Thank you to everyone for your support!!! I'm a big fan of WLB and this is just the beginning for us, ladies. :)
- Catherine
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
::: Before & After :::
Thank you to everyone for your support!!! I'm a big fan of WLB and this is just the beginning for us, ladies. :)
- Catherine
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
::: Final Week in Review :::
My word, this season flew by! I can't believe it's almost time to say goodbye. Seriously.
I ended this season down 8 pounds. I am a few pounds short of goal...and my body didn't squeeze into those size ten jeans I was hoping to get a photo in - - but I feel great about the possibilities. I'd love to email the WLB gals next spring with a photo of size 10 me. How fun would that be?!
I got in plenty of walking last week, which made up for some poor eating choices brought on by emotional struggle. I think the road to stopping emotional eating will be a very long one with plenty of curves. I'm on the road, though, and that's what matters.
This weekend, my son turned 8. Thankfully, my cupcake, ice cream, and pizza party lunch came after weigh in. ;)
I've got one more blogpost to put up later this week - - the before and after shots! I love before & afters and am SO excited to see the transformations from the other girls. Mine wasn't dramatic, but did you see some contestants rocking it with 15 pounds!!! That's gonna make for some awesome after photos.
Congratulations to all the ladies that stuck it out and to the mini-contestants!
-Cath
I ended this season down 8 pounds. I am a few pounds short of goal...and my body didn't squeeze into those size ten jeans I was hoping to get a photo in - - but I feel great about the possibilities. I'd love to email the WLB gals next spring with a photo of size 10 me. How fun would that be?!
I got in plenty of walking last week, which made up for some poor eating choices brought on by emotional struggle. I think the road to stopping emotional eating will be a very long one with plenty of curves. I'm on the road, though, and that's what matters.
This weekend, my son turned 8. Thankfully, my cupcake, ice cream, and pizza party lunch came after weigh in. ;)
I've got one more blogpost to put up later this week - - the before and after shots! I love before & afters and am SO excited to see the transformations from the other girls. Mine wasn't dramatic, but did you see some contestants rocking it with 15 pounds!!! That's gonna make for some awesome after photos.
Congratulations to all the ladies that stuck it out and to the mini-contestants!
-Cath
Saturday, October 13, 2012
::: How This Time Will Be Different :::
In my last post, I shared some of the mistakes I made when my last Win, Lose, or Blog season ended. Today, I'm sharing what I have planned to make this time a success.
1) I will be forgiving and treat myself like I treat my children & my friends.
Mistakes happen. Bad choices happen. They don't always require punishments and long speeches about "doing better". Sometimes, they just require a little time to reflect and start making better decisions.
2) I will be realistic.
My body seems much happier losing a 1/2 pound each week than 2+ pounds. A half pound is not just okay - - it is something to be proud of! I will adjust my expectations so that I can succeed without making fitness an unhealthy obsession.
3) I will find support.
Getting in shape is tough. I think it's even harder when you're doing it on your own. I will enlist my husband, family members, and friends to cheer me on. I will make regular visits to forums where others are working on a healthier lifestyle.
4) I will be flexible.
Sometimes, our best laid plans end up failing. I can make a detailed food & exercise plan only to find out that it's a poor fit for my life. Instead of taking that as a reason to give up, I can toss that plan and try something different.
5) I will take the time to find intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic is internal. What motivates me from within? Is it wearing new clothes? Running a 5k? Shopping at a new store? Impressing friends with new recipes? Whatever my motivation, I will make a note of it and read that note back to myself when I want to give up.
What tips do you have for sticking with a healthy lifestyle?
-Cath
1) I will be forgiving and treat myself like I treat my children & my friends.
Mistakes happen. Bad choices happen. They don't always require punishments and long speeches about "doing better". Sometimes, they just require a little time to reflect and start making better decisions.
2) I will be realistic.
My body seems much happier losing a 1/2 pound each week than 2+ pounds. A half pound is not just okay - - it is something to be proud of! I will adjust my expectations so that I can succeed without making fitness an unhealthy obsession.
3) I will find support.
Getting in shape is tough. I think it's even harder when you're doing it on your own. I will enlist my husband, family members, and friends to cheer me on. I will make regular visits to forums where others are working on a healthier lifestyle.
4) I will be flexible.
