Day 1,055. 225 lbs lost (as of 2-2).
I got asked something interesting over the weekend. “Athena, how do you stay motivated knowing you still have a ways to go? How do you stay happy today?”
I was thinking about that a few minutes ago while I was prepping dinner. What’s on the menu tonight? Sweet potatoes, baked Brussel sprouts, and Cornish game hen. I added all my favorite herbs, waited till it was 375 degrees, and into the oven, this little tiny bird went. It never dawned on me until I was watching it cook that I realized there’s a good example here.
I had a setback this year, but of course, I’m hungry. I’m starving to hit all my goals. Those goals are the first thing I talk to God about in the morning, and they’re usually the last thought in my head when I close my eyes at night. But I learned something in “chapter 1”. I worked my butt off because I set a goal to lose 200 pounds the first year. At midnight on December 31, I had lost 187.5. Instead of rejoicing, I experienced a profound sense of sadness and disappointment. Who does that? Me. That big number was never what made me happy. It was everything along the way that brought joy.
If I think of tiny chicken in the oven right now, I’m not sad because I can’t eat it right now. It’s done yet. It needs to baste in there in all the herbs and get good and knarly – and then later tonight, I will enjoy it. I’m perfectly happy knowing that a wonderful meal is it’s on its way, and I can smile about that in the meantime. That’s a choice, isn’t it?
“Staying motivated” can be misunderstood because there are days when you will not always feel motivated. However, I also find that motivation can be fun, and it does come in unexpected places. You have to keep your eyes open.
The other day I was working with my coach on my legs, which right now is a typical activity. I get frustrated easily because I desperately want them to work “normally.” I want the “done” buzzer to go off, saying, “legs are solid, go to go.” But … not yet. I’m going to have to be patient like a little kid waiting for cookies in the oven. Anyway, he decides to stick his hand under my foot with instructions that I needed to keep my foot angled. If that foot moved while the other leg was doing a step up, it was going crush his hand. Think you can’t do something? Wait till you get a visual of your coach being rushed to the ER with a broken hand. This is some serious motivation. I think back, and now I laugh about it – but those little things are what you appreciate. This is the secret sauce that keeps you going. All the things you learn. Growth. Finding out you REALLY can do things. But, you have to want to see it this way.
My body is cooking. I’m going to wait the same amount of time so I might as well do everything I can to see the joy in it while it’s in there. What else can I do? *smile*.
