When do you KNOW it's working?

I frown at the scale quite often, a little wrinkle in my brow. It sometimes makes me so angry that this little flat box has so much control in my life. Up one, down three. Down five, up two. Down seven, up six. It's so frustrating sometimes. So what keeps my motivation going? Why don't I just give up and quit? Well, to be honest, it's moments like what happened to me this weekend.

We spent July 3rd with my husband's family at Lake Amon Carter (that's in Bowie, TX for those of you that aren't in the cool crowd). Emily spent the day splashing in the water with her cousins, Garrett popping firecrackers, Ronnie and I on the water. And then there was Jacob. Jake, 2, is a runner. He likes to run. He also likes to run AWAY. As Ronnie and I were trying to get aboard our Hobie 16 catamaran, Jake decided to take off running into the next lake lot, where (to my embarrassment and dismay) an elderly couple were enjoying some "quiet time". I chased him around our lake lot, to the next, around it, and back through ours before finally catching up with him, where I picked him up and firmly deposited him into his grandmother's waiting lap. Getting on the boast, I realized something profound.

One year ago, I would not have been able to do that. I would have gotten tired, had a cramp, SOMETHING. For SOME reason, I would not have been able to go after my son.

It was a great feeling.

So, the scale hasn't changed that much in the last year. My clothes haven't either, for that matter. But I am aware now of the fact that I must be doing SOMETHING right! Those little baby steps are adding up one by one.

So I'm gonna keep on keepin' on.

Being a loser feels great!

I have a love-hate relationship with the scale. I go down a pound or two, I LOVE it. Go up or stay the same, I LOATHE it. I have to make sure that I keep the positive relationship going with my scale because, lets face it, it's not the SCALE'S fault I messed up. 

I really paid attention to my eating this week. I stayed, on average, around 2000 calories a day. It doesn't sound like much to some people, but I weigh 290 - oops, sorry, that's 289 now! That's a LOT of extra weight, and it's going to take baby steps in order to lose it. The 2000 calories is the first baby step for me. The second is drinking water. I haven't quite gotten up to 8 cups yet, but I'm doing better. My third step, which will start next week, will be weighing and measuring my food. I have a scale and a wonderful set of measuring cups for just that purpose. 

I am proud of what I've accomplished. Yes, it's only a pound. But that one pound is HUGE in my book!

Taking Baby Steps

After months and months of saying we were going to, Ronnie and I have finally started walking together.  We went to the local park, let the six-year-old loose on the playground, stuck the toddler in his stroller and started walking the track.  The track is .16 mile.  About six times around the track is a mile.  I only made it four times around on Tuesday.  I was so disappointed in myself.  Of course, I know that for an almost 300-lb woman (I can't believe I just told the world that) that's really nothing to sniff at, but I know I can do better.  I know I can make that mile.  That is my goal today.  To walk an entire mile on that track.  That's six times around.

That leads me to another point. It's important to make goals. When we don't, we have nothing to strive for.  And without that, what's the point?  We need to set goals every day to be successful.  A goal might be to walk for 15 minutes or to drink four glasses of water instead of two.  Even to incorporate a fruit into your meal plan for the day, or eat a salad.  Small goals can make HUGE changes. Here's the thing though - don't go too grandiose with it.  Sometimes people make the mistake of making goals that there is NO way they can reach.  Such as a person that has never exercised in her life making the goal to run a 5K the next day.  Or a person to completely change their eating habits 100% that week.  Those goals aren't attainable for most people (don't start throwing stuff at me - I said MOST people.  If you are one of those people that can do these things, then bully for you.  Please email me your secret). Small goals - baby steps as Fly Lady Marla Cilley says.  One baby step a day.  For me, I had one baby step on Tuesday.  To walk.  I didn't give myself a limit on how long or far, just to do it.  Today, my baby step is to set that goal of length.  I was able to walk four laps Tuesday, there's no reason I can't walk at least five today - but my real goal is six.  Tomorrow, my baby step will be something else.  Day by day.  Hour by hour.  Minute by minute.

Change takes time.  It won't happen overnight. It CAN'T happen overnight, or it won't stick.  This is a problem I've had in the past, and one that I still struggle every day to overcome in so many areas.  Baby steps. Baby steps. Baby steps.  Eventually, I'll get there.