Despite my upbeat persona and optimism, I am having a tough time with my personal journey. 

As I have repeated many times over these past few weeks, it is simple.

It is not easy.

I have just finished week number six, on the heels of the holidays and the start of a new year.  I have completed my weight and measurements. 

Why the tough time?  Many of my “dieting” friends will understand... after two weeks the scale has only moved 0.2 of a pound.  A fraction. 

In two weeks of hard work you have only lost a fraction of a pound? (I can hear you asking the question.)

Yes…. Two weeks and the scale only bumped down two tenths of a pound.

Crap.

The dreaded scale.  The scale has been an implement of torture to me for more years than I care to say.  I have done some foolish things to my body to try to satisfy the scale.

Not this time.  This time I am using more tools to measure my progress.

That is the reason I am also using several body measurements.

"What about your measurements?" (Thanks for asking that question!)

I have lost two more inches.  My body is shrinking despite the scale being stubborn.

Thank goodness for measurements!  I can celebrate this week!

Some of you may be saying, “That does not make sense… if you are smaller, you should weigh less”.

Given my journey is about becoming fabulous, it requires a combination of food AND fitness.  I am stronger.  My muscles are responding to the exercise. 

Muscle weighs more than fat. 

There is an image I have shared with many people, and I will share it with you, below the blog entry.  It is a great illustration of five pounds of muscle versus five pounds of fat.  It is an image I keep in my head to help me overcome my obsession with the scale.  It is also the reason I like measurements.

I am stronger.  I can do smaller movements with more ease.  I can hold a better plank for just a bit longer. 

I am smaller.  My clothes are fitting better and some of them are even starting to sag in some places. 

I feel better.

I have more energy.  I feel more alert.  I do not suffer from big energy “crashes” throughout the day. 

I am working on small changes for my body.  The results will be in small increments.   I have to be patient and stick to my healthy habits.

I could easily start cutting back food dramatically, being rigid in only eating certain foods on a created schedule, or exercising like a fanatic.  I would surely see results more quickly.  However, I could NOT sustain that as a lifestyle. 

It is not for ME.  I applaud the people who do so (in a safe and healthy fashion) as it is work.  It is a full-time job.

Me?  I am not looking for six-pack abs or the ability to see all of my muscles under the skin.   I am looking to be strong and not have extra fat hanging around that keeps me from being healthy and active.  I want to manage my blood pressure.  I want to avoid heart disease and cancer, as much as my genetics, age, and past living will allow.  I also want to enjoy celebrations that include good food and drink. 

I want to live my life.

I am six weeks into my journey and I am not done yet.  I know I can still do some work to assure those clothes hanging in my closet all fit nicely and I am ready to get out on my bike when the weather breaks for some nice long rides.

Now what?

Mentally, I am hitting the reset button.  I like a fresh start.  The past two weeks although I have been successful in keeping to my three healthy habits, I have not been as diligent about portion sizes.  I have not always waited for my hunger cue to kick in before I eat.

I will continue my three habits:

1. No junk food; one cheat meal per week
2. Exercise at least five times per week, for at least 20 minutes
3. Yoga at least three times per week

They are working as I am getting smaller, and the yoga has been a wonderful addition to my fitness.  It feels good to move slowly and feel my muscles lengthen.  I had not realized how stiff and rigid my body has become over time.

The joys of an aging body!

I am going to be working on adhering to healthier food servings, at least 80 percent of the time. 

What does that mean?

When I obtained my certification as a nutrition coach from Precision Nutrition I learned about their ingenious way to manage food portions by using your hand.  This requires no calorie counting or logging of food value points.  It simply requires that you use parts of your hand when looking at getting the right amount of protein, fat, vegetables, and carbohydrates for your body.  If you would like to check it out, you can see it here.

I am going to use my hand as a guide, and with that, limit my intake of complex carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. to a smaller portion, and only two meals per day.  I can certainly add them back in as I get closer to my overall goal, or if I find I am feeling a bit sluggish during the day.  For now, I think it might help.  This is not a perfect science… it is my body.  I will try it for two weeks and see how I feel.

It has helped me with my journey to share it with you.  It keeps me brutally honest about my progress.  I am staying more consistent with my habits because I know I will be reporting to you.  YOU are my social support network.  Thank you for reading and for the notes of encouragement.

I am ready for the next six weeks. 

I am excited about finding something that works for me that is just a solid healthy lifestyle, not a gimmick. 

I am grateful for a supportive community.

I am looking forward to feeling physically ready to embrace an adventure of some sort this year.

I am happy.

Life is good.