Total Wellness Transformation: Hank's Journey - A New Way Of Thinking

The Diary Of A 50lb Weight Loss Journey

Hey Everyone, it's Hank.

I've been making positive changes and enjoying the benefits. It's no secret that eating healthy, regular exercise and getting enough rest not only makes you feel better, but facilitates weight loss. Duh! But along with those changes, I've noticed another important change: a shift in my thinking.

For example, when meeting friends for dinner this week, I found it much easier to make healthy choices. While everyone was ordering ginormous burgers with all the fixings and mounds of fries, I opted for some tasty chicken skewers and a salad. We still had great conversation and a ton of laughs, but I didn't feel like I was depriving myself of anything.

Did their food look good? Sure. But my thinking has changed and now I weigh the short-term gratification of such indulgence against the long-term outcome. I know that if I went that route, I would be that much further from my goal. It would be a setback and why would I do that to myself?

Eating out can sometimes be a problem and instead of exploring healthier options, it's easy to just "cave to the crave" and make excuses to overindulge. "They didn't have anything healthy on the menu." "It's a burger joint - they don't have salads." "French fries are vegetables."

I've discovered that if you don't see anything on the menu that keeps you on a healthy eating track, get creative. Make modifications. Make substitutions that make sense and make it healthier. If necessary, ask for what you want or need and they should be happy to accommodate you. Getting you a single grilled chicken breast with some balsamic vinegar on the side should not be a challenge to any professional chef. But you have to ask.

With Thanksgiving coming up, this new thinking will come in handy. I'm not going to get crazy. Some lean turkey, fresh cranberry relish, steamed green beans. Will I sample the mashed potatoes or mac and cheese? Yeah, I know I'll have a taste, but not enough to derail me. Suddenly, those crescent rolls and gravy and pumpkin pie aren't so appealing. Especially when I think of how I'll be paying for it later.

Again, I don't feel deprived, and I am not saying that the occasional reward treat is out of the question. The difference is, now I stop and think about it before making the choice - and that helps keep me on track.

Consistency pays off, as evidenced by the fact that I am down another 2.6 lbs! That's cool. Even cooler is that I just hit a total of 25 lbs lost since September - I'm giving thanks for that and for the support and encouragement from Carl and the Team Beachbody Coaches! The journey continues...

Until next time,
Hank