When the Want-To Ain't Strong Enough...

I just hafta get something off my chest.

It may not be pretty.

But by golly, I just gotta get it out there.

Yesterday, someone approached me to tell me that I my weightloss journey has been an inspiration to them.

I know, right?

Me?

An inspiration?

Clearly she doesn't read all my whininess on ye olde blogge....

But in the same breath she said, "But it's also starting to make me feel more discouraged about myself...."

I felt for her. 

I've been there.

Watching everyone else around me losing weight...

While I am STUCK.

It is really so discouraging. 

So I started to offer her suggestions....

Little things.

Getting outdoors now that spring is here....

Free On-Demand workout videos.

Dancing...

Wii Fit...

All of them shot down.

And then she said the words that I myself said not long ago, "I'm not a runner...."

I was NOT A RUNNER too.

But I was determined.

A year ago, I was overweight, discouraged and frustrated too.

But instead of making excuses I made priorities.

I knew, and have known, that there are only a few good ways to lose the weight.

I know you have to eat right.  Consistently.

I know you have to move.  Alot.

And I know you have to allow yourself to not be so restricted that you give up on day 3.

I was a new mom.

A new mom who worked 40 hours a week.

I had stress seeping out of every pore on my body.

The only time I had to exercise was at 8 or 9 o' clock at night after he went to bed.

My treadmill was broken.

My elliptical still wasn't up and running.

So I walked during my lunch break.

And at night instead of sitting on the couch watching tv, I pulled out a step stool...

(A $6 step stool...)

And stair stepped for an hour.

Please don't hear this as a preachy preachy - "I'm better than you" post!

This is an "I know how you feel" post.

Don't ever be restricted by the things you can't do.

Don't ever be restricted by the things you can't change.

Because there are things you can.

I am living proof of that.

On March 23, 2010, I posted my wide-open book weight loss post. 

That was the day I broke all the rules and posted my weight for all the world to see.  I weighed in at 171.2 after about 4 weeks of working out.

I had lost 7 lbs. from my original 178 lbs.

Today, almost 1 year later, my current weight is 137.8 lbs. 

That's only 33 lbs.

Thirty three lbs. sounds like nothing for a whole year's worth of work.

But considering that this weekend I easily buttoned and zipped a pair of shorts that were too small for me pre-baby, I'm ok with that.

Weight loss is slow.

Weight loss is not easy for everyone.

But in the end, when you can physically see the changes.

When you go from being depressed about your pant size to being energized by your new-found strength....

You know you've found something worth hanging on to.

Please don't make excuses!

Make priorities!