What a gorgeous day it is! I feel like I should go outside and have a Julia Andrews "The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music" moment. Twirl around and sing my lungs out. But it might scare the neighbors. So I won't. But it is really sunny and gorgeous out there!

Ok, so, time for some honesty. I have lost 35 pounds now. My friends, family, and acquaintances are starting to say things like, "You did such a great job getting your weight down!" and "You look great." When I say something about needing to lose another 20 pounds, they protest immediately and say, "No way! You look perfect right now! You don't need to lose any more!"

There is a part of me that wants so badly to believe them. My lazy-over-eating side wants to say, "Oh I don't? I look great now? Well! If everyone says so, I'll just settle into this weight then. After all, I throw on a pair of Spanks and I look like I'm a size 12. Pass the macaroni salad please!"

Then my newly trained THM brain takes over. Here is what my internal THM dialog sounds like:

• You need to just say "thank you" and say nothing about losing more. It invites the very polite responses, and it messes with your head.
• You are more than half way to your goal. 
• You are too close to give up now.
• This is NOT like all the other diets you've tried. This is a life style change. A long term commitment. 
• Giving up after eating off plan for one meal is like slashing three other tires because one is flat. 
• This is a marathon, not a sprint. You have come so far already, but think of crossing the finish line and it will keep you going.
• Your kids are seeing your healthy choices. Your kids are copying your healthy choices.
• Bacon. You can eat Bacon. Bacon makes you leap out of bed like a gazelle in the morning!
• Others are only seeing what I present to them. They cannot see the scales, or my BMI, or what I see when I step out of the shower. (Again, no need to scare people off!) 
• I want to be at a weight that I feel confident and healthy. I want to model that kind of body image and confidence to my daughter who will be into that soon enough. (8 years old)
• This. Works.

So friends... that was some brutal honestly for you! Some of you are doing amazing. You are 100% on plan and losing like crazy. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and keep it up! But some of you are stalled, or losing motivation, or finding that your head space is contaminated with negative internal dialog. To those ladies I ask: Are you ready to be brutally honest with yourself? What is it that you are not wanting to admit to yourself? What is holding you back from being 100% successful on this plan? If you can admit it, you can change it! 

So stick around! The next 20 pounds are comin' off! 

Your THM buddy,

Stacie