Losing weight was always easy but keeping it off and maintaining the loss was the difficult part. It took me time to learn the secret to keeping off the weight. The first was learning to accept my emotions and allowing them instead of trying to stifle or suppress them. The second was learning that I cannot do it alone. We do not attain anything without help. While doing the work is on us, we need others to support, challenge and encourage us as we go.
Early on in my journey of learning to love myself and my life, I met my supporters. I met a group of women from all over the country on a NoBS Weight Loss Program facebook page. We were all working on losing weight and created an accountability group to support each other. All of us were in different stages of our journey. Some just starting and some at goal and maintaining. Our daily accountability was a tool to keep us on track.
Until this road trip, I had only met a couple of these women IRL (in real life). My husband could not understand having friends you talk to and share things with that you have never met. He thinks I am a bit nuts. Last year I flew to meet a few of my accountability partners. I told him I was flying to Illinois and meeting one of my accountability partners at the airport and then another was picking us up and we were staying at her house. Todd was not happy. I met another friend in Las Vegas for my birthday.
This past week Todd, Emily, and I met five of these ladies in Dayton. I cannot begin to express the joy I felt being with these ladies in person. We spent less than 48 hours together laughing, talking, and finding covered bridges (because I wanted to see some). If you saw us together you would think we have been friends for a lifetime. They also embraced Todd and Emily as family.
Emily has seen and heard them all on video and she was happy to be with them. At first, she was so excited that she got a bit overstimulated and had trouble regulating her emotions. After the first night, she was calm and happy. She acted like the princess she is with lots of moms watching out for her and smothering her with attention. I just love when people see, hear, and acknowledge Emily. These women not only have my back but my daughter’s too and that is everything.
Though our visit was short, it was sweet. I cried as we said our goodbyes yet I know we will see each other again. Until then we will continue to lift each other up. Support each other and encourage each other. We will call each other out on our BS and grow forward as we work on our goals. This is what accountability partners do and I am lucky to have some of the best.
Conversation for Change 