Apologies for going periscope down last week. I wasn't proud of my performance and didn't want to face the music. But I am back and I'm looking to pick your brains.
It was my blog-iversary on Saturday. A somewhat bittersweet one at that.
Why bittersweet?
Twelve months ago, I was on a mission. I'd already lost 8.6kg (18.9lb). I had identified my goals, I had envisioned my future.
I had a fantastic WW leader and I had found a whole raft of incredible women online who were taking the same journey I was. The support was (and still is!) amazing.
Along the way, I had various health issues, including being diagnosed with major depressive disorder, something I'm wrestling with still.
But, no matter what, I still remained on target. Slow and steady losses, both weight and measurements.
I've lost 20.7kg (45.6lb) since I started this blog, 29.3kg (64.5lb) in total.
So where is the bitter?
Well, in the last four months, I've only managed to lose .4kg (.8lb). I've been bouncing up and down, little gains, little losses. My focus has drifted and my eating habits have slid. I'm still exercising, which is helping keep things under control, but I'm not excited by it the way I used to be. I'm doing it because I know it's the only thing stopping me from heading right back to my top weight, not because it makes me feel good.
Now the news is not all bad. I may only have lost .4kg, but I've lost 20.5cm (8"), which is great. So part of it is my body shedding fat and replacing it with lovely, compact, fat burning muscle. But seeing that tiny amount of weight lost over a period of 4 months still really brought me down.
I'm now working full time in an environment where they have a lolly jar, a biscuit (cookie) tin and constant supplies of fundraising chocolate. I do my best to resist, but it's harder to justify not having, "just one". I'm nearly at goal, just one won't hurt... It's positively lethal.
I'm looking for alternatives to my exercise. While the weights are still kicking my butt and some of the pilates exercises are still making me sweat, they don't excite me anymore. I spotted this online recently and I'm thinking of giving it a go. Of course, it's not been released in Australia yet and they don't know when it will be, but we have a US PS2, so I can order it from the US and play it at home.
In my last entry, I mentioned that I had achieved most of my goals. A lot of those 100 things just aren't relevant to me anymore. I'm there.
It's clear that I need to make another set of goals, a set that focuses on my future as a woman at her goal weight trying to live a healthy life.
I need to find the passion again. I need to feel the fire in my belly again.
I know some of you have been here before. What have you done to ignite the fire again? And, for anyone reading this, imagine yourself in my shoes. You're 5kg (10lb) from goal weight. What would be the new goals you set yourself for a future as a fit and healthy person? What would be some of your 100 reasons?
Hey, welcome back, glad all is well. Booo to lengthy plateaus. How are the NSVs (measurements etc) going? They can keep us going when the bitch scale won't cooperate. Anyway - new goals... goals about building a new way of life that's all about maintenance... hmmm. I like "I am That Girl Now"s approach - a checklist to keep focussed on the repetitive stuff that keeps me on track and also reminds me to do stuff I enjoy but which gets caought up in the hurly burly of life. And how about some exercise goals eg a fun run, the Great Vic Bike Ride, the Pier to Pub swim next year?
Remember your cheer squad is always here to listen and never ever judge, so don't hold back when you need to vent!
LBTEPA
I am in nearly the same position with just under 3 kilos to go and my Biggest reason is that I never want to go backwards, going forwards is the only way for me, and that means doing whatever it takes and sticking with it for however long it takes. I've decided if it takes me 6 months or a year, it is better than going back. Hope that helps somewhat.
Damn...soemhow I lost my post.
anyhow . I bought that program about 2 months ago, it looks awesome but haven't used it....I'm lazy. So, it's yours....freeeee....you just have to wait a week or so until it gets there....We've done a visit here and there but haven't made the official move back to Aus. Drop me an email and we will arrange.
xoxxo
Ahhh plateaus. Fun aren't they? I can totally empathise with you here - last year I had a 5 month plateau, which then turned into a 3kg gain. Lost it again, then had another 2 month plateau this year, which turned into a 4kg gain. See any patterns? heh.
The important thing is - don't look back. What has happened, is gone. It doesn't matter that you've maintained your weight for 4 months - in fact you've just proved to yourself that you CAN manage your weight. Which is a success in itself.
