tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post1168020773129559722..comments2024-03-27T20:40:50.047-04:00Comments on Success Along the Weigh: The motivation mythAnele @ Success Along the Weighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-15179735847179906022014-01-24T20:44:59.790-05:002014-01-24T20:44:59.790-05:00For me, OA has made a HUGE difference in how I vie...For me, OA has made a HUGE difference in how I view myself. I still struggle with verbally abusing myself, but OA has taught me how to take one meal, one day at a time...and to mind my own business. I don't have to focus on anybody else's program/choices (nor should I). What works for someone may not work for me, and vice versa. One of the best things I've heard in my meetings is "Don't Tease the Disease". And boy oh boy has that taught me some serious lessons! I used to think I was *strong* and *I got this* if I forced myself to walk down "those aisles" in the grocery store (i.e. trigger aisles) or put myself in a social situation where I was surrounded by temptation. Truth is, that would eventually bring me to a place of self-justification and I'd eat something that would lead to more eating, and so on and so on and so on. I've learned that certain foods are just out and out triggers for me and they have no place in my life--and shock of all shocks, I'm still alive! =o) It's been a real eye opener to me (and this is recently) and I'm able to say goodbye to certain foods because they truly don't bring me joy (food shouldn't anyway for me) and I spend too much time stressing about them. I guess it goes back to not taking that first compulsive bite, then I don't have to worry about any of the ones that follow. I finally have a food plan that works for me and that's truly doable instead of obsessive/not realistic. I'm very excited that I'll be working about 3 miles from home starting in February, so I can come home at lunch to let the dogs out and eat my lunch then. That really opens up my options for meals. Very excited!dalbador1https://www.blogger.com/profile/09877799102438622117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-56314171601335097732014-01-24T15:00:07.183-05:002014-01-24T15:00:07.183-05:00Yeah I definitely don't take kindly to someone...Yeah I definitely don't take kindly to someone saying something about my weight needing to be addressed. (Thinking of the old days) But I also go to the other perspective of seeing my mom who even though she's had WLS, has regained weight and it is limiting her mobility and I see a shortened life in her future if she doesn't get it under control, I have talked to her about how scared I am for her if SHE mentions her weight. I'm sure Du, particularly given his current situation, was saying it from a place of love knowing that if you should one day be without him, he wants you to be healthy. Unless it was said with an attitude, then tell him to mind his bidness! LOL No but seriously, don't be a statistic. The one that says people who lose large amounts of weight are doomed to gain it back. Show them up. I know people look to you for inspiration but don't take that on your shoulders. You have to live an authentic life that is true to YOURSELF. It can be nice to be inspiration to others but we are also not responsible for their journey, just our own.Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-30929026028311202822014-01-24T14:09:52.530-05:002014-01-24T14:09:52.530-05:00Good for you for working on you. Many of us who a...Good for you for working on you. Many of us who are overweight or obese tend to think magically all of our problems will be solved when we're thin/fit. They don't go away until we work on ourselves.Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-11993054468680641532014-01-24T11:30:33.367-05:002014-01-24T11:30:33.367-05:00You have just basically told my story, only it too...You have just basically told my story, only it took several health scares before I finally got motivated. I was almost 60 years old and knew the doctor telling me, "The EKG seems to show you've already had a heart attack," was NOT GOOD. My mother and grandmother both died in their early 60's of heart incidents, and I was scared. Seriously scared. You'd think the thought of going back to that place where I was so afraid of dying, would be motivation enough to keep the weight off. You'd think. It's not. I was on 5 meds for blood pressure control, none of which worked all that well. Now I'm on NONE. I don't want to have to go back to taking all those expensive and ineffective prescriptions for something that can be controlled so easily, by losing the weight. Like you say, I can walk down the street without fear of rude comments being tossed about. I fit into the regular sized seats of the world, and going to the doctor (I'm having surgery next Tue.) is no longer a completely humiliating experience, with gowns, instruments, and even examining tables which are too small for me. Everything fits and that is good. <br /><br />But like you, over Christmas I was BAD. Really BAD. And it is hard (just as I knew it would be if I ever went that far off track) to get back ON TRACK. Really hard. But everyday I wake up with new resolve and so perhaps there is still hope? Du went with me to my pre-op