BambiS - Nice work! An uneventful week is often a pretty successful week in regard to maintaining desired behaviors it seems.
BambiS wrote:I did have a St Patrick’s cookie in the office
How do you feel about that? Based on your checklist, it doesn't seem to have contributed to getting further off track or including additional "exceptions", so that seems positive, right?
Rebecka22 - Fantastic efforts! Cravings can really seem powerful and burdensome sometimes. Saying "NO" to the Girl Scout cookies is definitely an accomplishment worth recognizing.
Rebecka22 wrote:Tried to continue to appreciate my food.
Did you notice any particular correlates or effects from that appreciation? Do you feel like this is serving as a useful tool for you? Have a great week!
Artista - Great progress and great results, too! Things seem to be going really well for you, Nancy.
I think you are wise to pay attention to that "underwhelming" feeling; it seems like an appropriate time to consider which of the recommended foods seem most appealing to you at present, and slot those into your meals. Might not hurt to be mindful that each meal includes an adequate volume of starch, too (for me, that is often the at the root of things when I notice I'm feeling somewhat unsatisfied with meals).
Hjklost55 - Awesome non-scale victory! How exciting that even in that moment of major stress (financial stresses can feel so overwhelming) you were able to self-regulate, connect with your real needs, AND take action to discover that (contrary to the dealership's diagnosis) it wasn't such a big problem, after all.
To me, that all seems really laudable and definitely worthy of proud feelings. I can understand feeling some concern and trepidation about what one's "maintenance phase" might look like and how to manage that. I think you might find
this post, regarding how
wildgoose arrived at her "goal weight" reassuring, and perhaps
another of her posts, about losing the last few pounds and what that was like, might provide some useful context, as well. Enjoy that precious time with your grandson and have fun chasing him around!
Gimmelean - Seems like a pretty solid week, overall, notwithstanding Pi day; I've always found it interesting that the socially propagated custom for marking 3-14 involved a bunch of pies, instead of doing geometry or drawing circles or something!
Gimmelean wrote:I can’t believe how sugary, salty, and distasteful those processed baked goods were not to mention how I felt afterwards. My palate has changed so drastically for the better, I’m glad I came to that realization before continuing to lapse big time. Took a couple of days to feel “normal” again. Feeling that way most of the time was my old “normal” and I never want to go back.
Isn't it remarkable how distinct and significant those changes can be? And also, how a detour toward the hyperpalatable stuff can leave one feeling "out of whack" for a few days. Our bodies, sensory systems, and behavioral mechanisms are really fascinating to me. It seems to me that a good touchstone for moving forward is building a strong connection or staying mindfully connected to the "WHY" driving efforts toward a particular, desired pattern of behavior. A clear sense of one's underlying motivation and rationale can help to separate what is necessary, what is useful, and what can be discarded.
Gimmelean wrote:I’m grateful to have your feedback and support and never cease to be amazed at how you always write in a non judgmental, sensitive, and intellectual way. How do you do that??? Please keep doing more of the same on purpose.
I really appreciate your very kind words. To be honest, this is an area where I don't always feel I succeed, but it is something I really care about a great deal. I strongly believe in the concepts of Nonviolent Communication; I'm no expert, and putting those concepts into consistent practice isn't easy. I fail all the time, but I try to give it my best.
Have a great week!
VegSeekingFit - Kudos to you! It sounds like you are making thoughtful and sensible progress on the exercise front. I think "baby steps" make sense when it comes to recovering from an injury.
I'm really happy to know that your kitty is now pain-free, happy, and seems normal. I'm wishing her the very best! It can feel so alarming and traumatic when a beloved pet is in distress. Enjoy the farro (I quite like it, too) as you head ONWARD!
Ejg - I'm really glad to see your post, Eric! From my perspective, one of our primary intentions with this group is to provide a framework for community and accountability; I'm happy it feels like a useful tool for you. Your observations about the last few weeks point toward the powerful influence that our environmental context can have over our behavior and decision-making. In my experience, "willpower" is often insufficient in opposition to those environmental stimuli. I agree with you that direct and rapid recovery typically helps to moderate the lingering influence of behaviors that are incongruent with your important goals.
Ejg wrote:I'm not sure why people (I'm sure its not just me) can have one minor slip-up/relapse and decide to abandon the entire effort, but I guess it happens. When I feel myself doing this, I make it a point to listen to any of the Alan Goldhammer/Doug Lisle interviews and do this on a regular basis, and it seems to get me back on track.
I've heard Dr. Lisle refer to this as "kicking over the table"; if I'm not mistaken,
he discusses it in relation to what he calls the "Ego Trap." Keep interacting with those daily reminders and have a great week!