Have you ever found yourself so immersed in a task that you don’t quite realize how much time you’ve spent on it and how much further you have to go? For me, the last couple of weeks have been very insightful. While I’m still dropping weight and excelling at the things that I’m challenging myself with, sometimes I forget that this whole eating right, exercising and taking care of myself thing isn’t just a phase or a quick fix—this is a task that is going to require my attention and focus for the rest of my life.
Last week I had a huge loss. Over 7 lbs. I’ve been running a lot more as I train for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in May, and even though I’m eating the right foods and plenty of them, my body reacted to the increased activity by letting go. I decided that since I had lost so much that it would be okay to indulge in something ‘extra’ last week as a means of rewarding myself.
In general, I plan my weeks out so I know what to expect on many levels: how much activity I’ll be getting, how often I’ll be eating out, where I’ll be eating out, and what I’ll be doing to stay focused. Tuesday is the night of my weigh in, and is usually set aside for any sort of reward as I normally have a large amount of points to use up, and it all equals itself out. Wednesday I knew I was meeting friends for lunch at a restaurant that doesn’t have the healthiest of fare, so I was being attentive to that, as well. What I didn’t expect was walking into work on Wednesday and being told that I’d be going to an event that evening where the food served wouldn’t be health-concsious whatsoever.
While I’m a pretty flexible person, and have learned a lot about adjusting my food intake to my schedule, that evening was a complete disaster for my efforts. I find myself “snapping back” into the life I used to live sometimes, and so when the restaurant where the event was at had a sign touting “The Best Burgers in Town” I signed up on the spot to challenge that distinction. And why wouldn’t I have the house-cut french fries while I was at it? Oh, wait, someone didn’t finish their chicken strips and they’re sharing them with the table?! Of course I’ll have some of those, too. It hadn’t taken too long, and I was already back to my over-indulgent, all-you-can-eat self.
As I drove home that night I thought to myself “YOU HAVE NO SELF CONTROL!” and as if the horrible pains in my stomach weren’t enough, the guilt that surrounded the thousands of calories I had ingested didn’t make me feel any better. So right then and there, I decided that as soon as I got home, I would strap on my running shoes, and hit the pavement.
I ran hard that night, and the whole time I thought about the mess I had gotten myself into. I was the only person who had made myself eat that food. I was the only person who had decided to over-indulge. And while I had had a great week with my weight loss, this was merely a portion of the journey that I continue to travel, it wasn’t time to celebrate the end just yet.
Through the pains of overindulging and remembering what it was like to feel that way all the time, I’ve been reminded of the importance of staying the course. This lifestyle isn’t a whim, I’ve worked far too hard and diligently to simply go back to the way I used to be. So this week it’s been my goal to stay balanced, to monitor portion size, and remember that this is a life-long journey that I’m on. There will be plenty of times to celebrate, but none of them are an excuse to simply throw the towel in without a plan for recovery.
One of the major things I was reminded of through this happening is the importance of finding small reminders in your day-to-day life that will help you celebrate the achievements you’ve made. For me, it was fitting into a smaller pair of jeans, but I’m also reminded by being able to fit my hand around my wrist, feeling my hip bones and other seemingly insignificant things that I would’ve never been able to enjoy otherwise.
No matter what the lifestyle change that you’re engaging may be, remember to find small rewards in your day-to-day life that will continue to motivate and encourage you to stay the course. I may have forgotten this myself, but it only took one painful night of stomach cramps to remember why the life I lead is absolutely worth it. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.
keep moving,
dane.
PS: A small reminder that if you have any questions that you’d like to ask me about my journey and the things that I’ve learned, click on the ‘ASK AWAY’ tab up at the top, where you can use the formspring.me account that’s been created for that purpose. All the best!
I’m so proud of you .