Notes from the Underbelly

It's been a rough week, and I'm just now starting to get my bearings again. I did notice one thing about myself this week, though: when things get rough, I close up shop and hide. I don't think that's working for me anymore. In the past, I might have kept myself closed off for weeks, even months; but this time it only lasted a few days. I hope that's a good sign.

I was able to stay on plan, though it was harder for me this week. I just found myself less prepared, and less motivated. I'm glad that I made it through, but I did learn a few things that I'd like to share -- some tactical, some more philosophical, but all equally important in my book.

1. I need to work on my meal planning skills. I can have all of the food in the world on hand, but it doesn't help me if it's in the freezer come dinner time.

2. I can't let external things like job angst distract me from my goals. A bad job, a recession, an annoying person... they all come and go. But my body (and mind, I hope) are going to be with me for a lifetime.

3. I have to remember that my daughter is watching me. I know that she is only six months old right now, but she is a sponge -- and will only become spongier as time goes on. I want to set a good example for her, because I know that someday, the way I react to things might be the way she reacts to them.

4. I cannot become complacent. Every day, I need to reset my resolve, remind myself that success does not come on autopilot. Just because I have been doing well so far does not mean that I do not have to work at it; the minute I forget that, I will start to slide.

5. I am not doing this in a vacuum. I have made connections with family, friends (old and new) and even strangers who are all supporting me in this endeavor. And I hope that I am supporting them, as well. This is one more thing that I have to remind myself of every day, because these connections are a very important part of living a "whole" life, and it goes beyond just losing weight or eating healthy. These connections are there to make me stronger, and they have so far proven to be far better than the isolation I mentioned earlier.

So this week was somewhat humbling, but the best thing I can do right now is learn from it, and put those lessons into action. I'm picking myself up, dusting myself off, and getting back into the race.