Failure is not an option!

I have been deep in thought this weekend about my failure to lose weight. Today is March 1 and I have lost six pounds. Pathetic. I think this is what happens to me each year. I start off the year full of enthusiasm and then I get discouraged because the weight doesn’t dramatically disappear. By April I’m back to my old eating habits. Well, not this year folks! Not this year! Thursday night something dramatic did happen and it was a turning point for me.

Thursday night, parent-teacher conference night, is also our “potluck” dinner night. We bring lots of food, spread it out in the tutoring/testing room, and then wander in and out between conferences and eat our dinner, snack, whatever. I contributed a big tray of veggies- broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and zucchini- plus cheese dip and garden dill dip. At dinner time I got a small sandwich, five corn chips, veggies, and dip. I drank water with my meal. Later I walked down to check out the desserts and a colleague commented that there were only regular sodas on the table, but she had some diet Dr. Pepper in her room if I preferred it. I said, “No thanks…” my next words were on the tip of my tongue and would have been “I don’t drink soda”, but I did a quick mental edit and thought that sounded a bit harsh and superior, so instead I replied, “I really don’t like Dr. Pepper. I have some ice water in my room.” Then I got a small puff pastry and took it back to my room.

I almost danced when I got there!

“I don’t drink soda.” That was the response that popped into my head! Not, “I’m trying to quit.” Not, “I haven’t had a soda since December.”  I don’t drink soda! I have turned into a person who doesn’t drink soda.

If I don’t do anything else this year, I think that one accomplishment will do wonders for my health.

We ate out twice this weekend- unusual for us, but Gary was off and we went shopping in Texas. Friday night we had pulled pork at the local café. Saturday we went to a buffet for lunch. Except for dessert, which we would not have eaten at home, both of us ate reasonable meals. I think that is also a permanent and good change. Instead of considering a buffet as an opportunity to “eat as much as possible” we see it just as an opportunity to eat different foods. We each had salad, I had fish, and Gary had enchiladas. It will be a month before we eat out again. That is also good!

I know some of you are wondering why I don’t talk about my exercise plan. That would be because I don’t have one! I’m at a standstill right now, literally, because I have developed a more or less permanent case of plantar faciitis. I’m trying all the standard remedies and nothing seems to be successful. However, I have read that the standard treatment is usually successful within nine months to a year. Yes, that said 9 months! This is my second round of trouble in the last two years, so I have to figure out a way to adapt to this. Right now I also need some good weather so I can get outside. Every inch of ground is soggy and more rain is forecast for today!

So, where does that leave us on the first day of March? I am resolved to continue the struggle. I have made a giant leap toward better health and my body is going to be stronger because of it. On to the next challenge! Portion control is still my nemesis, but failure is not an option.

 

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[Katrina]

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