It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s my Trader Joe’s ensemble! Hey, it’s TJs or the library. Maybe the post office.
If you too require a shopping-gown, these Pearls are for you.
Happy Friday, Thrivers!
I am hearing from so many Thrivers that you’re scoring amazing results! Music to my ears.
On tough weeks especially — but always — your comments are a breath of fresh air. Thank you.
And thank you for reading The Inspired Eater!
I love these Pearls, I hope they speak to you too. ♥
Pearl One
At this point I’m pretty lame, but I’m determined to become a person who takes extreme ownership of her life as detailed in retired Navy SEAL “Jocko” Willink’s book of the same name.
There’s a reason I need to re-read Extreme Ownership on the regular. I’ve long had a scene play out in my head that one day I’ll be “discovered” in an ice cream shop just like actresses of old (no, I don’t act).
I know I’m not alone in harboring this eternal flame of hope. Who hasn’t wanted a quick uplevel to their life? We’d all love an overnight fix for our weight and overeating situation. I mean, we’re busy: we have high school reunions, upcoming beach trips, big job promotions on the horizon. Losing weight takes time. A genie with three magic wishes would be far more efficient.
But then one year I realized, I needed to give the genie or magic pill myth the heave-ho. Because at least for now, there isn’t a quick solution to losing and maintaining after 50. Maybe in the future an Elonaia Musk will invent a genie in a bottle, but for today it’s all up to us.
I Gave Myself a Good Talking To
This is what I told myself about letting go of the dream of being discovered in a malt shop. To me I said, let’s say we want color done by our stylist. The woman we’ve used for years wouldn’t “discover” us eating ice cream in a shop, run up and say, “I hate to interrupt, but I just know that I can give you the best highlights of your life. Here’s my number. Please call. Let’s talk further.”
Nobody will bust down our door and announce, “You’ve won a trip for two – everything included – to Italy for a month! All arrangements handled.”
No.
You and I both know the time consuming — sometimes exasperating — work involved in setting up flights, hotels, tours and the like.
A genie or a magic pill isn’t coming to our rescue. If we want to be lean after 50 – and this goes for the maintainers too – it’s paramount that we shift our mindset from flirting with the genie in a bottle/magic pill fantasy to one of being fully in charge and striving towards an extreme ownership lifestyle.
Easy? No. Doable? With the right mind shifts? Absolutely. ♥
Pearl Two
(Deep breath.) You’re the first to know. I’m writing a book. Guess how many books I’ve written? Zero. Guess how many people (like editors) are helping? Again zero.
But here’s what I’ve learned: you and I are smart. We may have gone through more challenges in life than seems fair. But we’re still standing. We’re still in the game.
You and I can figure out difficult things. We can ask Google questions, find a Facebook page on our topic filled with knowledgeable people, and find websites galore of people who want to help, and are further along the path than we are.
I’ve felt overwhelmed as I create this book, but I remind myself how powerful self-talk can be. So now I’m telling myself, it’s just like putting together a puzzle. One piece at a time. Start at “a” go to “b.”
Now, clearly we can’t learn German by Googling, but we can Google to find the best German school or tutor in our area. We might even find a podcast that teaches German or a neighbor who grew up in Germany willing to have coffee with us once a month (locate on Next Door).
Okay, here’s the working title. Travel Weight: Prepare for Take Off!
By Christmas I’ll be at “z.”
I’d love to hear about your challenge — and how you’re puzzle-piecing it together today. ♥
Pearl Three
Our July topic is habits: how to develop an amazing habit, how to dump an annoying one.
Today let’s look at eliminating triggers. This topic is huge for me. I dealt with so many triggers as I lost, and plenty still today.
Friends and family can be our trigger. I ate huge entertainment-meals with certain friends and one in particular. In fact it started to feel weird when she’d order a full meal while I had a small bowl of veggies. Awkward.
Routines can trigger us. Early on Saturday mornings, we run our shepherd at the dog park. One time – one time – we stopped at a fancy bakery, and The Scarfer was nice enough to bring an éclair for me back to the car. Isn’t that sweet? Yeah, every Saturday since my mind thinks automatically about the éclair. That’s how fast negative habits can be established.
Scary.
Of course we’ve long known that days of the week, time of day, a particular holiday — or all of the holidays — can trigger us.
Even roads or certain parts of town can trigger. I drive down this road and I think ice cream. That road and it’s a burrito at Taco Bell.
