One December morning I pulled my van into the Trader Joe’s parking lot with my twin six month olds in their car seats. I parked, stepped out of the van to haul out the stroller and – out of my peripheral – could see a man approaching. He was shouting something in a fake-jovial kind of way towards me as my mom-antennae jumped to life and started going berserk.
Without kids? I’m Ms. Polite to any stranger. Normally I’d smile – and if I had a bad vibe – would simply walk quickly into the store.
As the guy approached, keeping my two protected was my only focus. He was six feet or so from me when I put out a halt-right-now hand and growled, “Back up! I have babies!”
He said something like, “okay”, swiveled and sped off.
Whatever game he was playing he’d have to play it somewhere else.
Going mama bear. All of us do it at some point in our lives: for the safety of our child, or a beloved companion animal; there’s even a sweet story about Princess Margaret going mama bear on behalf of her big sister, Queen Elizabeth.
A Super Tool in Your Arsenal
Everyone has a mama bear story. Which is awesome for us because knowing what a mama bear-vibe feels like allows us to apply this amazing energy to our own lives.
Everything we need to enjoy wild success starts with our ability to stay tapped into our internal mama bear.
How did I mama bear my weight loss?
To begin, I put nothing ahead of losing (and today, maintaining). Let me be more specific. When I was losing the last of my weight, the kids were my top priority; then my husband, and finally my darling animals.
After that, nothing got in the way of my Smart Eating plan. Not family- or friend-visits, not vacations, not sick kids, not a broken foot – should I go on? – nothing came before losing.
Did I say nothing?
I meant, absolutely nothing.
How to Lose Like a Mama Bear
To lose (and maintain) after 50, it’s essential that you turn on your mama bear and aggressively advance on your Smart Eating lifestyle.
Aggressive action isn’t merely important. It’s everything.
These are just a handful of examples of how a mama bear creates a Smart Eating lifestyle:
- She loves and reveres the eating plan she’s chosen — WW, Noom, calorie counting and so forth — and doesn’t jump from miracle-diet to miracle-diet.
- She has the most beautiful journal and pen that she keeps in the kitchen to record her food decisions after each meal.
- If she prefers to plan her meals in her journal, she carefully puts a check mark or something like it on each item after she’s eaten. (She stays engaged with her journal.)
- On Sundays she’s a maniac about chopping and bagging veggies for the week to come. She creates various meals too so that she can grab something healthy when her week gets busy.
- She’s a psycho about not eating after her designated time-window closes (say 6:00 pm).
- She becomes – over time – so committed to no sugar that she doesn’t even eat birthday cake on her own birthday. Her family thinks she’s a weirdo.
- She’s joined two online book groups who share great titles with her and she insists on going to the library at least once a week to stay stocked in amazing reads (my top favorites here).
- She says good-bye permanently to certain gateway-foods like all chips, all fast food, and all morning pastries like donuts, bagels or those ginormous muffins at Starbucks. When she’s on the road and finds herself on empty she’ll stop at Taco Bell and order one bean burrito. al fresco style.
- When someone tells her, “life is too short. Live a little! Eat, eat!” She internally rolls her eyes thinking, you’re right: life is too short to be uncomfortable in my own body. I decide my weight, not our food-porn culture.
- She’s repelled by the idea of eating food “so it won’t go to waste.” She thinks, my stomach is not a trash can. (Sheesh.)
- She stays as educated as possible on the current body of knowledge re: nutrition.
- She rarely misses working out with weights because she knows bone density decreases after menopause, and stays committed to daily movement to keep her heart in shape too. (She wants to run around with her grand kids or someone else’s one day.)
I could go on, but you get the idea. When we mama bear our Smart Eating plan, we aggressively go after what we’re determined is ours.
Mama bears don’t hope someone won’t harm their cubs.
Mama bears are focused.
Mama bears are terrifying.
And nothing will stop a mama bear from protecting what matters most to her.
Mama bear the hell out of your Smart Eating dreams, and take your life from the occasional sparkler to a full-on fireworks show.
Happy August everyone!
As always let me know in the comments below what you’d love to see more of!
♥, Wendy
P.s. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!
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40 Comments
WOW! THIS ONE REALLY made an impact on me! That is totally the way I want to protect my weight loss – Mama Bears RULE!! You are an amazing inspiration Wendy – thank you a million times for this!
And Happy Monday!
Thank you Barbara. I wish everyone had such an amazing cheerleader — a Barbara — in their life.
I got put on a cholesterol lowering diet – I can eat all day but what I eat is where it kicks in. Lost a tonne of weight as a side effect. But dull, dull – all the lovely cheeses and curries are gone 🙁
What an awesome side effect though!
What a great post . Loved to read your tips and success story. Some super advice. I rarely eat chips, I never order them, I might steal one from my hubby,. I have trained my taste buds to prefer other foods. I would never thank you for a doughnut. As my grandson would say ‘YUCK’ I need to get those weights out. And love your sense of humour.
“Training taste buds” — awesome phrase.
Thank you for the nice words! 🙂
Wendy
I love this: “Would never thank me for a doughnut.”
I think most would agree with you. They’re happy — but really bummed — to be handed a doughnut.
Wendy
I am so glad to have found you on the inspire me monday link up.
Lauren, thank you!! ♥
I am not sure how I found you last week but THANK YOU! I am 59 and have not done what I should during this pandemic. My body is paying and I am miserable. Your blog is so informative and inspirational.
