Let me tell you a little secret.  Losing weight is hard work.  And sticking with it for your health is hard work too.  As of yesterday (at my official weigh in), I have lost 21.6 lbs.  It’s great.  I can finally fit into clothes that have been gathering dust in my closet.  I can finally wear my heels that used to hurt my feet so bad they would be in pain for days.  It’s so good…

But…

I feel the motivation slipping away.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love to cook still (this blog has been immensely helpful in keeping me motivated), but the drive that I once had is slowly starting to leave me.  The motivation to keep up with my SmartPoints and keep doing what I know works is draining.  Like I said earlier, all I want is a dang buffalo chicken wing (this buffalo chicken salad is a great substitute though).  The cravings hit me really hard.  Like nothing I have ever experienced before.

I haven’t fallen off the wagon and I have still lost weight each week, but I have to be real with you.  Staying motivated is not only hard, but a challenge.  It’s something that I will continue to work through because I know that this program works and works well.  But if I’m not honest with you, then what am I doing here?  I want you all to know that losing weight is as much of a mental game as it is about the food choices that you make.  I would almost say that it is 99% a mental game.  I’m pretty good at putting the blinders on, but sometimes those dang cravings hit and they won’t go away.  So this post is to tell you that I have lived it, and that I understand the struggle.

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I do have a few tips to help you stay motivated, though.  Hopefully these can help you like they have helped me lately.

Keep the Blinders on

When I go to the grocery store (and this is really when blinders are necessary), I try to stay around the perimeter of the store.  I only go into the aisles that I need to go to, and quickly go to the section of the aisle that I need.  I don’t usually wander down each aisle and this helps me tremendously from picking up any bad things along the way.

Cook as much as you can

I do all my grocery shopping on Sunday for the upcoming week.  This helps me know that I have everything at home to cook after a long day of work.  There are weeks (like this past week) that I just am not motivated as much as I would like to be, but I do cook as much as I can.  This helps me to stay on track and make healthier choices.  I’ve already figured out my meal plans for the upcoming week.  Most of the work is done – and all I have to do is cook.

You also might think that I cook all the time, every night.  Yea, that’s not the case.  I cook about 3 dinners for us each week and then we will eat the leftovers on the days I don’t cook.  I also almost always keep a frozen pizza (thin crust) in the freezer for those nights when cooking seems daunting.  Don’t stress yourself out over cooking.  It will kill any motivation you might have had.

Buy new cookbooks

I am such a sucker for a great cookbook.  One day I will share with you my collection of them.  I have found that when I don’t feel motivated to stay on track, a new cookbook gets me going again.  One of my friends suggested Foolproof by Ina Garten before I started this blog, and it made a world of difference.  The recipes were easy to follow and became some of my favorites.  This totally motivated me to start cooking again and get back on track with eating healthy.  A new cookbook (no matter what kind it might be) is a total game changer, in my opinion…and can be well worth the money you will spend.

Give yourself grace

Here’s something I need to remember more often:  This is a journey…not a sprint.  You are changing your lifestyle, not hoping on the newest fad diet.  Remember that motivation ebbs and flows and it’s ok to lose a little bit of motivation every now and again.  It doesn’t mean your plan isn’t working.  It doesn’t mean you are failing.  It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you.  Give yourself some grace while you are on your weight loss journey and cut yourself some slack.  It’s totally normal to not feel as excited as you once did.  Or you find it hard to say no to that cookie/brownie/cake at work.  It’s ok to give in (in moderation) and enjoy your life.

Don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t lose as much weight as you thought you would or because you ate that extra slice of pizza last night (that was me!).

Weekly Update

• Starting Weight on May 31, 2016 – 191 lbs
• Current Weight on July 29, 2016 – 170.4 lbs
• Total Weight Loss:  21.6 lbs