Thought/Ramble of the Day: Scary Stuff

[Guest guest]

Hi all:

I was just reading an article about non-food rewards for weight loss on

about.com. Most of it was what I expected and even things that I've done:

pedicures, getting a new book, etc. BUT... there was one 'reward' that really

struck a cord with me. One reader commented that she had a considerable amount

of weight to lose and that she marked her goals at 10 pound increments. 20

pounds into her progress, she decided to 'do something scary' as a reward. At

every 10 pound increment, she decided that she would do something that she was

scared/apprehensive about before her loss. One example that she gave was joining

a special interest group that had long held her interested but had never joined

out of fear of other members' reactions to her weight. She joined and says she

loves the group.

Wow. I had to really admire this lady. What a profound way to reward yourself.

I've caught myself not doing things, seeing people, going places because I'm

self-conscious about my weight. I hate to admit this, but this happens to me a

lot. I have fallen into a comfort zone that just isn't a good/healthy place for

me to be. I've stopped doing thing that scare me, things outside of my comfort

zone. I avoid flying on airplanes whenever possible. Who want to be the fat lady

that people have to wedge in next to? I didn't take a writing class I was

interested in last fall because I knew the desks in the classroom were all tiny.

I recently lost a job that I have held for the 7 years since I graduated from

college. This destroyed a major part of my comfort zone. I've been mulling this

over for the past few weeks and all I can say is it was the best thing that

could have ever happened to me. I'm currently in negotiations with a company

owned by a friend of mine. (It isn't written in stone just yet... but we're

getting there.) This is in a completely different part of the country and I'll

be moving from the Midwest to the Orlando area. There is a part of me that is

petrified, but I really have to say that I am happier now than I have been in

years. I am experiencing joy for the first time in ages. I hadn't realized what

a stressful and negative environment I was in until I left it. And I hadn't

realized what an effect it had on my self-image.

So now I am embarking on a new chapter in my life. While the events that started

all this were outside of my control, I've decided to take the ball and run with

it. I've started to realize that if I don't move out of my comfort zone on a

regular basis, I will not grow, change or truly improve myself. I'm going to

start keeping a running list of all the things that I want to accomplish, no

matter how small or how big or how scary they might seem. I want to take some

cooking and pottery classes. I want to learn a foreign language... or two or

three! I want to learn how to waterski. I want to wear normal sized clothes and

love how I look in them. I want to flirt with a stranger on the Eiffel Tower. I

want to take my dog on brisk 3 mile walks without getting winded. I want to be

my niece's Cool Aunt , the aunt she always wants to visit on vacation. I

want to contribute.

What things scare all of you? What have you stopped yourself from doing because

of your weight? What goals have you set for yourselves?

[Guest guest]

It was great!

Thank you for sharing!

I think this lady who rewarded herself in this manner will be able to

maintain it bc it's SO tangible in her lifestyle and self image.

I want to think about your questions and get back to you on it as I want to

be able to make it stick and this is the best way I've heard yet:

So, tomorrow I imagine, I'll write back with

What things scare all of you? What have you stopped yourself from doing

because of your weight? What goals have you set for yourselves?