We all go a little south more often than we want to admit.
Pearl One
Somewhere within our fad-diet loving culture we accepted the notion that our response to challenges should unfold in a linear style.
We’re so accustomed to our world being somewhat A + B = C. We start college as freshman and finish as seniors (hopefully). The December holidays follow Thanksgiving that follows Halloween (in the U.S.).
And that’s how we want our Smart Eating Lifestyle too. Perfect, pristine, and linear.
Except it’s not. Having maintained a 55-pound loss for 16 years, I can assure you that I’ve found losing and maintaining to be more like a pretty kitchen that needs to be sprayed down occasionally with the garden hose if one doesn’t stay “on top of things.”
Life on the Smart Eating Path is like a child finger-painting: messy. Does she have her apron on? Is there a drop cloth underneath her for miles in all directions, and — quick! — the water for the brushes is about to be knocked over! (Oh, well. Better luck grabbing it next time.)
That’s the logical fallacy of those of us living the Smart Eating Lifestyle™ assuming that “the successful losers and maintainers” are either perfect, or beat themselves up when something in the plan goes awry (otherwise called “feeling ashamed”).
I can tell you — beyond a shadow of a doubt — that I did not shame myself into a healthy weight. As I lost, I did not beat myself up.
Because why?
It won’t actually help anything and “something going wrong in the plan” is part of our lifestyle.
Going “left” instead of “right”, and making a u-ee is what our world is now about. So you ate “off-plan” for a day or more? I just tell myself exactly what I told my German shepherd when he was still begging for treats — all done!! — and I encourage you to try the words too. ♥
Pearl Two
Find the gems in your day-to-day. Remember Christina Hendrix on Mad Men and Good Girls? Well, I happened to see a comment she made and I thought it was genius: she keeps kettlebell weights around her house to use whenever she has a spare moment. “I keep [them] right next to the bed, so I can run my bathwater, do a set, and then do something else, and then come back and do another set,” she told Everyday Health.
Keeping weights throughout the home? Brilliant. That’s how I keep the Smart Eating Lifestyle dynamic, I’m open to fabulous tips coming from any place, from anyone, from anywhere. I’d love it if you’d share an amazing tip you recently learned — about anything — in the comments below! ♥
Pearl Three
We keep this slot for a new topic each month. I’ve written about this wonderful idea recently, but it’s multifaceted; looking at it from new angles can bring great insight.
Stacking.
I caught myself last night thinking of a very hard moment when I really – I mean, really – screwed up. And then I thought of another, and another, and another. At that, I realized, I’m stacking negative memories and then repeating them to myself on a loop.
Years ago I read that humans hold onto negative memories because it’s a key survival instinct to immediately recall which rock formation held the cave bear.
So, I consciously push back on the tendency to be negative by saying to myself, cathedral, cathedral, cathedral and I’m back in the present. I use “cathedral” because of a trip to Savannah, in which we stayed near the jaw-dropper.
But there’s no magic to the word “cathedral.” So when you’re in the negative-zone, begin to create the habit of saying one meaningful word or statement to yourself that will whisk you back to the present, and our much — much — better plan of stacking the positives. ♥
Pearl Four
Food. I recently jumped on the air fryer train. The best I’d heard is that they give food a crunchy outer layer.
So, broccoli, sweet potatoes, onion. Let’s do this!
Before buying I knew that an air fryer is essentially a convection oven (which we didn’t have).
So I Googled and got answers that told me to set the air fryer at too high of a temp and too long of a duration. I burned bowls of diced sweet potatoes, and a thing of broccoli.
My review: If you know what I’m doing wrong, send help! The Scarfer’s review: “no brainer” because frozen French fries appear for his mouth that much quicker.
(Sigh.) ♥
Pearl Five
People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar ♥
I’ve been asked if I could include something like Buy me a Coffee on the Inspired Eater. So if you feel up to sending a coffee, I am a devotee. You’ll find the coffee “button” to your right. And, as always, thank you so much for reading the Inspired Eater. ♥♥♥
And if you have any smart eating conundrums in November or December, feel free to write to me: Wendy@theInspiredEater.com. If a problem is bothering you, it’s bugging someone else too, no doubt.
Have a beautiful early November everyone!
♥, 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). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. 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!
You know the scoop: I am an Amazon affiliate so if you buy something through a link at this site, I may receive a small commission that won’t impact your price at all.
15 Comments
Along the kettlebell idea, I try to remember to do some squats or counter-top push ups while waiting for the microwave. Also, for those of us who don’t want to afford the air-fryer, (or might have way too many kitchen appliances) if you already have a toaster-oven, remember it is an oven! I have baked bread in mine. You can also do small batches of french fries, roasted veggies, etc. I love, love, love your newsletter. You really do inspire!
Marie,
I think of you everyday now when I’m doing the counter-top push ups.
So. is an air fryer really just a small toaster oven?
Your sweet words mean so much. Thank you.
Wendy
Oops, I didn’t mean to say that an air fryer is just a small toaster oven. Plus I’m sure the toaster oven takes longer to cook things than the air fryer does. But, it’s what I have and it works for me. (Usually, I just microwave.) Keep on keepin’ on!
Oh, I didn’t take it the wrong way at all! I’m finally getting the hang of it. I’ve been air frying veggies that I put with brown rice.
I love my microwave too!!
Wendy
I LOVE the idea of keeping weights in strategic places! Thanks – again – for all your brilliant ideas, and encouragement! Going to definitely buy you a coffee!! 🙂
Remember Janice on Cheers? I’m using her nasally voice:
O.M.G.
Thank you so much Barbara. I look forward to sending you coffee too! 🙂
Wendy
Another winner of a post, Wendy! I think if I could give my younger self some wisdom, it would be that perfection is not required to accomplish most if not all things in life. I could have saved myself a lot of self flagellation.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
https://funkyfashionstyle.com
Thank you Michelle! And kisses to your pup. He is vewy cute!
Wendy
Hi Wendy!
Happy Saturday! I loved the metaphor of those glossy magazine photos of the perfect bedroom! I do wonder who lives there! My husband would say, They aren’t lived in! So true, there has to be some messiness! I also love the “catherdral” example” and trying to get back to more positive feelings. I could certainly choose a word lately, dealing with this nerve condition. I do choose to go forward and make tiny strides
Enjoyed reading your post!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Happy Sunday, Jess!
Chronic illness is rough. Especially if it arrives at our (young) age.
I still say that you have the best two meds on the planet. ♥♥♥
Wendy
Pingback: Share Your Style #368 – French Ethereal
Wendy, I love the little pearls of wisdom you’ve shared in your post here for keeping going with weigh loss. Life is hard. I think, okay, I’m back down to right around 150 lbs. and now here are the holidays… With sugar bombs EVERYWHERE…
The loop thing is real! I learned to say, “STOP! I’m not going to think about that anymore.” Or not think about something until tomorrow, and that’s what I teach kids at school. Bad thoughts always come in the middle of the night, too.
Anyway, I was happy to feature your post at last week’s Share Your Style #368 for you! I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving and I will see you later. 🙂
Big holiday hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thank you Barb! I’m having a hard time w/ my word press, because I’m just now seeing your message. I love French Ethereal and follow you! Beautiful blog!
Stick with me, we’ll keep you at 150. That’s my whole thing: to live at the weight you’re comfortable at rather than succumb to our food-on-steroids culture.
Thank you for writing!
Wendy
I like the idea of using a word to stop negative thoughts. It’s so easy to get in a spiral! Thank you for being a part of Hearth and Soul.
Thank you for writing April! The one-word idea is from a type of therapy called NLP. It’s good stuff!
Wendy