Gorgeous fruits and vegetables at the marché in Aix-en-Provence, April 2012
In response to my Jump Starts "preview" post a few weeks ago, an anonymous commenter made the following excellent point with regard to makeovers:
I think there is a difference in make-overs -- like in Sabrina -- that wasn't a make over so much as it was the physical, external evidence of a change in Sabrina's world. She had become more sophisticated -- it wasn't just a change in wardrobe -- her life changed, she became more confident, she expanded her worldview, and her style of dress reflected her experience and her new confidence. That's the type of 'make-over' that seems more authentic -- one that reveals the person inside, rather than the make over that is designed to costume the wearer, designed perhaps to suit their body, or to suit trends, rather than reflect who they are.This is one of the reasons I've become rather cynical about the concept of New Year's Resolutions; often they are coming from a place of what we feel we should do, rather than being an organic expression of inner growth. It's been my experience that changes only "stick" when they are in alignment with what's in our hearts. It can sometimes be tough to sort out our own voice and values from those of family, peers, media, and culture. When we are at cross purposes with ourselves, lasting change is almost impossible. And negative motivators (guilt, shame) rarely lead to the kind of long-term change that makes the effort worthwhile.
Change, even the kind of change that's a positive reflection of our inner selves takes effort, no doubt! And sometimes it requires some structure and establishment of new habits.
For some time now, I've felt that I didn't look or feel my best, that my inner and outer selves weren't in alignment, and have wanted to drop some weight. But for years I fought with myself, worrying that undertaking this effort (and acknowledging it) would somehow be a betrayal of my stance in support of self-acceptance and body diversity. It's taken a while, but I've made my peace; ultimately there's nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel our best whatever that is, and each of us must determine her own comfort level and priorities and act accordingly. When I listened to my heart, the answer (for me) was clear.
Since early November, I've been tracking my food consistently using the Weight Watchers system. I'm wary of any regime that's too restrictive, yet I function best with some structure and parameters. I'm down a few pounds, have a few more to go. While not effortless (this has required more meal planning and food prep), I've been surprised at how relatively easy it's been, even through the holidays. The WW system is set up to encourage more consumption of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, so I'm feeling well nourished, and am never famished. I've "automated" some of my meals (more on this in the next Jump Start installment) and I still enjoy a glass of wine most nights, and often a bit of dark chocolate. Even when I give myself a day off from tracking, I'm still more aware of what I'm eating. (I haven't been a binge eater for decades now, but can still sometimes go unconscious when there's a cheese plate in the room.)
An unexpected benefit has been the sense of order that having regular, planned meals has brought to my life. My eating prior to this had become a bit haphazard, and I'd often found myself skipping meals due to time constraints, or snacking from the vending machines at work. That bowl of oatmeal in the morning starts my day off in a less chaotic way. I find that I'm thinking about food almost not at all, outside of the planning/shopping process.
All of this has been a result, I believe, of getting out of my own way and acting in alignment with my beliefs and desires.
Have you found that you're able to make changes more easily at some times than others? Have you needed to let go of some ideas or beliefs in order to move forward? Have you made any changes that had other, unexpected benefits?
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