Sometimes, our best laid plans end up failing. I can make a detailed food & exercise plan only to find out that it's a poor fit for my life. Instead of taking that as a reason to give up, I can toss that plan and try something different.
5) I will take the time to find intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic is internal. What motivates me from within? Is it wearing new clothes? Running a 5k? Shopping at a new store? Impressing friends with new recipes? Whatever my motivation, I will make a note of it and read that note back to myself when I want to give up.
What tips do you have for sticking with a healthy lifestyle?
-Cath
Friday, October 12, 2012
::: Last Season's Mistakes :::
I purposely approached this season with a different attitude than my last Win, Lose, or Blog experience. My numbers have not been as impressive as the last go round, but I am hoping that this could be a lasting change instead of a temporary success.
Last season, I lost 11 pounds. Within 6 months, I gained that back plus an additional 5 or so pounds. What happened? I have dedicated a lot of time to thinking through why my healthy lifestyle fell apart.
A quick recap of what I did wrong last time (along with totally unrelated pumpkin patch photos - - ha!):
1) I put my bad habits on hold instead of replacing them.
I gave up takeout. I gave up alcohol. I gave up coffee. I gave up binging.
That all sounds great, right? None of those things are terribly healthy.
What I failed to do was have a backup plan. Why did I usually order takeout? I was tired and didn't feel like cooking. Instead of making an effort to have low-prep meals in the fridge or look ahead at my busy schedule and throw something in the crockpot, I just said "No takeout. Period."
Why did I binge or drink alcohol? I felt stressed or overwhelmed by life. Instead of making a new habit -- call a friend or take a walk when I felt the overeating/drinking urge -- I just said "No alcohol. Ever." I never found a new way to deal with my emotional discomfort.
2) I was motivated by the excitement of the competition.
Win, Lose, or Blog is an awesome opportunity. You get the chance to bond with contestants who share your experience. You get to share a piece of your life with strangers who may become friends. You have a friendly, supportive cheering section (thank you WLB gals!). You get to push yourself to do your best. It's exciting.
But what happens when it's over?
Last season, it turned out that I was lacking internal motivation. Sure, I wanted to look good...but that wasn't enough. All of the working out and eating right suddenly stopped feeling rewarding when I didn't have that online venue to share my excitement or air my disappointment. I felt alone in the struggle.
3) I had an "all or nothing" attitude.
In my head, there was success and there was failure. There wasn't an in between. I was either going to do everything right and post a loss...or I was going to mess it all up. I didn't allow myself to have an off day and then get back at it. Instead, I had a bad day and took on the negative attitude "Well, you f&*!ed that up" which led to a bad week. After the bad week, I felt like a loser. That led to a bad month. Once the weight started to come back on, I embraced the "nothing" part of "all or nothing".
4) My high expectations were unreasonable for the long term.
It's not reasonable to expect that I will live the rest of my life walking 25+ miles each week. It is highly unlikely that I'll never eat takeout again or say no to every cocktail. Can every day really be 1500 calories or less? I set up rules and expectations that I couldn't consistently meet and achieve.
I'm not alone in this struggle to stay consistent, right? Is there something about your approach or attitude that prevents your success from being long lasting?
-Cath
Last season, I lost 11 pounds. Within 6 months, I gained that back plus an additional 5 or so pounds. What happened? I have dedicated a lot of time to thinking through why my healthy lifestyle fell apart.
A quick recap of what I did wrong last time (along with totally unrelated pumpkin patch photos - - ha!):
1) I put my bad habits on hold instead of replacing them.
I gave up takeout. I gave up alcohol. I gave up coffee. I gave up binging.
That all sounds great, right? None of those things are terribly healthy.
What I failed to do was have a backup plan. Why did I usually order takeout? I was tired and didn't feel like cooking. Instead of making an effort to have low-prep meals in the fridge or look ahead at my busy schedule and throw something in the crockpot, I just said "No takeout. Period."
Why did I binge or drink alcohol? I felt stressed or overwhelmed by life. Instead of making a new habit -- call a friend or take a walk when I felt the overeating/drinking urge -- I just said "No alcohol. Ever." I never found a new way to deal with my emotional discomfort.
2) I was motivated by the excitement of the competition.
Win, Lose, or Blog is an awesome opportunity. You get the chance to bond with contestants who share your experience. You get to share a piece of your life with strangers who may become friends. You have a friendly, supportive cheering section (thank you WLB gals!). You get to push yourself to do your best. It's exciting.
