Motivation

For the last couple of days, I've been eating a little more and not exercising because I've been sick. I try to eat according to appetite (i.e., listening to my body) within a range of 1200-1700 calories per day. And I try to exercise for 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. I did stay within my calorie range, but didn't exercise, and with all the higher carb, saltier types of foods I was eating and the tons of water I continued to drink, I wondered if I might have a bit of a gain on the scale. But, ya know, just the other day I was saying how happy I am to be in the 220's and how seeing 227 on the scale was just fine with me. I've been in a mindset of being really okay with a bit of a plateau for a week or two if need be.

So this morning I got on the scale expecting another 227, but instead got 225! Wha??? I got on and off a couple of times but indeed I now weigh 225. I'll take it! A whoosh is always nice.

The last time I weighed 225 was on 4/8/09... eight months ago. And the last time I weighed 224? 12/15/08... almost a year ago. Wow. I really am thrilled!

I'm almost over my flu/cold/whatever it was, but still have a headache. It is really cold outside but I have some shopping to do and errands to run, and I plan to take a 10 or 15 minute walk in the sunshine (just until I am too cold to be comfortable). I'll also bike for 30 minutes tonight.

One of my usually wonderful, almost-adult kids is giving me major amounts of stress right now. MAJOR. One thing he is teaching me is that if one is not motivated to do a particular thing, no amount of consequences will budge you. Being too fat to walk, hurting whenever you move, acid reflux, heart palpitations, acne, fatigue, clothes not fitting, pants having holes worn between the thighs, busting out in fat rolls all over, seclusion, inability to fit in chairs... all of those things might *seem* like they would force someone to lose weight, but if a person is not motivated FROM WITHIN, they will keep on plugging along, eating what they want, not changing, even with all of those embarrassments and discomforts. A vague desire to "be thin" is not motivation. You might *want* to be thin but unless you are motivated and determined to do the work to get there, you'll just sit suffering and miserable and blaming everyone and everything else and not make any changes. The desire to change has to come from within.

My kid isn't fat, but that is what he has taught me with the *other* issues he is going through right now. And no matter what consequences I impose or what effects come naturally to him because of his behaviors, he will not change until he is motivated to do so from within. And neither will you.

Nurture your motivation, people. It's the only way you'll get to your goals. Motivation, determination, and just plain commitment.