On a more Upbeat Note........

Yikes! I'm like a week late, almost, with this post.

I've managed to spend less time wasting time on my computer this week - a whole lot less wasted time, actually.

That doesn't mean that I haven't sat at the computer several times a day - just that I was working, not just 'facebooking' or playing solitaire.

Anyway, I said I was going to post about what is still positive in my 'weight-loss life'.......instead of only focusing on the negative fact that I have not lost any weight to speak of in the last year, I want to list as many positive things as I can think of.

So here goes......

1. I am fourty pounds lighter than I was in Dec 2007
2. I am wearing size 18 pants .... down from size 24
3. I am wearing size 20 shirts......down from size 28
4. I can wear my wedding rings ALL THE TIME......something I have not been able to do for probably 10 years
5. My ankles usually look nice (except when I'm retaining water....normally, because I forgot to take my blood pressure meds)
6. I can wear a necklace without an extension
7. I do not look like the woman on my driver's license or passport
8. I now have a waistline.....a little on the large size, but at least it is a waist line
9. I can reach to wipe
10. I eat less than I used to - and am quite satisfied
11. I automatically choose healthy foods (almost 100% of the time) over quick, processed foods
12. I read lables and have learned which products to avoid and which to buy (like no salt added tomatoes)
13. I still get compliments on having lost weight - even though I haven't lost for a year
14. In spite of a pretty emotionally stressful year, I have not gained any weight overall and I have not turned to food as my crutch
15. In other words.....when I quit losing, I did not gain back what I had lost and then some more! You know.....when you lose focus on your weight loss plan - what happens......I don`t know about you - but for me, in the past, as soon as I am not being very disciplined about my `diet`, I begin to gain. And gain. And gain. And surpass my starting weight. This did not happen!!!!

WOOHOO!

The thing that worries me is that I have lost much of the belief I had in myself....that I really WAS going to get to a healthy weight. Not that I am without hope....I always have hope....but I do not have the same strength of really believing it as I did at this time last year.

Actually, now that I think of it, that is not really something to worry about....I mean, when I started this journey I had NO hope and I absolutely did NOT believe I would ever lose ANY weight - yet, I lost over 40 pounds.

All I have to do is DO IT. Or Keep Doing it but make a few adjustments here and there. Because really, I have been 'doing it' for the most part - I have kept my eating in control and established good habits that I barely even think about anymore. I probably need to get out the scale and measuring cups again, that would show me where I am not eating the correct portions. AND it would help to get a journal to write everything in (I have one, but I do not like it so don't use it every day)

So......All is not lost.

I am not a total failure.

I have not left the road to success.....just sat down on the shoulder.

I can just get up and begin to travel down the same path to my goal.

I have lost no ground, really.....just time.....and afterall, it is not like I quit living while I was losing the time - I've lived lots this past year...some wonderful times and blessings, some difficult and emotionally exhausting experiences. The only time I've lost is in regard to weight loss. But there is no use in speculating what weight I could be at right now, had everything gone perfectly in the last 12 months.

It is what it is.

I`m going on from here.