Every journey we take is an opportunity to learn something.  It’s no different with health and weight loss.  There are so many things I am learning along the way, both positive and things I need to work on.  Here are a few things that I am learning as I move forward on this journey:

I am stronger than I think I am.  I know I have the tools and the means to make good choices.  I feel good when I go out to eat and stick to the plan.  But when I choose not to, I don’t get too down on myself (well…maybe a little).  Just because I cave when the dessert makes it’s way to the table doesn’t mean I’m weak.  I can choose to be strong and stick to the plan, or I can choose to give in and learn from my decisions.

Comfort food fuels my emotions.  I wish I could say that I’ve learned to “eat to live”.  Sadly though, most days I am planning my next meal as the prior one is finished.  I can’t seem to say no to things that that make me feel comforted (childhood memories perhaps) like fried chicken and mashed potatoes, homemade Mexican food, pasta, pasta and more past.  Oh….and BREAD of course!  What I’ve learned is that sometimes I just need to allow myself to be comforted.  Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it’s a good thing to stuff yourself with unhealthy foods in an emotional crises.  But I believe it is okay to have a little taste of it all and not go overboard.  While I once would have 3 pieces of fried chicken, a half a plate full of mashed potatoes, bread and no veggies, I can now be content with 1 piece, a smaller portion of potatoes and a salad and no bread.

The scale is not a liar, but it does distort my view of reality.  You know the saying, “the scale is a liar”.  I once believed that to be true, but now I see it as a means to distort my view of reality.  I weigh myself every day (well…some days I don’t but for the most part I do).  If I allowed myself to be defined by the scale, I would be depressed about my progress almost every day.  But instead I am learning that the scale is just a reflection of my choices over the prior few days.  I cannot expect to fill myself with salty, fatty foods and not see a gain the next day.  I can choose to be consumed by my distorted reality, or I can believe that the bumps in the road will make me stronger.

I chose the long, slow road so I might as well enjoy the journey.  I will not avoid the foods I love thus following a “no food is off limits plan” works for me.  I want to be able to attend a birthday party and have a small slice of cake.  I want to be able to enjoy a pasta dish at my favorite Italian restaurant.  I want to have a handful of M&Ms and a small bag of popcorn (no butter) at the movie theater.  Some would say this will slow my progress.  And yes, this is most likely true, but I refuse to be in a constant state of “diet mode” to the point where I’m not enjoying the journey.  I am learning that all things can be good in moderation, some better than others of course.

How about you, my friend? What have you learned along the way? I would love for you to leave a comment so we can chat about it.

*     *     *     *

This is Day 9 in the #write28days challenge.  Visit my landing page here to read more posts in this series.