Clarity
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Yesterday I was cranky and feeling a little desperate. I felt like I needed to make drastic changes in order to take control of my health and fitness again. I planned my new reduction in calories. I had it all figured out.
The more I thought about it, though, the less it felt like the right answer. I asked my husband, who said that he thought it was a little extreme. I worried, because I knew that this new plan would be much harder, make food less enjoyable, and definitely make me feel deprived…. but weight loss is supposed to be hard, right?
And then I talked to my daddy. He told me not to do the new diet. In my head, I just figured he didn’t really understand what I was going through and I resolved to do it anyway…. but then I really listened to him. He told me that in six months I’ve had huge success. He reminded me that I’ve (mostly) enjoyed the process, and that in another six months I’d look back on these two weeks of funk (which, in the moment, feel like forever) and they wouldn’t even register as important enough to remember.
My problem was that I’d genuinely started to believe that what I was doing wasn’t working anymore. “What you’re doing is working for you,” my dad said, and I finally listened. What I’m doing IS working. I don’t feel deprived, I enjoy my food, and I make healthy meals that the whole family can eat and enjoy. My dad is right. What I’m doing IS working… I just have to keep doing it. This past two weeks has been tough, and I fell into the trap of comparing myself with people who were losing 3, 4, 5 pounds a week. I was hormonal and stressed out.
It may not be the end of this funk. A lot of what was bothering me is still happening. It is, however, the end of my defeatist thinking about it all. I’m going to gain sometimes. I’m going to lose nothing sometimes. But on average, if I stick with it and do the best I can, I’ll lose about a pound a week from here on out, which will put me at my goal weight sometime next May. and who knows, maybe it will happen sooner.
Thanks, Dad, for being so awesome, so patient, so smart. You rock.
Yeah, that’s right. Not only did I lose the (almost) two pounds I gained last week… but I lost another half a pound on top of it. So the big, horrible two weeks that I had? The terrible, awful choices that made me feel depressed and like I had to make radical changes to continue being successful?
Were no big deal.
Lesson learned… for the moment. My Dad also pointed out that we’d likely have this exact same conversation again in a few months, and he’s right, I’m sure. There will always be another bad week/month and another gain and another cranky, hormonal weirdness about it. But I hope my Dad understands how much he helped me to get some perspective and clarity. And thanks too, Mr. Bathroom Scale, for reminding me that no single decision, or even a week of them, is going to undo everything I’ve worked for.
Starting weight: 225
Previous weight: 188.4
Current weight: 186
Lost: 2.4lbs
Total lost: 39
This week’s blog carnival brought to you by Boogie Wipes and @boogiemom!
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Tags: advice, clarity, family, mamavation, motivation, my dad rocks, scale, support, weight loss
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yay for dads!! I think that is so sweet that you call him for advice!
and I agree, you have made HUGE success. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Keep on keeping on girlfriend!
1 workout mommy said this (August 14, 2010 at 3:14 pm)
Aww! What an awesome dad. Tell him PROPS!
I totally feel you on comparing yourself with others who are losing 2, 3 and 5+ lbs a week. I’ve been kicking tail and can’t seem to lose more than a lb a week anymore. I guess I need to go back to the drawing board with my nutrition, but it could also be muscle gain (which isn’t a bad thing). Lori told me “slow and steady wins the race” when I first joined bookieboo (I just wrote about this in my MM post), and it was super helpful. Put the number 39 up somewhere you can see it because it is no drop in the bucket! Pat yourself on the back!
2 Roxy said this (August 14, 2010 at 10:01 pm)
Daddys are awesome!!
3 Amy said this (August 14, 2010 at 11:10 pm)
Wow, 39 pounds!! An amazing accomplishment! I totally get the “funk” I think I might have used the exact same word in my post this week. And can relate to feeling panicked by the whole process. I want to thank you so much because it helped to read something by someone feeling similarly to how I’m feeling right now.
The men in your life are smart!!
4 Greta said this (August 14, 2010 at 11:55 pm)
Aren’t dad’s the greatest?! Sometimes they know exactly what we NEED to hear. I’m glad you’re not doing the new diet. What you’re doing must be working because you’ve lost almost 40 pounds! That’s an incredible accomplishment. There will always be those peeks and valleys but hang in there. Mamavation is on your side and we’re here to encourage you when you have those bad weeks. We’ve all been there to some degree so we can lean on each other when it gets tough.
Have a great week
5 Steph (@stephhamm154) said this (August 15, 2010 at 12:17 am)
I love the support system you have with your dad, that is a beautiful thing. Congrats on the 39 pounds. May you continue to get closer to your goals.
6 kia said this (August 15, 2010 at 7:59 am)
That is SUPER FABULOUS! I love it when daddy’s wisdom hits home! I know when I was little, I hated taking his advice, now.. it seems to make perfect sense!
