In It To Win It, Dawg

I am pumping up and refocusing my energy on the mission.  It's really quite simple.

What does winning look like to me?

1. I take the time to think out what I want
2. I consider the path to get there.
3. I start on the path.  
4. I make choices throughout the day in line with the goals.
5. I keep myself from straying off the path.
6. I reach the goal.

Every single step is, in itself, a success, as it moves me forward.  Each step requires some action.

Without action, there is no hope of success. Thinking about it is pretty meaningless without getting up and doing it, right? Yet there are studies that show that people who think about their goals sometimes get the emotional rewards as if they had actually achieved the goasl.  I don't want that.  I want the achieve the actual goals! 

Let's put it into context:

1.  I have thought out what I want.  I want to be healthy.  I want to reignite the weight loss.  I want to physically complete the Warrior Dash.

2.  The path to get there requires eating less and moving more.  Expending more calories than I take in.  Eating healthy wholesome choices.  Getting enough sleep.  BEING CONSISTENT.  Being accountable.  BLOGGING.

3.  I started blogging again.  I went to the grocery store and got only healthy choices - fruits, veggies, coconut water (heard this is a good post-workout recovery beverage), chicken, salmon, milk.  Healthy, yummy, easy. I got on the scale, recorded my weight and set a goal.  I have stepped on the path,

4. All day I chose water instead of more coffee (I did have some, but not as much as usual).  I opted for no half and half at work.  At lunch, I walked a half mile for the heck of it.  I took the stairs instead of the elevator.  When offered brownies, I chose my goal over a temporary appeasement.  In other words, because I mapped out my goals and started down the path, I remembered to make choices in line with those goals!

5. I am too early in this rebound to speak to not straying off the path.  I will say, that accountability will be key.  My little sugar addict brain will want to sneak off in silence and darkness at some point to derail my plans.  At that point, I will have to not stray, and admit the desires so that they lose power.

6.  Winning never grows old, right?  Right.  

And I'm IN IT TO WIN IT!  

To Do List

As I prepare for my plunge back into seriousness tomorrow, I am putting together the "to do" list.  These are things that I want to do and will do as a result of my healthy choices.

I believe in affirmations.  I believe in writing out what you want, thinking it, believing it, and being aware each day of your ability to achieve it.

If I take time to write out what I want, I am going to have a chance of reaching it.  If I don't take the time to think it through, I will flop haplessly along. I have strayed from my vision and goals lately, and it shows in my results.

To wit: (who says "to wit?" ha...nerds and obnoxious dorks?)

• I will complete a 5K Warrior Dash September 22nd.
• I will go caving in an authentic, private cave that requires some physical effort (and deep breathing to overcome the claustrophobia!)
• I will go horseback riding in the mountains (I thought I was under the weight limit, but when checking it out, I am not.  I will do that next year.  No matter what.)
• I will touch my freaking toes.
• I will conquer the P90X Yoga X (until I lose more weight I just cannot physically get into some of those positions; there's too much "me" in the way.)
• I will reach my goal weight.
• I will have the skin removal surgery shortly thereafter.
• And I will remain physically active during this whole process....and into the future because this is who I am and how I roll.

There.  Black and white.  Laying the destination will help me focus with each choice on the best route to get there with the least amount of detours.

That concludes the easy part of the "To Do" list.  Now.....off to start doing it.

Just Do It Already

Somewhere along the line I stopped losing weight "my" way.  I tried it this way, and that way, and then after messing around a while, tried it someone else's way.  Then I ultimately ended up doing it no one's way.

Hence, I am sitting right now exactly where I was in JANUARY of this year.  I am mad at myself.  Frustrated.  Very, very frustrated.  Disappointed.  I could be at goal (or darn close) right now if I stayed the course from the beginning.

But I didn't.  Instead, I'm yo-yo-ing.  Up and down 5-10 pounds constantly. Ugh.

To keep things in balance, I have done an awful lot in my life during this time.  My entire life is upside down and different, from the house I live in, to the state I live in, the job I have, and the fact I am still struggling with grief after losing my mom.  I no longer have a gym.  I no longer have a personal trainer. I sold all my own equipment and no longer have my in-home gym.  Those aren't excuses.  They are my reality.

Also, when I was losing successfully, I was not putting pressure on myself.  Some people thrive under pressure.  I am not one of them in personal matters.  Slow and steady wins my race.  One next right choice, followed by another.  Deliberately thinking out the choices, honoring them, until they become second nature.  Once I start doing everything all at once differently, I lose the plot.  Well EVERYTHING in my life is different now.  And I have lost the plot.  

So I'm going to regroup and reestablish what works....for me.   Getting it out of my brain and in writing is a huge and very important step:

1. I am going to get my food weighed, measured and unsloppified.  (You like that word?)
2. I am going to work out first thing in the morning, no matter what.  When I was going to Gold's Gym to meet the personal trainer it was at 5 am.  That meant up at 4:15 - 4:30 and leaving the house at 4:45 a.m.  I did it and after a few days fell into a nice groove with it.  I was in bed at a decent time and felt well rested all the time.  This is CRITICAL to me...keeping a schedule.
3. Accountability.  I need some.  Right now I don't check in with any regularity and have no accountability.  So guess what?  You guys are now my new accountability.  Every day before I go to bed, at a very minimum, I am going to let you know how the day went.  

A group of folks at work are having a weight loss contest. I know, I know, I know.  Competitions have never worked for me.  I joined anyway and it starts next week.  It's a way to bond with my new coworkers, having fun with the smack talk and, most importantly, getting in the groove of talking about health and fitness with people.  I haven't really had that since moving here and I think it's important.

I know I can do this.  I have done it.  I just need to....just do it already!

:-)