One of these days, very soon, I’m going to do a blog post on my resources, all the places I go to for inspiration, motivation, support and stamina while on my weight loss and maintenance journey. In the meantime, I’ll point you towards one of my resources while I make a different point.
One of the blogs I keep on my RSS feed to check on daily is Refuse to Regain, a blog aimed at maintainers. It’s a fabulous blog.
Recently, there was a post from one of the blog writers about a woman who had lost weight, maintained for a year and then regained. She was now looking at her journey and wondering how she’d find the strength and courage to do it all over again knowing that weight maintenance isn’t guaranteed. I wrote a comment sharing some of my experience and ideas and while most of the post isn’t really appropriate here (though you can read it on their blog), I’m going to repost my last paragraph. I think it sums up things.
You are going to have to live the rest of your life one way or another. Why give up? It doesn’t get you anything. Give it another try. At least that way you have another shot at figuring out how to make maintenance work for you. None of us knew that this would be the time it worked. I went into my last weight loss attempt scared that it was futile, too. You can’t win if you don’t play and the reward is *so* worth the effort.
I put that Japanese saying on the masthead of my blog for a reason. Nana korobi ya oki – fall down seven times, get up eight. I’m planning to have it tattooed on me soon. It’s one of my core beliefs in this whole process, that we have to keep trying, never giving up. There is that old saying that you have to be in the right place at the right time. Continuing to try is the right place to be and if we stay in that mindset, we’ll be there when the right time for us comes around.
Valerie, I came over here to tell you what an excellent post I thought you left over on Refuse to Regain! Your words about Maintenance were so true, and encouraging to me (because this is what I think too) ‘I finally got that this is going to be a problem that is going to be with me forever.’ I loved your video discussions. And it was even encouraging to me that you lost another 30 pounds ‘in maintenance’ as that is the exact amount I have declared I want to lose (have been maintaining about 2 years. Anyways, thanks for your thoughtful words. Your blog is really good.
wanted to leave a comment with my blog address on it so you could visit me if you wanted to!
I quoted your last paragragh and put a link to your blog on my side bar (I collect quotes). I hope that is okay.
glad to hear it was okay – I do love that quote – just yesterday – I read all the way back thru my side bar – rediscovering some old favorites.