Day 8 Celebrating Success

Why is it that while following an eating plan we can go for say a week with absolute success - tracking our food, exercising our rears off, saying no to high calories foods that just aren't worth it - and then something happens - we are overcome with temptation, or don't see the results we hoped for on the scale - and it's over. All those successes mean nothing because our little failure drives us to quit - or maybe it gives us the excuse to do so.

Let's not do that anymore.

How about instead of letting our mistakes drive us to quit, let's focus on where we are successful. Maybe you messed up. You ate a whole pie. And a carton of ice cream. With hot fudge. Ooops. Now what? Might as well give up and never try again. Until two months from now when you look at the scale and realize you have gained back 15 pounds that you had lost plus a few. Now you have really had it and are ready to get serious again. Right? Until your next mistake.

How about after that pie and carton of ice cream you think about why you ate them. It is not normal to eat a whole pie. Were you feeling lonely? Tired? Bored? Rebellious? Tired of being good? Sick? Depressed? How were you feeling before the pie? What circumstance were you in? Maybe you can use the opportunity to figure it out and then maybe it won't happen again? Now, if you actually figure out part of your issue, and you decide to count up all those calories and log them anyway, I bet tomorrow you will be even more on track than you had been before the pie-scandal. And maybe you can even congratulate yourself and say, "today I was successful because even though I ate 7,000 calories worth of pie and ice cream, I decided not to quit." That would be real success.

So here is my idea for keeping you focused on your success. We are doing a 40 day challenge so we should be rewarded at the end of 40 days for every victory! What would be a good reward, ice cream? NO! Food is not a reward, we aren't dogs! Think about a way you wouldn't normally treat yourself. A pedicure, massage, new shoes, a new book, scrapbooking material, a new kitchen product. Get out a jar and put in $1 every day and a note on it saying "today I was successful because..."

There are a few notes I want you to write out ahead of time so that you can see them and be ready to stick them in your jar with your dollar.

Here are a few you should have ready:

"I was successful today because I didn't give up even though I messed up."

"I was successful today because I ate my favorite food in moderation and was satisfied."

"I was successful today because I made a plan for myself when I knew I was going to have a high calorie meal."

"I was successful today because I tried a new form of exercise."


I would love to hear how you have been successful. Feel free to comment here with your successes!