Realizations...

So let's be honest- we all know why I haven't been writing much lately. Yes, life has gotten in the way, yes I was on vacation, and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. But the truth really is that I've just been struggling with staying on track.

I didn't understand what happened- I mean, look at how far I've come. Why couldn't I just go back to following my program? I know exactly what to do and how to eat, but just couldn't seem to do it.

Then, it finally hit me. It's never going to be easy. I'm never magically going to stop wanting to eat fancy cheeses, rich desserts, and French bread. I'm never going to want to pass up sleeping in so that I can exercise. It's just not the way I am. Every day, I am going to have to choose what I want and live with those choices. I know it sounds stupid and obvious- but it was very freeing for some reason. I no longer feel like I've let myself down; I know that I just need to figure out what I want.

So, what DO I want? I am now 15 pounds over my low weight, and my clothes aren't fitting right anymore, so unless I want to walk around naked or buy new clothes, I have to do something about it.

I woke up today and felt like I was finally ready to get back on track. I may not have loved my body at those 15lbs lighter, but I felt a lot better about how I looked then, and it'll only get better from there.

So I have some specific, quantifiable goals for myself. I read that if your goals are too vague (like, exercise more), you can't really achieve them. So here is what I am going to track each week along with my weight loss:

1) Eat at least 3 servings a day of vegetables

We all know how important veggies are for our bodies, but especially in the winter when they get expensive, sometimes I just don't buy them. I am going to ensure I keep easy veggies in the house along with plain Greek yogurt to make a quick veggies and dip for an afternoon snack, and also keep a variety of different veggies to make side dishes with lunch and dinner.

2) Exercise a minimum of three times a week

Ideally, I'd like to get started on the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Slimdown that I wrote about months ago but never did. Next week I'm working the 6:30am shift though, so not sure I can really bring myself to do it and I don't want to set myself up for failure since that is an every day plan. I'll revisit this one after my morning shift ends.

3) Start tracking my calories, carbs, fat, and protein again on Sparkpeople

This really helps me work out a balanced diet and make sure I am getting enough of the nutrients that my body needs (and not too much!).


I hope all of you have been doing better than I have! If you've been struggling like I have, I hope this helps you find the incentive to recommit to your program and achieve success. Feel free to post your mini goals here as well!