JustForToday
11-20-2011, 02:13 PM
The term plateau is bandied about in FAA as a negative state. Plateaus are seen as a holding pattern that a person can’t seem to get beyond. If you think about the meaning of the word, it’s really about a relatively stable period or level. How you perceive a plateau, just like how you perceive any situation, will determine if it becomes stressful or not.
In FAA we hear about plateaus mostly when it comes to weight loss. If you are losing anywhere from 20-100 pounds, you body may have a period where it stalls for a bit as you begin to release weight. If you’re focused only on the numbers, you may be excited when they drop and then feel like you’re doing something wrong if they stall.
Instead, I encourage newcomers to forget about the numbers and forget about plateaus. Sometimes our bodies know best and we have to give them time to adjust to our new plan of sound nutrition.
TIPS for Responding to Plateaus:
1. Take an inventory of how you feel. Tune into your body and your moods. Notice all of the benefits you are experiencing from inside, rather than simply focusing on the outside.
2. Focus on Building New Habits. If your goal is only about losing 50 pounds, you may miss the opportunity to focus on creating a lifestyle that supports your abstinence for a lifetime. Trust that your abstinence will allow you to reach your goals.
3. Accept that sometimes, there are bumps in the road…and adjust. This may just be the time to pick up the other tools, especially working the Steps with a sponsor. Emotional abstinence is just as important as physical and leads one closer to your Higher Power.
4. Never forget to look at the Big Picture. The real goal is freedom from the ravages of food addiction. As long as I work on my recovery on a daily basis and ask my Higher Power for help to abstain, then those moments when I’m feeling like I’m on a plateau is temporary. As Annie says, tomorrow the sun will come out…
…Judi
In FAA we hear about plateaus mostly when it comes to weight loss. If you are losing anywhere from 20-100 pounds, you body may have a period where it stalls for a bit as you begin to release weight. If you’re focused only on the numbers, you may be excited when they drop and then feel like you’re doing something wrong if they stall.
Instead, I encourage newcomers to forget about the numbers and forget about plateaus. Sometimes our bodies know best and we have to give them time to adjust to our new plan of sound nutrition.
TIPS for Responding to Plateaus:
1. Take an inventory of how you feel. Tune into your body and your moods. Notice all of the benefits you are experiencing from inside, rather than simply focusing on the outside.
2. Focus on Building New Habits. If your goal is only about losing 50 pounds, you may miss the opportunity to focus on creating a lifestyle that supports your abstinence for a lifetime. Trust that your abstinence will allow you to reach your goals.
3. Accept that sometimes, there are bumps in the road…and adjust. This may just be the time to pick up the other tools, especially working the Steps with a sponsor. Emotional abstinence is just as important as physical and leads one closer to your Higher Power.
4. Never forget to look at the Big Picture. The real goal is freedom from the ravages of food addiction. As long as I work on my recovery on a daily basis and ask my Higher Power for help to abstain, then those moments when I’m feeling like I’m on a plateau is temporary. As Annie says, tomorrow the sun will come out…
…Judi