Weighing In on Social Challenges

I am happy to report that I had another successful weigh-in! I am now down to 237.5 lbs for a total weight loss of 10.5 lbs and a current BMI of 45 (down 2 points since I started). This is a huge accomplishment for me and I'm feeling very proud of myself for the new habits I've established thus far. I am exercising regularly and starting to notice the benefits of a healthy lifestyle besides just seeing the unhealthy numbers decline. I feel a little lighter in my step and have noticed it's a little bit easier to climb the stairs. My clothes feel a little more comfortable, and my complexion glows nicely! Even my eyes seem to sparkle a little bit, as if these windows to my soul reveal the happiness and peace I'm finding in my journey. My husband is quite proud of me too and that makes me feel wonderful! He celebrated my success by surprising me with a gorgeous bouquet of autumn flowers; their beauty and vibrancy mirroring the fabulousness of my journey as I reclaim myself.

I'm also proud to proclaim that I have successfully navigated several social challenges over the past couple of weeks...

First social challenge: Dining out. We ate out at Applebees and I ordered off their special Weight Watchers menu. For a starter I had French onion soup; for the main course I had grilled tilapia and I asked for a double order of broccoli instead of rice; and for dessert I enjoyed a slice of chocolate raspberry cake. What a fabulous meal, and all of it guilt free! Applebee’s makes it easy to eat out and stay on your diet. I wish more restaurants would design their menu this way. I highly recommend eating at Applebee’s if you like to eat out and have a hard time picking through a menu for healthy choices!

Second social challenge: Traveling. I spent 4 days away from home to visit family. Now this may not seem like a big deal to some, but for a new dieter social challenges are similar to the challenges an alcoholic faces: it's easier to stay away from situations that tempt you from straying off your program than to face them. This may work for a little while, but eventually a dieter has to get out of the house and get on with life. Scary stuff!!! However, I planned ahead for my meals and snacks and packed healthy alternatives that allowed me to enjoy special times and still stick to the plan. For example, my in-laws have a great fire pit and roasting hotdogs over the fire is a tradition that I've come to look forward to whenever we visit. I brought Healthy Ones beef hotdogs and used light wheat bread for the roll - loaded with mustard and relish these healthier alternatives only have 105 calories each! I was able to enjoy hotdogs with everyone else and still lose weight.

Third social challenge: Buffet dining. We went to a casino and initially we were going to just grab a bite to eat at the bar. Unfortunately the limited bar menu only offered fried foods - nothing healthy, not even a simple salad! The buffet offered the best choices for a hot meal, and coincidently it was "Seafood Night" so that's where we decided to eat. It was hard to pass up some yummy favorites like potato salad, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese; but I was still very satisfied with a heaping plate of garden salad, broiled fish, garlic steamed mussels and roasted veggies. It was delicious! I think it was the first time I've ever walked away from a buffet and didn't feel gross afterward.

Fourth and hardest social challenge: Booze. I cannot have alcohol yet (oh how a low carb beer would have tasted good with those fire roasted hot dogs!). Not that I'm a big drinker, but I like to have a good time and sometimes alcohol is part of the celebration. My husband gave me tremendous support as he passed on drinking with everybody else so that I would not feel left out. I cannot say enough about how amazing this man I've married is! No one has ever sacrificed themselves for me like that. He doesn't treat this as my lifestyle problem and leave me to deal with it alone; it's our lifestyle and we are a team in everything we do. He has genuine concerns for my feelings and a vested interest in my success. I'll admit it was hard for both of us, and at one point we almost gave in and had one beer as we tried to convince ourselves that one beer wouldn't hurt. Maybe one beer wouldn't have hurt my weight loss, but in the end I decided to stay strong and not let myself down by straying from the plan even for one beer. Soon enough I'll be able to work it into my diet and when that day comes I'll feel rewarded for following the plan the way it should be followed.

Besides, that beer couldn't have tasted as good as it felt when I got on the scale a few days later to discover I was in the 230's. I haven't been there in almost 2 years, now that's fabulous!!!