, it's the beginning of the end.

And they're specifically designed to suit me well. I enjoy these elements. I enjoy the structure they provide. And I enjoy the continued recovery and maintenance they encourage.

You'll find many examples of this anti-over-confidence philosophy in the world of sports. Some of the best athletes are often the ones who always show up early for practice and stay late. Why would Kobe do so much practice on his own time? Why would Pete Rose, back in his day, take extra batting practice after team practice? 

In my high school days, I remember Todd Wright, one of the best high school kickers in the state of Oklahoma, out there--after practice, every day--kicking field goals over and over and over. 40 and even 50 yard-plus attempts happened throughout his senior season and he almost always got the points. Todd went on to kick on scholarship for Arkansas.

I'm not comparing myself to these athletes, don't get me wrong--I'm just drawing a practical and also philosophical parallel. If any of the above-mentioned athletes had started embracing an "I got this" style of over-confidence, their game would have suffered. Their success was due in large part, to the daily practices they continued to embrace.
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My morning practice was complete this morning without rushing and I made it to work right on time. I had a productive workday, too, which always feels good. I'm ready for a great Wednesday evening! I'm contemplating my dinner options at the moment. 

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

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