Patience Report #6: Endless Weight Loss Plateau

Last night before I fell asleep I thought about my plan to learn patience this year. By and large I’ve been doing well. In fact, I’ve discovered that once you choose something to work on, to focus on, all sorts of solutions, ideas and lessons present themselves.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned from trying to be more patient is that it helps not to focus entirely on the here and now. When I try to view life with the end in mind, the little day to day annoyances don’t seem to niggle at me quite so much. Maybe that’s what Scarlett O’Hara meant when she so famously said, “Tomorrow is another day.”

I’m finding that I don’t lose my cool with my kids quite as much as I used to. I don’t obsess about what I can’t wait to purchase, and I’ve reduced the amount of expectations I have for almost everyone. (On really good days, that includes me.)

But I haven’t fully conquered impatience yet. Especially as it pertains to my weight loss goals. I’ve been on a plateau – meaning my weight has hovered right around the same weight (or gone up) -- for a full year. Plus a few months. I’m finding it difficult to stay motivated. Part of me wants to throw up my hands and say, “See. I told you my body couldn’t do it.” But then I’ll attend a Weight Watchers meeting and listen to others share how they’ve dealt with their struggles, and I decide to persevere.

A thought that seems to help me stick it out is, “Weight Watchers is like church for my body.” And since I’m getting a bit tired of paying $7.00 per week for the last 14 months, I’ve added a new clause: “I’ll never even come close to paying as much for Weight Watchers as I pay in tithing.” (Don’t analyze that last phrase. It just works for me.)

Part of patience, I’m discovering, is doing what you can do and living with, even accepting, what’s not in your power to change. I have a body that doesn’t function perfectly. It affects my weight loss efforts. It does not good for me to dwell on my health problems. Instead, I’ve come up with a list of “can do” phrases that I’ve written on a stack of cards. I try to review them once a day. Here’s what they say . . .
I can do this . . .

Take my dog for a walk instead of snacking.

Take the time to prepare healthy meals.

Be stronger than my carbohydrate cravings.

Forgive myself.

Make healthy choices a part of who I am.

Ask the Lord to help me transform my weaknesses into my strengths.

Pray for strength.

Eat less to feel better.

Write what I bite.

Enjoy being active in the great outdoors!

Play!

Be happy now. (Don’t put if off until I reach my goal weight.)

Ask for what I need.

Believe other when they say I look great.

Call a friend when I’m bored instead of snacking.

Look for ways to burn more calories.

Push myself further – especially at aerobics.

Become a fit woman!

Keep at it until I become a Lifetime Member at Weight Watchers.

Ask for support from family and friends.

Stay for weekly W.W. meetings.

Play with my husband and kids. (Basketball with Bug)

Plan out my day’s menu (what/quantity/points values) in the morning

Think positively and then listen and follow the voice inside my head.