So, I haven’t been on Spark in ages. I’ve made really great friends through out my weight journey that I keep in touch with. I was asked to relay my journey via my blog.
Before I give away my secret decoder tricks, I wanted to let you all know my reason for letting go of Spark in the first place.
Here is what I learned first and foremost on my journey.
1. Looking for outside support instead of being your own support. Did you ever notice the people you associate your life with are all in agreeance with everything you do? If you slip up, they tell you it’s okay. If you gain back 10lbs it’s okay, don’t beat yourself up, just do better? But who is doing the doing?? Only you. And with not being responsible for yourself and your own actions, you look to their excuses to be okay for your excuses. One of the reasons I left Spark is because I realized that no one could hold me accountable to me but me. That is NOT to say I don’t have fantastic friends I made on here. But I decided to become my biggest cheerleader instead of looking for outside support.
2. I told no one – not even my family of my weight loss endeavors. Everyone has an opinion on everything everyone does. It’s just human nature. When you create something for YOURSELF it is for you and you only. Once you tell someone your aspirations, their opinion may change what you’ve endeavored to do. If, for example you know you want to lose 3lbs in a week and you go to the company party and skip the sweets and you tell someone why, the excuses begin – you can double up your efforts next week, or it’s just this one time, or the best is oh, so you’re trying diet number 1000 again? If you didn’t stick to the last one, what makes you think you’ll stick to this one? Then THEIR opinions start to become your opinions. You’ve sabotaged yourself before you even began. And before you know it you’re back to ground zero. When you just do it, you are your own redeemer. You can reflect and account for actions that did not lead to your greatest good and change them according to YOU, not others opinions.
3. I don’t care what you say, think, or do the reason we are all in this weight loss story is because of what we did to our bodies. It’s not your families’ fault because they cooked fattening dinners. It’s not your body’s fault because of medical condition X. It’s not your boyfriends fault that you feel insecure because he’s looking or attracted to smaller women. Take responsibility that you did this to you. Obesity or being overweight is a disease of the mind that leads directly to the body via your choices. Disease is just that – DIS / EASE of the body. The body is not in harmony. If your body was in harmony, weight would not be an issue. Try taking 24 hours to be conscious of every single thing you do through out your day. Be aware of your thoughts. Every time you pick up a piece of food are you eating for your body to be in harmony? Are you eating that because you want it or because the body is asking for it? It is a lot easier said than done. We’ve engrained these habits in ourselves for years. But everything is a choice!! EVERYTHING!! Chose wisely. And wisely doesn’t mean eating a raw food diet and holding hands and singing koom-bye-ya with the earth. A choice could be an oreo cookie. Just know and more importantly, be okay with your choice. There should be no guilt over a friggin oreo cookie if you are CONSCIOUSLY AWARE of your choice AND you have no emotional guilt over eating it. Enjoy the damn cookie already. Be aware, listen to your body and its’ needs. When it says it’s full, walk away. It will be hungry again soon enough for you to indulge in another small (or large) meal.
That being said, I had one catalyst that turned my life around. I was losing weight little by little but it had actually taken a back seat to make myself a priority. Truth be told, I’m really not all that weight conscious. I was at 220 but all of my physicals were always top notch. Healthy cells, no diabetes, no high blood pressure, etc so the whole body image thing was not a priority for me, just something I wanted to change.
This is the only thing I did. MY secret to going from a size 16/18 to a size 10 in 4 months. Get a paper and take notes. I have lots to share….not. Drumroll……
As if being a single mom, full time student, and working full time were not enough, the family and I had had a discussion and decided to get a dog. Don’t ask me what I was thinking. The kids made it sound great. Powerpoint presentation and everything. I was on board before I even had a chance to think it through. They’re great manipulators.
Decision Number 1 – actually this can go for rule number 2 through 1000 – get a dog.
#2. Make sure you do NOT do enough research to realize how active of a lifestyle they need until AFTER you get them.
#3. Make sure they bond with you well enough that when you come home and your house looks like a cocaine party was just thrown from chewing up everything in your home that they can look at you with the doe eyes and relinquish your need to cuss them out and list them on craigslist and ebay.
#4. Ensure the kids get attached enough to him/her that they will need counseling if you even discuss getting rid of the dog.
#5 Devise a plan to exhaust your dog. Wake up every morning bitching and griping (4 letter words are essential. They get the juices flowing) that the dog arises happy, joyful, and full of energy just by the sight of you having a leash in hand ready to go. As you brush your teeth, talk to him like he understands English and explain that Jesus doesn’t even start his day this early.
#6 If your dog is still happy and full of energy when he comes back from his walk, take him out again. The purpose is to show him you’re in control. Go from walking him to running him. If that doesn’t work, put a weight pack on him. If he’s still happy after his walk start riding your bike with him, take him to the dog park, run w/him on the beach, roller skate, or just find 90 degree angle hiking trails to teach him a lesson – It’s important to keep your goal of wanting to drag in a carcass of a dog so exhausted that he won’t ask you to take him out until next month.
#7 Repeat steps 1-6 DAILY. Continue to cuss under your breath about the decision you make to get him in the first place and how the next thing listed on ebay will be the kids.
#8 Come to the realization that you’ve been wearing sweats for the last 3.5 months – even on your outing w/friends because the dog came after and that you would really like to look semi decent for an upcoming outing with girlfriends. Stop by Lane Bryant – your favorite store and hit the jeans and blouse rack – and stand in awe as you try on20’s, then 18’s, then 16’s, then 14’s, and realize with glee that you need to go to another store. Thank your favorite Lane Bryant cashier that you know so well, she’s invited to Christmas dinners. Go to your new store – TAKE YOUR PICK – and try on size 12’s, then 10’s and buy up the whole damn store out of sheer joy.
#9 Go home and thank your dog.
There you have it. No food changes, no miracle diet, no spiritual awakening….just get a damn dog. The end……
P.S. Don’t have time for a dog? The local animal shelters love volunteers to walk their dogs. The family and I do that twice a week because it was a way to get OUR dog used to other dogs. It gives the kids and I time together and it teaches them empathy and what they can do just by giving their energy to another life that benefits them.
Do you have a neighbor that doesn’t do anything w/their animals? Ask if you can take them out once or twice a week, grab a mp3 player and head out.
Lastly, my days start at 3a.m. I’m a full time mom, I work full time, I go to school full time. If I can fit Lukas in my day 7 days a week, you can find something you enjoy. Make sure you ENJOY it and that it’s not a chore so you won’t have reluctance.
(via Spark People)
