I've been having a hard time coming up with something to write about today, so I thought I'd bootleg off other bloggers' posts and ideas. No need to reinvent the wheel when my creative juices are at rest and my mind seems a virtual wasteland of flotsam and jetsam.
Today on Helen's blog, she posed some questions for her readers to respond to. That kind of thing is right up my alley, esp. when the questions don't involve algebra or rocket science. Check them out if you get a chance as it's a very interesting post. Helen specifically offers us to answer any or all of the queries, so you don't have to negotiate mental olympics if your brain is lying dormant, as mine is today.
However, I did choose to answer all of hers, or so I thought. Her 2nd question was whether, when getting to comment on another's blog, we see previous comments that sound good and insightful, and then wonder if our own comment is worthy of publishing. My response was yes, that does happen to me. But also, I wrote that sometimes I'd read a comment that refers to something I'd totally missed in the post to which I'm about to comment and have to go back and re-read the piece to find what I missed.
Guess what? It happened today with Helen's blog, and finally gave me something about which to write today. While goofing off at work, I revisited her blog to see how other commenters answered her questions, and one of them numbered each answer, like I did, but at the end, wrote, "Main Question..." and had an answer that didn't relate to any of the questions I'd answered! I referred back to the main post, and sure enough, I'd missed the MAIN QUESTION!!! DOH! (does any of this make sense? it's okay to say NO)
So Helen's main question will be my topic:
"What would happen if you just buckled down (no swerving, no splurging, no side trips) and committed to 4 months of giving this weight loss thing your all?"
The answer: I would lose 25 or more pounds if I stuck to my food and exercise program, with no swerving, splurging or side trips, for 4 entire months. Without question, I'd be very close to goal weight. How can I be sure? Because 2 summers ago, I joined a pretty rigid 12 step program called Food Addicts In Recovery and had a food plan that I followed to the letter for over 6 weeks before I started to bob and weave (translate: eat what I damn well pleased). And in that short time, I lost 28 pounds. My body has proven to me time and time again that if I do the right things, it will reward me with releasing those extra pounds and giving me energy and vitality for each day.
I'm so glad Helen posed that question and that I eventually stumbled upon it, because reflecting on my answer reminds me that the rewards of the hard work of eating cleanly and exercising regularly are worth every ource of effort I put in. In fact, the pay off is always greater than my effort! Even before a substantial amount of the weight begins to fall away, my head clears up, I feel energetic and I feel great about myself. That's where I'm heading right now, and it feels good! Thanks, Helen!
You do know I did that post selfishly - to be inspired by others? And ooooooh, I love this:
ReplyDelete"Even before a substantial amount of the weight begins to fall away, my head clears up, I feel energetic and I feel great about myself."
That alone makes it seem worth the 4 month buckle down, doesn't it? Now you've given me something to think about!
I love that question and your response. And you are right - if we buckled down and set out mind to WHATEVER we are striving for - we'd probably be surprised how much we can get done.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great question and I love, love, love your answer!
ReplyDeleteFood gives us momentary pleasure that is gone in seconds, but feeling of being healthy (the way you described you feel when the eating is healthy, your energy is up all is well)is long lasting happiness.
Concentrating on a goal is one thing, keeping it off is another. I prefer a more moderate program that I can stick with and that helps me develop good habits. I lost 35 lbs in 2.5 years and now I exercise daily and eat about 80% healthy. This is just me though.
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie. Yes, it's amazing what we could achieve if we just got on with it. And I'm thinking that that goes for practically any area of life - and that there are many areas of my life right now that could benefit from just knuckling down and getting on with it! Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteBearfriend xx
I think that it definitely helps me to have 'stick to it' times where I don't goof off. But I do need breaks. Personally, I don't think I could make it longer than 6 weeks before I had a MAJOR lapse that would last at least a week.
ReplyDeleteBut that's me. I hope you find the StickToItiveness you've been hunting for. Remember your camouflage.
Great post :) I think that some people do well with structure, some do not. I found that I needed to do a "diet" for a short period then switch it up to something else. WW for a while, SparkPeople for while, and then something else completely. That helped keep the crazies at bay when things started slipping when I got into a rut and started going off plan...does that make sense? Anyway, just putting my 2 cents in the pot...
ReplyDeleteFantastic post girl! And great question from Helen....I think all of our answers would be almost the same.....we'd actually lose our weight, lol. I'm seriously considering continuing taking pics of my food when I get back from vacation because it's keeping me on track so well. You wouldn't believe the crap I've wanted to eat and simply haven't because I knew I'd have to take a pic of it, lol. Awesome accountability factor...can't think of a better one. :)
ReplyDeleteI would never mention this to anyone but you - and I think you will totally understand.
ReplyDeleteI almost never read the comments on other people's blogs. (I wonder if I am the only one?)
It is because when I started I had a very hard time SEEING enabling and codependency.
So I would get off track by reading comments.
I couldn't tell where the 'line' was.
And then once I figured out where the line was and could recognize clear thinking vs unfocused (disordered) thinking - it just plain wore me out to read so much of it.
I have sympathy. I understand.
But it pulls me under if I read too much of it.
Every once in a while I will read comments on Diane's blog if it is just the right topic. She is a maintenance blogger and has a different perspective - so she tends to get clear-er comments. I tend to get very clear (I don't know what other word to use) comments on my blog too. Again, I think it is a perspective/reflective writing style difference. We are rarely in the 'heat' of the moment when we write.
REALLY good post. Made me think.
And it is interesting to me that you feel you KNOW what to do to get to goal. I think this is fairly rare. I have read many a post where the person did NOT know what to do - was really puzzled and lost. And interesting that it would come off that quickly. I have never lost that quickly. It took me 2 years to lose the first 60 and then 6 mos for the last 20 (with very dedicated/hard focus).
ReplyDeleteso when you think about that 4 mos thing - what do you FEEL?
great post, and YES I do the same thing a lot when I glance at someone else's post before me lol.
ReplyDeleteI went through a few months were my mind wasnt clear and I wasn't 'buckled down' and following my plan exactly...and it showed on the scale.
I feel I am well on my way to my goals now though, very determined to get there!
I can see you reaching your goals in 4 months! Keep reaching, your doing great!!