"Nothing slows you down like quitting....and menopause sucks!"

When I hear a member saying "But, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do and am not losing weight!", I know exactly how they feel.  And yes, we must ALL make sure we are truly working the plan and not getting just enough extra points that we're "maintaining", which we all do occasionally.  But what if you are diligent with your points, weighing, measuring, exercising, drinking your water, watching the fruit portions, watching the starchy carb portions etc, etc and still don't loose or loose at an agonizingly slow pace?  What then?  That's where I am now...right along side many others I know.
For me I know my hormones are not happy:(  Yes, menopause has it's advantages....who knew that one day I just wouldn't give a damn about the things I used to obsess about?  That I'd finally see the big picture and not sweat the small stuff?  Feel gratitude in a way I've never felt it before?  Ya, ya, ya... that's all great, but honestly, right now I'd happily give it ALL back just to have my body respond the way it used to and see some results from my hard work and dedication!
But the reality...my new found wisdom tells me!...is that's not going to happen.  I'm 53 and stuck with being smarter and having to work harder.
So what to do?  I've got an appointment with my doctor to get my hormones re-checked and make sure I've covered all the bases.  And I know I can't quit because I've seen what two weeks of chips and beer can do! So, I must accept it, work it and keep going.

Here's what I know for sure:  It can be a slow process but quitting won't speed it up.

The definition of insanity...

I know it.  I've known it for years: my body does not do well with starch, of any kind.  So why after many, many years of avoiding popcorn have I decided it was OK to start eating it again?  The simple answer: a large quantity of it is still relatively low in points and I love to mindlessly eat large quantities (3 huge bowls) of crunchy snack foods.

I tell myself it's "one of the good one's" so it must be OK.  It is one of the "good one's" but I truly believe one must always, ALWAYS, know thyself.  And I know myself-thyself does not do well with starch but I eat it anyway expecting my body will finally realize it's "one of the good one's" and will shed the weight I gained on my holidays.  The weight, coincidentally, I gained by eating popcorn and chips (and beer:)).  And that says Albert Einstein is the definition of insanity:  "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".  What a relief to know what's wrong with me:)

I'm going back to working the plan the way I did in the beginning (when I lost weight)...lots of fruits, veggies, some lean protein and low fat dairy.  I used some of my 49 points on the weekend for a controlled amount of starch (1 bag of Mini Crisps or 1 bag of Pop Chips...1 bag!!!).  I controlled my intake by controlling the amount I brought into the house...1 bag.  Another thing I know about myself is that a serving of popcorn/chips is defined by the amount I have in the house.

Are you the same?  Do you KNOW something about yourself and how your body works that you don't want to accept?  If you do, it may be the reason you are not losing weight or yo-yoing.

But here's the happy, happy, joy, joy thing for me!  I was happy, so happy, working the plan in the beginning. Why? I lost weight.  I felt in control for the first time in years.  My body was humming and I felt great!  I want that back. What do you want?

Goal!!!

Just received an email from my co-worker and one of our most dedicated members, has reached goal!  How thrilled we are for her!  She could be the poster girl..  She took to heart all of the suggestions, mastered the ones that fit her life and personality....and then worked it, worked it, worked it. She never gave up or in. Even when she had those days that we all have, she kept her goal front and center and kept moving toward it.  Congratulations Ms. Member...you inspire me to choose not to have beer and chips today:)

"If not now, when?"

I named this blog, "If not now, when?" because, unfortunately, I can apply that to the way I've lived most my life.  I heard "if not now, when" on some Oprah show and it hit me like a ton of bricks...."If not NOW, when???".  At the time I was avoiding exercising so it really made me think.  It didn't make me get off of the couch, but, man did it make me think!  Also, have been thinking of a way to connect with my members outside of meetings but procrastinated on that too...until "now".  Having never blogged before, I'm not sure how this will go but, what the hell, if it doesn't work I can stop obsessing about it and move on to something else.

For those of us who live a fear based life, I think procrastination is just how we put off what we're sure will be our inevitable failure. Isn't that cheery?  My motto was, "If I never try, at least I will never fail".  Luckily for me, something happened the day I turned 50.  I had the worst birthday ever.  And what a blessing that turned out to be.  It was like being slapped with a big "Get over it, Nobody Cares, You'll Be Dead Soon Anyway So Stop Wasting Time" sign....I mean it was a big freakin' sign. It could have said "If not now, when?" but I wouldn't have got it.  Now, 3 years later, I get it. I get it and I so desperately want you, my amazing members, to get it as well.

Members are all different, yet all the same.  We all have the same goal: to lose weight.  But losing weight is more than "eat this, move that".  It takes involving and committing your whole being to working the plan daily and consistently and that's way harder than it sounds.  Our meetings end with members re-committed, re-energized and re-focused...all of which last until about 15 minutes after the meeting.  I know, it was the same for me. 

Our meetings are a life-line to us all.  We connect with each other through our pain and our triumph.  I hope this blog can be another life-line.  Somewhere you can share your thoughts, fears and pain, and certainly your triumphs, with your team, anytime, anywhere....when you need it.  And through re-connecting with your team, reconnect with those wonderful feelings we all have after our meetings.  "If not now, when?".