Celebrate!!!

A few weeks ago, we talked about celebrating our successes.  It is an important part of the process to recognize all that we do as we journey along.  Make a list of your successes....

1. I joined Weight Watchers Feb. 2010
2. I have lost nearly 30 pounds
3. I have learned and tried healthy alternatives
4. I eat less
5. My clothes are too big
6. My shoe size changed--yes it really did.  
7. I have continued to stick with this new lifestyle

Did you celebrate it?  Ummm....errrmmm....*shuffles feet*  No.  Well why not?  Do you know I honestly can say, I don't know.  I didn't think of it?  We celebrate our childrens successes.  Why not celebrate our own.  How does a nice manicure sound?  Ooh sounds good.  How about a bouquet of flowers...nothing fancy now.  I know what it's like.  Believe me.  I am talking about the grocery store finds.  They are pretty reasonable.  And really quite beautiful.  Why not!  How about a new pair of earrings from Wally?  Again...I am not talking fancy--that can come later--just one of those $5 jobs.  We earned it.  Try not to reward with food.  Be creative.  Give yourself a dollar for every pound you lose.  If I had done that, I could buy the new jeans I now need! 

List your behavior changes:

1. I no longer buy candy (Hershey Mini's) buy the gallon when I go to Wally
2. If I buy ice cream, it is fat free(Breyer's Smooth and Dreamy!)
3. I use carrots like crazy.  They save me
4. I move more than I did...I am not saying I exercise because I don't. 
5. drinking more water
6. Getting my healthy oils in

So what if you drew a mountain, and put on it the path to your goal.  How far would would you have come?  I tried this exercise.

Remedial though it may be, you can see where I started, and how I am doing.  Remember to celebrate your successes and your behavior changes.  Don't try to scale the mountain.  There is a path. 

Now I would like to put my dear sis on the spot.  She, my mother and I all joined Weight Watchers together.  We've all lost about the same amount of weight, and we all have different amounts to lose.  Interestingly enough, we are about the same for weight loss totals to date.  We are a great support for one another.  Anyway, my sister showed me a picture of herself holding up a dress she used to wear.  I was floored by the difference.  I asked her if I could share it, and she said yes.

Now that is a success worth celebrating!  You go sis of mine!!!

What are ways you celebrate your successes?