The Struggle is Real

The Struggle is Real – It’s time to learn from Toddlers.

2017 was going to be the year to FINALLY get in control of my eating, weight and 2017 was going to be the year to FINALLY get in control of the eating, weight and health!
But – Yikes!! It’s September?! As the teenagers would say “Wait – What?”

Hmm. So… September –Huh?

That means we are starting the 9^th month of 2017.
How is this possible??
How am I not drinking green smoothies and exercising every day?
Why do I make a menu and manage to (maybe) make one of the meals? Why does Dunks yell to me EVERY day!?
Ohhh and that glass of wine…Why must you taunt me so?
How did I not lose weight? Why can’t I get my act together?
Seriously; it’s like my body is COMPLETELY ignoring me and my mind is fighting me on purpose.
I know what I need to do. I tell myself I will do it… but Geesh! It’s September and I haven’t done it!!!

I have come to the conclusion there are tons of little kamikaze cells in our brains that tie up the healthy control panel and sabotage every move. Seriously! It totally makes sense.

This is something one of my dear patients shared with us. Fairly sure all of us have struggled with the torture of the ‘struggle’ to be healthier. And 90% of us could write a very similar account of our year of trying… We share this to help you understand that the Struggle is REAL. It is not ‘weakness’ or ‘failure’. It is a collection of life circumstances, society’s lack of focus on healthier living and lack of belief that you CAN learn new habits and be healthier and happier. So many of our patients truly DON’T BELIEVE they can (or will) get better. They believe they ‘just ‘CAN’T do it’. That “Its all part of getting older” or worse “I’m too old for that”…. NOT TRUE.

Age is a blessing. Something not everyone has the opportunity to experience.
And we are all on a very similar journey. A journey is not about always being successful but about learning lessons along the way and trying every single day.
Imagine if a toddler stopped trying to walk, feed themselves, talk or get dressed? Imagine if we saw them fall down and said “you’re never gonna learn to walk – let’s get you a wheelchair” We’d have a VERY dysfunctional world.
Kind of like saying: “You’ll never lose weight – let’s eat a donut?”). Why are we so fr#*king hard on ourselves? It’s not even just us. Society does it too with all the commercials … and the chocolate at Kohl’s checkout – what is that?!

The New Years Resolution Attempt

On New Year’s Day I decided to write out my plan. I would remove all sugar, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods, and snacking and by Valentine’s Day I will be down at least 10 pounds and in my routine of going to the gym 5x a week. But there was all the left over candy from Christmas and then all the candy for Valentine’s Day so I decided I would start after Valentine’s Day.

In March I would jump start again – this time with a cleanse. Yup! I decided I would stop eating everything “bad” and take a magic potion that claimed to clean me out, I would lose a few pounds and that will motivate me to keep going. Although I completed the 240 hours of restrictions, pills and powders and lost 4 pounds, I nearly died from the headaches and fatigue… all the while my family threatening to kill me because I wasn’t exactly pleasant. That said; I actually enjoyed the clarity and lack of cravings from the cleanse so I hit the gym and was so sore I could barely walk… Must take a few days off to recover! (Unfortunately a few days turned into months).
And then there was the Easter candy…

In April the weather gave hope to new beginnings. I started walking my dog and bringing my kids to the bike path, but schedules got busy… and then there was vacation. Who knew there were so many ice cream shops on the Cape? When I got back from vacation I was committed to my diet! I got up on Monday morning and went to the gym at 5:30. I packed my healthy lunch and into work I went with pride and hope. The first meeting of the day there was a spread of bagels, donuts, muffins and pastries. For lunch a rep came in for a talk and brought pizzas and boxes of desserts.
Sabotaged again!

Don’t Weight Around, Start Running!

In May I had my physical – yikes! Up 8 pounds and blood pressure “borderline” high. My provider told me to lose weight & exercise and I had to make another appointment in September to check my blood pressure with the threat of pending medication. This motivated me to join a couch to 5k group and I stuck to it… but then an injury forced me stop (and with disappointment those cabinet & fridge doors are opened… and opened… and opened). We joined a Relay for Life team for a good cause (and a way to exercise!) not knowing this would actually be 18 hours of eating. Only 4 weekends, but managed to fit in 2 baby showers, 4 birthday parties and a Memorial Day party… Oh! and my Aunt passed away.
Pass me another cookie.

In June we enjoyed the ‘spirit’s and yumminess of 3 weddings and 6 graduation parties. Thought I would take the advice of friends and try Yoga (supposed to be good for stress and blood pressure). Let’s just say my down-dog looked more like a dying camel & that nap at the end wasn’t long enough.
Pull into Dunkin’ I’m exhausted!

The Notorious Summer Bod Goals Washed Away

July and August were a perpetual cycle of beach, pool and fire pits filled with eating, drinking and grief over the fact that the bathing suit, tank tops and shorts aren’t looking as stellar as I had dreamed back on New Year’s Day!
Who’s bringing the Smore’s?

So let me get this straight … September?! 9 months have passed, no one ever saw my bathing suit (I wore it – but had a lovely ‘cover-up’ of which was typically covered in potato chip crumbs). I’m still not on track!?

Fabulous news… Cuz September is the most relaxing month: jam packed with school, scouts, sports, raking, apple picking, pulling out AC’s and packing up bathing suits. My kids’, bosses, pets and parents will have more for us to do than my data on my phone can handle. No time to shop for healthy food, never mind time to cook it. Too tired to get up early and exercise and going in 3 directions at once after work. And with all this… even though I’m exhausted… I CAN’T SLEEP!!! Want to sleep… but awake. And regardless of how I can’t sleep; “No honey, I’m not interested in ‘that’ to help”. Must remember to call my PCP to cancel my follow up appointment – ain’t no way he’s weighing me…
Time to cook brownies for the pasta dinner tomorrow night (double batch, of course, so the ‘family’ gets some too)

SYou can gain control and own your health. What works for others may not work for you – but you CAN do this. Sure, you will fall – but act like a toddler and just keep getting up.

The Struggle is Real… It’s time to learn from Toddlers. Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become.