The Onion

Choosing a healthy lifestyle is a layered experience. It is as much about tearing down as it is about building up and quite a few layers can be shed without obviously noticeable differences. Sometimes it is difficult to see the small variations because we are looking at something too close.

People are seeing changes in me. It is through their eyes that I am noticing the differences too. I guess its like peeling an onion. You can remove a number of layers but the onion will still be round. It is only when compared to its original self that immediate change can be seen. Self control is easier, not perfect, but not like climbing Everest. I have learned to be less emotional about the journey, which is great. There is a lot less need for support because habits are beginning to form. The small changes, a tighter tummy, a more defined waist and jaw line, these are victories that inspire further dedication and motivate me forward. I find myself contentedly working out alone and enjoying the time to challenge myself. Further, I am learning to be content wherever I am. I am not working out hard and looking for immediate shifts in my weight or looks. I am not desperately seeking a quick fix. I am now on the road to healthy.

I am learning what works best for me. I am still a looooooong way from where I want to be, but I know that there is forward momentum to this journey and I am learning to really appreciate the journey more than the destination. Life will pass us by so quickly if simply marked in destinations.

Into The Swing of Things

I have a routine down now, I think, and am finding myself really enjoying my morning and evening workouts. It is still like pulling teeth to get my hubby or my sister active, and I still cannot stand the idea of being on display because I am the only one working out in front of them. My morning workout is better because, for the most part, they leave for work before I do. This allows me the time and space to really push myself without be self conscious about how I look or whether I am sweating too much.

I feel I am in the beginnings of a good routine. I am learning my triggers and trying to keep positive moving forward. I still have a lot of work to do in the evenings as far as keeping on track, but other than that, I am in a good place.

I need to work on sleeping. I was told working out hard would make me sleep better. It hasn't. It has done the opposite. I don't drink a lot of caffeine or have a lot of sugar, so I need to figure out how to control my sleep cycle so I get appropriate rest. That is a huge challenge for me and I am open to any suggestions.

Paving A Foundation

If you're at all like me, this a journey you've been on before and one you've never quite arrived at the destination of. We all make promises to ourselves about what we need to do to better our lives and make us happier, healthier, more productive people. Yet somehow, that path to a better self is filled with obstacles and distractions. At first, we are always excited and motivated and determined to make the destination a reality, but somewhere down the road, the travel becomes less of a priority. Somewhere we lose our way. We get lost. We find our self back at the beginning. Then we get discouraged. Then we allow ourselves excuses as to why not this time and why it wasn't meant to be.

I'm tired of excuses. I am tired of not having the health physically and emotionally that I would consider ideal. I am tired of not having the career I crave. I am tired of deleting photos because I don't want to be reminded of how far off track I have let myself become.

Today I feel hopeful. Today I feel I have a plan of action to move forward and a map to guide me. I hope to (intend to) write every day on this blog about how far I've come in order to leave myself a trail of breadcrumbs so I won't backtrack or get distracted.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I am pretty sure that is simply a myth. But perseverance is the key to lifelong change. I am going to take that arbitrary number and times that by ten, then by ten again in order to keep redefining my personal image of self and my ideal of health.

My short term goals are to spend every day doing some physical activity for at least 15 minutes, to write at least a page for my personal projects, to meditate for at least 30 minutes daily on my goals and my accomplishments, to track what I eat, to spend at least 1 day a week on de-stressing and checking in on myself, and to cut out processed, pre-packaged, and fast food from 90% of my diet. I'll probably add more goals as I go, but for now. This is the foundation

Day one of this endeavor was met with the expected excitement and determination. Lets see if I can keep going.

xoxo

KW