Every January ever since I can remember I’d set a new year's resolution to lose weight. New years Eve I’d over indulge in food and booze and then swore that starting January 1st it was a new year and new me and that I would wake up before the sunrise and workout and eat well. I’d usually get my workout on the first day but by the second week of January my new year's resolution was out the window. Can anyone else relate?
In the beginning of 2021 I was invited to join a diet bet with some friends. I thought it was a good idea to use money as a motivator to lose weight. However I noticed every month before weighing in time the dread and shame and stress of stepping on the scale. There were a few months that I cried when I stepped on the scale and saw a number I didn’t like. In October I was really close to throwing in the towel on the entire diet bet because of the effect it was having on my mental health.
I reached out to a friend and mentor and decided to switch up my mindset on it. I made a decision to make it fun and easy going forward. The biggest part of the shift was I was going to stop beating myself up. I was doing the best I could. I wasn’t going to be a drill sergeant about my food and exercise. I wanted to enjoy every bite.
This was put to the test a little bit when my foodie cousin came to town. I asked her what she wanted to do on her visit and instead of sightseeing she wanted to eat. And oh my goodness we did. We went to several bakeries, cafes and restaurants and enjoyed every single bite. We had lots of yummy food, great conversation and so much fun. When it was time to weigh in I was more nonchalant about it this time. I was okay with whatever the number would be and to my surprise and delight I lost 6 pounds!
I kept this mindset shift of being nicer to myself and checking in with myself until the end of the year and even now. Thanksgiving I enjoyed every bite and ate to my hearts content. I’ve always loved the Thanksgiving meal and Crystal threw it down in the kitchen and had us over. I tasted everything and even had seconds with zero guilt. On weigh in day I gained only 2 pounds. That was a win. And on my last weigh in of the year on New Years Eve I weighed in and lost 4 pounds.
It’s not just about the number on the scale. In fact I’m not going to be stepping on that thing for awhile. I learned that it was a huge trigger for me and that my mental health and wellness is more important and it has a big effect on my physical health. Being kinder to myself and listening to my body has been a game changer and I intend to kept it going.
At the beginning of the year we did the Drop the Hate Lose the Weight challenge where we continued this strategy. Noticing what we notice and be kinder to ourselves. Thanking our bodies for keeping us healthy and functioning and giving ourselves grace to have more fun and ease and enjoy life. If you missed the live challenge, hop into From Dysfunctioning to Functioning Families group on Facebook. We all deserve to live a life we love.
