Celebrating victories

My friend Mary is always talking about her victories. She has found that by looking at- and bragging on- her accomplishments that are attributable to this WOL she can always find motivation to stay positive and on target.

There are two types of victories we can celebrate: Scale Victories, and Non-Scale Victories. Scale Victories (SV) should be pretty self-explanatory. Non-Scale Victories (NSV) are basically anything positive that does not involve weighing yourself. That could be a loss of inches, looser fitting clothing, fitting into a smaller size, and even something as simple as resisting temptation or noticing a positive change in how you feel. We tend to dwell so much on that stupid number on the scale that a lot of times the other little things that tell us we're making progress and are healthier tend to be ignored. That's why it's important to celebrate those NSVs, especially if you've stalled or plateaued.

So today I'm going to celebrate one SV and several NSVs.

First the SV: I have lost 13 pounds in three weeks. That's no joke, so Woot! to me.

Now for the NSVs:

1. I have not cheated even once in three weeks.

2. I survived my step-dad's retirement bash. This was a four-day-weekend at my mom's that consisted of TWO parties, lots of booze, donuts, nachos, pizza, a full-on BBQ with all the fixins (yes, I said fixins. I'm Southern, y'all!), and my mom's famous home made banana pudding. I didn't even take a taste! My mother (Lord bless her soul!) painstakingly made sure she had a pantry full of keto-friendly foods- even going so far as to buy zero carb, sugar free BBQ sauce and make me plain, sugar free coleslaw so I could eat at the BBQ- to help me make it thorough the weekend. I ate nothing but keto-friendly food, made my own keto dessert so as to avoid the pudding, and limited myself to one drink of a single shot of vodka topped with some ICE cherry limeade (sugar free, zero carb as well). This is a MAJOR accomplishment for me, as food has always been comfort and I strongly associate family gatherings- and the feasts that inevitably accompany them- with the best times of my childhood.

Double WOOT!!

3. Three weeks ago I looked like this:

Today, I'm wearing the same outfit and I look like this:

Yes, the lighting in my bedroom sucks, my bathroom is dirty, and I didn't fix my hair today. But if you look at the belly area in those full-length photos, especially the lower pooch area, there is a good deal less. Plus, my pants are loose and this shirt, which three weeks ago was skin tight, fits well today with a little room to spare. 

So I've gone from "Holy Crap!" Fatness to a little less startlingly gross in three weeks time.

This is good motivation for me to stay on track.

Celebrate your victories, and expect more of mine to come.

;)