Small Steps = Success

Celebrating this week's "small steps" - and finally heading in the right direction!    One thing I have discovered is every aspect of my journey is significant!  When I lose sight of one, it seems to have a "domino" effect.  Thus, I'm happy that I am back to "getting it all back together".   This is what I accomplished this week after I started re-focusing on my weight loss/get healthier journey.

I returned to blogging my journey!

I practiced mindful eating!

I did two hour long sessions of strength training with a personal trainer!

I walked for 1/2 hour three times this week!

I swam for 50 minutes at the Natatorium!

And....I lost 2 pounds!   Good start for me as I've been "maintaining" since late August when I finally stopped gaining weight!

We are all surrounded by people who either help or hinder our journey.  My son tends to be a great motivator!  He has  just issued a new challenge  (something he loves to do!) which in part has to do with not eating out (the rest of it is budgeting).   Not eating out, which will no doubt be difficult, will probably help rather than hinder me my weight loss journey.   The new Challenge will start right after Thanksgiving, mostly because we will be taking a week long trip to the Arkansas/Missouri Ozarks in November and it will be most difficult not to eat out.

Anyway, onward and downward!   Here are some affirmations to help me on my journey!

Staying Positive

The other day I wrote an e-mail to a dear friend, and realized afterwards  that it was probably one of the most negative, self-blaming, self-critical e-mails I've ever written!  Oh, my!  That is so unlike me!   Today, I'm turning over a new leaf, and reminding myself  of all the reasons I need to be both thankful and positive, rather than remorseful and negative!   Thus, I'm borrowing this poster from another dear friend to serve as reminders why I should never allow myself to get to such a low, funky mood again!

Now you might be wondering why I got to such a depressingly low mood.  I had simply admitted that I've not been paying much attention to "my journey" and as a result, have not been able to get rid of the five and a half pounds I put on this summer!  Now is that really a reason to get so down on myself?  The truth is I have neither gained, nor lost any weight since the end of summer and here we are heading towards the holidays.   Not the end of the world, for sure, but still has caused me to feel very frustrated!   It's obvious to me that the only one who can solve this dilemna is ME!  I need to "get a grip" and take control - after all, this is MY journey!  Needless to say, this is really why I'm back to journaling.  One way for me to monitor my journey is to keep a journal, which I also have not been doing.  I will set goals, I will follow them and I will get back on track.  I realize that I am a happier person when I know I am in control of becoming healthier.  It's when I lose control that I get "out of control" and as a result, very frustrated and moody...

So if my brain has over 70,000 thoughts a day, I need to keep them as positive and self-motivating as possible, such as telling myself