Just getting you caught up...

It's been over a year since I started this blog and my goal was to blog at least once a week.  That didn't happen.  But I did write over 80 posts, so my average was more than once a week, so I'm counting that as reaching my goal.

I dove into restarting my blog but I didn't mention weight loss, which is the reason for this blog to begin with.  You may be wondering where I am on my weight loss journey.  I am at the same place I was in May.  According to our wonderful Aria scale, I am exactly the same weight.  

That makes it appear as though I maintained for 5 months.  That's not the case. It's been a constant up and down for 5 months, staying within the same 6 to 10 pound range.  Some weeks I struggled, some I didn't care, some I gained weight, some I lost weight.  There has been no consistency in what I did (or didn't do), so yes, ending at the same weight I started is a good thing.  

Through the years, I've tried to look at my setbacks (and notice I say "setback" not "failure") as learning experiences.  What have a learned over the last five months?  A lot, yet nothing new.  I've been on this weight loss journey for over 11 years and I'm still learning.  Unfortunately I'm a slow learner that needs to repeat setbacks before I figure out what does or doesn't work for me.

Over the last five months, I've come to realize that I am totally burnt out on counting calories and tracking my food.  Yes, it does help.  I do better when I track.  But after years of faithfully counting, logging and analyzing my calories in/calories out, I just got sick of doing it.  Also, it is very hard to figure out how much you should be eating when you are doing an intense activity two to four times a week and then doing nothing more than walking the rest of the time.  Makes it hard to know what to eat, how much, and when.  Figuring that out takes a lot of time and patience, and I am not a patient person.

I've also come to realize I still have a very unhealthy relationship with food.  I still turn to food the minute I need some type of emotional release.  I'm more likely to turn to food when I'm stressed, upset, or frustrated, but just as likely to overeat when I'm happy or celebrating.  

The one thing I did learn over these last few months is to listen to my body.  I need to listen and hear what my body is telling me.  And there is a lot being said.  My body tells me when I'm truly hungry.  I shouldn't be eating because of my emotions, because I'm bored, or because there food in front of me.  My body tells me when I am in pain and when something is just an ache.  It's up to me and only me to determine which it is.  If it's pain, then stop whatever is causing the pain.  If it's an ache, then cut back, stretch, and/or massage until the ache goes away.  And most importantly, I need to listen to my body when I'm feeling stressed or anxious. Then figure out why I feel that way and come up with a solution.  

So, back to "where am I on this weight loss journey?" (Sorry, I seem to be rambling in this post, I blame the early hour and not enough caffeine.)

I'm trying something new.  Last year Hubby and I did the 21 Day Sugar Detox.  This fall we are doing the Whole 30.  It's very similar to the 21DSD.  Just a few minor difference and the only major difference I can see is the Whole 30 discourages snacking, they suggest eating more at meals if you are hungry.  No snacking is very hard for me.  I am a constant snacker... and usually not the healthiest foods.  We've been doing the Whole 30 for 7 days now and I've done fairly well.  I have had a few snacks here and there throughout the week, but nothing like I was before.  If I  do snack, I have veggies, a piece of fruit or a hard boiled egg.  I haven't had any cravings, which I find surprising considering the month (okay months) before this, there was several major carb and/or sugar binges.  

I've also gotten through some major challenges in the last week that would normally send me flying to cupboard or vending machine.  The day Hubby and I started this, I had a migraine.  One of the worst I've had in months.  Usually I would comfort eat to deal with the pain, but instead I tried all my usual tricks to get rid of a migraine (several of them I did several times throughout the day) and distracted myself by keeping busy since sleeping wasn't happening.  I was also tempted with some of my favorite foods throughout the week.  I said no to movie theater popcorn, a DQ ice cream bar, Dove Dark Chocolate, and doughnuts.  I'm still amazed at how easy it was to say no.  Usually there is a long, internal struggle that goes on when I am tempted with foods I like.  I've also gotten through several stressful, emotional days without comfort eating and made it through a long, stressful Friday at work.  

My first week on the Whole 30 has been a huge success.  

Like the 21DSD, they explain that you may not lose weight.  Neither program is designed as a weight loss program.  The 21DSD is to help overcome the sugar and carb cravings/addictions and the Whole 30 is designed to help you discover your problem foods by restricting certain foods for 30 days then slowly re-introducing foods back into your diet to see which ones affect you.  That being said, I have lost weight since starting the Whole 30.  

I hadn't been to WW in two weeks because I was on vacation and then the migraine last week kept me from the meeting, but I went last night.  Just to clarify, I don't usually go to the night WW meeting, but they had canceled the normal Saturday morning meeting this week and rescheduled it for Friday evening.   I didn't find this out until yesterday afternoon.  After I had drank a ton of water all day, eaten all my regular meals and a few of my snacks, and I was wearing heavier clothes than I would normally wear to a weigh in.  I was sure after being gone for two weeks, a week of which I was on vacation and indulged quite a bit, that I would be up when I stepped on the scale.  Nope.  I was down.  Nearly two pounds.  Yea me! 

I don't think I will see a lot of big losses while doing the Whole 30, because I didn't lose any weight doing the 21DSD, but I am anxious to see how certain food affect me.  I am thinking processed grains are a problem area for me and it will be interesting to see how I react after 30 days of not having them.

That's where I am at on this ongoing weight loss journey.  I am currently 30 pounds heavier than I want to be, not happy with my appearance, and trying to find a new activity to keep me moving.  But despite all that, I'm also the most content I've been in months.  Why?  Because I know I can get this weight off.  I've done it before, I can do it again.  And will do it again and again if need be.