But what happens when it's over?
Last season, it turned out that I was lacking internal motivation. Sure, I wanted to look good...but that wasn't enough. All of the working out and eating right suddenly stopped feeling rewarding when I didn't have that online venue to share my excitement or air my disappointment. I felt alone in the struggle.
3) I had an "all or nothing" attitude.
In my head, there was success and there was failure. There wasn't an in between. I was either going to do everything right and post a loss...or I was going to mess it all up. I didn't allow myself to have an off day and then get back at it. Instead, I had a bad day and took on the negative attitude "Well, you f&*!ed that up" which led to a bad week. After the bad week, I felt like a loser. That led to a bad month. Once the weight started to come back on, I embraced the "nothing" part of "all or nothing".
4) My high expectations were unreasonable for the long term.
It's not reasonable to expect that I will live the rest of my life walking 25+ miles each week. It is highly unlikely that I'll never eat takeout again or say no to every cocktail. Can every day really be 1500 calories or less? I set up rules and expectations that I couldn't consistently meet and achieve.
I'm not alone in this struggle to stay consistent, right? Is there something about your approach or attitude that prevents your success from being long lasting?
-Cath
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
::: Today Wasn't Perfect :::
Today was rough. This week has been rough.
One of my close friends lost her husband last weekend to a sudden heart attack. He was 37. My heart is broken for her.
Unfortunately, between the stress of life and my emotions, it has been tricky to stay focused. I've been walking every morning with my neighbor, but my eating has been off.
In these moments, I find myself thinking things like "What's the point?" or "I'll never do this."
Thomas Edison made a good point. What if success is just a few months off, but I give up today?
If today was a struggle, there's always tomorrow. Stick with it!
-Cath
One of my close friends lost her husband last weekend to a sudden heart attack. He was 37. My heart is broken for her.
Unfortunately, between the stress of life and my emotions, it has been tricky to stay focused. I've been walking every morning with my neighbor, but my eating has been off.
In these moments, I find myself thinking things like "What's the point?" or "I'll never do this."
Thomas Edison made a good point. What if success is just a few months off, but I give up today?
If today was a struggle, there's always tomorrow. Stick with it!
-Cath
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
::: Week in Review :::
Finally!
Most weeks are like this:
This week was more like this:
I went back to yoga class. I took three long walks. I gave up coffee. I stuck to my food plan 6/7 days.
For now, I'll just float around on cloud nine. I'm hoping to shave off another pound at the next weigh in.
How was your week?
-Cath
Most weeks are like this:
This week was more like this:
I went back to yoga class. I took three long walks. I gave up coffee. I stuck to my food plan 6/7 days.
For now, I'll just float around on cloud nine. I'm hoping to shave off another pound at the next weigh in.
How was your week?
-Cath
Friday, October 5, 2012
::: Just Keep Swimming ::
*** I just wanted to start today by thanking the blog followers/readers who have been offering advice and support on my page this season. Most of you show up in my inbox as "noreplyblogger" emails, so I can't contact you directly. I just want you to know that I very much appreciate you taking the time to comment on my posts. ***
My post title is a bit misleading. This post has nothing to do with swimming. The last few weeks, the thought "just keep swimming" has popped into my head regularly. Every journey to health has its ups and downs. While the ups are incredibly high and rewarding, the downs sometimes feel like bottomless pits that make you want to give up. In these moments, I have to remind myself that I can quit or I can keep going.
If I quit, all of the struggle and commitment and deprivation was for nothing.
If I keep going, I can get back to the "ups". I like feeling proud of myself more than I like admitting that I wasted time & energy and am just a quitter.
Let's all just keep swimming.
♥ Cath
My post title is a bit misleading. This post has nothing to do with swimming. The last few weeks, the thought "just keep swimming" has popped into my head regularly. Every journey to health has its ups and downs. While the ups are incredibly high and rewarding, the downs sometimes feel like bottomless pits that make you want to give up. In these moments, I have to remind myself that I can quit or I can keep going.
If I quit, all of the struggle and commitment and deprivation was for nothing.
If I keep going, I can get back to the "ups". I like feeling proud of myself more than I like admitting that I wasted time & energy and am just a quitter.
Let's all just keep swimming.
♥ Cath
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