A year later.

Revelations and epiphanies are funny things: sometimes you have to be reminded that you had one.  Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote about a lightbulb moment I had experienced. I was tired of feeling self-conscious, and more importantly I was exhausted of the constant diet cycle.  Commit, fall off, recommit.  Over and over and over.  Not only is it unhealthy and unproductive, but it certainly was doing nothing for a girl-about-to-get-married's self esteem.  I decided at that time that I would not diet anymore, but instead find way to just live. Balanced, easy, sustainable.

Here was the list of rules I set:

• Drink water, coffee, and milk. At least two liters a day, more if a workout is planned.
• Eat lean protein, grass-fed if possible, and white meat is preferred.
• Fruits and veggies, and lots of them. The more colors and variety the better. Think ROYGBIV.
• Choose whole grains that are low in preservatives, not made with enriched flours, and do not contain corn syrup.
• Avoid pre-packaged and processed foods with more than 5 ingredients or unpronounceable chemicals. The more layers of packaging between you and the food, the less inclined you should be to get to it.  Better for you and the environment.  Win-win.
• Choose hormone-free or organic dairy. Watch fat content and additives.  Low-fat and no-fat are not always the most healthy or satisfying option.
• Pay attention to hunger signals, signs of fullness, and portion sizes. Satisfied = full. You can be full even if what you’re eating is delicious.
• Incorporate activity daily and do what you love. Don’t waste your precious free time doing something you hate to do.
• Meditate on weight loss and positive thinking every day.  Yes, there's an app for that.
• Save treats, take out, and splurges for the weekend whenever possible. Order with thought and eat with awareness. Eating out is not an excuse for binging.
• Weigh in no more than once per week and no less than once a month.
• A bad meal is not the end of the world. Keep going.
• Choose health. You are worth it. The long term goal is worth it.
• Reward every five-pound loss with an item or activity that promotes fitness and self-love.

It was refreshing and liberating and awesome.  I lost ten pounds for the wedding and felt great.  It's been a year since and I rejoined Weight Watchers to help give myself some more structure - plus I just like tracking my food and the WW community.   It hasn't been easy or perfect, by any means, and I'm still learning how to make those rules a reality.  They are easy to forget, sometimes.

Thankfully, I got a reminder from BeBe today. She had an epiphany of her own and it just brought it all back for me.  I guess it's that time of year for everyone.  Please go read her post in full, but this stood out for me particularly...

The satisfaction of real food is so much more than Diet food.  Everything in moderation. Eat a little less, move a little more.

So when those processed foods start creeping back into the grocery cart (I'm looking at you Blue Box) , I'm going to think of this. I still like my rules from a year ago and still think that they apply now, but of course there are still lessons to be learned.  I still very much believe that it's about balance and awareness.  Eat what you want, but make it worth it.  Be judicious and mindful.  And above all else, keep your goal in mind.  Cake might be worth it, but maybe your goal is worth more.  Whatever choice you make, own it. 

Live your life, do what you need to do, and enjoy it.