Today is the First Day of the Rest of My Life

Hahahahahaha.

Okay, in all seriousness I've come to realize that this is a very counterproductive way to look at the major changes that I want to implement in my life. Why? Because my life isn't starting over.

My home is still in whatever state of cleanliness I left it last night.  My kids are still here, bouncing off the walls, jumping in for hugs, and making me love my messy life as a mom.  Fairies having come in and replaced the food in my pantry or fridge.  I didn't wake up a different person.  I didn't wake up 60 pounds lighter. I'm just me, with the determination to want to change the current trajectory of my destiny. But those changes haven't started yet.

I've had this on my computer for a while, and can't remember where I found it.  But I love it.  This is a much healthier way of looking at the journey to becoming a healthier person.  Each day we are faced with a multitude of choices.  Some healthy, some not.

When I say to myself "today is the first day of the rest of my life" I find that I am setting myself up for failure.  Making an unhealthy choice means that I have failed in my journey.  That my life hasn't changed. And then I get discouraged, because if I can't stick to it, what's the point?  You might as well hand me that entire chocolate cake.  At least then my taste buds would be enjoying themselves.  

But when you say "today is another chance to get it right" it doesn't matter what happened yesterday.  It doesn't matter if you ate the healthiest, most wholesome foods, or way too much processed, over-sugared delicious junk at the neighborhood Barbecue.  All that matters is that you consciously make healthier choices today.  And as long as your healthy days outweigh your unhealthy ones, you're going to be moving in the right direction.


Today I got on the scale.  And since I hope I will be reporting a progressively smaller number on the scale over the next weeks and months, I will share it with you now.

203.4

Not my finest hour, since 3 months ago I weighed 10 pounds less.  But considering when I got married 6 years ago I weighed about 20 pounds more I know I have made progress.  My inconsistent efforts at living a healthier lifestyle have resulted in a 20 pound loss.  Imagine what I could do if I was intentional!  And if 20 pounds doesn't seem like a lot, go to Walmart, pick up a couple of 10 pound weights, and walk around the store for a while.


I've got some work to do.  And that's okay.  So it's time to make a plan.  What's the plan?

Honestly, I don't have one.  Planning, for me, is tantamount to failure.  I waste hours upon hours of my life planning for the changes I'm going to make.  Only to be too exhausted to actually implement them.  I'm truly my own worst enemy.

So right now I don't have a plan.  I've got some ideas.  I'm just jumping in, determined to make healthier choices.  Over the next few weeks my goal is to formulate a "plan" by making these changes daily, figuring out what's working, and then sticking with them until they don't and it's time to adjust.

One thing I am doing, however, is adding daily affirmations to my arsenal of ways to combat wanting to run to the store and get a soda or some other crutch food.  I'll be honest.  I feel pretty stinking stupid doing positive affirmations.  Talking to myself in the mirror makes me feel like a narcissist.  (Okay, writing this blog makes me feel like a narcissist too.) But I have heard wonderful, amazing things about positive affirmations.  And it's one of the few things that I haven't really tried before.  So why not give it a shot.  I'm still trying to figure out what my affirmations are going to be.  And once I know I will share them.

Today is Another Chance to Get it Right

Time to go make my green smoothie.



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What intentions do you have to make today a healthier day?  Share in the comments below!

Stop Giving Up

I started this blog almost 3 years ago as a way to keep myself accountable for making the journey to being a healthier, happier person.

Yeah, that didn't happen.

Oh well, each dawn is a new day, and each day is a new beginning.

However, there is also something to be said for this.

(Thank you to my wonderful friend Tifani, for this.  It's now posted on my vision board)

In all honesty, I had put this blog to the farthest reaches of my mind.  I didn't want to think about it, because for so long it represented the belief that I was never going to be able to lose the weight I wanted to be a healthier person.  It was a shining beacon of my failures, something that was better to be ignored so that I didn't get depressed.  Because when I get depressed I eat more chocolate.  And more fast food.  And that is very counter-productive.

The last few days I haven't been able to stop thinking about it though.  As much as I have tried to squash the thought of this little blip on the interweb I couldn't.  So here I am, starting anew.  Starting fresh.  Back on my journey to a healthier, happier life.

As I looked back over my original posts, I realized something very important.  I'm not the same person I was 3 years ago.  While I may weigh about the same (which I'm actually pretty happy with, considering the newest addition to our family arrived 4 months ago) my outlook on what is healthy is drastically different.  Sure, I have been struggling on actually implementing that new outlook.  But I'm not looking to a dieting plans to help me lose weight.  I just want to overall be healthier.

And with that in mind I've come back to the blogosphere.  To create an online journal of where this journal takes me and my family.  Because lets face it.  I'm a work-at-home mom who is (typically) in charge of whether we eat healthier or not.  With a husband who works crazy hours and a three year old with very little say on what ends up on the dinner table it usually comes down to me.  And while life with a toddler brings quite a few food battles, I'm fortunate to have a husband willing to try just about any crazy thing I put on the table.  At least once.  And very rarely does he request we relocate to a restaurant for the remainder of our dining.

I have no idea where this journal is going to go.  My intention is to post daily.  But lets face it; life happens.    Or better yet, procrastinating happens.  I do suspect that the future will hold a lot of really difficult times.  Tears and fears, anxiety and anger at myself.  But there is a light at the end of this journey, calling me towards it.  A light guiding me to a time when I am healthier.

Not skinnier.  Not a size 6 (okay, I wouldn't mind that, but it's not really the goal).

It's guiding me to a time when I have more energy.  More focus.  When my body is lean and strong.  When I want to play with my kids because it's enjoyable.  When I can hike a mountain without feeling like I'm going to die.  When I want to hike a mountain without feeling emotionally exhausted.  When my body feels nourished by healthy, natural, whole foods, not bogged down by the crap I've been feeding it.

So here's to the start of a new day.  A new beginning.  And this time I'm not giving up.  There is too much at stake.  Too much for me to get healthy for.  Starting with these two right here.

These guys are my future.  They are who I need to be healthier for.  So that I can be here for them and for their children.  So that I can teach them how to nourish themselves in a healthy way.

It's time to STOP GIVING UP.  And it starts today