Lesson 3: Tales from the Scales - Goals and Motivation

My journey to lose 100 pounds began with just one step. This is a long range goal and I have set much smaller, short-term goals as I go along this journey to keep me motivated. I also included some rewards at milestones along the way. This was working well and good until I hit a plateau. How discouraging to have done everything I was supposed to do and still not show any weight loss! I learned through my recent plateau to NOT let the scales be the only indicator of my success. Denise reminded me recently to not let the scale determine my success - she reminded me that I am changing my LIFE to be healthier! During a discouraging moment when I felt like I didn't look as though I had lost much weight, Donnie reminded me of how much better I feel! I had set this as part of my long term goals! How could I have missed seeing that and rejoicing in it!

I also set a goal that seemed reasonable to achieve and I did not meet that goal. The goal was to lose 20 pounds by the time I went to the beach. That didn't happen and I began to feel like a failure which is a bad place to be. I wrestled with this for awhile because I am a very competitive and driven person - I like to win! I did work through this and learned lesson three: The scale should not be the only indicator of my success. Better indicators of success are: how I feel, how my clothes fit me, how I am becoming healthier and making life-style changes.

Weight Watchers recommends weighing only once a week and your weight can be tracked weekly. I just HAVE to weigh every morning. I need that accountibility!  I have a very accurate Weight Watcher's digital scale. I weigh first thing every morning right after I use the bathroom. I weigh wearing only my undies and my glasses. (I know, TMI!). Sometimes I will show a gain of several ounce or even a pound. If so, I check my fingers to see if they are swollen which means it is water weight....which it always is. In response to the water weight gain, I will really watch my sodium intake that day. I have high blood pressure so this helps me keep it under control as well. Weighing every single day is a huge motivation for me..I just have to be prepared for what daily gains/losses mean!

Motivation is what keeps me on track on my journey. Of course, my biggest motivator is to be the "right" size and weigh a "normal" weight. I want to look good and feel good! I've said so many times that your brain is the organ that controls your weight loss...it has to happen there, first! You have to SEE yourself there already and then make it happen. Every day, I visualize myself already there and then I just make choices each day that will get me there. In the past, when I swam competitively, I would visualize before diving in for a race - I would SEE myself moving rapidly through the water, with perfect form, exact timing on my strokes and breathing, and reaching forward with every stroke to reach the finish line. Once the gun sounded, all I had to do was DO IT! As Captain Picard on Star Trek always said...MAKE IT SO!!! (Yes, I am a Trecky!)

I am quickly approaching a milestone goal - to weigh in the one hundreds! ONE-DER-LAND!!! I can hardly wait to be there! My all-time highest weight was 234.4  and I weigh 203.4 now. I am close....so very close. I do have a reward planned and it is to get a bike. I LOVE bike riding and this will be something that will help me on my journey. I want to say that I NEVER, NEVER, EVER use food as any kind of reward. I am pretty sure that is what may have gotten me overweight in the first place! I had a Weight Watcher buddy who lost over a hundred pounds and she rewarded herself with jewelry when she hit milestones in her weight loss. She had visual reminders of her success! Motivation is the key to beginning and continuing on this journey!