In case you needed a "pick me up" too...

I am having one of “those” days, I went through some messages that I have written to myself and that I have written to friends that needed a “pick me up”. I needed these reminders today so I thought I would pass them along in case anyone else needs them too:

*This is a note I wrote to a friend, although I was not only writing it for her I was writing it for me at the same time*

You found MFP for what reason? Because you wanted to change how you were living your life, you wanted to get in better shape, you wanted to be healthier, and feel better about yourself. Use these reasons as your driving force. Think about all the people that have told you that you can’t and that you won’t.

Some people say look in the mirror how do you feel. Well that’s not my thoughts at all…. The mirror always lies, we never see the good in ourselves it’s a female thing. The question to ask yourself is how do you feel in your clothes? How do you feel going out in public? Personally- I feel like sh**- I NEVER go out- I am scared to death for people to see me. I have let myself go. I want people that know me to see me and think- damn Michelle looks great! She is in amazing shape. I want people that don’t know me to look at me and not be able to look away. I want to be able to walk into any store and KNOW that if I need a dress, pants, or a shirt for a special occasion I will have no problems finding something and that my only issue will be what item to buy and not a melt-down in the dressing room because nothing fits or looks good.

For right now, since you are feeling lost, take one day at a time. Set a daily goal. Drink more water. Eat better. Stay under calories. Take a walk. Eventually these daily goals will become weekly goals, will become monthly goals and so on. Don’t bite off more than you can chew- another huge problem of mine- we need the mantra “one day one accomplishment at a time”
Remember when you first started you were just focusing on the simple things like trying to eat better. Start accomplishing those little things. Remember how those accomplishments were making you feel.

I know it’s hard (I am struggling myself) but if we really want to lose weight, see changes, and feel better about ourselves. We have to stop making excuses and start making progress.

Everyone has “low” points. Make this your “low” point and pick yourself back up. Don’t allow this ”low” point to be the constant point. Remember: "It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice. Give it 12 weeks. Don’t quit."

*Sharing one more*

I am here to learn. Learn how to eat correctly, learn how to work out, learn how to keep motivated- I will stumble, I will fall, I will crawl, and I will climb back up. I will have bad days, I will have good days, and I will have days I just want to quit… But I don’t. I may have to pick myself up and re-start my workouts, re-start my programs, re-fresh my eating habits, but through it all, I am learning. Give me time, let me fail, let me accomplish, help me up when I fall, hold my hand when I accomplish, but understand that I am learning, at my speed, but I will get there. I promise you that.