Dear Reader,
It does not matter what I do to my diet… If I don’t exercise, I do NOT lose weight. I wish I could drill that into my head somehow.
The last 3 times I lost weight significantly, I have done so via El.
I even learned the formula. A minimum of 45 minutes, 3 x a week. Anything less is frankly a waste of my time. The scale does not budge or it yo-yos me right into a blubbering mess!
But this time, I thought I would try to do things differently… add variety… like walks and Wii time. I need the flexibility to change things up I told myself.
And, while they work… they add a little too much decision making into the process… And when there is even a question of exercise, that is where I mess up.
El was simple. Not only was she the only decision, but she was a decision to a question I know the answer to “Do you want to lose weight?”
“Why yes- El- you needy so-called friend… I do want to lose weight”
“Then put in your time.”
“But I don’t have time.”
“Then you don’t want to lose weight.”
“Fine! I’ll make time and show you– but to be clear, I don’t like you.”
“Then you DO want to lose weight.”
And immediately following each and every workout, El would give me more energy and eventually less weight.
But now I have options and options are killing me… I can now tell El I have a date with the Wii and then the Wii and I don’t really settle on a time and then Sleep is calling and I talk myself right out of it all… because… Sleep has always been good to me… just sayin’
I get how ridiculous all of this is… for pete’s sake I AM a grown woman.
I think my solution is routine. *Think* being the operative word here.
I have always prided myself as someone who can be flexible in any situation. It has served me well in life.
Additionally, I love my flexible life and my flexible schedule… but truth be told, I have been very suspect of it over the last few months.
I am beginning to feel like all that flexibility and freedom that I have craved for so long and that I protect so fiercely is actually keeping me from achieving a lot of my goals.
There is always another choice or another way to do things and I change things up and could distract myself forever with possibilities and new ideas…
But at some point, it all becomes way too complicated… and sometimes downright silly.
El calls from the other room…
“Do you want to lose weight?”
“Why, yes… yes I do.”
“Just get on the dang elliptical Cris.”
“No need to use such strong language El… sheesh!”
I’m not saying flexibility is bad, but rather unharnessed flexibility can be bad.
It is an asset to be able to change when circumstances warrant it… but changing for the sake of distraction or even discontentment often times sends me much further off-course than I intend on going.
Do you struggle with this at all? How do you feel about flexibility?
I think I am still figuring it out for me.
In the meantime, I have decided to give El her time… and have the other things in my back pocket in case circumstances call for them.
About Cris
I am the mama behind GOODEness Gracious and the owner of Cris Goode Solutions.
Here at GOODEness Gracious, we like to keep it light and fun as we cook up family meals, share our super mommy secrets and chat it up about the GOODe life:)
So come on in and sit a spell.
Jennifer Campbell says
I agree 100% – flexibility has its pros and cons!
ITHINK YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT – no matter what that little bitty El thinks!!!!!!
BerniceWood says
I agree. If we don’t set in stone when and where we are going to exercise, it may or may not get done. I have found that having an accountability partner and someone to walk with every school morning at 8:15 works for me. Sure we have a few times when we miss, but it is always the standard. As it gets hotter, we may move it to even earlier before she takes her daughter to school, but the main thing is to basically take any decision making out of it, and then it just becomes a set-in-stone event.
And I love how you have conversations with your elliptical. Bossy little thing, isn’t she? Like my GPS 😉
Sara Benefiel says
I think the routine thing runs in our blood. If I have a routine of when I exercise, I am more determined and more focused and have MUCH better results. My routine usually involved me walking in the door from work, changing IMMEDIATELY (do not pass go, do not collect $200…bee line it to the running shoes & MP3 plater immediately), grabbing the leashes and pups and taking off with the music blaring. If I dilly dallied for any time, then I might not end up going. The pregnancy has thrown that off a bit, but I am TRYING to find a new routine…one that I can handle for the time being. THEN I’ll have the added fun of adding Nugget to the mix, but like you…if I want to lose weight, exercise I must! I’ve been listening to my running playlist lately to keep me motivated to keep moving 🙂
p.s. The girl in the picture needs to put her heels down and push her shoulder forward so they are over her wrists 😉