Working with Present Reality

[stephdray]

Yesterday I wrote about my 1 year anniversary on JUDDD. Today I want to expand about one of the things JUDDD has taught me. And that is to work with present reality. What does that mean? It means, accurately assessing how TODAY fits in with my weight loss goals.

Working with present reality means not waiting until Monday when I can do it perfectly. That is the future--today is today.

Working with present reality means not using a binge from yesterday to justify going off plan today. That was the past--today is today.

Working with present reality means stepping on the scale and recording what I see there, whether it's good bad or ugly. And realizing that it's only a measurement of how much I weigh. It's not a measure of me as a person, it's not even always a measure of how well I'm doing on the plan. It's just information that will help me assess how to proceed.

Working with present reality sometimes means acknowledging that the plan isn't going to work for me today; that I can't count calories, so I do the best I can. Or maybe it means that I have to adjust my schedule. Or maybe it means that I reach inside myself and find that today, my present reality is that I'm strong enough to fight any and all temptation. So I do it.

Working with present reality means paying very close attention to my body and how it behaves and what I can stand and what breaks me. It means acknowledging that I'm not going to be perfect. I will have bad days. I will have awesome days. When it comes to weight loss, I will be a super hero and a sniveling failure--sometimes in the same day.

And that's normal.

I bring up the word normal because Carly very kindly reminded me of my very first post on the JUDDD boards: Wanting to be Normal and Radical Changes.

Today I'm realizing just how much more normal I feel. Some milestones of how JUDDD and 42 pounds changed my life:

• I now fit into a clothing size that can be purchased outside of select speciality stores
• I no longer need a seatbelt extender when traveling on airplanes
• I no longer turn down dinner party invitations because I can't eat what the hostess is serving and don't want to be rude in asking her to make something else
• I no longer have to cook everything from scratch
• I can run up and down the stairs--I no longer have to take them one at a time
• My knees don't hurt anymore
• A greater variety of haircuts look cute on me
• I don't panic on road trips
• I can eat take-out and not panic about what I'll see on the scale
• I don't have to think about my diet 24/7 to see results (in fact, I think about it least on a Down Day)
• The whole world is available for me to enjoy, if not today, then tomorrow

I still have a long ways to go. I have a fridge full of 4th of July leftovers that will be enjoyed tomorrow and the next up day if they last. I don't feel any abnormal compunction to eat everything in the fridge as if I'll never have another hot dog or burger or slice of blueberry pie. Because I know I can have anything...like a normal person. I just have to space it out. JUDDD is about consistency, about tradeoffs, about evening the scales, and, as I said, about working with present reality.

And my present reality is pretty good.

How about yours?

[SlowSure]

Beautiful post. It works equally well for anyone recovering from a substantial injury or chronic illness.

Thank you.

[LoCarbGal]

Wow, that is a life-changing post. You are a wise woman. I mean that sincerely!

It's funny you said you feel more normal. I just posted that I finally feel more like a normal sized fat girl, and while some of that has to do with a scale number, very much of it has to do with the very things you listed in this post. It's so wonderful to feel that, and I'm so so glad you are feeling it too!

[KeirasMom]

I love every one of your bullet points. Fantastic post!

[Carly]

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
Did anyone ever tell you that you should be a writer...

[SlowSure]

I don't know if you're familiar with

Tim Minchin "Not Perfect"

- there are several performances on YouTube. It's rather haunting and lovely and very much in tune with the sentiments of this piece, particularly the section about living in his body. (During his London show, several women in the audience were sobbing during this section. Overall, it's humorous but very affecting.)

This is my body
And I live in it
It's [31 years and 6 months] old
It's changed a lot since it was new
It's done stuff it wasn't meant to do
I often try to fill it up with wine
And the weirdest thing about it is
I spend so much time hating it
But it never says a bad word about me

This is my body
And it's fine
It's where I spend the vast majority of my time
It's not perfect
But it's mine
It's not perfect...

This is my brain
And I live in it
It's made of love
And bad song lyrics
It's tucked away behind my eyes
Where all my [messed up] thoughts can hide
'Cos God forbid I hurt somebody
And the weirdest thing about a mind
Is that every answer that you find
Is the basis of a brand new cliché

This is my brain
And it's fine
It's where I spend the vast majority of my time
It's not perfect
But it's mine
It's not perfect
I'm not quite sure I've worked out how to work it
It's not perfect
But it's mine

[Librarygirl]

Good thoughts!

[arkie1]

Awesome post! Thanks for taking the time to let us share in your thoughts! They are meaningful to many of us!

Carole

[LiLi914]

Those bullet points were all fantastic. Great post and so happy that you've found so much clarity.

[Keta]

Alot of wonderful truths in your post, thanks for sharing.

I REALLY need to let this part sink in !

Originally Posted by stephdray

Working with present reality means stepping on the scale and recording what I see there, whether it's good bad or ugly. And realizing that it's only a measurement of how much I weigh. It's not a measure of me as a person, it's not even always a measure of how well I'm doing on the plan. It's just information that will help me assess how to proceed.

Congratulations on your one year anniversary!

Carla

[Seabreezes]

Wonderful post! Thanks for the great thoughts.....

[pooticus]

Great post!!! Love your writing!

[vanilla_latte]

Beautiful post, along with your anniversary post. I hope you're writing a book about your JUDDD journey!