The Daily Diary of a Winning Loser

Today, I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained abstinent from refined sugar, I exceeded my daily minimum 64oz water goal,

Propellerads

Thursday, 29 January 2015

Home » » January 29th, 2015 The Banquet Experience

January 29th, 2015 The Banquet Experience

By No comments
January 29th, 2015 The Banquet Experience

I knew today would be tricky. My time management skills would be tested with little room for error. My dining out skills would be tested, too--and this time without a menu to select from--everyone at the banquet tonight was served the same thing. But more on the banquet in a moment.

I had two appointments in the middle of my workday, one for a haircut at 1pm and an updated fitting for a formal jacket at 2pm. Both of these things were good experiences. The haircut, simply because I really needed a trim...and the fitting, because, well-- I needed a new fitting because of the weight loss.

At my lowest previous weight, I wore a 46 long jacket. When I arrived at the formal wear place, I predicted a 48 long was needed. And I was spot on. I predicted it, they grabbed it-- I tried it on and it needed absolutely zero adjustments. I had many events to attend during the relapse and regain period of my journey and many trips to the outfitter. Going in to get another bigger size was always an opportunity for me to be so incredibly and unnecessarily cruel to myself. Those bigger sizes became proof positive that I was slipping in a most dramatic way. Putting on that 48 long today was almost an emotional moment because it was a reminder of how incredibly blessed I've been during this turnaround period.

I feel like I've been given a second chance; a "do-over" along this road. I thank God for the opportunity. I know some don't get this chance. I'm grateful, immensely grateful. And I'm paying close attention to and studying the lessons learned--the ones I pray I never forget as long as I live.

I was the designated driver for some friends and colleagues this evening. It started early, at 4pm for the pre-banquet reception. While they attended the reception, I made it to the YMCA for my workout. This is where the time management came into play. It was the only time I had to get the workout in today.

I finished the workout and raced home with about 25 minutes to shower and change for the evening's chamber of commerce banquet.

Earlier in the day, I asked two different people about the dinner. These were people I thought would surely know, and they didn't. I knew one thing for sure: Everyone would be served the same thing, so there wouldn't be the flexibility of navigating a menu. I shared the challenge with my fellow weight loss support group members and a couple of text support buddies. Sharing the challenge made me even more determined to take control and make it a success. I'm telling you--the power of support, it works!

I made my way into the banquet without knowing the menu. Before I took my seat, I set out on a mission to find the chef responsible for cooking everything. I found chef Danny Perkins in the back of the venue. I introduced myself and started asking questions. The most important question: Aside from the obvious desserts, do any of the entree items contain refined white sugar? The answer was "No, absolutely not." Perfect! I asked about the menu and he proudly showed me the food to be served. Beef (a cube style steak-meant to be covered in a sauce or gravy) and a small chicken breast, sauteed veggies and baby size potatoes. I noticed a large pan of what appeared to be the gravy. I asked if that's what it was. Danny called it a sauce. He had a real fancy name for it, adding "It's really, really bad for you, but it's sooooo good." I asked if my plate could skip the sauce--and of course, that was totally doable. Then I asked about portion sizes. He gave me all the information I needed for each item.

I sent a text to two different support buddies describing this interaction with the chef. The replies: "Excellent- now you can focus on enjoying the event." And "Good deal. You matter."

This kind of effort might seem over-the-top to some, but for me, it's a very small effort to exert in exchange for my peace of mind. After the experiences of relapse and regain, not to mention all of the years I spent near, at or above 500 pounds, I now take my recovery too serious to simply leave it all to chance. Had I not taken this approach and just said, hey--it's one meal, one night--don't sweat it...the psychological damage could have rippled far beyond tonight. I know me. I know how my brain works. I needed to take control of my choices tonight and that's exactly what I did. Believe me, the positive effects of this personal empowerment was well worth the minimal effort to make it happen.

A couple of current photos were snapped at the event, too! One sitting and one standing, full body-profile.
photo photo2058_zpsumrvvi8p.jpg

photo photo2060_zpsgt5jlewr.jpg
Two different people suggested I didn't need to lose anymore weight. It reminded me of my late grandmother, who, during the last fifty pounds or so of my initial weight loss, would tell me: "Don't you lose another pound!" It's intended as a compliment and I take it as such and say thank you. But I assure you, my 6'3" frame has a way of "hiding the fat" when dressed well. I'm 35 pounds away from my previous goal of 230--and I'm not necessarily aiming for a number this time, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to once again seeing 230 on the scale someday in the near future. Trust me--I have 35 more pounds of fat to lose. Excess skin? I don't even know what that adds and I'm not even concerned with the loose skin issue right now, especially not from a cosmetic sense.

It's ridiculously late. I must be on the air at 6am. Hopefully I can finish up early tomorrow and get home for a much needed nap. I'm pretty sure a good nap will be 100% necessary.



























Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
Share:  Facebook Twitter Google+

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Propellerads