Dangling from the Bandwagon

With the close of 2012, I can say that I have had one awesome year.  Many wonderful memories made and lots to be thankful for and appreciate.  That doesn’t mean every moment has been perfect or that I haven’t had ups and downs.  I’ve really struggled here at the end of the year.  I’ve strayed from my exercise schedule and indulged more than I know is reasonable.  While I haven’t fallen off the bandwagon, I have settled for mediocrity, which I really don’t like.

Don’t get me wrong; I still competed in several races, eaten vegetables every day and made myself go outside and run in cold weather at least once.  Putting my frustrations into perspective is helpful.  I still have a healthy heart, the ability to run and play and access to healthful foods.  Everything could be so much worse so I am grateful for what I have.  Which is all the more reason to give 110% and not 75%.  I think about what I could achieve and what I’ve settled for and it’s time to change it.

Do you ever feel this way?  Are you frustrated because you know you can do more, but you’ve decided that just okay is good enough?  You want to know the secret?  You CAN do more.  We all have so much ability, usually much more than we give ourselves credit for.  I’m using my blog posting to vent my disappointment and build momentum for change.  You can do the same.  (That is, unless you are already giving your 110%; in which case, GREAT JOB! You can still build or add onto your plan to keep it up.)

-Start small.  I’m going to make a commitment to do one specific thing every day for a week.  And the next week, I’ll add on another.  This week I’m going to focus on vegetables at meal time.  Next week I’m going to focus on a more consistent workout schedule.

-Plan for a race.  I have a race lined up in January so I need to quickly focus if I want to be able to successfully compete.  I tend to be more successful when I have something specific on the calendar to work towards.

-Celebrate; not commiserate.  I’m going to make mistakes.  No need to dwell on them.  I’m going to focus on the achievements I make each week.  I bet they add up quicker than I think and that enthusiasm will help push me to put in work I know I can do.

It’s hard to sustain the 110% level all the time.  I find that winter is a tough time for me to maintain that level because the weather puts a damper on my training.  It’s at these times I have to call upon the willpower that got tucked away during the summer and fall when momentum and excitement carried me through training and eating well.  And when I hit the wall, it makes me wonder if others are feeling the same and if talking about it out loud will make it less draining.  So if you’re struggling, you’re not the only one.  I’m right here with you, driving to change it.  

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2013!  Cheers!
Miss FitGab