You’re doing great, girl!!! <3
7 Lisa @ljenator said this (August 15, 2010 at 2:37 pm)
39 pounds is AWESOME! I am so glad you listened to your daddy! I am such a daddy’s girl, and I always call him for advice, and normally, he is right on target! Have a great week and keep up the awesome work!
8 Kimberly @christlikemommy said this (August 15, 2010 at 7:34 pm)
Well done on your success so far. Your dad dishes out some sage advice, try not to let minor “hiccups” bring you down.
9 Mark said this (August 15, 2010 at 7:42 pm)
Congrats on the loss! I know how hard it is to be in a funk! Thank God for dads like yours!
10 Danielle said this (August 15, 2010 at 8:11 pm)
You are lucky to have your Dad. He told you everything that I would have said and the scale just backed him up! You will see results, keep doing what you are doing and don’t deprive yourself. This is a lifestyle, a journey not a short term diet plan. Live it!
11 Renee said this (August 15, 2010 at 8:11 pm)
Girl you have a very smart dad! He’s right – what you’re doing is working… Slow & steady wins the race!
12 Janice - The Fitness Cheerleader said this (August 15, 2010 at 11:56 pm)
Down 39 pounds so far – I would definitely say what you’re doing is working! Congratulations and thank goodness for Daddies.
13 Ivette Muller said this (August 16, 2010 at 4:22 am)
I think I was about at your losing point when I felt like I was in a funk and that is when I joined Mamavation. I had lost around 35lbs and was not doing much….I joined and realized that a pound even every other week would mean I would lose another 25 in a year! You definitely gotta think of the big picture and of things you WILL be able to stick with for the long run. Glad you listened to your Dad! Congrats on your loss!
14 colleen said this (August 16, 2010 at 2:07 pm)
It’s easy to become impatient and want the pounds to come off faster. It’s also easy to compare ourselves to others.
However, this is something that we should remember – everyone is a different stages in their weight loss. Everyone will lose differently and some faster than others.
Have a great week and listen to your dad, what you are doing is working!
15 Scarlett Black @MMScarlett said this (August 16, 2010 at 2:51 pm)
I’ve had the same crisis several times. Sometimes I went over the edge because I didn’t have your father. I would get overwhelmed…stop things completely and then gain some weight back and then get depressed. Then I would have to pick myself back up and just do my normal healthy lifestyle routine and lose about one pound per week. Then when I got skinnier it was like .25 to .5 lbs. per week. That was crazy frustrating. But what I realized was I’m in this for life, so it doesn’t really matter how long it takes me. Of course, I would have LOVED to lose 3-5 lbs. per week, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me either. I’m glad you have clarity. That took me a lot longer to accomplish. XXOO
16 Leah @bookieboo said this (August 16, 2010 at 3:02 pm)
Oh how I have been where you are. I’m glad that you have such a great support system in your dad. You definitely do not want to go into deprivation mode. You want your lifestyle changes to be sustainable. I am glad he was able to keep you going in the direction that is helping you.
Try to be kind to yourself. Comparing yourself others isn’t very self loving. I spent years doing that – it’s a hard cycle to break but you are you & there is no one else like you. That’s pretty darn amazing I think. Cherish that. <3
17 Krista said this (August 16, 2010 at 4:24 pm)
Hey! I am glad you realized that no one choice really has such an extreme {like 2lb gain} effect on you… a lot of people dont get that which is I am sure, why Yo-Yo diets are so popular…
Keep up the great work hun! I am going to be thinkin’ good thoughts for you this week! Good Luck!
Laura @SeeLauraRun
18 Laura @SeeLauraRun said this (August 16, 2010 at 4:28 pm)
Awesome weight loss this week!!
Dad’s rock!
19 Lori @My Kinda Rain said this (August 16, 2010 at 4:40 pm)
Your Dad is one smart cookie! Do what makes you feel good. That means it is working for you. I tried a diet before I found Mamavation and all it caused was problems for the duration I stayed on it, 3 days. It gave me migraines, I was tired and had no energy to exercise. I went back to making the meals I enjoyed with healthier options added in and I have not looked back since!
20 Marie said this (August 16, 2010 at 5:07 pm)
Congratulations on making it thru the tough week! I always go to my Dad for advice too! They just seem to know how to put everything into perspective in a way that only Dads can
Looking forward to hearing about your progress again next week!
21 Heather @ Frugal Southern Living said this (August 18, 2010 at 8:12 pm)
way to go on the overall weight loss. its hard when you don’t have much support, i know I’m trying to diet and exercise and my mom bakes for my dad and brings home fastfood sometimes and she doesn’t always make the healthiest options for dinners but i keep trying to lose anyway.
22 lorrie said this (August 21, 2010 at 4:04 am)