Amy!! Thank YOU! You have no idea how much that means to me. ♥♥♥
Wendy
I love these ideas. It’s a good reminder that we aren’t a trash can. SO TRUE!!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Loved reading this Wendy! I am a Mama Bear with my niece and my puppies, got that protective instinct!
I enjoyed the examples and I have to be a Mama Bear with a Gastroperesis diet. My mom would often say, ” oh, how many times do you really eat that or ” Live a little” when the reality is I have to stick to it or health problems ensue.
Have a wonderful week!
The social pressure to eat what we don’t want to eat is . . . interesting. I know Gastroperesis is not an easy thing.
And, yes, I wouldn’t want to get between you and those angels!!
Wendy
Really loved reading this Wendy! Its such a wonderful and useful info. Allurerage
Thetrendybride
Thank you Jennifer!
Wendy
I am definitely Mama Bear with my weight loss and retention of target weight! It’s taken me years to get to a place where I’ve sustained a loss for two years and know exactly how to do it, and how to not go off the rails. It means being very disciplined at family outings and dinners and holidays – no cake, no wine, no pudding — and being perceived perhaps as a bit of a party pooper. I only ever make exceptions if it’s something I’ve organized and am looking forward to (like a birthday dinner), and I’ll be offsetting the extra calories the following day. Thanks for linking!
Sing it! 🙂 ♥♥♥
Wendy
Oh, this is so great! I really need to Mama Bear my eating habits more. I”ve done a good job with mostly eliminating sugar, which was one of my goals. And, I do eat a lot of salads with a lot of vegetables. I still crave the savory things that aren’t good for me, though. I have an underactive thyroid and am now on Prednisone for inflammatory arthritis from Sjogren’s Syndrome (so I am a walking autoimmune specimen!) It’s been a discouraging cycle for the last few years. At 64, I’m really hoping to get some of this weight off, so that my future can be more healthy.
Oh, Pam. Autoimmune is not easy. I have a friend with Sjogren’s. And I know how tough Prednisone can be.
Are you the Pam with Sunny? That is one doll of a pup!!
Consider following me. I know the hurdles w/ Prednisone, but you can lose. Kisses to the Sun.
Wendy
Hi Wendy,
Yes, Sunny is mine! Thanks, she’s such a sweetheart. I’m following you now. Thanks for the Sunny love!
Sunny is a total doll. I’ve always wanted a yorkie. ♥♥♥
Wendy
This is a great article, Wendy! I am not much of a mama bear when it comes to my own health and weight. I’m more of an ostrich! In this post-menopausal phase of life I regret not taking better care of myself in earlier years. I look forward to reading more as I work to gain healthier habits.
Haha! Ostrich — good one. I ostrich my VISA bill!!
Wendy
Well done you! I’ve always been one not to say ‘boo to a goose’ but since having kids – the youngest it 24! I do my protecting bit when I have to – it just seemed to come from nowhere! Nice to post to read, thanks for adding to #Chicandstylish Jacqui xx
Thank you Jacqui! And I love your blog! Love the clothes you feature!
Wendy
The mama bear perspective on nutrition is really interesting – and could be applied to so many goals. Great post!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
YES!! I completely and totally agree! And I love that you said it. Btw, I love your blog.
Wendy
You so inspire me. This post was just what I needed to read today. My husband and I will be heading out on a two-week road trip at the end of the month and I’ve been giving some thought as to how to stick with my exercise and eating plans while we’re gone. Now I know that I need to bring my Mama Bear with me.
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
Thank you Rena! You inspire me!!
I’m so interested to hear about smart eating on the road trip. I’ve been a travel writer for the last 14 years, and I learned to eat on the road without gaining. Wouldn’t call it a snap, but it’s do-able. (I once got home from a cruise not having gained at all.)
Wendy
Now I am really inspired to amp up my Weight Watcher’s game! I totally let my vacations and other things derail my progress… Thanks so much for sharing with us at Encouraging Heart and Home. Pinned.
Thank you Joanne! Weight Watchers is such a great program. I still do their original points plan using the card things that gave out. My card things be at least ten year old. One is twenty years old.
Wendy
Great post – full of truths, and some I needed to be reminded of. Thanks for joining us at #PoCoLo
Thank you Stephanie!!
I love this analogy! Isn’t it funny how we can be so hyper focused on mama bear things like caring for and protecting our children, but when it comes to caring for and protecting our own bodies and health we lack the same amount of gusto? Good for you for maintaining that mama bear attitude in making the healthiest choices for yourself as well! We cannot care for our loved ones if we are not healthy ourselves. Thanks for sharing and linking with me!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Shelbee thank you so much! Couldn’t agree w/ you more. Taking care of ourselves IS taking care of our kids. Even if they’re adults! Ooo, good topic: I’ll put it in the 5 Pearl Friday post that I write. Thank you for the idea!
Wendy
That Mama Bear terminology is SO descriptive!
Thank you! We can all relate!
Wendy
Sice becoming a wheelchair user after suffering a stroke, I have put on quite a bit of weight, so this post is really interesting to read#alittlebitofeverything@_karendennis
Oh, Karen. I’m so sorry for what you’re dealing with. I have good friends who use rollators and one in a wheelchair. Another who has a miserable time balancing has a therapy dog who helps her to walk.
I’m going to reach out by email, if that’s a problem just let me know. ♥♥♥
Wendy
Wendy