Different Roads

Last night on the way home from a friend's house, I hit a few pot-holes in the road and noticed some vibration in my car afterward.  I started to freak out a little- let my mind get the best of me; "What's torn up, now? I just put new tires on the front of my car. How much is it going to cost?  Why can't I catch a break?"  And, the more I obsessed over it, the "worse" it seemed to get. I was just about to stop my car and inspect all of the tires when I changed roads.  All at once, the vibration stopped, and the car was fine.  See, there wasn't anything wrong with my car; the road I was on was merely a bumpy road.

I love it when I see parallels in life to life.   Occasionally, life may throw down a big bump in the road that wakes us up and might make us question the path we're traveling. We might focus on how hard it is, become intimidated that the changes are overwhelming and sometimes even pull off on the side of the road to see what the hell is wrong with us that makes this road seem so rough!  But, sometimes, it's just a tough strip of land we're traveling through.  That's weight loss.  That's how life changes work.  That's how we learn and grow.  And there is always hope for a smoother road ahead.

I know this is hard.  Believe me, I do.  But, think of your weight loss as you would a retirement plan.  You may not be able to fund the entire plan in one day, but you can make a small contribution to make yourself more comfortable in the future.  What small contribution can you make, today, to further yourself in your weight loss/life? 

I weighed myself on Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised that I was back down to 181.5 pounds.  (Last week was a cruel joke, Mother Nature!)  Thursday night, I had a great workout.  We walked 1.2 miles to warm up, stretched, did 20 minutes of free-weight cardio, and 5.25 miles on the bike (in 20 minutes).  I was at the gym all-total a little over an hour and burned a little less than 600 calories.  This week, I have done a great job at drinking more water daily, and I've made smarter food choices.  Today, I plan to hit the gym, drink 5 bottles of water, and do a little journaling.  And, Tuesday, if the scale doesn't reward me for a job well-done, I know I can continue to tweak my eating plan, work out a little more, and be proud that I am working harder to take good care of myself. 

Lord, may I never focus so hard on my destination that I fail to enjoy the rewards, excitement, and learning opportunities of each day on this journey.  Amen.