FertilehealthyAiming for success, not perfection…

It’s been four months – the longest I’ve ever been on the wagon.  And I’m nowhere near getting off this wagon!  I love the view from here and the results are very pleasing indeed.  I don’t think I’ve ever felt this good before.

There are ten reasons why I am successful this time.  Please note that I said “successful”, not “perfect”.

1.  Making a transition.

Previously I’d go cold-turkey, balls-to-the-wall, 180° about face.  And while the results were spectacular, I could never maintain it.  This time around I started slowly and got better with time.  The results may take longer to become visible, but that is only because I can’t see what’s happening on a cellular level.

I realized that I had 39 years of bad habits and conditioning to break and overcome.  This will take time.  I have the rest of my life.

I’ve actually gone further than I ever thought I would – I was counting on being about 75-80% raw, but from here on I am going with 95+%.   I never thought in the beginning that I’d be comfortable with that.  So, a transition may take you much further than you anticipated!

2.   Adjusting my focus

What am I trying to achieve at this stage of my life?  Healing my body and becoming fertile.  Losing my excess fat.  Becoming fit and strong.  Lessening my impact on the planet.  Taking my passion and compassion to the dinner table and every area of my life.  Living true to my beliefs and ideals.

For two years I’ve been measuring my success, or lack thereof, by the number on the scale.  I have been so intent on weight loss, that I’ve neglected the other aspects of this lifestyle change.   I won’t be doing that anymore.  There will be no more weekly weigh-ins.  I will post monthly pictures of myself, I will share my weight loss milestones and I will update the HYC icon in the sidebar, but the focus of this blog will be on healthy living, with (hopefully) a good dose of inspiration thrown in.

3.   Understanding and listening to my body

My body needs certain things to function optimally, while other things interfere with my body’s processes and cause both short-term and long-term damage.   In the past it’s been subjected to too much of the latter and very little of the former.  There is a great deal of damage, but a lot of it can be repaired and healed.   I have learned from the raw food community that limiting my food intake at this stage of the game is counter-productive.   To heal and reverse the damage my body needs vast amounts of the things that help it to function optimally.  This is no time to deprive it!   Once the body is working better, weight loss and all kinds of other good things will ensue.

4.  Setting attainable goals

Many people go about this the wrong way.  They have a wedding or a reunion coming up so they decide to lose 20 pounds before then.  That’s not an attainable goal.  In fact, that’s not even a goal at all.  It’s just a wished for outcome.  I have learned that goals should be things we can control.  I can control what I eat and when, how much I exercise, my water intake and what time I go to bed.  But I can’t control how much weight I lose.  Our bodies are not machines, they are fearfully and wonderfully made organisms that we will never fully fathom or beat into submission with science. Goals and outcomes are not the same.  Sticking with our goals will, however, bring us closer to the desired outcome.

At this stage my goals are to cement my good, healthy eating habits even further, walk every day and start proper strength training.  And grow my own herbs and sprouts.

5.  Hanging out with like-minded people

That would be YOU!  No matter how you’re going about it, I admire that you care enough about yourself to effect changes in your life.  I am learning so much from my readers and the blogs I visit and the support is invaluable.

Of course that also means that I’m spending less time with people who are not sympathetic to my goals and new lifestyle.   The ones who really love me are still here, because they know that our friendship is not about food and drink.

6.  Stop doing what hurts

I learned that phrase from Karen and it just says it all.

Gluten gives me a painful, itchy and ultimately scabby rash.  When I consume dairy my nose becomes blocked and I get diarrhea.  Sulfur dioxide, found in most processed food as well as wine and some dried fruits, gives me hives and causes my throat to close.  Meat slows down my digestion to the extent that it feels as if I have a brick in my stomach.  Sugar and flour-products cause cravings that I have yet to learn to control.  Alcohol makes me less discerning.  Caffeine makes me sweat, causes my heart to race a mile a minute and keeps me awake until the early morning hours.  Sodium makes my hands swell up and slows down the elimination of toxins by making me retain water.

Why would I call these things treats?  Why would I do this to myself?

7.  Ditching the guilt

Of course nobody is perfect and I make mistakes.  Previously I used to feel guilty and really beat myself up.  I’d punish myself by being 100% the next day.  How silly!  First of all, being 100% is not supposed to be a punishment!

I have come to realize that, because the “cheat” foods make me feel so bad physically following such a blow-out, guilt and punishment are the last things I need.  Instead I need to support my body in the best way possible to get rid of the toxins.  That invariably means lots of water, lots of greens, fresh juices, smoothies and simple foods.  Ironically it’s exactly the same as the “punishment” would have been, but the intent is very different.  It’s about feeling better, not worse.

Learning this has been a huge breakthrough for me.

8.  Limiting my exposure to corrupting influences

Nine months ago we unplugged our TV from the decoder and the aerial.  It was one of the best decisions we ever made!  We watch movies a few times a week, but the rest of the time we spend talking, laughing, reading, sitting outside (weather permitting) and enjoying life.  But the best part about it is that we are not subjected to TV adverts.  We don’t buy magazines and only rarely listen to the radio in the car, so our exposure to marketing of fast food, processed food, candy, drugs, beverages, etc is really limited.  And honestly, most often it’s a question of “out of sight, out of mind”.

When I go to the grocery store, I don’t walk down the aisles that I don’t need anything from, which means that I only visit about 15% of the store!  And yes, I never go shopping on an empty stomach!

9.  Planning for success

I always have fruit on my counter.  I’d rather buy too much and freeze some than not have anything at hand.   I make huge salads in the evening and eat the left-overs the next day.  I make appointments and schedule errands, and even workouts, around my meal times.  I’m giving myself every opportunity to do this right.  I know you can’t plan for every eventuality, but on a day to day basis, planning pays off.

10.  Loving and accepting myself right now

I am a complex, multi-dimensional woman, who have turned 40 years of achievements, mistakes, successes, failures, inertia, chaos, lack and excess, joy and heartache into something valuable, beautiful and worthy.  I am excited about my present, as well as my future!

Like the Voortrekkers and pioneers of old I’m setting forth into unknown territory with my wagon, in search of a new life.  For now this wagon is my home!