Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

        The definition of HABIT is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.  Last week I gave up my habit of "no carbs after 3pm". It was NOT hard for me. The practice was not for me. I think that all throughout life we are sorting through various ideas, practices and hobbies in the hopes that something will fit. We want it to become a habit that will lead to a good outcome. This week I explored habit.
           I re-read the WW Getting Started booklet from cover to cover looking for the motivation that I had when the weight was coming off. Anyone who joins Weight Watchers should read this booklet. It will move you one way or another. You will feel inspired to make all of the right moves or you'll shun it, skipping through it with indignant sarcasm and a bunch of "yeah rights". I have done both. When I started WW years ago I was obsessed with the booklet(s). Waiting anxiously for the next pamphlet to tell me what do next on my journey. I tracked. I negotiated with when and how to eat. I went to meetings. I was a good girl. Then I got stuck. I don't mean "oops" stuck.  I mean Tatum stuck in the garage door in the first Scream movie stuck. The killer got me. I dropped out ( and kept paying WW). The weight came back.
          Round two: I came back to WW and it took a while to find the right meeting for my schedule. It took several leaders too. I realized that NEGLECT was not a great habit. I kept going to meetings and reading the booklets. And then I found the habits that helped me lose weight and made them habits. That worked for a while even during situations when I did not think it would.
           The previous paragraphs lead to Zero Point Weight Watchers garden vegetable soup. I made myself a pot and froze a few single cup servings. I also kept the remainder in a larger container in the fridge. The point of this procedure was to see if having a cup of soup before most meals kept me from overeating the meal itself. It worked. I will not say I am totally cured but this particular HABIT became my friend. There were a few times that I forgot to have soup right before a meal but I think I had already conditioned my brain to not request more.
          Another habit I developed through the encouragement of my chiropractor ans well as a challenge with my WW homies was strength training. I don't want you to picture me in the gym lifting giant barbells over my head. Clutch my pearls no! Four days a week, I either work out in my chiropractor's office with weights ( only on appointment day) or workout independently. When working out alone, I make a few conditions for myself.
1) I try to do what I can. This means that if I can do only ten stomach crunches. Then that's what I do.I set those limits for myself.
2) I will keep my commitment to myself. I'm worth it.
             These two habits probably helped me drop 1.4lbs.
           Thanksgiving is coming as it comes this time every year. My way of coping with Thanksgiving is to give in to the free-for -all just short of finding yourself in a fetal position on your bed after. Eat the foods that you do not eat everyday. Enjoy dessert as though you're a judge on the Food Network. The next day, press the reset button. Make the leftovers work for you as you would your everyday food.
Mel's quote of the week
"Satisfaction doesn't come from indulgence. It comes from achievement".

Bobism of the week ( I have two)
   "Thanksgiving was invented by historical figures and now all these people are pushing food at me because of it. All those people who started Thanksgiving are dead. Why am I being punished by something that was created a long time ago?"
      " More Yoga, more Zumba, less sofa"