physical yesterday and heard my weight (169)....so he has made a few comments about making sure to get those extra pounds back off. He said something about how I needed to not let those people down who look at me for inspiration. He never said anything before to me about my weight, even when I weighed 328 lbs. And I find myself resenting him saying anything to me about it now. It doesn't motivate me at all when others try to push me into losing weight, so I avoid that with my morbidly obese middle son. I worry about his weight (close to 500 lbs.), but I know there's nothing I can do or say, so I try to lead by example. My example, lately, hasn't been all that good, but with every day....there's new hope!dupsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18088114640385927198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-84743177198663403242014-01-24T11:22:26.748-05:002014-01-24T11:22:26.748-05:00Great, great post. It took me a while but I figur...Great, great post. It took me a while but I figured out that a special event, wedding, class reunion, just did not motivate me to lose weight. I wanted to lose weight for my wedding, but I didn't. I have gained and lost weight so many times over the last several years and I finally figured out, with a little help from a therapist, that I was never doing it for me. I thought being skinny would be the answer to so many things and it just isn't. The last couple of years 10 or so pounds crept back on and have stayed and I was ok with that because I needed to deal with and still am dealing with the mental weight. So, I think I am ready to do this for me, lose the last few pounds and keep them off, but I'll be ok if I don't because I am slowly but surely liking myself better. That is what is motivating me right now, that I want to do it for me. Sandy Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00585995878195316416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-24501928342349153882014-01-24T10:20:38.510-05:002014-01-24T10:20:38.510-05:00Baby steps! You can do it!Baby steps! You can do it!Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-6066449262072397782014-01-24T08:41:27.278-05:002014-01-24T08:41:27.278-05:00Ouch - this one hits close to home and heart. I h...Ouch - this one hits close to home and heart. I have all kinds of plan swirling in my head, but somehow they never reach reality. There are so many things that "have to" get done every day (dishes, work stuff, feed the kid...) that many of my "need to" things (workouts, meal planning...) get shoved to the back burner. The my "want to" list (books, the dvr...) end up getting attended to first because I'm too mentally exhausted to do anything that needs thought. I have to find a way to reorder my events of the day.another layerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15756727485274694135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-82539807844235766622014-01-23T11:15:37.460-05:002014-01-23T11:15:37.460-05:00You're very welcome! I hope it helps and neve...You're very welcome! I hope it helps and never give up!Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-74989441842076612602014-01-23T11:14:47.855-05:002014-01-23T11:14:47.855-05:00Yeah, I'm sure I did say something very simila...Yeah, I'm sure I did say something very similar and I try to make that point to anyone who asks. (Now I'll just refer them to this post! LOL) It can be hard to understand but I think we tend to get so wrapped up in this myth that we have to be gung ho and have our hearts in it for weight loss to happen and we don't. That magical feeling that some get when the calendar flips or when they've had their "a-ha moment" only hangs around for so long. <br /><br />I can't remember who said it but I was griping about not losing weight and they referred to our plateau and I said "this isn't a plateau...three year plateau means you gotta be real with what you are or aren't doing anymore to get the job done." So let's all keep putting one foot in front of the other and reach our goal, whatever that may be, together.Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-60860673447643255082014-01-23T11:09:20.903-05:002014-01-23T11:09:20.903-05:00Good on ya for maintaining and being at a goal tha...Good on ya for maintaining and being at a goal that is comfortable for you. It's like I don't know that I'll ever reach that sweet spot on the medical charts but I'd be happy being under 200. As tall as I am, I think that would look fine on me because 150 ain't happenin'. Here's to being healthy old ladies! :-)Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-70653912295471023022014-01-23T11:04:06.711-05:002014-01-23T11:04:06.711-05:00Wow, an amazing, emotional post, thanks for sharin...Wow, an amazing, emotional post, thanks for sharing! I am in exactly the same place trying to find Motivation and it's not working but very insightful post to Keep me thinking THANK YOU!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-19463011887931294362014-01-23T10:49:11.927-05:002014-01-23T10:49:11.927-05:00I agree, great blog. It's so funny because I ...I agree, great blog. It's so funny because I remember when I Sparkmailed you or something when I first started losing at my heaviest....I asked you how you got motivated and I think you told me something like 'there is no such thing as being motivated'. (I probably got that wrong but I think it's the jist.) I had no idea what you were talking about at the time but now I get it. I was waiting and waiting for motivation to just strike me but it never did, so, I just got off my butt and did it.