Ok, I'm not really "Starting Over" exactly. You might say, I didn't completely fall off the wagon, but I sure have been dragging my feet a bit. Don't think this a good thing. Remember when you go completely off, you loose sight of your goal, you get a little hurt, and you stop progressing. In other words, you will most likely find yourself sitting on your rear doing nothing and getting nowhere. On the other hand, when you drag your feet, you may still be making progress and still have your goals in site, but its more painful to drag your feet for several miles than to just get off completely. I do have to admit that it is still easier to pull your feet back on the wagon than to jump back on board from a stationary position. In any case, you have to do what ever it takes to hang on.
For me, I had a couple of rough weeks personally, not diet related. I kept telling Jamie I was getting back on board, but each week I went in I just wasn't progressing and, well, I'm sure she was aware I wasn't doing all I could do. This all started at the beginning of a plateau. You know, that point where you're following the plan, but little or nothing is happening. Everyone tells you what a great job you're doing and you know it is true, but you just don't see the fruit of you labor and you wonder if it is really worth it. And everyone says, "Just hang in there. If you stay focused it will happen, but just remember, it will happen." My idea was to draft a new plan when the plateau came, like adding exercise to the mix. I kept telling Jamie, "I know I'm not exercising regularly, but I'm waiting for that plateau to get something going and really jump start this whole thing all over again." I think I almost had her fooled, or I at least I had myself fooled. The problem was that no matter what I planned to do, I just couldn't seem to pull it off. It seems everything comes down to timing.
Just as I was beginning to recognize the plateau, I went on a business trip with my husband. The medifast plan worked great in the hotel. I was even able to work that daily exercise in just as I had planned. But upon returning home, life hit me square in the face and I was struggling to work my plan or anything. The next week my grandson came to visit and I couldn't just up and leave for the gym. Then there was the house clean up that always comes when the baby goes home to Mom. And while it was tough, I was still close to the original Medifast diet plan of 5 Medifast meals a day and one lean and green. but without a real exercise plan, progress became almost nonexistant. It was obvious to me, when I exercised, even when it wasn't regular, I lost wieght. When i didn't, I didn't. So, I decided I was turning over a new leaf. I purposed to rise at 6 am and walk my block that morning and every morning following until it became not just a new habit but a new way of life, an all out lifestyle change. The Sunday afternoon before the execution of my plan, my sister-in-law called and less than an hour later I was standing with my sister-in-law, my brother, my husband, my step-mom and her brother waiting to hear what was wrong with my dad. The following Wednesday, the day after my father's 82nd birthday, I had the priviledge of standing prayerful by his hospital bedside as Jesus came to take him home. Many years of battleing diabetes had finally taken its toll. Now, he'll never be tired again.
Diet? Plan? What diet? What plan? None of that mattered during the time waiting and praying for my father, nor should it matter. Ok for one, maybe two full weeks I hopped off the wagon to concentrate on my father and my family. I needed it and Janie and Jamie understood. Thank you, Lord, for ladies with such understanding. Unfortunately I gained 6 pounds, ouch! It's funny how quickly we can revert to old habits, especially when others, like your family, are unaware encourageing you along. They don't mean to, but just doing what comes naturally for them is often the very things you work so hard to remove from your life and it is easier to go along to trying to explain it over and over again.
But that was last week and this is this week and while I spent a great deal of time thinking about giving up. I didn't. I've managed to get back on the wagon and begin a new. Maybe not as pumped as i was my first couple of weeks, or really months, but energized anyway. I've begun to loose the weight I gained and I've actually spent time at the gym and on walks around the neighborhood. the future looks good and I'm looking forward to next week's weight in. I'm 42 pounds down and trying to not think about the fact, I still have about 45 pounds to go. Oh, well. that's just a matter of time!
I have to remember, not to give up on my dreams of being skinny...er. And if you fall off the wagon, work hard and hop back on. If your dragging your feet, "Pick them up, you're going to get hurt!"
God bless you in your weight loss success!
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