Cathrines Corner: 5 Ways I’m Practicing Self-Care

Name: Cathrine Shinn
Occupation: Educational Administrator
Meal Plan: Balance
Favorite Meal: Asian Meatballs.
Start-date: January 2016
Starting weight: 331
Current weight: 223
Height: 5’9”
Pounds Lost: 108
Activity Level: Active
When I get a craving, my go-to trick is: Drink water or herbal tea, chew gum.
My favorite app for tracking weight loss is: Lose It!

Editor’s note: Cathrine Shinn lost 100 pounds using Diet-to-Go, and has managed to maintain that weight loss for 2 years.* We regularly catch up with Cathrine to learn her tips and tricks for weight loss, healthy living and more!

For 10 years working 10-12 hours a day as a school administrator, Cathrine wasn’t very kind to herself.

“I did not consistently practice healthy self care,” Cathrine said. “My ‘self care’ often involved a reward of food or a day of lounging. That not only led to a significant weight gain, it caused me to be further isolated.”

Now, after losing more than 100 pounds and maintaining that weight loss for two years, as well as her own struggles with isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cathrine believes self-care is an important part of her overall health — and she definitely makes it a priority.

“With the winter weather, early darkness, care for my ill parents, and the social isolation of the pandemic, I was recently really struggling,” Cathrine said. “Now, things are great!

Cathrine shared 5 ways she’s practicing self-care, things you too can try to make sure you’re approaching your own weight loss goals* with an attitude of overall health (that’s how you’ll make your achievements last!).
 

1) Doing a 5-minute journal entry.

I’ve started using a 5-minute journal. It takes 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. Reflecting in writing is keeping me focused on the positive.
 

2) Reaching out to one friend a day.

I’m hard social distancing for the sake of my parents, but checking in with a different friend or family member each day helps me feel connected
 

3) Using a tracker to keep up with my fitness levels.

Exercise is essential to me, so I started wearing a fitness tracker and realized that I easily walk 15-20,000 steps a day, but was surprised to learn there were some hours that I didn’t even walk 250 steps. I now have a goal to walk a minimum of 250/hour for 12 hours a day.
 

4) Meditating via an app.

With all the stress in our world and my life, I found I was having difficulty managing anxiety and sleeping. I couldn’t turn my brain off at the end of the day. I found a meditation app that includes sleep stories. It is almost magical for getting me to sleep! (Find a full list of Diet-to-Go-recommended meditation apps here.)
 

5) Using a timer.

If I find I’m delaying a task, I’ve started setting a timer on my phone for 20 minutes and doing the task for that long. I find I often finish the task to completion, and it gets an item checked off my list. Looking at a long to-do list can be overwhelming, so this really helps me. It also solves my excuse that I “don’t have time.”

“Dealing with the stress and anxiety of daily life, especially during a pandemic, could easily send me back to bad habits,” Cathrine said. “Food is such an easy comfort, but it’s a temporary fix. I’m not always perfect, but the new practices I’ve put in place help.”

Cathrine also said she recently purchased a home and that she’s excited to add one of her favorite hobbies to her self-care list: gardening.

“I plan to do a lot of that!”

Ultimately, Catherine said the key to success begins with doing just that: starting.

“Even if it’s a small commitment, be accountable to yourself, and don’t dwell on the moments you’re not perfect!” she said.

Do you have a weight loss success story to share? Email us at [email protected] with “Success Story” in the subject line!
 
 

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.