Get Over It

Now, that tagline is an attention-getter, isn't it? Don't worry! I'm not going to lecture you but rather explain how I came to an important conclusion and think it could help you, too.

I don't know how many of you struggle with the battle of the bulge. As soon as I hit puberty, it seemed like I bought lifetime access to it. In my teens and early 20s, I could throw myself into a starvation diet and quickly lose the few pounds I'd gained. I know, not exactly healthy, but it was the 90s. That sort of thing was just done back then. Well, my 30s hit and my little fad diets weren't quite as successful. When my 40s came along, I made some drastic changes and I dropped 60 pounds. I felt like a new woman! I kept the weight off with diligent dieting (yes, again) and consistent workouts for three years...

Then, I lost my job, got depressed, moved to a new town, and packed the pounds back on. And then some. Sound familiar?

I have tried everything known to man and I believe I have tried virtually every gym in my county (some more than once), trying to find the magic bullet to change my behavior. Speaking of behavior modification, I also tried Noom. Twice. And you know what? My lack of sustained success has nothing to do with the quality of the gym or the type of diet. It ALL has to do with me.

It dawned on me as I was lying in bed a few nights ago lamenting the size of my belly that it's about time that I get over the "if-onlys" and stop seeking the perfect thing and just DO something. Doing something is always better than nothing. What do I have in my hands today to make things better for myself? Well, I live in a subdivision with lots of streets to walk on safely. And it's FREE! I have a treadmill in my garage that I can step onto at any time. I have internet and can access free exercise videos. Heck, I still have those Buns of Steel DVDs from waaayyy back that I could pop into my Blu-Ray. I don't even need to leave my home if I don't want to!

The other excuse I tell myself is that I lack time. Let's face it, we're all busy these days, but I've always heard that you make time for what is important to you. On that same evening when I was lying in bed and contemplating my roundness and having a mental argument with myself about the reasons why I couldn't do this or that, I had an epiphany. For the previous two hours, I had been watching TV, playing games on my iPhone, and scrolling social media. I don't have the time to exercise or plan my meals, I say? Hmm. I think I found some extra time.

And this brings me to my last objection. "I don't feel like it." I set the alarm an hour earlier than what I need to get ready, fix breakfast, and jump into my work day. That alarm goes off, the bed feels nice and toasty, and I turn the alarm off and go back to sleep. Or, I meal prep some grilled chicken for salads and when dinnertime rolls around, I decide I don't want it and order pizza instead. Do you ever irk yourself? This irks me about me.

"I don't want it!"

"I don't feel like it!"

What does that sound like? A petulant child! One thing I can tell you is that every person who has ever been successful at anything has not done it by sitting on the couch, scrolling through Facebook, lying in bed, binge-watching Netflix, or saying "I don't feel like it." They have sacrificed something. Their time, their money, their thoughts, their efforts, their sweat, their tears, their [fill in the blank]. Doing important things requires sacrifice.

Let me repeat that.

Doing important things requires sacrifice.

Sacrifice doesn't always feel good but making progress towards a goal sure does.

What is one thing you can start doing tomorrow to move towards reaching a goal that you've been wanting to meet but have yet to take action on? Just one thing. Don't worry about what's down the road. What can you do today? I think the hardest thing is taking the first step, but if you do it once, you can do it twice, and the more you're moving on something, the more momentum you get.

I'd love to hear what you've been putting off or giving excuses about that you'd like to change. Tell me what "one thing" you will do tomorrow.

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PS. My sentiments about my weight are not body-shaming. I happen to think curves are beautiful, but when my weight has gotten to a point where it has started limiting me, that's when I need to do something about it. I want to be the best me that I can be! ;-D