Putting the "I" back in weIght loss?

The last two weeks have been tough for me food wise... well exercise wise also. I know part of it is that I am letting stress rule my behaviours and actions rather than my level "know better" head. I am a HUGE emotional eater. I knew this before I started this journey but I don't really think I knew just how bad I was until I started gaining this weight back again.

There is a really good challenge that popped up a couple of days ago(on spark)... It's called the mind over body challenge- So... I am going to give it a whirl. It's starts out talking about the difference between diet and lifestyle change...


DIET

*The goal is self-limiting.When you get to your goal weight, you stop the diet.

* It's a surface change. It involves simple changes in behaviors you are already doing (or not doing). You take in fewer calories from food and (maybe) expend more calories on activity. Foods are "good" or "bad" based on calorie content.

* Progress and success are measured by the scale.
Anything that results in weight loss is considered acceptable, even if it poses potential problems or risks. Failure to lose weight as fast as desired is very upsetting, and the process feels like a constant battle. High stress is constant.

*Results don't last.Even if you manage to stick with all the unpleasantness of a diet long enough to reach your weight goal, your odds of keeping it off permanently are less than one in twenty.

LIFESTYLE CHANGE

*The goal is open-ended.Weight management becomes part of your daily life, with strategies that vary as circumstances, priorities, and needs change.
*Lifestyle changes are made on many levels. In addition to healthy changes in your relationship with food and exercise, you will challenge the basic attitudes, beliefs, thoughts and feelings that made you overweight (and unhappy) to begin with.

*Progress and success are measured in terms of satisfaction & quality of life.
Weight loss and maintenance continue to be important, but are put in perspective as one way you can move towards larger, more rewarding goals. Daily ups and downs become much less stressful.

*Results are lasting.Your lifestyle change is an open-ended, ongoing process with goals that continue to expand and grow. There is no reason to go back to the habits that got you overweight in the first place.

I was in a position of lifestyle change but I am back in diet mode right now.
I am not making changes because I want a healthier lasting lifestyle. I am making changes because I want to lose weight. THAT IS THE WRONG ATTITUDE!!!!

Sure weightloss is the end goal but it's not the means to an end. Does that make sense? If I want the happy ending I have to have the attitude to support the change. If I only focus on what the end is and not how I am going to get there... I LOSE. I cheat myself out of a lasting healthy relationship about food and nutrition and only continue to fuel the cycle of failure.


Here is the link in case you missed it earlier this week.

 www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=690&page=4

Reading this information made me realize a few things...

Only "I" can make these changes happen. Only "I" have the power to make it happen. Only "I:" have the opportunity to turn failure into success again.

That is both and incredible thought... and a scary thought at the same time. It's time to start putting the "I" back into weight loss and make this happen again!