DIPPING A TOE IN THE SHALLOW END

SLaw4215 · November 2011

This post is for everyone who has tried to lose weight, succeeded, failed, and picked themselves up to try again. And it's about being a good friend (I believe).

I have been a member of MFP now since mid-January 2011. I've had fantastic days/weeks where I'm spot on - getting regular exercise, drinking plenty of fluids, and am nutritionally balanced. Success is in view and I want it so badly I can taste it. Then something happens and I go from completely focussed to almost completely off the wagon. I am an emotional eater. I am a single parent with a lot of responsibilities and sometimes I get overwhelmed.

I keep returning to MFP because I know this works for me [when I am not sabataging myself.] Right now I am feeling really motivated and like I'm ready to realize some personal goals. I realized I was having my most success when I was paying it forward -- when I was looking for reasons to celebrate with other members. When I was at my lowest I still kept checking in on MFP. I've also noticed that while I was off licking my wounds a few of my MPF buddies have fallen by the wayside. Like me, they are checking in irregularly and there's no sign of enthusiasm. So I was thinking...what can I do to help?

I'm here to say to my friends.... keep DIPPING A TOE IN THE SHALLOW END. What I mean is....even if you can't get yourself motivated to go "all in" then create other reasons to keep checking in. Today I chose to reach out to another member just to say hello in MFP email. Life is larger than MFP and sometimes it gets in the way so I'm encouraging her to talk to me -- even if it's not about swapping a recipe or what kind of exercise she did or didn't do today. She will log into MFP to reply to me...and when she is on the web site...maybe she will read another person's post and become inspired in that moment.

Another idea: Be the "class clown" or "motivational guest speaker" Tell a joke every day and come back throughout the day to see who replies. Or find a motivating quote to post. Keep dipping a toe... Pick 1 or 2 things to do every day that you didn't used to do before...even if you don't log it.... make it intentional. You might drink plenty of fluids, go for a walk or grab a handful of grapes instead of Doritos. Don't make your weight loss success so absolute. You don't have to be perfect. And you don't have to completely give up and "start over" just because you had a bad day/week/month. Create reasons to keep wanting to log in. Your motivation may be low at the moment but it only takes ONE person, ONE right something to invoke that feeling of "I can do this" ...

xooxoxox

~Sharon from MA