20-Pound Milestone: Week 8 Check-In

Eight weeks ago, I started a weight-loss program after I'd hit a lifetime high weight of just under 180 pounds. As of today, I've passed the 20-pound mark, weighing in at a cool 158.2 pounds. This is less than I've weighed in the past 5 years!

My goal is to get back below 150 pounds. After my kids were born (in my early 40s; I was a late starter), my weight settled in at around 148 pounds for nearly a decade. I feel like that's a healthy, attainable weight, although I'd love to drop another 10 pounds after that, to get down to my pre-baby weight of 136-138, which was where I was at throughout my mid-to-late 30s. But I'm considering that more of a "nice to have" than a "have to have;" I'd love to get there but I won't be disappointed if I discover that reaching and staying at that weight is too onerous. I'm trying to work with my body, not against it, and it's important to me that I don't feel like I'm overly deprived or overly focused on food and eating habits. So I'm continuing to play it by ear. 

For now, I feel like I can stick with where I'm at, but I'm also comfortable with loosening up my restrictions now and then when I need it. I still stop and think about tradeoffs and consider how much I really want something special, but I don't let myself feel guilty if I decide I want a dinner roll or a glass of wine or a handful of tortilla chips, even if I don't give up something else in exchange. It's all about balance and moderation. And sometimes balance means not making an even exchange. Sometimes it means not feeling guilty about an occasional splurge, as long as "occasional" doesn't turn into "frequent."

I am finding that I am more satisfied with smaller treats than I was at first: a single spoonful of dessert, a sip of wine, a small square of chocolate, a couple of tortilla chips. If my husband makes popcorn while we're watching a movie, I am now capable of eating one handful and stopping instead of suddenly realizing I've eaten half the tub. If he's having a glass of wine at a restaurant, I'll have a sip from his glass instead of ordering my own. If one of my kids is eating a bowl of ice cream, I'll ask for a spoonful instead of getting my own bowl. 

Which leads to another important point: Support from those around me! In the past, if my husband made popcorn and I said I didn't want any, he'd make me a bowl anyway - and I'd eat it, and enjoy it. But now, if I decline, that's it, no sharing unless I ask. Sometimes he'll even skip having any himself, so I won't be tempted. When he cooks, he'll give me a smaller serving without my asking. Both my kids are willing to let me have a bite of their dessert without complaint so I don't need to order a whole serving for myself. And I've gotten innumerable compliments and supportive comments from friends and family who've been following my journey in person or online. Being the kind of person who thrives on external validation, that outside support is invaluable to me. I'm doing this for me, and I can see and feel the difference, but it's a huge reinforcement to know that others can see it, too. 

Quote for the Week:

Success is the sum of small efforts,
repeated day-in and day-out. 

-Robert Collier