The thumbnail photo above was one my husband took of me back in 2014. I am about to attempt my first, and only, to this day, officially timed running event. It was a Color Me Rad 5K race in Houston, Texas. My friends and work colleagues talked (nagged) me into it. I started it and finished it. The. End. Did I walk AND run? Sure! I was a pretty overweight gal, so I wasn't going to be able to run three miles without walking.... a lot. But I started it. I did something different, that I'd never done before, in spite of how I thought it was going to go (I thought awfully) and in spite of how well (very well) my companions were going to do. I stepped outside my box and started that race.... and finished it. It wasn't pretty, but I did it.
I think I'm a deep thoughts meme person. I don't search for them myself but when my friends post them on Instagram or Facebook, I'm constantly ooohing and aaaahhhing over their profundity. I like reminders of how life is and should be. I like to be told "stop being self-involved and look outward," "doing hard things is easier than you think," and "you need to have more gratitude than attitude." If I were to compare it to anything, I would say it's like getting a one-minute church sermon, that points my thoughts in the right direction, at least for a few minutes. I think I need those reminders. I also like to think that God, or a higher power, or fate puts these types of things in my path for a reason, that I'm supposed to see them and get something out of them. Thinking that gives me comfort in a world where I have to force myself to read the news.
One of my friends posted a meme that really got me thinking today. It was about 'starting.'
I think one of the hardest parts of a weight loss journey is just starting. I use the word 'journey' simply because it implies a serious endeavor that takes a lot of time. After all, it took me six months to lose 60 pounds. That's a long time. Call it anything else and you take away the seriousness of it and the time commitment it takes to achieve significant weight loss.
The beauty of 'starting' is that everyone's 'start' is unique. I like to think of it as going for a swim. Some people will run full tilt at the water and jump in feet first, totally submerging themselves. I think that's what I did with this calorie deficit diet. I went whole hog with all aspects. Other people will dip a few toes in, wade around for a time with the water around their ankles until they get comfortable and then wade out into deeper water. That is what my friend is doing. She made a few changes to her diet to cut calories, anticipating that she will need to make bigger changes down the road. The one thing we both have in common is that we STARTED.
"Starting" is a hill to climb. It implies we are going to change something in our lives, do something we are not doing, that may be challenging. It requires us to take action and deviate from the path we've been on. There is a 'weight' to that word, BUT, only when there is true meaning and dedication behind it. Otherwise, it's just an empty declaration.
What are you putting off that you could "start" today? Here is the list I saw in that meme:
Start by doing one push-up.
Start by drinking one cup of water.
Start by paying toward one debt.
Start by reading one page.
Start by deleting one old contact.
Start by walking one lap.
Start by attending one event.
Start by writing one paragraph.
Start today, repeat tomorrow.
If one of your "starts" is about a weight loss plan, how about you join us on that journey we are on? Here are some of my past blog posts about the calorie deficit diet I used to lose 70 pounds last year. Also, I have some practical posts about foods as well that you might find helpful:
Calorie Deficit Diet - Ten Things I Want You to Know
I’m Having a Crisis (An Eggxistential One)
I Just Wanna Veg…. (It’s Not Easy Eating Green)
Meaty Subjects….(Moo, Peep, Oink)
