Friday, October 9, 2009

The Bloom Is Off The Rose

I have to admit that this past week or so I have felt like I am dragging a bit. Not so much on the energy front, but more in regards to how effective I feel like I am being regarding my weight loss.

It’s not that I think I am doing poorly, and I am confident that I will see a loss come weigh-in day. I guess it’s just that the combination of getting used to my healthier routine and the fact that I have not felt very excited about this journey these last few days has left me feeling a little less motivated.

I am still committed. I have no intentions of falling back on bad habits or of giving up. But it would be nice to figure out a way to reconnect with the excitement I had nearly two months ago when I started this blog.

It’s kind of like when a new relationship starts and it is fresh and exhilarating, but after a short while the novelty begins to wear off. You’re still interested in pursuing something long term, yet you know - and are saddened by the fact - that there are fewer firsts to be had. Just like the impossibility of repeating that initial kiss, I will never again experience the thrill of my original successful weigh-in. How can I recapture the romance?

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 8 glasses of water throughout the day
- 3 cups of cobb salad with lettuce, chicken, grape tomatoes, bacon bits, black olives, hard boiled egg, grated cheese, green onion, and fat free rancher’s choice dressing
- 1 banana
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with strawberry jam and light peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups of Caesar salad with Parmesan and croutons
- 2 egg omelet with yellow pepper, mushroom, and pepper
- 1 mug steamed caramel macchiato soy milk
- 2 cups celery with 2 Tb. Mexican cheese spread

EXERCISE:
- 1 hour of walking completed in 2 outings (35 minutes long and 25 minutes long)
- 45 minute step workout video (without the step)
- 4 sets of 50 stomach crunches
- 20 minutes on the recumbent bike

15 comments:

  1. I'm in the same place! But I'm still doing it, so that's a positive. I look forward to the day when this lifestyle is my new normal. I HAVE found that reading blogs helps because daily I see people whose problems were as big as mine and yet they have gone the distance. Somehow they resolved the "motivation" issue, so that means you and I can too.

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  2. I experienced the same emotions. And your analogy to a relationship is exactly right. The honeymoon is over and you are left with the day in day out of staying on track.

    One thing that helped me after I had seen some success was setting some mid-way goals. Some that weren't just scale related. And then as I reached those, it did help me stay focused on staying strong until the end goal.

    You've done great - you're just out of the endzone now and running towards the goal. Stay strong.

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  3. Yeah, I know what you mean, this is what I thought of as the Danger Period. Usually the time when I would give up. Getting through it with lots of mini goals (and plentiful rewards) as well as blogging, really helps.

    There are times when it is less like a love affair and more like a slog, but there is nothing for it but to keep going because it really, really is worth it!

    I know you can though!

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  4. There are a few of us in the some place right now, I inderstand your analogy, it is a great way of putting it, thanks you, given me food for thought(Sorry no pun intended)

    I am wondering if the time of year has something to do with it also. I have dreaded aAutumn coming, even though it is my favourite season. It also heralds different eating habits and that filled me with fear. Maybe we should look forward with confidence to the changes and as Diane said, look for some mid way goals. I think I have a subject to post about now that I hadn't thought about.

    That is on of the things I really like about Blogland, we share and spark ideas off each other.

    You are going to get past this, you are going to do FaBuLouS things this gorgeous season.

    Hugs

    Sheilagh

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  5. How about some small goals with rewards. Mani/pedis and new clothes and massages. That sounds like something I could fall in love with!

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  6. Try mixing up your menu. I find when my motivation begins to go a lot of it has to do with I am sick of eating the same boring foods. And remember so what the first kiss is over you now have the wedding (goal) to look forward to.

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  7. I agree with Beth that reading other blogs is so helpful. I rely on seeing others who went the whole distance. They must have faced seeing the bloom fall from the rose but they kept at it anyway. Splurge on yourself today with something ... a new lipstick, fancy tea, whatever strikes your fancy. You deserve a little treat.

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  8. Small goals and non-food rewards! Try new classes at the gym. Take up hiking. Snowboarding. Skiing. Something that allows you to use your fitness to try new things.

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  9. My strategy for dealing with this has been to keep trying to figure out what I find to be no longer exciting and then finding ways to invigorate it. If it's my food, I find new recipes and new recipe books. When it was exercise I started running. When it was falling back into old habits, I found a new hobby to distract me. For me, even just reading other folks' blogs and/or books/essays about their experiences can be a motivator...and there's always a shopping trip to remind me of my new size even if I don't buy anything. :-) I think the key is to be watchful and to not just fall into a rut without realizing until that moment you find yourself knee deep in cheesecake. ;-)

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  10. Hey good for your for thinking this through. It's true, this journey isn't always exciting and sexy - most days it's downright boring. Those of us who are successful long term - keep going through the boredom, through the unexcitement. This is for the rest of our lives.

    I am paraphrasing from someone on the WW site now, you are not going to be perfect 100% of the time, aim for the 80/20 rule for the rest of your life.

    Hugs.

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  11. I find myself with those same thought sometimes. Thoughts about WTH am I doing?! These thought used to throw me off my plan. I am learning to ignore them.
    Blogging is a good way to clear my head and to share my feelings and reading blogs is a good way to see I am not alone with this struggle.
    It's good you can see what's going on! That's half the battle!
    Keep your eyes on the prize!

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  12. As usual, you are all offering an enormous amount of wisdom and insight that fills me hope. Thank you all for the suggestions! I will be utilizing a lot of them in the coming days.

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  13. As they say, after the honeymoon is the hard part. You just need to do it day in and day out. The longer you do it, the easier it gets.

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  14. I wish I had advice half as good as what others have given you. I don't know what to tell you besides power through, keep going, remind yourself it's worth it.

    Revisiting this old post of yours might also help bring back a bit of the fire.

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  15. Wow, Hadley! Thanks for that... I don't know how long this will last, but I am actually feeling pretty fired up from re-reading that!

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