Getting Back on the Horse

So that last two weeks have been pretty pathetic in terms of my weight loss effort.  I share this because I need to. I need to hold myself accountable and I know by telling you you'll keep me honest.

Losing weight and staying "with the program" is hard and while I was off to a great start, like many folks do I hit a road block.

Yesterday I had an epiphany.


This isn't just about weight loss. This is about doing something for me. Putting me first. (Thank you Mendy for that realization). I'm going to start trying a few new tactics - new tasks that I hope will keep me in the right frame of mind so that I can finally start reaching my goals.  I've been reading SparkPeople's book, The Spark, and it's really inspired me and given me some ideas.

1) A minimum of 10 minutes of exercise a day (Thanks Chris!). Who doesn't have 10 minutes they can set aside for themselves???  While my goal is to make it to the gym at least 3x a week, if I can't, there's no excuse.... I own a stationary bike.

2) Attend spin class at least once a week.  Spin is so much fun and such a great workout.  I always feel better after class and the amount of calories you burn in that a short amount of time is incredible!

3) Read more articles on the SparkPeople.com site (and not just for Spark Points, lol).  I find that on the days that the SparkPeople eNewsletter arrives in my inbox, I am much more focused and less likely to "cheat" than on days when I don't have that reminder.  Reading the tips and the success stories of other members really helps remind me why I am doing this.

4) DRINK MORE WATER.  I think that my obsession with drinking coffee (with creamer) is holding me back.  I've started drinking it all day long and I think those calories are putting the kibosh on my efforts.  I am going to try and limit myself to 3 cups of coffee a day, and increase my water intake to 6-8 cups of water a day.

5) Continue to eat healthier.  Along with the help of my friend Phyllis (a nutrition expert) and by using SparkRecipes, we've really started to explore new foods and are starting to change our eating habits.  It's been great to watch our go-to foods evolve into healthier meals.

-----> Shannan

Shannan: Maintaining and Motivating

So I didn't really lose any weight this week but I managed to maintain - and that is important. With Halloween on Friday and a wedding on Saturday (with one of those vicious chocolate fountains) I thought for sure that I'd gain a couple of pounds. Some how though I managed to slide and to my amazement, when I stepped on the scale this morning it still said 145!

I wanted to mention real quick the power of words and how they impact people. This week my husband really noticed my weightloss and made a comment about it. It wasn't a big comment - just something simple, but it made me feel amazing. It really was the pick me up I needed to motivate me to stick with this diet and not just settle in.

I guess I wanted to share this as a reminder of how much words can mean to someone. If you notice a change in someone, take the extra second or two and let them know. You just might be the motivation they need to keep going.