Thursday, June 12, 2014

Week 24 Weigh-In: Overcoming Obstacles and Getting Stronger

182 lbs. - 75 pounds down!!

I am happy for a loss this week and pleased with my decision and actions to stay on course after I had a few bites.  I was able to pull myself together the last couple of days and stay true blue on my program.  I do feel a shift happening in my awareness about my eating habits and I am willing to fight for this new path in a way that I never fought before in previous attempts.

There was an interesting blog post on Mark's Daily Apple entitled Do You Really Believe You Can Change?  I found it to be very timely and thought-provoking, so if you have the chance, it's worth reading.    It was largely about the concept of self-efficacy in changing health behaviors (as defined by psychologist Albert Bandura).  Basically (and you should read this for yourself), it comes down to our belief in our ability to be successful.  Believing that we can do it.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said "If you believe you can achieve."  This concept resonated with me.  I'm finding it to be true as I strive to challenge my old ways of thinking and enjoy the results of my new commitment to getting healthy.  It's not to say that I don't stumble, but I've come to realize that this is an important part of the learning process.  If I didn't feel challenged and pulled off track, and if I didn't overcome stumbles, then how would I ever develop the resolve, skills and self confidence to make healthy choices a natural part of my life?  I'm starting to realize that this is par for the course!  I am going to try and make these slips fewer and far between, but I will learn to analyze them and get back to it.   I can't fall into an "all or nothing" approach to weight loss.  This hasn't worked in the past.

I'll mention another very helpful blog post from the same website called Mastering the Art of Self-Negotiation which goes hand in hand with the above post.  There are a million ways to rationalize behaviors that aren't in alignment with our health goals.  If we can catch ourselves entertaining those thoughts, then let them float by without giving them time and attention, we can prevent them from taking hold and turning into actions that we will regret later.  We are just making excuses, and there are NO valid excuses for getting off track.

I am so thankful for the many bloggers who share their thoughts and who have inspired me to keep going on my own path.  Reading blogs has been a major source of knowledge and inspiration and I've made it a daily practice to check in with them and get great insights and advice.  The more I read on a daily basis, the stronger I become, because I'm making this journey a very conscious process.

This is such a humbling experience isn't it?  We are smacked down and faced with our shadow side, but we also experience our light and strength which gives us new hope.

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