There seems to be a similar vein running through some blogs today about people who have lost the plot and updated to confess their transgressions.
So my theme to my post today is to congratulate these people. I say this from a point of view that I am not high and mighty saying "thou shalt and shalt not" but in a way that I have so been there and done exactly that. I am still at the start of my journey this time and have a long way to go. But ...
When I lost my weight last time and was at goal or very near to it there became a complacency that I could eat what I wanted and not have it affect me. But it does!! I learnt when I put my weight back on that I was a comfort eater. I never thought that I was before this. I am one of those people that when stress happens I put my head in the sand and pretend stress not there. But because I couldn't let it out I began to try and find some way of making myself happy. Gradually over time my brain triggered that when I ate I felt good. I remember thinking one day "Man I feel like crap, I just need 'something' to make me feel better"
I've had some people comment both to me and via others that how could I have done so much hard work to lose my weight and let it all go just like that? Well I can say it didn't happen over night. It started with that complacency and then as a few kilos came back on I got down about it, ate to make myself feel better and then as it got to around 15kgs I'd put back on I stopped caring. Deep down I hated that I was putting on weight but I hated so much more about my life that my appearance was almost a cry for help. Like I was saying "can someone notice how much pain I am in? See? I don't care about myself". I was waiting for someone to come and say "hey, you're not looking after yourself ... why? What's going on?"
But sadly no one did that. Now I don't say that with a 'woe is me' attitude. Everyone has their own lives to live and their own problems to deal with, so I totally understand that there wasn't a 'rescuer' for me. Ultimately it is up to ourselves to help ourselves. And it wasn't until I got to the day that I thought to myself "Well this isn't working is it? Eating like this is not making my life any better" that I was able to turn my eating around and start again.
Someone once said to me "Success is picking yourself up one more time than falling down". I have never forgotten this and I believe with my whole heart that this statement is the key to losing weight. None of us are perfect 100% of the time. We ALL have times when we stuff up. Look at me I stuffed up for 18mths!! But the journey isn't over ... we ALL have the opportunity to pick ourselves back up again, regardless of the length of time ... and carry on!!!
So I commend those people who have made that decision after a bad period to get back on track. THAT in itself is what makes you a success!!!
11 comments:
TOOOO BLOODY TRUE!!!! WE are all on a journey through our lives, learning something new all the time, and that includes losing weight, gaining weight, maintaing weight, falling down and getting up again.... it is a neverending thing. I take my hat off to everyone who is trying to lose weight, or getting back on track after falling by the way... it is hard, but worth it. I am so sorry that no one in your immediate circle saw what was happening to you and helped you see where you were headed, I wish I had know mate! But I didn't, and it is past, you are moving forward, so that is all positive stuff. I am so looking forward to meeting you again one day soon, maybe at Lee-Anne's wedding ????wooo hoooo, I don't expect ya to turn up in a bikini though, OK ? LOL
Great blog today. It's hard to admit to myself that I put myself in this position - but I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and get it together. For the first time ever I have stuck with it for longer than a week! Gosh I love this blogging thing! Have a great weekend!
PS. I gave myself a "5 pound" star as well. I am just as proud of it as getting a sticker in Grade 1! Take care.
Hi Lyn... lol at the lightbulb moment comment. I know what you mean... The first blog i came across was at the stage where I am now.. and I was close to 100kg... and I thought..omg... if she can do it..so can I... and thats where my blogging started...
We are all doing the same struggles...
I am close to my goal... but thats just a figure I came up with when I was 110... I couldnt see past that number at that stage.. that was a huge 40 kilos I had to lose... very disheartening.. but guess what... very do-able... Never lose hope... you can do it.. and like me you had done it before.. now lets do it again!
Hugs, Hugs, HUGS to you for that post.
I have had my BIG problems in life (don't know if you remember the emails we sent each other during your hard time)but I feel picking ourselves up gives us determination to not let others spoil our lives and as if proving to others I can do it anyway with or without......
And it is self respect, when we are feeling at our lowest and especially because of others and not feeling respected by others because of what they may have done against us/you then we HAVE to gain the self respect back and pick ourselves up and get right back with OUR OWN lives!!! Regardless.
We are responsible for us, no-one else is going to do it for us.
Yeah I agree and know all about it being a cry for help but then we find all the tools to do it ourselves.
Self respect
Determination
Motivation
With self respect comes determination and motivation....does any of that make any sense?? I know how it feels in my mind just harder to explain but you will probably understand.
WE WILL AND CAN DO THIS FOR OURSELVES.
And WOW this sunshine is glorious.....read that and weep.....LOL!!.....I'll be weeping in the 6 mths
You take care hun
You've nailed it Lyn! I've been there myself, and I understand exactly where you're coming from.
Many people who've never been overweight simply can't comprehend how you can let the weight creep back on, but it's just so complicated...
Recognising why you eat is probably half the battle. Finding ways to deal with it is the other half.
Oh I couldn't have said it better! 3 steps forward and 2 steps back is still 1 step in the right direction right? :-)
I know that complacency only too well - I went from 138.1kgs down to 100.5kgs (so close to double digits) the week before my wedding and here I sit at 116.5kgs. Still with this complacency of "i'm still more than 20kgs lighter than my start weight". But complacency doesn't make us happy, it doesn't help us to achieve our goals.
I admire your tenacity to get out of that rut and tackle this journey all over again, you've definitely encouraged me to focus more on my own journey and i'm learning lots along the way!
Keep up the good work Lyn, I think you're doing a great job!
Life stinks sometimes but don't allow life's problems or problemtaic folk in life dictate to you just how you should feel and look and good for you for deciding to pull your head back out of the sand and doing something about it.
I too have a bad habit of burying my head in the sand but I'm refusing to do that now.
Walk tall and proud - head up, shoulders back, chest out (always make us look slimmer anyway) and feel good about yourself and as you are losing weight each week you will feel even better about yourself.
We can do it!!
We will do it!!
WE ARE WORTH IT!!!
HUGS!!
Thanks for this post, how sooooooooo very true.
It is not an easy road we travel is it, but we are worth it!!!
Jen
That post will hit home to many bloggers. Your little moitvational saying about success is the only one I ever remember and it is so true. As long as we constantly pick ourselves up when we fail - we are succeeding.
I've thought too how special it will be for you when you get to goal this time around. Not only then would you have succeeded with weight loss but also the important issue of dealing with your feelings and learning more about yourself.
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