Starting is the hardest part. This is my truth, as I reflect on the two hundred-thirteen day of my journey.  Making these changes stick was the most difficult part. Success and failure double-teamed me, I was up, I was down. I had many false starts before the dream of changing my lifestyle transitioned to the reality of living a healthier life.

If you are struggling right now, and you feel like giving up. Try to name your struggle and think it through. Writing every day helped me to examine my struggles so I could name them. Writing allows me to acknowledge my victories and name those as well. Writing, coupled with setting small goals helped to build momentum. When I set a goal to pack and pre-track my breakfast and lunch the day before I created a healthy habit. This goal helped me to get my act together so I wasn’t constantly reacting to my circumstances. I took control. Once I achieved that, I set another: to go to spin class three times a week. This goal was more demanding and I had to work at it and (eventually) I figured out how to make it happen. Wanting to go to spin class three times a week was “real” for me because I enjoy spin classes. It wasn’t just a passing notion.

There is no doubt that the struggle is real, but it doesn’t have to win in the end. I am a little hungry today, but I realize it’s external hunger not internal.  I had a lovely breakfast and it was less than four hours ago. I have some worries in my back pocket and they are more likely to blame for my discomfort than an empty belly.  It’s seldom really about the food and I am just starting to get a handle on what that really means for me. Anyway, this post is just a shout out, “Keep going! You can do this! People do actually get to goal! They do make it to Lifetime! They are the ones who don’t give up.”