One Big Lofty Goal

One day you decide-I am going to do this...I am going to tackle this struggle and it is going to start today!  So you tell yourself...NO sweets, NO fast food, and I will work out EVERY day.

More than likely after a day or two of this you say-Forget this...Give me some girl scout cookies...STAT!  I am heading to the grocery store to grab a box from that cute innocent girl right now!!

I am all about the instant gratification and wanting things now!  I so badly want to blink my eyes and have certain projects in my house completed but know full well it will be a weekend by weekend job to get to the final product!

Same goes for you-forget the big number you want to lose and focus on the steps you need to complete to get there.  Sure-both seem daunting...50 pounds or 20 things i need to remember to not do every day so I then do right thing-they both are not fun and make you uncomfortable.

• a light beer instead of the full IPA when it comes to march madness 
• a salad with dressing on the side and asking them to not put the cheese on as well
• working out 4 times in a week...and each time being just a little bit longer
• trying a new recipe that is made up of mostly veggies and protein
• drinking 60 oz of water a day
• not hitting the drive through to get that breakfast sandwich and coffee on the way to work
• taking the dog for a walk instead of just letting him out into the yard
• parking farther from the entrance to work so you have to walk a bit more
• taking the stairs in the office
• signing up for your first 5k
• setting your kids up with a meal then heading down to the treadmill for a quick run
• saying no thank you to seconds
• walking with your family after dinner for everyone to be together and move that food around
• WEIGHING your food...using the measuring cups for more than flour and sugar
• logging your food even when you know it's been bad
• forgiving yourself when you have fallen and let others help you back up

I can keep going with this list but I think you get the picture.  It's hard.  If it was easy everyone would be a picture of health but we aren't.  I still struggle every day with the choices I make and try my best to stay on the right path.  I fall over to the dark side every once in a blue moon but remind myself that you will feel better when you stay focused.  Whatever that quick little temptation was is truly not worth it.  Back in my Weight Watchers days...our leader would always say...Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.  Forget the thin part of this sentence but realize that the taste is temporary...the strength and pride is much longer lasting.  

Reward yourself for the small victories and try not to over emphasize the big lofty goal.  The reward can be a new recipe of a yummy chocolate chip cookie pie or it can be a pedicure or a hitting a bucket of balls at the golf range.  Forget needing to lose 50 pounds and focus on those first five.  Once you get yourself into a rhythm you will continue down the right path-success will just come your way.  It's hard but it gets easier, and it's not impossible.

11/2013 - 2 months prior to my journey beginning

Came across this picture today when chatting with Blanche and Rose...you forget what you were sometimes...as we only ever share the good pics...G3 looked cute...me not so much!!  I think it is good to hold onto things like this to remind you of what you were and you can see how far you have come.  I still have a pair of pants in my closet that I don't 100% fit into...those are tried on occasion to see how things are shifting and moving.  I try not to focus on the numbers all the time but also on how I feel as me.  Change can be a great thing...remember...if nothing changes...then nothing changes!!

Embrace the suck....choose you TODAY!