If you want to lose some more weight, you know what you need to do. You know you CAN do it. It's what you do NOW that counts. (I used to say it's what I do NEXT, but I'm finding that it's what I do RIGHT NOW which is more important)
Anyway. Alternatives for exercise - I can really recommend TaeBo and running, if you aren't into joining a gym. Because of the BOOYAH factor. I feel awesome when I do these exercises - like I can take on the world. Strong, powerful, proud. If that isn't motivating, what is? :D
As for a new 100 things, hmm. I guess it depends on why these last 5kg are so important to you. If you've achieved everything you wanted to already, then why do you need to lose another 5kg? Sounds like you're already there. Or maybe you didn't set your sights high enough when you were setting your original goals :P
Ask yourself, why do you want to lose another 5kg? Why do you want to maintain your weight? What do you want to achieve from this? How do you want to feel? The answers should be at least some of your new 100 things :D
Some of my current goals are to to be sleek and strong, to run in the City to Surf, to eliminate all my destructive thinking and eating behaviours (which I thought I had, but honestly haven't yet), to fit into knee length boots, and to learn permanent habits which free me from obsession and fixation and let me live a healthy life :)
Love, my boyfriend downloaded YourSelf for me about a year ago! If you want, I'm more than happy to burn you a copy and post it on down, just give me the word :)
I can only imagine how hard it must be to stay focused now when the external reasons you started this journey are pretty much all gone now?
Having never got so close to goal I don't know what to suggest but I do know this....
Your weight may not have changed so much of late but those cm losses are great!!! Thank god you are taking them :)
I hope those in similar circumstances can offer some good tips for you as I know you can make it...YOU WILL REACH GOAL!!!
**Hugs to ya babe**
Cheers P
oh wow, I just lost my post HA! But I wanted to echo everyone else by saying plateaus suck.
I am no were near goal so if I pretended I had 5kgs to go, I think personally I'd need to work on shifting my focus. Instead of thinking "I'm trying to get fit" to I am fit. Like doing exercise or being active because I love it rather than because I need it. To stop watching every little thing that goes in my mouth because I know by that time I've probably going to be really anal retentive at it. To trust I know what I"m doing. Hopefully by then it's all autopiolet but yea.
Wow, 5kgs to goal.. how exciting!! such an inspiration.
Kudos to getting 5 kgs to your goal. I hope to be in your shoes one day. Scratch that, I WILL be there one day.
One of the things I would have as a new goal is to activate my life. Meaning, make activity a natural part of my life. Like playing tennis with a friend instead of meeting at the coffee shop and sharing a muffin. Things like that.
100 reasons?
Maybe one or two
*pole dancing for your fella
*nude photo shoot
*marathon
hugs right back at ya darling girl!!!!
You will either find this inspiring, or completely lame.
www.sportzblitz.net (Body Blitz) or www.bodyforlife.com
These are both 12 week challenges to "transform" your body.
I wish I could help you update your 100 things, I wish I could help myself update mine as well! I have 3kg to go now, luckily I havent really hit a plateau yet, but now I keep thinking, when I get to my PGW, will I be happy with that? Will I ever?
Good luck! You can do this
Nicky.
A goal I would set for myself is to be at my goal weight maintaining 6 months from the date I acheive my goal weight!
I can only wish that I was 5 kg away from goal, and I trust that I will be there at some stage. What I would try is to keep up the exercise but find new ways to focus on it. One thing that has worked for me in the past is to focus on a different aspect of exercise. I.e. I go for walks everday, but when I got bored I started trying new walks, doing the walks the opposite way to what I usually did, once I even printed out a map of my suburb and highlighted the streets I walked along, as I did them... and that gave me something else to focus on and was quite fun.
Maybe try some new recipies.
Break out of your comfort zone and make a list of things you think you can't do and then do them. Try a night class in dancing or something active.
Maybe a major reward will rev you up again.. depending on what you can afford.. a trip away can be a great motivator.
Anyway, I'm wishing you the best and I'm going to be here cheering you on when you cross the finish line... and you will get there!!
Served up by Kate at 06:43 on 17|05|05