Today I started the coursework for "How to Lose Weight the Maintainer's Way" on the Half Size Me Community portal. I cannot express how grateful I am for Heather and her hard work to help others understand what maintenance truly is and how to break free from the cycle of yo-yo dieting.
As she began the section, I was considering how when one reaches maintenance, there is no party or big celebration for the number on the scale or a new milestone in going down a clothing size. Everyday is just a day. It made me think about how the journey to get the scale down may closely be paralleled to raising children. Bear with me, I'm a toddler mom with 2 under 2, so this is where my focus is all day.
Every time the scale goes down a little, I've dropped another 10lbs, I go down in a shirt size, my pants are too big, etc, I have a mini dance party. I get tons of compliments on how well I'm doing, how my hard work is paying off (which has not felt like hard work for the last 20lbs or so, since I've simply continued to change my habits and they are just that now - habits), how great I'm looking, whatever. It feels good (and in the past, this is usually when I sabotage myself and start regaining because "I deserve a treat") and boosts my confidence just a little. I hold my head high and feel strong and capable of taking the next step.
When AJ started walking at 11 months, all eyes were on her, we waited with anticipation to see how many steps at a time she could take. Now, she is 19 months old, and walking is expected. I do not cheer every time she runs into the living room to go play. When she started learning to throw trash away, we clapped each time she tossed a diaper in the garbage bin. Now, it is expected, whenever she does not take the trash to the bin, we reprimand her for her disobedience because she knows exactly what she needs to do.
When E started crawling and sitting herself up, we were ecstatic! We lit up each time she reached for a toy and sat to play with her big sister. Now, we simply put her down in the living room with a toy and expect her to play for an interval of 2 minutes or so until we finish running to the restroom. There are no mini dance parties and we do not pick her up and give her a big hug and kiss for every little thin. (Though we do do this with both of them because we love them and they are adorable).
So, let me ask: Do you cheer your 5 year old when they throw their trash away? Do you jump up and down when your 8 year old goes to the bathroom by their self? No, you expect them to do what you have trained them to do. The same goes for us as adults. If we are training ourselves to do the work of getting the weight off, why would we stop doing the work just because we hit the goal? Why do we need mini dance parties and vibrant congratulations from everyone around us if we are maintaining a healthy state of being?
As she began the section, I was considering how when one reaches maintenance, there is no party or big celebration for the number on the scale or a new milestone in going down a clothing size. Everyday is just a day. It made me think about how the journey to get the scale down may closely be paralleled to raising children. Bear with me, I'm a toddler mom with 2 under 2, so this is where my focus is all day.
Every time the scale goes down a little, I've dropped another 10lbs, I go down in a shirt size, my pants are too big, etc, I have a mini dance party. I get tons of compliments on how well I'm doing, how my hard work is paying off (which has not felt like hard work for the last 20lbs or so, since I've simply continued to change my habits and they are just that now - habits), how great I'm looking, whatever. It feels good (and in the past, this is usually when I sabotage myself and start regaining because "I deserve a treat") and boosts my confidence just a little. I hold my head high and feel strong and capable of taking the next step.
When AJ started walking at 11 months, all eyes were on her, we waited with anticipation to see how many steps at a time she could take. Now, she is 19 months old, and walking is expected. I do not cheer every time she runs into the living room to go play. When she started learning to throw trash away, we clapped each time she tossed a diaper in the garbage bin. Now, it is expected, whenever she does not take the trash to the bin, we reprimand her for her disobedience because she knows exactly what she needs to do.
When E started crawling and sitting herself up, we were ecstatic! We lit up each time she reached for a toy and sat to play with her big sister. Now, we simply put her down in the living room with a toy and expect her to play for an interval of 2 minutes or so until we finish running to the restroom. There are no mini dance parties and we do not pick her up and give her a big hug and kiss for every little thin. (Though we do do this with both of them because we love them and they are adorable).
So, let me ask: Do you cheer your 5 year old when they throw their trash away? Do you jump up and down when your 8 year old goes to the bathroom by their self? No, you expect them to do what you have trained them to do. The same goes for us as adults. If we are training ourselves to do the work of getting the weight off, why would we stop doing the work just because we hit the goal? Why do we need mini dance parties and vibrant congratulations from everyone around us if we are maintaining a healthy state of being?
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