tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9018627247680551117.post5566772991756292617..comments2023-07-06T08:19:30.990-04:00Comments on Fat Lady on a Bike: "I'm On a Diet of Love"Sherry Mayrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02920143114696612289noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9018627247680551117.post-36400303415366363592010-02-25T16:33:46.114-05:002010-02-25T16:33:46.114-05:00First, let me say that I love the way you write - ...First, let me say that I love the way you write - its warm, raw and so very honest. Since we share some of the same past, and some of the same issues, I have to say that the one thing I've learned that has made me successful on my journey to better health has been to both "learn and unlearn". Learning what would constitute healthier options and unlearning the behaviors that got me to where I was. I've learned that it's not about deprivation, but about permission - to feel your feelings, to indulge yourself in your needs (i.e., allowing yourself to say "no", relaxing when you need to, etc.). When you give yourself permission to feel, you no longer have to stuff down the feelings because you've allowed yourself to be okay no matter what they are. I had the biggest problem, for the longest time, feeling anything negative towards anyone I was "supposed" to love. So I turned it inward against myself, tried to talk myself out of it, tried to eat my way past it, etc. It became very clear that was not working for me. So some 75 pounds later, I've been grappling with different programs and ways of dealing with the weight issue, not for cosmetic reasons, but for health. I had some success conventionally through weight watchers, but no longer do that. I do use sparkpeople as a tracking tool. I've devised my own program that works best for me. It's not at all restrictive as to what I eat, but I do try to keep my portions reasonable. I push myself to do some type of physical activity most days, but if my body feels sluggish and like I might hurt myself, I bow out for that day. It's all a magnificent balancing act. But through it all, the most important thing I've learned, is to feel good about who you are. Be proud of what you've accomplished, even if its one additional minute on the treadmill, or that you were on the treadmill at all. Celebrate your successes and savor them. And if you do chose to eat, slow down and savor and really enjoy what you are eating. For years I inhaled stuff without really tasting it, and would polish off a quart of Ben & Jerry's without realizing I ate more than the first couple of bites...Self love has replaced a lot of the poorer choices I've made. I look at my journey as one day at a time, one meal at a time, one decision at a time. If I make a "poor" decision, I try to make a "wiser" decision the next time. That's pretty much what I do in the rest of my life, so why not when it comes to weight? Like all journeys, you need to find the best route to take. I may choose the highway and someone else the back roads. Perhaps its because at that moment, my choice is more time for myself. Perhaps when I chose the back roads its because I've decided to relax and enjoy the scenery. But most of all, I'm basking in the glow of being loved, by you, my dear sister, my wonderful husband, my children...and after years of the emotional abuse by our stepmother, that tastes far better to me than the biggest tub of Ben & Jerry's ever could...although, Chunky Monkey comes pretty close ; )Audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17379154269854225924noreply@blogger.com