This is the umpteenth time I am starting over on my weight loss journey. Now I don’t know how many umpteenth is, but it’s a phrase my mother has used for years and I’m guessing it means a lot! But you know what? Who cares? It doesn’t matter to me how many times I’ve had to start over. What matters to me is that I have not quit on myself. What matters to me is that I keep getting up. What matters to me is that I keep trying. So if anyone wants to keep score…track that!
Every restart is a new beginning. Do you realize that whenever we begin something new there is a sense of excitement, enthusiasm, optimism, hope and an energy that is unstoppable? That’s how I feel about this leg of my journey. I am approaching it with a changed attitude and an understanding that although I’ve been here before…this time is NEW!
As I’ve mentioned in previous post this time around is different from a few years ago. It was just five years ago that I was able to participate in 5K races, teach Zumba and challenge my body in ways I never had before. Now that I am five years older, things have changed…and my approach to weight loss has changed with it. I have limitations that I didn’t have the last time around, and so I’ve had to change my perspective and recognize that it is imperative for me to remain hopeful and excited about the changes that are occurring in my body and in my mind on a daily basis.
Here’s what I’ve come to learn: my body is ALWAYS changing and the things that both work and don’t work are temporary. For instance, right now because of my back issues, I am not able to do any high impact exercises. But as I continue to eat healthily and shed the pounds, I anticipate being able to dance again!
As I embrace the power of a new beginning I know that the key to my approach this time around is my attitude. I realize that the key to my success lies in staying engaged in the process as if it’s always new. I can’t allow myself to look at this as a chore or burden. Instead, I am committed to finding new and inspiring ways to make the journey fun!
Following are six things I must practice in order to maintain an attitude of a new and fresh approach:
Bring an open mind
There is no room for rigid thinking on this journey. I have to be flexible in my thinking and careful not to close off the many possibilities that are available to me. I have to let go of all of what I think I can’t do in order to be open to at least trying new things. It’s like the old “Mikey commercial”…try it, you might like it.
Toss out all the rules
Eat this, not that. Do this exercise in this order. No carbs. Low carbs. No fat. High fat….Oh my gosh, it’s all too much for my mind. I’m tossing out all the rules and what I “think” I should be doing and instead I am going to honor my body by listening to it…which brings me to the next point…
Pay attention to my body
When I am hungry…I will eat. When I am full…I will stop…When I am low on energy, I will walk and then go to sleep. When I feel empty, or thirsty, I will drink water. The point here is that my body is constantly sending out messages of what it needs and what it doesn’t need or want. It is my job to pay attention to the messages it sends and to respond accordingly.
Put forth effort
Whenever we start out on anything new it’s natural for us to put forth more effort. We run into trouble the more comfortable or familiar we become with something. This causes us to shut done and put forth less effort. I am making it my goal to practice the excitement and enthusiasm of the newness of my journey as if each day were a new beginning. Because guess what? It is! And when I take this approach, I will put forth the effort that is needed to bring about the change I am looking for.
Monitor my expectations
I’m going to pay attention to whenever I feel disappointed because that will be a red flag that I am allowing my expectations to exceed my effort. Instead of being disappointed because the scale doesn’t read what I expected it to, I will practice asking myself, what can I do this week to practice more effort?
Always be curious
Progress is about finding MY answers. The only way to find those answers is to be curious and to practice discovery. There is always something new to learn about me because my body is always changing. I am especially aware of this as I enter this new season of my life. It’s a blessing to be 50…it’s also an adjustment! But I’m up for the challenge.
Your Turn To Share
In what ways can you change your approach to reaching your goals so that you can experience the excitement and positive energy of a new beginning?
Maribeth Alexander says
Great article! I have struggled with my weight most of my life, starved myself, tried various low carb, high carb, no meat diets, etc. It’s refreshing to see an approach that is versatile–tossing out the rules, but paying attention to your body. I’m trying to drink a lot more water, and eat less carbs. I’m officially a senior citizen, so it’s not as easy as it once was:)
Stacey Strickler says
Hey Maribeth! Thank you so much! Yes, our struggles are the same. I figured that having tried so many things to try to break the vicious cycle of dieting, gaining, dieting again…why not try listening to my body and trusting it to tell me when it’s had enough, or when it’s hungry or tired, or anything else for that matter. What have I got to lose (but weight!)? Wishing you much success. Senior citizen or not, it’s a challenge for all of us…but we can do it! Stay the course!!
Marie Higgins says
Hi Stacey, I struggle most with stopping eating when I feel full. What do you think this is about?
Stacey Strickler says
Hi Marie! I don’t think you’re alone in doing this. I commend you on recognizing and acknowledging the problem you have with continuing to eat when you feel full. That is the first step. I would encourage you to come up with strategies to help you break this habit. One thought I have is to put your food away once you’ve fixed your plate. Out of sight, hopefully out of mind. Also, I would encourage you to keep a journal. Do you have this challenge after every meal or only sometimes? By keeping a journal you can track your patterns of eating. Perhaps you’ll notice that when you are tired, or bored or feeling lonely, you overeat. Are you distracted when you eat? If so, try eliminating all distractions (TV, phone, reading, etc.) and just focus on eating and listening to your body to tell you when you’ve had enough…and honor it by stopping when you are satisfied.
Natasha Botkin says
My blog post this week is quite similar. Soul destiny at its finest. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. Xoxo
Stacey Strickler says
Hi Natasha! Sounds like great minds think alike Thank you so much for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
Porsche says
Great post! Super important to pay attention to your body. I learned that when I was trying to drink a gallon of water a day, my body couldn’t handle all of that!
Stacey Strickler says
Hi Porsche! Yes, listening to our own bodies is the key to taking care of it.Thank you so much for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
Sarah says
This was an awesome post. I love the way you are mindful of your body and its needs and not just focused on weightloss!
Stacey Strickler says
Hi Sarah! Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!