Day 500 Hold Us Back Forever or Set Us Free---Our Choice

Day 500

Hold Us Back Forever or Set Us Free---Our Choice

Well look at that would you? Day 500. That looks really cool. I can remember Whit, a reader from Day 1, encouraging me to hang in there to at least Day 21, she promised some of these things would become habit. Back then every day seemed long and I constantly had to remind myself what I was doing and why. I honestly didn't know how I was going to do it, I just knew that I wasn't letting go of this dream for anything in the world. I decided that there wasn't an emotion, not a stressful trigger one that would take this away from me. It was an iron-clad decision. Here's an excerpt from Day 80:

I've been thinking a lot lately about the future. And how the things we do and accomplish today drastically affects our future. It also works the other way...The things we don't do and we don't accomplish drastically affects our future. When I start adding up all of the positive life changing benefits of doing this, I'm amazed that it's taken me this long to come around. The mind is so powerful, it can hold us back forever, or it can set us free. But it will only set you free if you want freedom. Who doesn't want that? I mean, you have to fight for it every step of the way. One day at a time is all I can do, and sometimes that's really tough, because I'm kind of an impatient person. But I have to sit back and relax a little, I have to remind myself that my persistence plus time will equal an entirely better future for my whole family.

It can hold us back forever, or it can set us free...wow---that's the truth huh? Day 500 and all of the success and good health I'm enjoying today is simply a result of a very natural simplistic approach, persistence, patient consistency, plus time. I'll no longer have the dreaded “calendar regret.” Had I derailed early on like so many other weight loss attempts in my past---today would have been met with a bunch of “could've beens.” It could have been nice had I stuck with that...The feeling I get when I realize that I don't have to ever say that again, well...it's indescribable my friend.

I jumped up today feeling incredible! I actually dropped in bed at a relatively decent hour last night. I grabbed a solid seven hours sleep, some might say it's still not enough, but it made a wonderful difference for me today. I enjoyed an egg white omelet with mushrooms and some steel cut oats. It was a good hearty breakfast and all for 250 calories! Every single day starts with a good breakfast, it isn't an option, it's a requirement around here. My metabolism thanks me for the early morning fuel everyday.

My flashback paragraph that I posted yesterday from a year ago scared one of my readers. She's had wonderful success on her journey, but still she worries about her mindset. She writes:

I was reading your blog and I got kinda concerned about something you said. About not letting this be just temporary but making it lifelong. I don't know if I am there yet. It seems like everytime there is a special occasion in my life I overeat. I don't overeat the way I used too but I still gain a lb or two. When will I get to where you are? I feel nervous now. My skin surgery is coming up on 2/24 and I have a trip to New York the week before that. I do NOT want to gain weight while on vacation. Any suggestions?

Oh my friend, listen to me please: Don't have fear, but seriously evaluate your relationship with food. Understand that food is our friend, a friend that we no longer want to abuse. One of the things I had to learn quickly on this road involved taking the focus off of the food and placing it on the people and experiences around me. Learning to enjoy our wonderful experiences, like your vacation, without making food the thing we look forward to the most...is so wonderfully liberating. And my friend, you can and will get here. You've had tremendous success, you're a completely different person! It's never too late to adjust our attitudes and approach with food. How high is your importance level in social situations? Make it a life or death importance level and realize that there isn't a food on earth that you can't enjoy in a responsible way. Don't feel deprived, feel in control and confident, because you are understanding that food is your friend instead of the enemy. Shift your focus! New York provides many things worthy of your attention, it doesn't have to be all about the food! Have fun and enjoy the new you!

I drove a friend to the OSU-Texas A&M basketball game tonight. I didn't go to the game, I visited family instead. The trip threw my schedule off a little, but I adjusted, and we're OK. I enjoyed a few beef tacos with mom for dinner. I love beef tacos, I do. For 163 calories, you just can't beat the flavor---and if you load them up with sauce and veggies, well...what's not to love? Three of them kept my meal at under 500 calories and it was a very satisfying meal!

I'm not getting seven hours of sleep tonight, it just will not happen. The 4am alarm will be calling and Day 501 will start soon. It's a wonderful, one day at a time journey. And one day you look up and realize it's day 500 and your body has completely changed, but not near as much as your life. It's been amazing. Thank you for reading. Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Helen---Thank you for posting the link in your comment.

I decided to edit this post and add it!

For the Tulsa World article released today just click:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=425&articleid=20100128_4_D1_SeanAn608964&archive=yes

Click "newspaper view" to see what the actual article looked like in print.