I'm part of an amazing online weight loss/health goal accountability group. Each day, many of us post updates, mostly to stay engaged and to check in through the ups and downs.

Lately, I've had lots of ups.

But, the power of this group is when you show up when you screw up.

I think I'm going to start doing that here, too.

Here's my post from today. It shows that my path to progress isn't always forward. Sometimes, I take a big leap off the road. But, I check the damage and get back on the long and winding road (Thanks, Paul ;)) That's what today's post is all about:

I don't remember who said this here, but "the scale giveth and the scale taketh away."

Today the scale gave me almost 4 pounds.

First response: Ugh.

Second response: Hmm, that's interesting

Third response: Yup, know how that happened.

Day got turned a bit upside down. Wound up not doing stir fry with a friend but spend the day with my husband and girls. Went out for BBQ and managed fine. Later in the day, had a few pretzels. Ok...Then, I ordered from local pizza place for my eldest and then husband wanted some and then I got a calzone and salad--planned to split the salad with hubby and eat half the calzone.

Cue the leap off the cliff.

Did split the salad but ate most of the calzone and a breadstick. It wasn't even that good.

I felt so bloated and ick when I finished.

So, what did I learn?

When my plans change for the day, I need to change my food plan. I didn't make a plan for dinner and that ALMOST ALWAYS leads me to bad choices.

Why did I keep eating? That one is tougher to answer. I remember thinking, "Oh, I ate under my calories all week--it's ok." Um...it would be ok if I ate in control and had a plan. This was neither of those things.

I'm grateful that I'm learning to focus on the moving average and not just the recorded weight. I'd be seasick from the ups and downs.

So, it's Sunday. Meal plan day. Lots of water. And moving on...
​
But, yeah, I'm annoyed at myself. And a little of that is ok. Learning to balance accepting/understanding consequences vs beating myself up.

100 pounds gone is a major milestone.
But it's not my first time hitting it.
I've been here before, only this time I'm wiser. 
Here's what I shared on social media today to mark the occasion. 
Today does not mark a u-turn point. It's merely a wave to say "Hey, I see you. I appreciate you and what you've taught me on the way back to this point."
Thanks for tagging along on this crazy ride!

 Ok, hard facts time

As much as I hate seeing this data, I'm grateful I've been keeping track. I sat down this morning and looked the numbers.

Last week, my total planned calories was 17780. I ate 19022.

My calorie average was supposed to be 2540. I did plan to calorie cycle, so some higher days and some lower ones. My actual average was 2717.43

Add that to the NSAIDS water retention and muscle strain issues, is it any wonder why the scale is running in the wrong direction?
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I went in with a plan. But, emotions and fatigue got the best of me and I heard that faint, but familiar voice saying, "Eh, screw it."

Eating extra portions that I don't need. Not following my plan because "it's not fair that I'm injured and eating more will make it all better."

What? Um, I've spent four years working against that mentality! But the voice, even though she's quiet most of the time, likes to kick in the door like the Kool-Aid Man once in a while.

I'm not a fan.

So, what's next?

I have done a lot of thinking over the past few days. I've decided to stick with going for a small deficit, even as I continue to recover from this injury.

Tracking and Water are the priority.

I'm taking today off from any extra activity. My body needs to heal and rest. I've been still getting my 30 min of activity and hitting my 10,000 or 8,000 step count. I'm dialing that back today and will take it day to day at this point.

I will keep weighing in, even though it hurts to see the number. I know now from looking at the data that I am mostly to blame for the jump up. The meds may have contributed some, but my pity party did most of the damage. I can control that and then look at the scale with the "Hmm, that's interesting" POV. Then, I'll be able to truly see the impact (if any) of the injury and treatment.

​I am not going to lean on excuses. Those days are over.

We've all heard the advice: get more exercise. It's good for you!

Ok, that SOUNDS fantastic, but what if the thought of exercise has you sweating bullets before you take a single step?

First, you're not alone. You probably hear the word and immediately think you need to go out and run miles until you drop. Or, you need to hop on a spin bike and pedal your way to killer legs. Maybe you envision lifting heavy weights that will get you absolutely ripped, but feel like torture.

Bottom line: many of us think we have to commit to at least 60-90 minutes at a time to get any benefit from exercise.

Let's bust that myth right now. 

Yes, there are guidelines that say we should get 150 hours of activity per week. No one said it has to be done in just one or two sessions per week. We can break it down into smaller chunks to make it more realistic. You can do 30 minutes of activity 5 days a week--and even that can be broken down into smaller chunks (3 ten minute walks, for example.)

But, 150 minutes may be target not everyone can reach, especially if you're just starting out or have health issues. Don't give up, though!

When I started getting in exercise, I weighed nearly 400 pounds. That meant smaller, more frequent sessions of walking very slowly. I'm talking about 5-10 minutes a time at the MOST. Some days, it felt pointless. What good is 5 or 10 minutes of walking going to do? But those small sessions built up to longer walks, and then jogs, and then runs, and ultimately races. 

Doing something was better than doing nothing! Your brain will want to tell you, "Why bother?" That's a trap called all or nothing thinking. And, it's the never going to lead you to a better life. 

That's why this month's  June Move it Challenge is emphasizing making a tiny commitment to moving just a little bit more. Why burn yourself out with setting huge goals, only to get discouraged later. Why not try setting a 5 or 10 minute goal and see how it feels. You can always add to it as the month goes on! 

If that little voice in your head has been telling you "I can't do this" when it comes to getting more active, let's prove it wrong. Click here to sign up for the Lighter Side's Move It Challenge right now! 

Ready to take the next step? I'm ready to walk by your side!