Welcome to winter, at least here in the Midwest.
I live in Iowa where we have already had several snow days as well as two days when the temperature never got above 5 degrees. I know, I should be used to it. But it still doesn’t make me very happy.
When the weather is cold and snowy, it makes me want to snuggle under a blanket and eat lots of cookies and candy bars. I grew up on a farm in South Dakota, and that was part of the way we coped with winter!
But I’m older and smarter now, so I drank a lot of hot tea and ate only a few snacks on those cold days. But the temptation was sure there.
Guest post for today
My new colleague, Libby Winkler, has done some wonderful writing about her weight-loss efforts and her use of GLP-1, a weight-loss medication.
She has generously agreed to letting me share this powerful article with all of you. I hope you find meaning and help from it.
Full Circle: Redefining Success After the Scale Stops Moving, Part 1
by Libby Winkler
When I first stepped on the scale after months of progress and saw the same number as last week—and the week before—my stomach dropped. The first thought was panic: Is this it? Did it stop working?
But then something quieter followed: I’d slept better that week. My clothes fit comfortably. I’d gone out to dinner with friends and ordered what felt right, not what felt “allowed.” The scale hadn’t moved—but my life had.
That was the moment it became clear to me: true success was not in losing more, but in finally mastering the art of living in the present.
When the Scale Stops Moving
Every GLP-1 journey eventually reaches this moment.
The “honeymoon phase” of rapid loss slows, your body adapts, and the visible changes taper off. It can feel anticlimactic, even scary—especially when that number has been your proof of progress for so long.
But here’s what’s really happening: your body has found homeostasis. You’re not broken, stalled, or failing. You’re stable. And that’s something worth celebrating.
What You Might Actually Be Feeling
• Frustration disguised as fear: “What if I can’t maintain this?” is the quiet worry that creeps in when the results pause.
• The ghost of old habits: Without the excitement of “what’s next,” old behaviors—snacking, skipping walks—can sneak back in.
• Body-image lag: You’ve changed on the outside, but your self-image may still be catching up.
• Conflicted pride: You know you’ve come far, but it’s hard to stop chasing “just five more pounds.”
• Peace… with an edge: Relief at feeling steady, tinged with anxiety that stability might mean “the end.”
The New Definition of Success
Success isn’t about motion anymore—it’s about maintenance with meaning.
• Sustainability over speed: You don’t need to keep losing; you need to keep living well.
• Quality over quantity: The goal isn’t less of you—it’s more of your life.
• Integration over obsession: When healthy habits stop feeling like chores and start feeling like everyday life, that’s absolute victory.
Think of this as moving from project mode to practice mode. You’ve built the foundation—now it’s about tending it, season by season
Note: Part 2 will be in my next blog post.