I am late in posting this week’s “80 Pounds in 80 Weeks” update because I was discouraged yet again. I increased my daily exercise from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, but the scale didn’t budge a bit. I was ready to be reenergized by a loss of 2-3 pounds; I was confident I sweated away at least that much with the increase in time and intensity of exercise. However it didn’t happen. 
I didn’t have the nerve to face you and admit I failed again. Who on earth would be motivated by someone whose goal is to lose 80 pounds yet can’t seem to lose 2 pounds in an entire month! I was close to giving up.
But I reminded myself I told you I would honestly share the good, the bad, and the ugly. So, while you are likely not inspired by my journey so far, maybe you can find encouragement in my humanity. I am far from perfect. I know from experience that weight loss is a continual struggle. And I understand that it can be discouraging, even depressing, to look at the scale and not see positive changes. And who can’t relate to that. In fact I was so discouraged this week that I did not want to set a new goal. I wanted to mope and feel sorry for myself, but I knew that wouldn’t get me anywhere either.
So I dismissed the idea of a pity party, and I decided this week to focus on my mind rather than my body. I know I am capable of accomplishing my goal, and I gave myself a long time to accomplish it because I knew there would be slow and challenging weeks along the way. Rather than letting the lack of weight loss get me down, I will focus on the positive. It is not all about the weight; it is about getting healthy. And even if the scale does not seem to agree with me, I believe that increasing my exercise has done my body good. I feel myself standing a little taller, stronger even, as if my muscles are remembering how to hold up my body. I put my FitBit on last week and noticed I was completing roughly 2000 more steps than I was about six months ago (which was the last time I last wore it…yikes!). On top of that, I realized this morning that I hadn’t been putting on my FitBit until I got dressed for the day. Yes, you guessed it, that means the increased number of steps wasn’t even including my morning workouts! I guess I am doing my body good. To heck with the pity party…who needs one!
This week I will ignore the scale and simply focus on improving myself – body and mind. To help keep myself on track, I created two posters. (Click on each graphic to download your own copy.) One will remind me to make sure my mind is in the right place and to help me recommit daily to this challenge I have made for myself. 
The other will encourage me to continue doing the things I know to be important, trusting my efforts will pay off, if not today, then in time.
I hope that your journey has been more positive than mine. But either way, we are all likely to encounter tough weeks mentally and/or physically. Maybe these posters will serve as an encouragement to you whenever you need a little pick-me-up or a nudge in the right direction. Remember that we are all in this together, and just as telling you my story is keeping me accountable, know that I am here to support you and ensure you continue the journey. If you find yourself struggling, feel free to contact me, and we will help each other along, one step at a time.
Do you have a favorite inspirational quote that keeps you motivated and on track? Or do you have other tips that help you stay committed when you feel like giving up?
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