Food Journeys

There are certain things that I have been working on these past two weeks to get off of my weight plateau. As I continued to think about it, I had to let thoughts just marinate to help me overcome this bit of a let down. I came to the conclusion that it was not selfish of me to do what brings me joy so I need to go into this new lifestyle wholeheartedly. This, as it turns out, is a good thing for people like me. Full steam ahead or else drop it. Since I am not prepared to give it up and let it go, the answer is to go for what I want without a doubt.

Why? I am doing this for my health. It is a journey that will have ups and downs and that requires me to stick with it no matter what. The more that I focus on why I want to do this, the easier it becomes for me. The voices inside my head quiet down when I am head strong about not having that pizza, potato, wheat, rice or sweet. Just as in the cartoons, I can imagine an angel on one side of my head and the devil on the other side fighting it out over what I will or won't eat. That just will not work. I must be the one to make that call!


One of the easiest ways for me to accomplish what I want to do is to share and get support from friends and family. By telling others what I am going through, they give me encouragement and sometimes even connect me to media sites that can help with ideas and recipes. Instead of focusing on what I can't have, they help me look at our meals together and just see all of the good things that I can have and share with them. Just because I am watching what it is that I eat, does not mean they have to chose the same.

This puts a positive spin on what we all desire...time to be together without anyone feeling guilty for what they choose to eat or not eat. 

When you have fun doing what you are doing, in my case cooking, I want to share it and try to have a little something special for everyone, especially on family celebrations.

Instead of the negative side, which is the fear that this is not going to work for me, I think of this quote:

...it needs to be turned around so that I KNOW I am working towards something that is so very worth it. Even though I know of my fears, keeping in mind that they are there to let me know a celebration is coming soon. That is the positive side.

Even with this plateau, the numbers on the scales may not reflect much except the up and down between a few numbers. I have been focusing on celebrating success as I am moving in inches on to a sizes down in clothes and even jewelry. 

As a side note, to help celebrate this success, I have been on a kick with Marie Kondo's "Tidying Up" show. She has inspired me to take things out of my closet, hold them to me and ask myself if it brings me joy. I try it on if it does bring me joy and if it is something that I have not worn in a while, especially if it is because it was too tight. I have had to start a pile of what is too big. I have been stuck on wearing the same stuff over and over, fearful that other things would not fit. (Of course, they didn't). Slowly but surely a new wardrobe is appearing and it feels so good. This is how I know the plateau will get a kick start soon on the scales.

On that day when I step on the scales, I know that I will feel

 

when they have moved to a lower number. I will try my best to not allow that to be the only reason for my joyfulness.  This is why marinating why you are choosing to do whatever it is that you are debating in your head. Use your head but also use your heart because this is where the passion comes from. 

As for now, I believe that I am headed to our kitchen to make a beautiful salad that will have everything delicious that I can have in my salad including real Bleu Cheese salad dressing. 

Pick your journey and hopefully these words of how I am coping with mine may help you. The biggest take away from my marination is that I always need to ask why before how because intention is required to create my compass. Instead of north, south, east or west my compass shows my intentions will be either low carbs or high carbs. I know what my intention and passion will be.