Tales from the Scale: Grab Your Partner, Spin ‘Em ‘Round
It's fall, y'all.
The leaves are showing off, the air feels crisp and all the giant sweaters are being pulled out preparing to rock and cover up them rolls
FYI:
The change of season can lead to some major excuse-making, overeating and more.
- I will eat what I want now and start on Jan. 1.
- My partner gets to eat whatever they want, so I will too.
- Your comfort food has fooled you into thinking it's the answer and yet here you are still crying after polishing off a dozen doughnuts.
Why isn't this working?
Probably because you are attacking this the way you've done it always.
Lose weight until you reach your goal and immediately go back to your same eating habits. Using excuses like "My partner isn't being supportive so why should I even care?"
Well, for one, because you can't let your partner's reactions dictate your eating habits.
I will tell you a little story.
When my husband and I first starting dating we went out a lot. I ate as much as he did and he is A LOT taller than I am. Also for some reason, he doesn't really gain weight. The reason is, he knows his body and how to fuel it. Also he doesn't live for food, get pleasure from food, think about food like I do. We are totally different in the ways we approach it and also the way our bodies digest and cling to it.
I gained and lost and tried to eat healthy, but then would use excuses and also totally throw the hubs into the mix of reasons I wasn't getting it right. Unhealthy and completely full of crap.
One day a light bulb went off. We can still eat together, we will just be eating different things. OR I will create a meal we both can enjoy, but my portion will be smaller.
Sometimes it was irritating, frustrating or inconvenient. Other times it was fun, delicious and perfect.
I cried in my salad one night while he ate french fries and a hamburger. I wasn't crying because I found it unfair (OK, maybe a little). I really was crying because I knew I had done this to myself and I had to be the one to fix it. Not him, not by wishing as hard as I could, watching skinny people on TV and movies eat everything under the sun.
I could still love and appreciate food, but until I created a healthy relationship and removed my partner from the mix, things weren't going to change. A few weeks into this realization I noticed he was being way more supportive. On days where I was leaning too close to the treats, he kept me motivated.
When I brought it up, he mentioned how over the years he'd watched me talk myself out of dealing with my food issues. Yoyo-ing all the time. So instead of getting frustrated or getting sucked into yet another half-assed (my word not his) attempt at losing he was just going to be a silent supporter.
Once he noticed I was fully making the right choices, no matter where we were or what was going on, he stepped up the support and motivation. Because for the first time he saw me owning my life. My food. My weight.
We will begin working out at the gym tomorrow and it's a flipping good thing, too, because I stepped on the scale today and weighed 188.6.
The heaviest I have been since I lost all the weight. I got down to 169 back in March, but no worries. I like the 170s and going back to the gym will remove a lot of extra energy and emotions I have held onto lately.
There are all types of ways to alter your mood and your life. The gym/working out is one. Finding a partner/person who checks you honestly, but lovingly, works wonders as well.
Don't have that person? Get It Right! Get It Tight! is waiting. I am currently working on a fall meal plan. One for me and one for you.
Enter now by joining our free support group and I will pick our first winner next week :) Find me @sarahjthedj on facebook and under groups you will find the place to begin your transformation.