Week 21, Day 6

I have been reading a lot about success this week. Most of it is written for business, but I think the principles apply to anything really. One of the big things I'm getting out of it all is that there is a fundamental difference between deciding to do something and actually doing it. We can decide all kinds of things. That's what New Year's resolutions are all about, deciding to accomplish a particular goal. But until we actually DO something, the decisions are no different than dreams, wishes, or passing fancies. As this relates to weight loss and fitness, success comes from not only deciding to do better for ourselves, but in actually getting up off the couch and doing it. And I would venture to add one more step: commitment. Unlike other goals and activities, weight loss and fitness isn't a one time thing that can be accomplished, after which you move on to something else. To truly succeed, there needs to be the decision, the action, and then the commitment to continue the journey for a lifetime. And I guess that's where we lose steam. We think the exercising is the hard part, or that cutting back on calories is the hard part. But the real challenge is in committing to continue the journey.

And that's the lesson I need to carry into this next week. I haven't done such a hot job of committing to the journey this past week. I've been really tired and the wintry weather brought nasty sinus headaches....and I guess I've just had excuses not to do it. I'm so much better at coming up with excuses than I'll ever be at exercising! But the scales haven't moved this week, and I really hate that. So I will try harder this coming week. I've eaten well this past week, but that's not enough. I need to ride my bike more (which has been hard with my back hurting more lately) and find other ways to simply get my butt in gear and work these pounds off. Ugh! I need to find a way to like this, too! It's still a chore. I envy people who thrive on this stuff. Will I ever get to that point? I hope so.

Today's Tip:
Well, I kind of gave that in the first paragraph. I've been doing this since September, and this past week has been really lackluster. I need to re-energize my commitment. What is your commitment level? Are you looking for quick results, or are you in this for the long haul? Weight loss and establishing a fit lifestyle is a slow process that doesn't happen overnight. Take time every now and then to evaluate your progress and your commitment level. You've already decided, now make sure that your commitment stays revved up to achieve the outcome you desire.