A little late for Spring cleaning but there's always time for tidying up

"A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, yet gently still allows you to grow."  

So I can be inspired at any given point and start to put words onto the screen.  But like life's changes, sometimes changes happen with my blog.  In Weight Watchers, we've discussed lately befriending our body and most recently decluttering.  Whether it's the mind or one room or entire house.  So since I'm a few weeks behind I'm going to try and wrap everything up with a nice little bow.

It's been a crazy couple of months.  Mother Nature decided we needed more rain in late May....as if we hadn't had enough.  That same week she sent a train load of hormones my way.  Needless to say I was not in any shape to make public appearances.   I'd been in a slump because I got away from that happy number I reached last year.  And maintained (give or take) to reach lifetime.  I persevered and got to that number where I felt my happiest and healthiest.  Worked harder than I have before in my life.  Then something happened.

No one's fault but my own.  Making healthy choices was not a priority at the time.  The last time I liked myself and was happy was in the dressing room at Victoria's Secret.  I stood in the feminine pink dressing room and looked in the mirror.  Who was staring back at me?  I was liking (okay maybe loving a little bit) the person in the mirror.  She actually had a curve to her.

Recently we discussed loving/liking your body.....befriending it.  We are encouraged to tell ourselves one thing we love about our bodies every day eventually loving everything about us.  Friends are there to support us as well.  I worked hard to achieve my goal with the support of awesome friends to encourage me. Somewhere along the way after I reached lifetime, the wagon stopped I got off and failed to get back on.  Things happened in life and I somehow forgot what it took to get to where I was. So I'm taking the weight loss journey again.  Trying to find that confidence I was starting to have.

I think part of the problem was not only the rain last month but my walking buddy left the a couple of weeks ago.  Like anything, to truly be at peace, sometimes facing something is the best way to move on.  I knew it was going to be devastating and I think that's why we hadn't walked together in most recent months.  But I found once I said my See ya later and hugged her, I felt fine.  I felt ready to hit it and get back on the right path.  Yes I would have to walk by myself like I had been before I met her, but I could do that.  I could put my ear buds in and jam to my spotify list and walk those 5 miles.  We also talked about walking with each other by phone.

So I started slowly back on the main road.  The humidity has been really bad so I've cut back on my walking.  But I've added some other activities.  Last week I made a huge leap and lost 7 lbs. making a great start to my happy number.  This week 1.8 of those lbs. found its way back on.  Thanks to wine and mother nature.

I am starting to love my body again.  I am going to declutter my house and make it clean and organized again.  Especially my fridge.  It's been disheveled lately.  I will have to be really, really focused as dating has reared its head once again.  I met this wonderful guy and we are enjoying getting to know each other.  He understands about my journey and when I tell him when I go to my meetings, I do not feel like I need to make something up.  And he's helped me "love" or befriend my body even more because he tells me I'm beautiful not only outwardly but inwardly as well.

Multi-tasking may not be the most popular of skill sets.  But just maybe, while the decluttering/tidying up is taking place, that spare minute when a breath needs to be taken, a kind word can be given to the favorite part of the body.  Let's declutter our minds and get back to the real reason(s) we are on this journey.  Let's embrace our bodies as they are now and get excited about how they'll look when we reach the final destination.

Y'all have a great week!
Christina

If you're happy and you know it......you know what to do

Think back to the early school age.  Maybe not much past kindergarten.  If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.  I know, I know.....that tune will now be in your head for the next few hours.  If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet...... you get the idea.

On this weight loss journey, when has been your happiest moment.  Okay, if you have several, that's allowed.  And you may be saying, duh, it was when I reached goal.  Or got lifetime status.  For some, the happiest moment may be finishing a 5K or fitting into a size smaller clothes.  

I've had many happy moments during my journey.  Just being able to stick with it and lose the weight has been a happy moment.  My first shopping trip after losing 50 lbs (or was it 100) was a happy moment.  I no longer was restricted to Lane Bryant or Catherine's.  Small happy moments all added up to a bigger one.  I worked so hard to reach a specific number and point.  I was learning to live a healthy lifestyle, cutting out the toxicity.  Whether it be toxic food, people, or situations.  I fought hard to control what I let come in my life.  I approached my final goal, I felt the happiest when I ate cleanly......a different salad every day.  Enjoying my activity and being able to do new things. 

I bring this up because I've noticed the last few weeks I'm not happy with my progress or current situation.  And whether we like it or not, a snowball effect can happen.  Because I haven't been happy with what I've let happen to my weight, it has affected everything else.  It is true that I deserved to be happy when I reached my goal.  And I was.  I haven't been making those healthier choices.  How can I get that fire back?  Can I fuel my disappointment and get back to that number when I was happy?  I thin I can.  Unlike before, it may take a little longer.  But I am determined to do it.....and once I'm there, there is where I'll stay.

Also, I think the unwanted visitor keeps wanting to come back.  And I had a friend bring up a good point.  Maybe the visitor isn't supposed to be gone completely.  Maybe I'm to learn to co-exist with my ex.   She is one of the reasons I haven't been happy lately.  Plus other issues.

I was watching the video of when I reached final goal in December of last year.  I looked so small and those were happy tears.  In two years I did what I thought was the impossible.  Maybe it was too quick.  Maybe I didn't take time to work on my mental state.

So now my read education begins I suppose.  Can I use what I learned while getting to goal in order to get back there?  Can my ex and I co-exist while at the same time learning to be happy?

If you're happy and you know it, then be proud of your perseverance to get there.  Do all you can to stay there!