Day Sixty-Two

Yesterday was a so so day.

I decided to forego the gym. I think I would have been able to scrape up the energy to go, but my muscles felt extraordinarily fatigued and I felt a rest day would better equip me to do an effective cardio and strength training workout tonight. However, I feel tired and overly sluggish today and don’t have the same excitement for my workout that I did just days ago. I am not sure if it is the cumulative effects of so much activity or the result of little exercise and (comparatively) poor eating last night. I stayed within my calorie limits, but it was through a combination of poor choices.

I am hopeful that my enthusiasm and energy will pick up as the day progresses. I’ve known for a long time that the mindset is critical and that confidence in my ability to accomplish my goal is the difference between success and failure. I need to remind myself of why I am putting in the effort and how it is beginning to payoff. So, with a thought to focusing on the positive:

Including today, I have gone to the gym 8 of the past 13 days.

I have written consistently in my food diary for the past 9 days.

I have consumed at least 8 ounces of water for the past 9 days. (Not necessarily something to boast, but I wasn’t doing it before so I give myself credit!)

For my efforts:

I have felt good in everything that I have put on this week.

Stop. Did I just write that? Wow. Every morning this week I have picked out an outfit, tried it on and felt good about the way I looked! I wouldn’t have realized it if I hadn’t written this down, but it is true. I even wore a pair of pants yesterday that I haven’t worn in several months. I unpacked my clothes this weekend and had to stuff a drawer full of items that just don’t fit – they’re 5-10 pounds away from where I am now. I put them in another closet because I thought looking at them ever day when I was getting ready would set me up for failure. Who wants to start off the day that way? I left behind all the items that do fit and I have been focusing on looking good and maximizing what I can wear. It’s working.

The scale is moving down.

I am not going to put very much stock in this because any real trend will become evident over time. My weight has fluctuated within a 6 pound range over the past week and a half and it looks to be consistently going down. However, much of this could be water and I don’t want to get too caught up in the exact number yet.

I feel stronger physically.

My heart rate goes up and my brow begins to perspire as I make my morning jaunt to the subway, but it gets better each day. My legs protest when I go up and down the stairs, but I see and feel the results in everything I do. A burn settles in to my quads as I start my cycle on the Elliptical, but it soon gives way to resolve to finish the routine that I’ve set out for myself.

I feel stronger mentally.

I am completely confident that I can and will achieve my goals. I find reasons to smile in the morning and throughout the day and the ups and downs seem to effect me less.