If we’re being triggered – and all beings get triggered, dogs practically invented the trigger – our work becomes changing the cue. Don’t drive down those roads, consider what your friendships can (and can’t) tolerate, take another route to the dog park.
And if you don’t know your triggers and cues? Journal, journal, and journal. Because — no joke — your mind knows everything about you. Your job is to get it down on paper. ♥
Pearl Four
Our food talk section. I rate this veggie combo roasted in the oven with five-thumbs up!!
First
Set your oven for 400 degrees.
Then
Cut into bites:
Three or four small red potatoes. (Or eight or nine, whatever you think.)
Do the same with broccoli.
Again with a handful of petite carrots.
And a bell pepper.
Mix
Put the veggie bites in a large mixing bowl.
- Add a tsp. (or more) of good olive oil.
- Finally sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- With a big spoon, mix and mix and mix the veggies.
- Then pour the veggies onto a cookie sheet covered in foil.
- Roast for 20 minutes. When you pull the veggies out, taste one to see if it’s roasted enough for you.
One time, I over roasted. The veggies were still delish, but I’ve read that over cooking veggies can rob them of nutrition.
After some research I also learned that covering the veggies gives us a steamed veggie, but leaving them uncovered in the oven gives them time to roast creating a caramelizing effect. Tasty.
I eat a bowl of roasted veggies at 6 p.m. as my tiny dinner, but add brown rice and a protein and you have one heck of a meal.
Let me know what you think! ♥
Pearl Five
In a wide variety of human activity, achievement is not possible without discomfort.” – Alex Hutchinson ♥
Have a wonderful mid-July! And let’s get sweaty this weekend. I’m planning some great walks.
♥, Wendy
P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the 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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26 Comments
Another milestone: I shopped in the SMALL clothing section this week! Bought two dresses at my favorite consignment store and a shirt at my favorite department store. All size S. I’ve never done that before! Looking forward to reading your book!
So cool. Size S is a milestone. Totally agree! (And same here, I never had before either.)
I hope you won’t leave the site — maintaining can actually be fun I’m finding!
Congratulations again!!
Wendy
YAY!!!! I am SO happy you are officially writing that book!!!!!! My begging paid off! Put me down for the first copy please.
C, I had no idea how overwhelming a book can be.
I hope you’re doing well!!
Wendy
A book! That’s so exciting!!! I will buy it, for sure. Thanks for the reminder to roast some veggies. I’ve been wanting to do that. I’ve been in a “just microwave some zucchini” rut. It is good, though.
Hi Pam!
I’m so glad you’re here! I have an entirely new respect for authors. Writing a book is overwhelming. I used to always steam veggies, roasting is so much tastier! 🙂
Wendy
Definitely love those roasted veggies. And I think we have to be ruthlessly focused on the goal if we’re going to lose weight after 50.
You said it!! 🙂
Wendy
Great news you’re writing a book. I love the pearls and your words are so inspiring. Thanks for linking- good to see you back!
Thank you Gail! I didn’t mean to leave. I try to only link-up if my photo “matches” your link page. I’m trying to keep your page looking uniform.
But I like being back!
Wendy
This is a beautiful set of pearls…
Thank you Jan!
Wendy
I love your pearls of hard-earned wisdom. So glad to learn you’re writing a book!
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
A wonderful compliment. Thank you!
Wendy
I love your proposed title for a book Travel Weight – Prepare for take Off. Good luck with writing and editing. Thanks for linking with #pocolo
Thank you Ms. Chicken!
W.
How interesting, thanks so much for joining my linkup my friend. Jacqui x
And thank you for your beautiful blog!
W.
Your pearls are so helpful. This one really speaks to me: We can be responsible for ourselves; we don’t have to wait for that genie.
I couldn’t agree more. It was huge in my life to give up the idea of being rescued.
Thanks for reading and writing, Lisa!
W.
Lovely to know you are writing a book.
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
I’m attempting it!
Thank you, Lovely!
W.
Based on your inspirational posts, your book is destined to be a winner!
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
And I love your hair. . . I mean, your blog too!! Thank you about the book. I have a whole new respect for authors. Thank you for reading Rena!
W.
So cool that you’ll be writing a book! Can’t wait to read more about this! Thanks for linking!
Thanks Lucy! I have a whole new respect for authors!!
I loved seeing the Greece pics and hearing the story!
W.