This morning, my scales read 155.2 - a 1.6 pound weight loss for the week. Now, that’s a result a girl can be happy with! I have finally hit my weight loss stride. Who knows where my motivation wanders off to? I’m just glad that the prodigal has returned, and I welcome it with open arms!

The next time my motivation goes on a bender, I’ll refer back to this entry to review my techniques for a successful weight loss week. So, here’s what I did during the week:

Technique 1 - I recorded what I ate. Monday - Thursday, I was the food diary queen. I wrote down my meals, sans point values or calories, and noted the WW “good health guidelines” that I acheived - fruits and vegs, dairy, H2O, exercise, and vitamins.  When I got home Friday, I put away my little yellow notebook. This wasn’t planned, just forgetfulness on my part. I had a moment this morning when I said, “oh hello there,” to the notebook before putting it with my purse to go to work with me. Despite the lack of recording over the weekend, I think I did fine because of technique 2…

Technique 2 - I ate real meals and did not snack. I love food. I crave complete meals. I do not do well with the six mini-meals concept that so many people swear by when losing weight. So, this week I made a concerted effort to enjoy my meals (sometimes even eating ice cream!) and to put away the snacks. I ate just until satisfied and no more; I allowed myself to get decently hungry before eating again. This technique worked really well, and I plan on keeping it up this week!

Technique 3 - I was kind to myself. I finally owned up to the fact that I might very well make a weight loss mistake every single day. I realized that I didn’t have to be perfect in order to lose weight. I enjoyed eating real food with real fat and real calories. If I made a mistake, I simply acknowledged it and told myself to make a better choice next time.

I’m looking forward to my weigh in next week to see how I do over the holidays. Last year, I was freaked out as the holidays approached. I knew that pumpkin pie and stuffing could decimate my points allowances. I was terrified of gaining weight. I found myself eating little at meals, then finding pieces of candy or another spoonful of potatoes to feel full. I wound up putting on a couple of pounds. This year, I’m not afraid that I’ll gain weight. It’s odd, but I’m confident that I’ll keep losing weight during the holidays. I’m not thinking about point values at all. Instead, I’m thinking of all the joy I’ll have hanging out with my family and friends. I’m thinking of how much fun I’ll have stealing some moments alone with the one I love. And, I’m thinking of how much I’ll savor that piece of pumpkin pie that I’ll eat on Thursday.