Happy Friday Lighter Siders!

Well, well, well. It's been quite the week here.

My husband and I are coming to the end of an extended quarantine period. Good news: we're both feeling better. Better news: our marriage is still intact ;) I love him dearly, but he hates being away from work and I know he was going crazy. I do also have a better appreciation for what he deals with daily. I got to listen in on endless meetings as he worked from home.

I discovered that COVID wasn't as much a physical issue as it was a mental one. Keep reading for more details about that in a post I wrote for the blog.

My health journey is just as much a mental and emotional one as it is the work towards a physical transformation. And, this week, I got a reality check about that.

I was diagnosed with depression about 18 years ago (had it much longer than that). More and more, I see the connection between my mental health and my physical health and healthy habits.

We're going to talk more about that in the coming weeks. We already talk about some challenging subjects when it comes to obesity--why not throw mental health into the mix, especially when they are so tied together for so many and for myself?

For years, I felt alone and, in what I can only define as temporary insanity, believed all my problems had to be solved by myself. It's like a vicious cycle. I'd isolate myself because I HAD to fix myself. But, I constantly felt alone and forgotten because I built up walls.

Crazy, right?

This week was a harsh reminder of that cycle. Fortunately, because I've reached out for help in various ways in recent years, I'm starting to recognize that cycle a lot sooner than I used to.

But, I still need a lot of work.

So, if you're feeling alone and on that merry-go-round, let me encourage you.

I see you.

I have an understanding of where you are inside your head.

That is your mean voice talking to you.

Let's shout them down together!

Ready to lean in? Let's go!

Weekly Weigh-In Update

I'm a human yo-yo.

That's what I feel like and that's what happens when I step away from accountability due to brain overload.

So, I clearly need to make some "tweaks" to my daily habits. For the next few weeks, I'm going to commit to the following.

1. Pre-tracking my day as much as possible. When I have a plan, I find that my mindless eating is less. I'm not exactly sure what the connection is, but it's there.
2. Step on the scale every day. Accountability is necessary right now as I pull myself up off the ground
3. Keep up with my other 3 habits: tracking everything I eat, 100 oz of water, and 30 min of activity.

I know if I do these things, I'll start to see some small, consistent changes in the right direction. At least that's what I'm telling myself ;)

Starting weight (7/7/17): 385 lbs.

Current weight: 281.5

Total lost: 103.5 lbs

Have a favorite recipe? Share it with me!

I've been on a real kick of trying new recipes lately. If you have a go-to recipe that you'd like to share, drop me an email at [email protected]. I'd love to cook it in my kitchen and share it in the newsletter!