thirteen. pounds.

I've passed the 10 pound mark and I'm so excited that I'm about to get back into the 130s!  I honestly thought that I would see a much bigger, more dramatic difference having lost 13 pounds...that I would magically be in a smaller size, that my current clothes would be falling off of me, and that I would see a major difference in the mirror. 

It could be that I live with myself all of the time and so it's harder for me to see the progress.  Even though I'm not in jeans a size skinnier, I do think my face may be looking a little less pudgy and I think my back fat (you know, the stuff that accents that you really are wearing a bra) is melting away.  I think I may also be getting a waist again.  All of this is good news.  I'm very excited that my scale shows progress every week.  I know 13 pounds has to have come from somewhere!

I read that it takes 21 days to break a habit but 15 months to really change your life.  I have no idea where I heard that...I have no proof and no research to back me up but I'll go ahead and give my philosophy on the idea anyway! :) 

Here it is:

In order to really change your life you have to have been through all of the seasons of the year and figured out how you are going to react to the way a year changes you day to day and week to week. 

In order to stick to what you're doing through the cider mill donuts in the fall, the trick-or-treat candy at Halloween, Thanksgiving dinner, the entire month of December with parties and good food at every festivity of the holiday season, the sometimes dreary month of January, candy for breakfast at Valentine's, spring when strawberry shortcake is irresistible, and the summer when there is a whole new schedule for your kids and for you and vacations and ice cream that tastes really good everyday for at least 3 months.

You have to get through all of that and really be on the path to doing it all over again to truly be able to say you've made a change...a life change.

That's my plan.  A life change. 

I'm already thinking ahead.  I've got a great schedule now.  I take it day to day.  I make one healthy decision at a time.  When I don't want to exercise, I go anyway and tell myself I'm ony going for 20 minutes.  Once I get out there I talk myself into doing at the very least what I did the day before.

Then, there's the summer...when I won't be taking Gracie to preschool anymore and that's going to mess up my perfect routine I've got going.  Right now, I'm thinking that I need to start considering what I'll do when I get to that point because it's going to come...that day.  A plan will help me to not miss that day. 

Life is always changing.

If you're not exercising...get out today.  Get up from your computer.  Right now.  Go walk around your house or your office or your studio...up your street and back...down the hallway...up the stairs.  It makes a difference...not just on your body...but on everything.

change. LIFE.