12-31-12

It is the final day of 2012. I still haven’t lost any additional weight, but I have not gained anything through the entire holiday season. This tells me something: I have grasped the concept. In the New Year I will join the millions of others endeavoring to lose weight and I will continue to succeed. I need the holiday food availability to cease. ;-) Yeah, I ate my fair share of goodies.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but 2012 was emotionally draining for me. I felt more discouraged than I ever have in the past. I struggled with choosing to continue friendships for the sake of nostalgia or to stop for the sake of my personal well-being. I started making some serious decisions about purging emotional and physical baggage. I worried deeply over the emotional welfare of those closest to me and watched as they worked through one of the most difficult times for each of them. This year also brought tremendous gifts to those around me and, on occasion, their joy struck deep sadness in me for things lost. I discovered a profound emptiness inside…and I wonder if that isn’t the void I have been trying to fill with food.
It seems like I need to identify that which makes me feel successful personally. Sure, I participate in making organizations and other people successful in achieving goals, but what are mine? What, exactly, would make me feel as though I had achieved something personally satisfying? I hope 2013 will be a time when I am able to see more clearly choices that are fulfilling.

I am wishing love, joy, and peace to all reading my blog, but especially to my son and husband. I hope we are all able to make our mark this year.

Happy New Year. Here's a pretty tree in a parking lot for your viewing pleasure...

 

 

Five weeks. Oops!

Five weeks have passed since I wrote anything for Blubber Blabber. Intentions were good, but life was busier than usual so, let’s catch up, shall we?

I am still at 24 pounds lost. No weight loss in 5 additional weeks. However, no weight gain. No excuses, I have been eating at a maintenance level, not a weight loss level. It was apparent that with the holidays approaching I needed to do something to keep the traditional weight gain at bay. I have maintained a level of exercise to keep myself stable, but have not added anything drastic. I went for a great walk around Lake Merritt with my friend Tasha one day, have been to the gym and swimming, followed the California International Marathon in the pouring rain, gardening at my house and my sister-in-law’s house, etc. All lots of movement, all lots of calorie burning. And then there’s the food. I have made pies, cheesecakes, Thanksgiving dinner, and cookies. I have sampled ALL of Trader Joe’s new holiday torture food. (Is it wrong to love cashew brittle in dark chocolate? I think not.) The difference I have noted in my behavior is that while I am consuming all of the things I love I am conscious of calories, I am conscious of exercise required to consume those calories, and I am consciously active in my quest.

This morning my scaled glimmered at 24.5 before settling on 24, so I am sure a new phase of loss is in the offing.

I discovered another reason for wanting to lose weight. My husband injured his leg and was unable to run the marathon in Sacramento. We went anyway to support our friend Louis (who finished his first marathon in 4:56! Awesome!) and to have a dog-free weekend away. We stayed at a lovely hotel downtown and made use of their gym and pool. Although it was cold out, the outdoor pool was nestled in between buildings on the 4^th floor and the water was warm enough to be perfect for winter swimming. All was well until I decided to go in from the pool. Climbing out I felt this oppressive feeling of heaviness bearing down on me. I used to pop out of the pool feeling great, but this time I just felt gravity. It inspired me to go back on a loss plan until December 21. Then I will resume maintenance level until January 2. I have proven I can do this.

Do you have a plan in place for the holiday season? So many temptations will be available and, frankly, in your face. Also, with winter upon us, people forget to hydrate. Water is super important in the winter to keep your skin from getting dry and to keep you healthy.

Well, with all the rain we’ve had this past few weeks, my garden is filling with weeds again. Time to sweep up the needles and pull out the new weeds. Calorie burning: here I come.