Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Attitude

Up again, another .2. This time, I really have no clue. I thought for sure I would at least be back down to 159.4, but apparently not. These are the times I hate...being up and not knowing why. I have a feeling my body is going to fight me on these next 9 pounds.

I have been reading a lot of entries about Attitude lately, and I think this is a perfect time for me to express how much I feel that Attitude is important.

When I first started with LA Weight loss last August, I had so many fears. I often thought, everything else has failed me, why wouldnt this? I would lose and lose, and then think, ok this will come to an end and I will stall and that will be it. Or I would gain and think, I will never lose again!

I really worked to shut up those voices in my head. In the past, I listened and usually ended up sabatoging myself. I believed I was a failure, and so I was. All the other "diets" I tried didnt fail me, I did. I did not believe in myself. This time around, a positive attitude has really meant the difference between failing and succeeding. When I heard a voice telling me that I wouldnt be able to get to goal, I just focused on what I was doing and getting through that day. And that day turned into the next and so on, and slowly but surely, I wasnt failing. I proved that little voice wrong.

The turning points that really proved that attitude is everything are when I hit plateaus. Every dieters worst nightmare. And sure, I hit them. And anyone who read my blog knows that boy did I BITCH. But thats ok, I didnt give up. Because I really felt that I could get past where I was and keep on moving. And sure enough I did. Rather than admit defeat and think, thats it! I dont have anymore weight to lose!, I just put faith in myself that I could do it.

That is really the key to me..a positive attitude and faith in oneself. You have to really believe that you can become healthy. You have to envision it, and know that you are the one responsible for making it happen. Its amazing how we believe in ourselves in other areas of our lives, but not always when it comes to our bodies. Sure some days I am baffled by my body and feel disconnected from it...like today. I dont know why it does what it does, but thats just how it is. But I find the faith in myself and turn a negative thought into a positive...and I feel the connection again and know that it isnt working against me. Its usually trying to tell me something and I have to listen. So I do, and I find the way.

6 comments:

Cammy@TippyToeDiet said...

Great post; great accomplishment!

The thing I've learned is that even IF hitting a plateau means I'm done, that doesn't mean I'm going to GAIN any weight. It just means I'm not going to LOSE anymore. Fortunately, I'm at a place where that's okay (not ideal, but it's okay.)

Michelle said...

Great post! I need to hear this because my attitude is poor in this area. I've never really believed I could get to my goal weight. And if by some twist of fate I get there I doubt I can maintain it. I am working on this. I am working on starting to believe I can do it if I really want to! Thanks for posting this.

Tori Leslie said...

Great and encouraging post!
Your right attitude has everything to do with it. None of that. "I think I can" stuff, but instead, "I will and I can!".
You have such a healthy body attitude and attitude towards food, I'm sure pounds will start dropping soon. You not only changed what you eat but who you are. BRAVO!

Diana Swallow said...

Fabulous post Heather. You are such a great role model, you live by the words in your blog and your persistence is an inspiration to us all.

Anonymous said...

Yeah....I'll chime in here too with GREAT POST!

One thing I heard this week is to use our plateau's as training grounds for maintenance. I've never had success with maintenance in the past 30+ years of dieting so I'm trying to take that to heart. Perhaps if I had learned the lessons of maintenance when I was younger, I wouldn't have had 30+ years of obesity. I'm taking the hammer off the back of my head and just learning from past errors!

Ceres said...

This is a truly great post, thanks, Heather! I love your attitude, and it's proved unbreakable through all those plateaus that you had to go through :-) I feel the same; my attitude towards losing weight is very different. It's not "Oh my God, I wish I could make it, but it's so hard!" anymore. It's more like "I will do this if it's the last thing I do!" :-)

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