Summer Challenge

To those people who have managed to lose weight during this challenge, congratulations! Summer is a tough time to do it!

It makes me sad to see how many of the people who started the challenge have given up along the way and dropped out, but I'm glad to see that so many have continued on, even when they've had a bad couple of weeks.

I can't even begin to count the number of times over the last 30 years I've started on a diet with a set weight goal and goal date in mind and made it through a few days or weeks and then give up when I've had a bad weigh in, or a day (or week) of not eating right (or not exercising because of feeling poorly or not having the opportunity) and did so badly that I didn't record what I DID eat and do, and then just gave up completely.

This time around I have finally realized that being honest with myself and keeping track of the food and exercise transgressions, correcting or making up for those things I can and accepting and learning from those things I can't have actually helped me get right back on track and stick with this challenge and others.

Right now I'm hosting a cousin from the UK for 3 weeks. We have done a lot of all day sightseeing, and as a result have been eating out more in the past 2 weeks than I have done all year. I've also not been able to do my usual exercise routine while he's here. Now, in the past this would have totally been a deal breaker for my diet, and I probably would have put off getting back on the diet and exercise routine until the first week of January (you know the drill -- too many summer picnics to diet, beginning of school functions with PTA supplied goodies left over that we can't bear to throw away, Halloween goodies, Thanksgiving, Christmas cookies -- all those excuses why not to get back to eating right, too hot out to walk or exercise, no time to do it, no facilities to exercise while on vacation etc.). But this time around I am recording everything, being aware of everything, and not letting the meals out or missed exercises derail things!

For this challenge I am still on track, which I'm thrilled about. For another challenge I'm on, I know I won't make my goal, but I will still have lost weight and for me that's the important thing.

I guess what I'm saying is that for those people who are thinking about dropping out of this challenge because they might not make their goal, haven't been losing as quickly as they'd like, have hit a plateau, have gained, have been eating things they shouldn't or not exercising like they should, or just haven't felt motivated: pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and just get back to it! Record everything, the good and the bad, as best you can. Be honest with yourself and recognize where you fell short and why, and where you were strong and why. There is still a month left of the challenge -- even if you have gained since the beginning you still have a month left to lose at least something, and that's a win in my book! Don't give up on yourself! You can do this!!