The Most Important Step

If someone asked you what the most important step is when achieving a goal, what would you say? I think that most people's default answer would be the first one. That's when you gear up and decide to make a change, right? Or maybe a few would answer the last one, since that's when you actually achieve your goal. Hold that thought for a few minutes and consider your own response.

So as at least some of you know, I have a chronic illness and some physical health conditions that make it very difficult for me to exercise regularly. Nutrisystem recommends that we all get 30 minutes of activity daily, and that's built into our calorie allotment already (but you do not remove food if you don't exercise- make sure you know that!).

I try to go for a walk at least three times a week if I can, but over the last few weeks it's been difficult to do even that. Today, I woke up and had a little more energy, but it's nearly 30 degrees outside plus humidity- not exactly the best weather for a walk. Then I couldn't find my running shoes. But, I was determined to go out today.

And I did! It wasn't easy and I was exhausted when I made it back home, but every step felt like a tiny victory.

Making that first step to lose weight isn't easy. All of us can let a few pounds creep on over time, but if you've gotten seriously overweight there is nearly always some kind of emotional complication that is making it harder for us to get started at getting healthier. So if you've made that decision to start your weight loss journey, be proud of yourself; don't wait for that last step to decide you should be happy with your accomplishments.

Am I in that camp of thinking the first step is the most important? No. It doesn't matter if you are walking up a gentle slope or if you're starting to climb Mount Everest, if you only take one step and then stop, you will never get anywhere. The first step is a great start- but the most important step? It's always the next one.

Weight loss isn't a finite journey, where we make the decision once and then it's over. If that was true, people would never regain the weight. And with the five year statistics for weight loss at a dismal 5% of dieters actually keeping the weight off, it's important to remember that this choice to get our bodies healthy is a choice we are going to have to make every single day, every single meal. Not that we still can't mindfully enjoy ourselves, but always keeping that ultimate goal in mind so getting right back on the plan after our deviations.

Don't expect yourself to suddenly hate all your old favourite fattening foods, or to jump off that couch and immediately run a marathon. The pounds won't melt off that quickly either, if you're losing weight in a healthy way. But be proud of yourself for every little accomplishment along the way. My walk today is nothing compared to some people's exercise routines; I couldn't jog or run, and I was only out for half an hour. But that's 30 minutes of exercise I wouldn't have had otherwise.

So far today I have walked 5,183 steps, and I'm proud of every single one of them. But the most important step? Always the next one. Keep going- you got this!