Non-Scale Victories vs. The Numbers

My life is getting exciting! Yes, I have lapsed from blogging and yes......that usually means that the bottom has fallen out of my life or especially on this blog.....it means that my newest "lifestyle change" has completely derailed. This time though, it means just the opposite. This time my absence is two fold. First of all, for the last week or so, my router has been messing up and my computer access was gone, but even before that, I had fallen off the blogs because I had fallen head first into life. That's right......I am LIVING!

So what has brought about all the excitement and this LIVING stuff? Okay.....I have to say it....TRIM HEALTHY MAMA!!!! Yes, I know. I tried really hard not to talk about the whole THM thing, but what can I say? It is actually changing me. I feel better than I have felt since before I got pregnant with my son David....dare I say.....15 years ago. I have energy! I have motivation.....and I am not ashamed to look at myself in the mirror anymore!!!!! I even took a "selfie" of a makeover (makeup makeover that is) that I had last night....AND I shared it on Facebook! If you know me at all.....you know that is huge in Lisaland! I also put on a pair of jeans yesterday, totally thinking they would not fit.......and they did. Last time I had them on was in September and even trying to button them caused my muffin top to spill over and caused me to feel anything but attractive. Yesterday though, they fit nicely and buttoned with ease. I was beyond happy. I could even wear them and sit down for a meal and not feel as if I was going to bust out of them. It was glorious. These things were my first major NSV (non-scale victories) since making these changes and they have motivated me like I have never been motivated before. Feeling good, clothes fitting, never being hungry and wanting to do something other than be sitting on my butt attached to the computer.....those are really BIG wins in my world.

If you are a numbers person though, and many of us are, then you believe that the numbers are the big determiner of success in weight loss. Well, true. While numbers don't tell the complete story, they do have merit and my numbers are agreeing with all my NSV's. Since starting this program 11 weeks ago, I have lost about 11" and 11 pounds. It is slow but steady and successful loss. And on a little side note, there has been a bit of a worry in my head about whether I was kidding myself on this program. I mean after all, I am eating butter, cooking with coconut oil and having the occasional full-on, full-fat cream in my diet, not to mention cream cheese, ranch dressing and lots and lots of delicious food. Was this the "cookie diet" all over again? Yeah....don't ask! So 11 weeks ago I took my blood pressure. It was 130/91. It wasn't horrible if I was in the process of bringing it down, but if my lifestyle was going to cause it to climb, then I might be heading into dangerous waters. I was going to give THM a chance though. Today I took it and my BP was.....................107/77!!!! Now THAT is a pretty number and it gives me even more incentive to keep going.

I have much more weight to take off and yes, the holidays are just around the corner. How is this going to work? The same way it did through my son's birthday and Candyfest 2014, better known as Halloween. If I fall off and have a piece of cake or eat 42 pieces of licorice (approximately), then in three hours, I jump right back on THM and forgive myself.

I have already decided that Thanksgiving day and Christmas Day will be cheat days. I plan on fixing all my regular fair with the addition of a couple of new and wonderful THM dishes. Then, at the end of the day as my kids walk out the door, they will be taking leftovers home with them and I will be back on track. It is as simple as that. One day will not derail me, however in the past, the guilt and resulting giving up from that guilt, did. This year, cheating is built-in to my lifestyle, and so is jumping right back on track after the cheat. Funny thing too, after eating on THM for a period of time, when you do have a cheat day, your body craves getting back on track and therefore, that makes it a hundred times easier to stay on track.

Okay, so there you have it. Whether I am looking at my NSV or going by the numbers, the fact is......this change is working! It is working in ways I never dreamed possible and it is making me a better parent, a better cook and a much happier person in the process. For more information on THM, contact me here or on fb. Happy Thursday everyone....now I gotta run!!!!!!