Wednesday, January 25, 2012

It's Not About Being Perfect, Just Better

There was a cooking show on a while back where one lady made a "regular" dish, and the other lady made a lightened up version of the same dish. I wish I could remember the name of the show, but I don't guess that's important. What stuck with me from the show was their view. They would often say, "It's not about being perfect, just better."

So often when I try to lose weight (which I've done often and for years and years) I give up after I fall. My last blog entry was about getting back up when you fall. This goes right along with it. So many times I've messed up, and I've let that one mess up completely throw me off. Maybe it was one meal that I completely lost all willpower and ate what I know I shouldn't have. Or maybe it was drinking a regular Coke when I should have had diet... or even better - water!

Whatever it is that I did that I viewed as a "mess up" would usually lead to the "well, I've already blown it for today, so I might has well eat/drink this, too" mentality. Or my favorite... "I'll get back on track tomorrow." I bet I'm not the only one who says that. I know I can't be the only one who says that. If I were, there wouldn't be so many people who are always on a diet - maybe the same diet over and over again or maybe bouncing around from one diet to the next. I've done both of these. How many times have I joined Weight Watchers or tried a variety of the popular diets out there? Way too many to be proud of. And yet, here I am right where I've always been. Obese and miserable. It seems tomorrow rarely ever came when it came to getting back on track.

Yesterday as I was checking out of the grocery store, not really thinking I picked up a 20oz Coke. I was halfway through the Coke when I realized I was laying off all sodas, regular and diet. My first thought was "I've already had half, might as well have the rest." And I did. In that past, that would have been my undoing. It would have been weeks before I "started over."

After the Coke, I got to thinking. How much regular soda had I been consuming in a day - just a few days before? I can guarantee it was more than 20oz. So I had a slip. It happens. Life isn't perfect. Weight loss isn't perfect. It's not all or nothing. There will be good days and not-so-good days. What's important is that I learn from those slips. What I learned was that the slips happen, but I can't let an "ooops" define me. I'm too special to be defined by my mistakes.

So how did my night end? Did I fall back into my "well I blew it today, I'll start over tomorrow" routine? I'm proud to say I did not. So, I had a Coke. I also had a delicious dinner of homemade chicken tacos, Caesar salad, and rice. (The rice wasn't that good - I tossed the leftovers. It was one of those Mexican rice bagged things. Yeah. Not a fan.) I didn't snack on junk food that night. When I got hungry later on, rather than looking for junk I ate the leftover salad.

I can't strive for perfection. I'll never reach it, and I'll only end up disappointed. But each day I can strive to be better. Sometimes I'll blow it. That OK... so long as in the long run I'm better!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Falling Down

I didn't realize it'd been so long since I posted. I'm really not much good at this whole blogging thing, huh?

Well, a lot has happened since I last posted. I had knee surgery, which put me down for a bit. I was really proud of myself for only gaining about a pound through all of it. Then, about two weeks before Christmas, I was laid off from my job. I had to quit Weight Watchers, and that totally messed me up. I was in some sort of funk. Subconsciously I guess I figured if I couldn't go to Weight Watchers, I couldn't do anything. So, I didn't track. I ate what I wanted, though I did make some decent choices. I drank what I wanted, though those choices weren't usually good. I let the Coca-Cola habit sneak back in.

I fell down! I let old habits creep back in. I let life derail me again.

So I made it through Christmas and welcomed in the new year with the same mindset that everyone seems to be in.. I'm going to lose weight. But I refused to call it a New Year's Resolution. I always stink at those. I decided I was going to pick up where I left off. The only trouble is, I didn't. I was still in a funk. Add to that, one of my dearest friends was hurting, and I let my concern for her be my excuse for not doing what's good for me. And the really ironic thing is through all of the stress and pain she managed to take care of herself much better than I was.

Fast forward to today. Where am I? What am I doing?

Well, I'm finally coming out of my funk. I'm finding my motivation again. I don't feel like pulling a blanket over my head and ignoring the world. I woke up yesterday with some determination. I decided that I was going to start back on Herbalife. It worked well for me before, and I love the products. I had a shake for breakfast and another for lunch, and then we had a delicious, healthy dinner of steak, green beans,and corn-on-the-cobb. I wish I could say I was "perfect" yesterday, but I wasn't. I caved last night and ate some yummy junk. The sad part is it wasn't even stuff we had here in the house. I sent my husband out to get it. (And since the junk was eclairs, he was more than happy to make the trip to the store. He loves eclairs.) Today, my goal is to do better.

So yeah.. I fell down... and I fell hard. The important thing about falling down is that you don't just stay there.. lying on the ground.. wallowing in whatever crappy circumstances led to the fall. It's OK if you fall down sometimes.. just be sure that when you fall you also get back up.