Jenn's Losing It

"There's nothing like the power of support - here's how to build your team!" It's true. Everyone needs a squad. There's different kinds of squads too. I have a group of friends that are my squad, my ride or dies - but they aren't necessarily the same people I'd go to with my weight loss struggles. Asking them to support some of my food related choices is the extent of it for me. Not that they wouldn't do anything to help me, because they would. But none of them are currently in the same boat as me when it comes to a weight loss journey.  This is why meetings have become very important to me. My family support is minimal. My husband wants to be supportive, but also fights most of the same food demons as me. Although his self control is far better when he sets his mind to it. My parents don't understand my food issues at all. They are in the belief that everyone should be able to eat anything they want in moderation, not recognizing that...

My biggest reflection from week nine is that I was over confident.  This is a rabbit hole I fall into quite often while trying to lose weight.  I have a really good week for weight loss like I did on week eight, then in a true self sabotaging action I get lax on my "food rules".  This week it was some Peeps Oreos on Sunday and Monday, extra biscuit (or 2) with dinner on Sunday, a box of mini Charleston Chews on Tuesday and a whole pint of frozen yogurt on Wednesday.  Thankfully my brain snapped back after that pint of froyo.  I stood in my kitchen and actually said out loud "WHAT IS YOUR DEAL?" The Oreos and biscuits were foods that were brought into the house by someone else, but I chose to eat them and I chose to not track them.  The other items I purposefully went out and purchased, I tracked them, but then tried to starve myself out to "make-up" for the points.  We all know that is the worst thing you can do to your body.  I know it's hor...

"Welcome the season by exploring fresh ways to be active!" At this weeks meeting we started a new challenge.  From March 5th  - April 15th, come to 4 out of 6 weeks of the challenge to a meeting and get a Spring Up Award!  Who doesn't love a new charm for their key ring?  I know I do!  My personal goal is 6 out of 6. Now with all that "welcome the season" talk, anyone that lives in New England knows Mother Nature has been on a tail spin when it comes to weather so it's hard to imagine that spring is actually just about 10 days from today.  Especially since they're talking about 2 different snow storms here in CT.  Regardless Spring is coming and I know I'm excited.  I've taken advantage of some of those spring like days we've had to get some walking in.  Especially since my aggressive workout plan was stopped in its tracks when I had a fall down the stairs a few weeks ago.  Fortunately I only ended up with a badly busied tailbon...

"You can do amazing things- Here's how to feel great about yourself, every step of your journey" During today's meeting we discussed how negative body talk gets in your way of your weight loss journey.  It crushes your confidence and sabotages you before you even begin!  Some of the key points mentioned in this weeks' handout are: Breakout that full length mirror and grab a pen and paper! 1.  List what you love!   Close those eyes and think about the features you do love about yourself.  Everyone has at least one thing they love about themselves  But try to find at least two.  Write them down! 2.  List what you don't.   Sounds counter productive, I know.  But close those eyes again and think of 4 to 5 areas you are least satisfied with.  Write them down! 3.  Rank Them!  I can hear you now "this is getting worse!". Trust the process.  I'll post my list below.  Promise.  Assign a number ...

"Hold your motivation close - it can be a weight loss anchor" Everyone has that one reason they decided to walk through the door to Weight Watchers or any other weight loss program they're doing.  This is something I have heard in many places - when you know your why it makes the work you put in that much "easier".  It's true, it becomes your anchor.  The thing you go back to to remind yourself why you started in the first place.  My "why" is to feel better and be a positive example to my boys.  I want to be able to play with them in the yard or any other thing they want to do.  I want to want to do these things too.  Life is too short not to do all the things.  I was reminded in November how quickly your life can change when my son had his accident.  I don't want to look back at all the things I should have done with my family.

"Decluttering your spaces can help you feel more in control and less stressed, which can help you lose" At this weeks meeting we discussed how clutter in our everyday life can give us the excuse to slip up on our plan.  Sometimes when we have so much clutter we just don't know where to begin and how to solve it.  Some of it is physical clutter and some of it mental.  By changing the way we look at things it can change the "clutter" in our lives that are preventing us from getting healthier.  For instance - you need to do laundry and all your gym clothes are in there.  Instead of just blowing off the gym completely - switch your thinking and change your workout plan!  Go for a walk - no workout clothes required there.  You can do it on your lunch break.  

"The key is planning, being flexible, and using your tools!" I could have used this meeting topic my first week of Weight Watchers!  The very first day of returning to Weight Watchers my family decided to go out to eat at a diner for dinner and I wasn't prepared.  I freaked out and did the only thing I could think of to handle the situation at that time for me.  Not eat anything.  I literally sat at the table with a glass of water and watched my family eat their dinners.  I went home that night and made an egg sandwich for dinner because I knew how to properly track it and it would fit into my points for that day.  Next time I think I would handle the situation differently.  Instead of freaking out and getting upset I would try to find something on the menu I could eat or substitute in to fit my eating style.  I most certainly could have ordered an egg sandwich at the diner made similarly to the way I make it at home.  This way I...

Think.  Feel.  Do. "Your thoughts are powerful." "Get to know them better and make them work for you." During the meeting we discussed how when you have a thought it elicits a feeling that is usually following by an action.  Your thinking style really determines how the other two play out.  In the meeting booklet it gave a short quiz to help you determine your thinking style.  The intention of the quiz is to then learn from your thinking style, learn how to change the unhelpful thoughts into a positive spin.  For example instead of when you eat that piece of cake or candy bar saying to yourself that you blew it and stop tracking, you can spin it around and own the fact you ate the cake, track it and move on! This meeting topic hit home for me because I was totally guilty of eating like crap and either not tracking it or spiraling into eating more junk.  Now I track everything.  Even if it was what some would think is a horrib...