justWEIGHT – Feb. 13 - Week #7 – Day #2 (Day 44 of 365 – lost .2 today) Total loss 8.4, 43.6 to go!

The first thing I did this morning was to write down the daily thought, One Day At A Time, and stick it in my pocket. Okay, the first thing I did was weigh. I am still on track with my pound a week weight loss, but the weight loss is slowing down. I have had lots of distractions, but that is just life happening. I am just thinking about today. I was running errands at noon and was very tempted to substitute and go by a drive thru window. I didn’t. In my pocket was a reminder of this journey so I decided to take today and today only. I went home and made my lunch, saving calories and money, and simply making good choices. Lots of Omega 3 and fiber tonight with salmon and brown rice. I also drank lots and lots of water. Good day.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 12 - Week #7 – Day #1 (Day 43 of 365 – lost .2 today) Total loss 8.2, 43.8 to go!

Well, well, well. Miracle of miracles. I lost .6 pounds this week after all the whining. Perhaps some of this is actually sticking in my mind and I am subconsciously doing better than I had thought. You know, it’s just all about making those good choices. I am elated! Six weeks down, 43.8 to go and I am 2.2 pounds ahead of the game. It is still not a habit. It takes concentration every day. I owe a good deal of thanks to my dear friend, Martha. She is one of those “skinny eaters”, and therefore, believe it or not, thin, healthy and beautiful. She and her husband took me to a seafood restaurant for dinner Saturday. It was not a fancy restaurant and was chosen because they have televisions on every wall showing some type of sports. You know the type of place where you walk in the door and feel the grease sticking to your hair? I thought, oh boy, here I go again. Martha wasn’t even looking at the chalk boards boasting all the specials. She simply leaned over and said, “It’s all pretty good, but I get the grilled shrimp, spinach and applesauce.” I did, too. I was a skinny eater. She does not know I am on the justWEIGHT plan. She does not know it exists. That’s just the way she thinks every day. It was delicious, we all cheered for our team and went home happy. It was just not that hard. What a good lesson for me and an inspiration. I am back to my food guide roadmap and thought for the day. I’m in my comfort zone and will not leave them behind again. Oddly enough, today’s motivation…Portion Solution. Thank you, Martha, for a much needed lesson.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 11 - Week #6 – Day #7 (Day 42 of 365 – same weight today) Total loss 8.0 lbs, 44.0 to go!

It’s interesting to me that while developing the justWEIGHT plan, I would have some thought, or hear or read something that would give me a bit of encouragement. These tidbits became my daily “guides” of inspiration. When I began practicing the plan, I was amazed that almost every single day it appeared the perfect, appropriate thought was exactly what I needed that day. Now ending my sixth week of the justWEIGHT plan, I have to chuckle at myself for thinking I was so clairvoyant. Eating right, exercise, and good health are all about positive action and thought. Attitude is everything and today’s slogan of Personal Time is a Necessity hits the nail on the head. For me, at least, I must have personal time to recharge my batteries, do my planning and shopping, get my thoughts going in the right direction. Time is precious, and personal time is a necessity.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 10 - Week #6 – Day #6 (Day 41 of 365 – same weight today) Total loss 8.0 lbs, 44.0 to go!

Patience is today’s encourager. I have one more day on the road, then return home, which thus far in these first 41 days of the justWEIGHT plan, home has proven to be my only refuge. It is my safe haven, my sanctuary for self control. Yes, I do see that it is a problem. I’m working on it. Actually, being out of the house is not as big a problem as using the excuse of the influence I let other people have over what goes in my mouth. Is that ridiculous? Yes. It’s the trap of looking at a salad on the menu and having a friend say, “Oh you have to try the fried catfish. It’s absolutely the best thing you ever put in your mouth.” I’m a guest, right? I want to be invited back, right? As I am typing this I am already worrying about next weekend. Friends….. Okay, get a grip. The now 44 pounds I have left to lose over the next 324 days will not just “excuse” away. I am going to have to fight for it. I am going to have to have enough patience to follow this plan. There is not a single item that cannot be substituted with a proper food or left off completely. Now, I am not a nutritionist, but I do know carrying around this much extra weight is not going to work for me.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 9 - Week #6 – Day #5 (Day 40 of 365 – same weight today) Total loss 8.0, 44.0 to go!

I find blogging very interesting. It’s a bit like keeping a diary, but opening your secrets to the world. It’s easy and fun when everything is going the way it is supposed to, when you are in control and your story is going in the right direction. On the other hand, it is not so easy when you give up to circumstances that may or may not be in your control. Somehow, I am feeling guilty. I am out of town and not weighing but know I am eating all the wrong things. I left my “road map” at home. I should not be lost since I know full well in my head how to eat right, but, I miss that guide. I am discovering that it is a security blanket, especially the daily saying. This was another day of very bad eating. I am in someone else’s home, both wonderful cooks and hosts, but extremely hard on the waistline. There is no going back to make today better, so I will just Say “Thank You” to my friends for a wonderful day and take responsibility for myself.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 8 - Week #6 – Day #4 (Day 39 of 365 – gained .2 today) Total loss 8.0, 44.0 to go!

No One Can Do It For You – That statement is the absolute truth. Travelling again today, I substituted a club sandwich in a small town café for the tuna salad with crackers on the food plan. Did I really forget to ask the waitress to hold the chips? My destination was a good friend’s house who took me out to dinner. Bad girl, bad day. All my own fault for making one excuse after the other. How easy to make excuses. How comforting to spread the blame. No one can do it for you.

justWEIGHT – Feb. 7 - Week #6 – Day #3 (Day 38 of 365 – lost .2 today) Total loss 8.2, 43.8 to go!

Love Your Body – Why is this so hard? We are taught this lesson from the time we are small children. We are taught this lesson in the Bible. Many people say they “hate” their body and have a thousand people they would gladly swap with. I believe this literally means to simply take care of our bodies. Love them enough to stretch them out, give them nourishment. We need to focus on keeping our bodies well oiled and in as good a shape as possible so they last as long as they are meant to last. This earthy body we are given only gets one chance and there are so many circumstances over which we have no control, but there are also many circumstances over which we have complete control. I lost .2 pounds today controlling what I ate. I hope I can do the same tomorrow.