February 9, 2011

By Lisa Spodak ([email protected])
Provided by WorldNow

I tried writing in this space about a month ago and got three paragraphs into it before I gave up.  I just feel like I'm saying the same things over and over and not making any real changes that stick.  But all I can do is try again and keep trying until I get out of this rut.

I've gained back more weight.  At this point it's too embarrassing to admit how much, but at least it's not all the weight I lost.  And that detail is the one thing that's keeping me from being completely disappointed in myself – every other time I've lost a significant amount of weight, I've quickly gained back all that I lost, plus some!  This time, it's been more than a year and while I'm struggling, at least I haven't given up the fight and just let it go.

I'm finding it very overwhelming to focus on a large, long-term goal like my previous project of losing 100 pounds by my 40^th birthday -- which I need to keep reminding myself that I did accomplish and was a great accomplishment!  In trying to find a smaller goal, I'm focusing on a vacation I have planned in April.  I've got exactly two months until I leave for London and Paris and I'd like to lose 15-20 pounds by then.

Here's what I'm committing to right now:

Writing

I will get back to writing here every week, no matter what.  Even if it's just one line saying "I had a rotten week and I'm pissed off!" 

Committing to writing about my weight loss struggles in the first place was a huge step for me when I set out in 2008 to lose 100 pounds. The accountability made a big difference in keeping me focused. 

I also realized that something as simple as thinking of it as a blog rather than a series of articles may keep me from feeling overwhelmed.  More than once I've found myself intimidated by the idea of having to have a real title, theme and "point" to what I'm writing. I think freeing me from that pressure will help.  So now I'm titling my "entries" with just the date. When I've got more to say, I'll write a real article!

Exercising

We have a gym in my new office building and I've committed to doing at least 30 minutes on the treadmill at least three times per week.  In fact, I told a friend at work that every week that I didn't stick to that plan, I'd buy him lunch on Friday!

Weight Watchers

I logged into the Weight Watchers website today for the first time in a month and realized that my username on the site is perfect for my mindset right now – startngnow! I'm not sure yet if Weight Watchers is the best approach for me at this time, but, I'm going to follow the new Points Plus program in earnest for at least a week and see how it goes.

Do you have any tricks for getting started again when you've had a setback?  Email me at [email protected]