A Couple of Goals

I've gotta take this one day at a time. One meal at a time. One decision at a time.

Looking at the big picture was/is/always will be overwhelming. When I think about the number of pounds to lose or why I have failed so many times, it becomes a suffocating and daunting process. So, I'm not going to do that anymore. Instead, I want my focus to be about victories, both big and small - as well as feelings of positivity. No more focus on the negative. I really don't need to be living in the past. Honestly, does anyone? It does nothing to propel you forward.

We're three days into the new year and I am feeing good about what lies ahead in the next 12 months. First of all, I am glad that I decided to take the reigns back in the beginning of the year. There is something about cleaning the slate in the first week of January that makes me feel good about this physical and mental renewal process. I didn't make a list of New Year's resolutions to dictate my journey, however, I do have a few goals in mind that I would like to accomplish that I haven't done in my past attempts at weight loss.

One of the first things to address is reducing my addiction to artificial sweeteners. Main culprits are Splenda added to drinks like coffee and tea, and diet soda. If I can kick the need to put Splenda in my coffee, it will be a HUGE victory for me. I start every single day of my life with a cup or two of coffee and a taste for something sweet. If I'm going to be successful, I need to stop thinking that everything is better if it's sweeter. Today, I'll admit I did put Splenda in my coffee - but I reduced it to two packs. I'll ween myself if needed, but the goal is to break up with Splenda entirely in a week or two. The fact that I resisted putting it on my grapefruit this morning was definitely a step in the right direction.

Another goal is to make exercise a priority, not an afterthought. I started with a 30 minute walk yesterday, which, I'm not gonna lie, wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I climbed a rather unsubstantial hill and at the end of my walk, my back was hurting. I hate saying it, but I've reached the point where exercising is no longer enjoyable and easy. This is the part that's going to take serious effort and I'm going to be uncomfortable doing it. But if that's what it takes,  then so be it. I really want to make sure I move at least 4-5 times a week. I am serious about getting healthy, and that is going to require readjusting not just what goes past my lips every day, but also how many calories I can torch along the way.

Of course I have other goals. But I want to give each one the priority it deserves. I need to focus on a few smaller manageable short term goals and then move on to the next round. I'm ready!