Shrinking Goddess

I hope you're all having a wonderful, merry, fun Christmas! *

This year has been full of challenges for me, as I know it has likewise been for many of you. And yet, we're all still here. And we're still low-carbing the holidays!

We usually have some old friends returning around the start of a new year, which I love. Although I have to be honest: my heart aches for many of you who seem to come back frustrated and disgusted.

I know people are prone to self-critisism when they feel like they knew better" than to slide backward. Everyone who has ever experienced much success losing weight tells themselves passionately they will never let themselves get to that place again; and yet, it happens.

I have two words of advice for you if you fit into this camp: Stop it! Stop beating yourself up, and stop figuring how long you'd have been at goal if you'd have stayed on the straight and narrow. Stop complaining and stop feeling bad.

Stop saying, "No." "No, I can't eat that. No, I can't seem to lose weight again. No, I don't know why I ever strayed. No, I don't know how I'm gonna do this."

Say "Yes" instead. "Yes, I feel better when I'm eating well. Yes, I can figure out ways to make food I love that's also good for me. Yes, I can find ways to integrate healthy habits into my life. Yes, I can do this!"

While you're at it, you might want to check out our articles on "Refocusing." Because if your health and weight is not where you'd like it, you can refocus. Put your attention on things that makeyou feel better.

What I advocate isn't a blank check to make consistently poor choices: instead, unwrap your experiences to find the gift of self-knowledge. Now you know what led up to your detour, you have the Mapquest to a different destination. That IS a real gift.

And if you don't find yourself in that place, good for you! Maybe you'd be kind enough to share some success with the rest of us. Let others hitchhike and help celebrate your journey.

But no matter where you find yourself in the LC scheme of things, I hope today, you find yourself surrounding by loving, happy energy.

Now go out there and have yourself a good day...

MERRY CHRTRISTMAS, LCE!

*Insert preferred Seasonal Greeting here. I'm more interested in the wishes behind the greeting than the form.