Plant Strong Journey: Week 15 Report

Since I last wrote, I gained 3+ pounds! Definitely not the goal...but all I can do is learn from my mistakes, move forward, and make better choices. I dealt with a lot of eating "triggers" in the past couple of weeks. To name a few:

Stress and anxiety--My teenage daughter got a wreckless driving ticket over a month ago, which I just put out of my mind until her court date approached. While talking to a former officer about the circumstances involved, he told me things were done inappropriately and urged me to call the mayor. That was WAY out of my comfort zone and something I DID NOT want to do. I did it anyway. I ended up meeting with the mayor, the chief of police, hiring a lawyer, and going to court with my daughter. All of this was unknown territory for me and completely consumed me for a couple of days. I'm glad to say all ended well and her charges were dropped. I'm going to count my blessings that I didn't eat like a crazy person and gain 5 pounds from the experience!
Traveling/Change in routine--I went on vacation with my mom and sisters, which was fabulous, but I have a long-standing tradition/habit of eating the wrong kinds of foods at all hours of the day while traveling, partying, relaxing, etc. and I had to work hard to break that habit. I did better than I've ever done, so I'll accept that progress and try to do even better next time.
Amusement Parks: My family went to an amusement park and those are always great places to NOT eat healthy, especially if you are stuck with the whiny 5-year-old who doesn't really want to do anything but get food and soda! I actually found a healthy vegetarian meal while at the amusement park...but I did sip some of that soda!
Holidays/Special Occasions--Having my mom and sisters come was a special occasion all on its own. On top of that, we also celebrated my son's birthday one day and my husband's birthday another day while they were here. The day after my mom left, it was Easter. I'm not sure I've ever left an Easter dinner at my in-laws without being massively overstuffed. We get there early and start with loads of appetizers and then have an enormous dinner buffet later. Perhaps it's progress that I left LESS massively stuffed than usual??? I was still too stuffed!
Financial worries--We've had a lot of big unexpected expenses in the past month--new water heater, new tires, new AC in a vehicle, lawyer fees, etc. My savings account is the lowest it's been in probably 15 years. There isn't much left at all and this causes anxiety as I know we have several things coming up that need to be paid for, not to mention all the experiences I want to give my children that cost money. I'm trying to let those go, as I know my kids will be just fine without them, but it's hard and a little scary to have my bank account so low. I can always find someone to compare to who is in a much worse situation, and that makes me count my blessings. I am in no way destitute. My husband has a good job, I have a good job, all is well.

These things aren't excuses for making poor food choices, but it helps me to see my poor choices in the context of everything that is going on around me and to cut myself some slack. I navigated so many triggers and I made a lot of great choices in the face of them all. I'm actually kind of proud of myself, which I never dreamed I would be able to say after a 3-pound weight gain! I'm in this for the long haul and I know I'm going to have success this time. I just know it. It may take longer to get to the goal weight than I originally hoped, but I'm in this for much more than weight loss and I'm already experiencing many awesome benefits. (Did I mention I played kickball with the family on Saturday, I had fun, and my teenage son told me I was better than he thought I would be? What a compliment!) The weight loss will come as I stay consistent and keep developing those healthy habits. The words of a scripture keep coming to mind:

"...shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage...and on, on to the victory!" D&C 128:22.

Here are some photos from the past couple of weeks. There is more to life than trying to lose weight! :) I have so many blessings.