Prepare to Maintain

Wow. Yesterday was delicious. I woke up this morning thirsty (too many of those ham/cream cheese/dill pickle nibbles and too much stuffing) and didn't hit the treadmill. It's the first time in more than two weeks I skipped my morning workout.

Jim and I hit a few stores first. Then went out for breakfast (egg beaters veggie omelette, whole wheat toast, no potatotes) and now we're home on the couch, snacking a little.

And I'm having a little fear about this whole holiday thing.

It's going to be hard. Probably harder than I thought.

Should my goal be to maintain through Christmas? Should my goal be to keep on keeping on? CAN I be successful? Will I actually gain?

Freaking out a little.

When I'm on task, it's easy for me to "forget" what it feels like to eat whatever I want. I just don't do it. Out of sight, out of mind, sort of. But the cold hard truth is I LIKE eating. I enjoy eating. When I'm doing it, eating feels good. The habit of sitting on the couch with a bag of Cheetos, baked or not, is easy to fall back into. Really easy.

I don't suspect I'm alone in this feeling or thinking. I wish I could tell YOU that sticking to healthy eating is simple ... snap! I have told many people that I like this Mediterraean thing because it's something I truly believe I can live with forever. I hear my own voice in my head, "It's not a diet! It's something I can stick to!" Sometimes I hate the perky me.

But getting here wasn't easy. And I did this. I did the work. I made a choice to do the right thing every day because I know that making the right choice feels so much better in the long run than the way that damn Cheeto makes me feel today.

I'm off to work out now. Getting back on the horse. Repeating the mantra: If I do the right things, the right things will happen. If I do the right things, the right things will happen. If I do the right things, the right things will happen.

Because I control it all.