The Fat Lady Ain't Sung Yet... Backsliding Is Real...

I posted the following in my blog this morning and had several private messages that I should make it a topic. I think it needs to be heard and understood!

I’ve been asked by a hand full of MFP folks to discuss the difference between an atom and a molecule (coughcoughNOBODYCAREScoughcough) how I keep from backsliding on this weight loss journey. The answer is fairly simple… take notes… paper and pen ready? I DON’T! I don’t keep from backsliding because I do backslide. I can count on less than 2 hands how many pounds I’ve lost since January of this year. It’s a slooooooooowwwww and arduous process this weight thing of late. The difference between the newer Whitney and the old Whitney is that the new Whitney knows what this is… it’s my life. This ain’t no temporary diet where everything is restricted to the maximum and I only eat 800 calories a day and then barf up at least 400 of those. This isn’t a temporary diet where all I eat is lettuce leaves and cut out all processed foods and never eat anything with more than 2 grams of fat and life as I know it is over the moment a piece of chocolate crosses my lips. It’s my life… and my life needs to be lived and enjoyed and there needs to be joy and hard work and fun. Period… end of story.

If I had heard someone say this to me before the life thing “clicked” with me would I have done things differently… would I have gotten to this frame of mind sooner? Doubtful. I think it’s a process that is individual to each person and one day that little switch in the ole brainium is going to flicker on and you’ll be all like… Ohhhhhhh… is that how I need to do it!? And then the heavens will open up and Kenny Loggins will sing Teddy Bear Corner whilst the angels do a jig in the background. Oops… my bad… that was my weird dream from 3 nights ago.

I don’t think it’s realistic to say you will start your lifestyle change by cutting out everything you love… no fried foods, no sugar, no carbs, no joy. It’s not realistic. To go from one end of the spectrum, eating fast food every day 3 times a day, to the other end of the spectrum, eating organically-grown turnip roots watered by the sparkling fountain of Athena, is about as probable as saying you’ll go to bed one day weighing 500 pounds and wake up the next morning having scored the gig of the newest twig-thin fashion model in NYC. It’s just stupid!

Baby steps.

Forever and ever and ever… baby steps.

How about tackling one healthier goal per week or month. Instead of saying I won’t… how about you say I will. For example… make a vow that you will eat at least one vegetable a day for a week. Sure, it’s not the recommended 3 to 5 fruits and veggies a day… but when your weekly vegetables included the lettuce they put on the Big Mac… that’s a huge step. The next week you can add in another healthy goal… and another and another… until you find that you actually like the way you feel when you’ve accomplished those little things.

Secondly… sit back… shut up… and realize this thing is going to take some time. The time is going to pass anyway… put it to good use slowly changing your brainium holder… the way you think is by far and away the hugest hurdle to cross. Realize that there will be frustrations and backslides and times where you don’t lose a pound for months and months and months… but you keep going because this is your life and you can’t quit your life. There is no such thing as failing at a lifestyle change. Because you’ve changed… you may backslide on occasions or go back to the previous way of thinking… but that’s a temporary stint on your road because you have so much more to accomplish before you hit that ultimate goal of being at peace with yourself. Because, really… the ultimate goal for any of us trying to lose weight is not the number on the scale… it’s about being comfortable in our skin… and there’s never a time limit for that. Head up… feet moving… you got this.