[lottie63]

So today is 30 days On Plan. I wrote this giant blog about my experience on spark (click my blog link below to read if you care to) and I didn't realize until the very end that I had not even mentioned that I'd lost weight! There is so much to this....I had it so wrong. I listened for years when people said, 'eat less, move more.'

There is just so much more, I found myself posting this at the very end of the blog!:

"Isn't it funny, that this whole stupid blog was about my being On Plan and weight loss and exercise and all that, and I am so happy and sharing my success, and I totally did not even THINK to mention that I've lost 12 lbs in the last month! I guess this is the real deal! This is what they mean when they say, to build a healthy lifestyle and the weight loss will just be a pleasant side effect!!!!! Wow. "

[Jen516]

Congratulations on losing the pounds!! AND congrats on working on the whole lifestyle thing!!! It really is all in the head when you get down to it, isn't it? That's the part the takes more work and leads to long-term success.

[shannonmb]

That has been my experience and my philosophy, too, Lottie. It's one of the reasons I started weighing monthly instead of more often as well. A good headspace for me simply did not include worrying about a pound up or down with water weight, 0.2 pounds up or down on a given day, etc. I had to get myself firmly rooted in the behaviors. I weigh myself to make sure I'm on track, then back to the behaviors for another month. It has worked for me, and while it is the ultimate goal, I do sometimes view the weight loss as a pleasant side-effect of my much healthier lifestyle!

[rockinrobin]

Yes. You will find that just being on plan feels marvelous in and of itself. Knowing that you are doing right by your body - what's been expected of you is a sensational feeling in and of itself. Having that control. Learning that it's okay to tell yourself no is a wonderful thing. Who knew that NOT eating would turn out to be the true comfort food?

And the weight loss? Not too shabby either.

[starfishkitty]

Great post.

So true.

I came back from being out of the country for 3 weeks a couple of weeks ago and I can't explain the massive sense of relief for me to get back to being "normal".... i.e. back to eating healthy! This is DEFINITELY what its about! You go girl!

[starbrite]

Oh so true. This is a head game and make no mistake. It's also got to be a way of life, something that will stay with you and keep the weight off for good. I have learnt so much this time, this time I will make it.

[Trazey34]

That's awesome! I think the true victory comes when you can breathe and relax and not obsess with the "number", that messes with your head. Focusing on making good choices, being active, being happy, taking care of all THAT the rest will take care of itself.

I think my first "A-HA!" moment was when I came across 1/2 a bag of M&Ms or something i forgot about, that been sitting around so long it expired -- I used to have a running inventory in my head of EVERY single snack in the house LOL Having that information GONE made room for other stuff to get in