About Fogdog's Weight Loss

Don't Focus on the Goal...

If you've followed this blog you know that I've struggled for many years with improving my health. I've finally reached a point where I've managed to maintain a small amount of success. Now it's time to take the next step, but I believe it requires a new way of thinking.

Instead of trying to get healthy, why not shift focus toward learning how to build healthy habits instead. Follow me as I try to teach myself how to Engineer healthy habits that will allow me to take my health to the next level. Let's see where this experiment goes!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Day #3 - Why Not?

I woke this morning convinced that it would not be a good day.  For starters I had a hard time going to sleep last night.  Despite feeling exhausted and going to bed early, I just tossed and turned and when I woke I felt like I had gotten very little sleep.  As I rolled out of bed, my second cue for a bad day showed itself; my left knee was swollen and it was hard to walk around.  I told myself “no way I’m going to be able to exercise today!” and I was OK with it.

However, as I was riding to work in the morning, I began to question a decision that I made 5 hours before I really needed to.  Why not exercise today?  I made it to my car didn’t I?  I made it into work, why can’t I exercise?  As I worked through the process I came to the realization that my knee hurting was just a convenient excuse to not exercise. 

I decided to go to the mall again.  I set out to do as much as I could at whatever pace I could do with my sore knee.  I completed 2 laps (about 1.5 miles).  Half as much as the day before, but 1.5 miles more than I originally planned; I was thrilled that I did it.

As I was walking I started to think about all the other “why not” moments I’ve had lately:

  • I can’t quit smoking AND lose weight at the same time… Why Not?
  • I can’t go to the mall to walk… Why Not?
  • I can’t survive on 1800 calories each day… Why Not?
  • I can’t Quit Smoking, Quit Drinking, Lose Weight and still be happy… WHY NOT?

When I look back at other failed attempts at improving my health I see a lot of excuses for why I couldn’t do something.  In order for me to stay committed, I need to keep asking myself “Why Not?”

-------------------------------------------

Another pretty good day.  I stayed on my eating plan with the exception of having a second cup of coffee after lunch (in the hopes that it would help me get through the day).  Today was a hig carb day so I got to enjoy some fruit and didn’t feel as hungry as usual.  I also drank my requisite gallon of water and as I mentioned above I walked about 1.5 miles.

I also hit a milestone today… it takes 3 days for you to flush the nicotine out of your system.  As of today my body is nicotine free!  I still feel like crap from the withdrawal, and I’m not getting anything done at work, but I’m hanging strong and I know that eventually I will start to feel better.  Day 3 is in the books… On to Day 4!
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3 comments:

  1. KatrinJanuary 7, 2015 at 9:42 PM

    That is a good milestone to hit. Hang in there and take it one day at a time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alati January 7, 2015 at 10:02 PM

    Onward and upward! Keep pushing you, your healthy and your family are so worth the hard work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kirtley @ The Gist of FitJanuary 8, 2015 at 11:07 AM

    Well hey. I really love that you ask, Why NOT? That is so inspiring. You will get your goals if you keep asking that!!

    ReplyDelete

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