Motivation Monday: How to Handle a Slip in Progress

Good morning! My husband and I have today off of work for Presidents' Day, so I slept in a little. I am cozy in my plushiest robe and enjoying some great hot coffee. Please know that this post will be primarily about my weight loss journey, which I know to be a sensitive topic for many people. Skip today if you think it will be frustrating to read.

Today--I was not surprised by this--I weighed in back up to 169 lbs. I say this was not a surprise, because last night, my husband and I enjoyed a beautiful, delicious, and decadent dinner for Valentine's Day. We enjoyed a bottle of wine, too. I did not even try to calculate the calories, but I am confident that I exceeded my daily budget... by several hundred at least.

Now, let me tell you as seriously as I can, that if this had happened one or two years ago, or probably even four months ago, I would be very defeated and likely give up on my whole project of losing weight. In February of 2020, I was about 155 lbs. In February 2019, I was probably 144 lbs. On either of those dates, if I knew I was flirting with 170 lbs (let alone where I began this current journey) I would have thrown in the towel.

I promise that I do not say this to denigrate anyone. But I do want to explain my state-of-mind when it comes to my weight and my size. Because of my former youth, my former activity levels, and genetics, for the vast majority of my life, I was pretty easily and naturally slim. And any increase in my weight was very distressing and made me think I was gross and that I might as well eat an entire package of Oreos and order a large pizza for myself. (Not exaggerating.)

Let's return to today, however. Today.... and I am not claiming to have conquered my demons.... today, I saw the scale increase and I thought 'oh, that makes sense, okay.' That was honestly it. No 'f--- all my efforts'; no 'I knew this wasn't going to work!'; no 'let's face it, losing weight in a pandemic is impossible!!' I really and truly said 'oh, that makes sense, okay.'

It made sense because I had eaten more than I ordinarily do, and because I paired it with several glasses of wine. And it's okay, because I don't have an intention to eat a very decadent dinner every night, nor do I intend to pair it with several glasses of wine every night. Also, the meal was very enjoyable. Today, I can return to my regular eating habits!

So, on the whole, when facing a slip in progress, if you can get to a mental point where you say 'oh well!' and just move on, I think that's probably for the best.

Speaking of that Delicious Dinner:

So last night, we ordered a take-and-bake dinner from a local restaurant. The dinner came with two appetizers, an entree and sides (we could each choose an entree; the sides came with both), and a dessert.

The appetizer was two deviled quails eggs along with a fried goat cheese and roasted beet dish. Each was packed with flavor, and so beautiful! Our presentation skills were not as good as they would been if we had eaten the meal in the restaurant, but still: very pretty.

Deviled quails eggs; fried goat cheese; roasted beets

For the entree, I selected a coffee and brandy glazed duck. It was accompanied by pureed purple sweet potatoes, white potatoes roasted in duck fat, and braised collards. I love, love, love duck. I order it almost every time I see it on a menu, so it is such a treat when I can find it. The sides were also divine. The greens were a bit of a dark horse: so full of flavor! And the purple sweet potatoes were just about the creamiest thing I've ever enjoyed.

Coffee and brandy glazed duck, potatoes roasted in duck fat,
pureed purple sweet potatoes, and braised collard greens

My husband ordered beef wellington for his entree. We each tried a bite of the other's. The beef was divine, but I am happy I ordered what I did :) My husband really loved the duck fat-roasted potatoes too! 

My husband's beef wellington at the top; my duck at the bottom. 

We so enjoyed our dinner. And the dessert was a honey custard tart that I forgot to take a photo of! But ooooh, it was so delicious. After dinner, we listened to music for a while and then watched Footloose! which I hadn't seen since high school. 

It was a very happy first married Valentine's Day!

Today's Delights:

• Last night's meal: so delicious.
• Watching Footloose!: so fun.
• Having a three-day weekend: so relaxing.
• Also, yesterday, I took Kendall Toole's 2/14/21 45-minute 2000's ride. I didn't realize it would be Valentine's Day themed, but it was so fun! 

Find something to delight in today, A