Blonde Ambition

As much support as there is out there for losing weight, there isn't much for maintaining. No one tells you how much harder it gets once the excitement of losing is gone. The scale has basically been at a standstill for the last 4 months. It is such a struggle because so easily I can convince myself that there is no point in exercising and eating right if I won't wake up the next day any lighter or eventually fit into a smaller size. But then my other side reminds me that if I stop, I will wake up heavier and will eventually need a bigger size. It's a constant argument back and forth in my head.

Because of this I'm trying to find excitement in other areas of my life affected by healthy eating and exercise. This past weekend when we moved, it took the WHOLE weekend. In the past when I have moved, I am wiped out and hurting for a few days. I was prepared for that this time but was amazed to find how much easier it was. Now, I'm not in gnarly shape where I could carry heavy boxes one handed or anything. But what I noticed was how much quicker I bounced back and how much faster I worked. Before, I would take a few loads to the car or into the house and then need a break. This time I could keep going and when I did finally take a break, I was ready to work again after a few minutes. Monday morning I expected it to catch up with me but surprisingly, I woke up feeling fine.

It was such a great reminder that there are so many other benefits besides watching the numbers on the scale go down. This time it was a real indication that I am healthier, not just thinner. I think back to the only other time I've gotten down to this weight. Not only was it really temporary (like seriously a few weeks) because I lost the weight the totally wrong way, but since I was in such a deprivation mode, physical activity was beyond exhausting. I remember feeling like I was going to pass out at the gym because I was only eating 400 calories a day. It got to the point where getting off the couch was work. Back then, this move would have killed me. So even though I was the same weight I was not healthy.

So I'm learning to find joy and excitement in other ways. When those moments come where I think, "Oh @%#&#%$$! This is going to be a struggle for the rest of my life," I can look beyond the scale for motivation.

Posted by Laura at 10:16 AM