<br /><br />I agree with a lot of the other things you said too. The past two months I've been at what I was calling a plateau. Really it was just me not doing all I could to make things happen. It had nothing to do with my body chemistry. I've lost 70ish lbs and I'm now at my "normal weight" which is still really heavty. Sometimes I think what you did, I could live at this weight....but what would my qualitiy of life be? How many years of my life would I be wasting? <br /><br />I always thought I was so darn selfish but I've been realizing that I've done nothing for myself health wise my entire life. What a slap to the head. It takes effort, we slip, we get back up and get at it again.<br /><br />Finally, this isn't an option for me anymore (and it did take a health scare for me too--my Mom and Dad) and waiting for motivation or Monday isn't going to get it done. One foot in front of the other lady! Thanks so much for being a support system! ernohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11722282941047191112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-7182599393198453412014-01-23T10:19:06.853-05:002014-01-23T10:19:06.853-05:00Good post, really good.
I'm maintaining my lo...Good post, really good.<br /><br />I'm maintaining my loss, I'm at my goal (which is MY goal, not the goal range you'll see on any damn chart, but I goal that is realistic for me) but maintaining is hard. <br /><br />I feel like I ate as you and the Mr. did over the holidays. I did maintain but I felt like crap. I've done a re-set, it actually began on Tuesday by tracking my eating and getting back to a decent calorie range and good food. It's not easy and probably never will be, but I do it for ME!<br /><br />Like you said, I want to grow old with my hubby and be active and healthy. It's no fun being sick and sedentary! (What the heck did I work so hard for and save money for retirement if I can't enjoy the money???)<br /><br />Thanks!Lazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17851043815992397305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-62859294058583501942014-01-23T08:59:46.265-05:002014-01-23T08:59:46.265-05:00Aww, thanks! Now I have to go back and re-read pa...Aww, thanks! Now I have to go back and re-read paragraph 3! LOLAnele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-81487332019214001672014-01-23T08:41:09.772-05:002014-01-23T08:41:09.772-05:00One of your best posts ever. Paragraph 3 is amazin...One of your best posts ever. Paragraph 3 is amazing.konfuzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654839324128421356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-86776565574079756292014-01-23T07:57:04.326-05:002014-01-23T07:57:04.326-05:00Girl, we used sticker sheets for YEARS, no shame i...Girl, we used sticker sheets for YEARS, no shame in that. You do what you need to do to get the job done, yo!Anele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-84518449751134611072014-01-23T07:51:54.234-05:002014-01-23T07:51:54.234-05:00This post is so good, any comment I make would jus...This post is so good, any comment I make would just distract from it.<br /><br />I'll just say this. I did a hard reset on myself at the start of the year (acting as if I've never lost an ounce) and it's helping. So is my sticker reward sheet (yup, I reward myself like a toddler learning to use the potty--but I don't care how ridiculous it looks, it's working).JLVerdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02814082484881071454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-28254930413289503782014-01-23T07:11:28.894-05:002014-01-23T07:11:28.894-05:00"Especially at the point in the journey that ..."Especially at the point in the journey that we are at because we have to just continue to chip away day by day and there is absolutely nothing motivating about that day in and day out." <br /><br />WORDAnele @ Success Along the Weighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986921867517926199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7381223979507114346.post-89264032509884982032014-01-23T07:09:30.479-05:002014-01-23T07:09:30.479-05:00It is so true that motivation is not really what m...It is so true that motivation is not really what makes it all happen in the end. That's not to say that motivation doesn't come in handy at times but you ultimately need more than pure motivation to be successful at this game. Especially at the point in the journey that we are at because we have to just continue to chip away day by day and there is absolutely nothing motivating about that day in and day out. If we relied solely on motivation we'd have given up years ago like we have in the past. The reason we're still chipping away is because we've finally learned to change our behaviors because we know deep down that we need to for our health and for our happiness.The Mr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04233628447251244134noreply@blogger.com