2 + 1 = Change

I know everyone has had those points in their journeys, whether it is weight loss, work, or training for a marathon, where you feel like every time you take 2 steps forward, you take 1 step back.  How do you get through those?  I could say something pretty that everyone says like: "You can do it!" or "Mind over matter!".  But in the end, there are only 2 ways you get through those times.  You can either give up (which has happened to me many times) or you just keep trying, until it doesn't feel like that anymore, and it gets easier again.

Giving up is easier, for sure.  But that is never going to get you to where you want to be--without some serious plastic surgery, which we know I am not opposed to.  :)  I have given up on weight loss over and over again.  When it gets hard, then I have to think about it too much, and I give up.  The funny part of that is my husband has told me before that I am so stubborn that I won't give up when he would have long before.  (He is referring to not one but several races where I have refused to quit, despite injuring myself, hence injuring myself more...that is a blog for another day.)

Staying the course is harder, for so many reasons.  First, you have to believe in yourself in order to stay the course.  You have to believe you can do it, and in order to do that, you have to make the effort to do that.  Not just say "yes, I can do that", but "YES, I CAN DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!" Second, you have to keep yourself number one on the journey.  This is often challenging, especially for women.  This does not mean, ignore the kids and the pets, don't do the dishes, forget about going to work.  It just means, don't take yourself to the bottom of your list.  If you take care of yourself, and your health first, then it makes all the other things so much easier to do.  If you lose 10 pounds, because you focused on  yourself, will it make it easier to play softball with the kids, to take the dog for a walk, do the dishes AND vaccuum, and stay productive at work?  Yes, and it is perpetuating.  As you feel better, you want to do better, and do more, etc.

By staying the course, you are providing continuing motivation to yourself, even during the downtimes.

Now, the last couple of weeks, I have really felt the 2 steps forward, 1 step back.  I do well, I am trying to motivate others....then I feel like I need to grab a tub of ice cream (fortunately none has come home in months--so I have to find a different alternative) hide in my bedroom and watch about 4 hours of General Hospital with the cat on my lap (as long as she doesn't try to touch my ice cream!).  Staying the course has been difficult, challenging, and at times, impossible.  But as I always say "It's the journey, not the destination".  (In this case, I would love to at least see the destination...but I digress.)  I will continue to stay the course.  Why?  Because I know people are watching me.  Not in a bad way...but I feel like people may be thinking "if she can do it, I can do it."  And honestly, that is SO TRUE!!!! 

I have failed at losing weight so many times...and I might fail again...but dang it, I am going to keep trying, even if it means I should have quit a long time ago.  There will be one time, where I will finally cross that finish line, hopefully uninjured!  And then it will be true, 2+1=Change.

191.4 Down 20.0 since 3/19/12

**On another note, I saw this recipe, and thought it looked yummy, so I threw it in here.  Ignore or not, but I might try it and will let you know.

Beauty Lies in Strength: Sweet potato protein pancakes: A girl can only eat so many oats.  I've made a million different versions of oattie pancakes (basically egg whites & oats blended together) ...