Some life Laws I need to be reminded of

My last blog was at week 51 and I stopped. I have been really struggling on why I have stopped writing and it's for many reasons. I didn't reach my 100 pounds in 1 year and it was a disappointment to myself. Took me a couple weeks to acknowledge why. Why didn't I reach my goal...why i gave up on myself. Started with making the excuses like I used to coming up with everything under the sun on why. I was working harder than ever with the training and cardio. Weight training 3 days a week and cardio on my own 2 days a week. I think my head said I am working so hard the weight should come off regardless of what i eat...How stupid am I. I started getting weighed in on Thursday's and guess what....Thursday was my free pass to eat and drink what i like and i did that until Sunday, then went back to eating great Mon, Tues & Wed....well I was gaining weight over the weekend only to break even by Thursday. Exhausting!

Who really was I trying to fool....my trainer, myself, the scale, God. I have to own it. I don't know if any of you are Dr. Phil fans but he has put together 10 life laws that I always have to go back to to be reminded of things we do and quite a few of his life laws are applying to my situation right now.

Life Law #2: You create your own experience.
Strategy: Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life. Understand your role in creating results.

You cannot dodge responsibility for how and why your life is the way it is. If you don't like your job, you are accountable. If you are overweight, you are accountable. If you are not happy, you are accountable. Don't play the role of victim, or use past events to build excuses. It guarantees you no progress, no healing, and no victory.

Life Law #3: People do what works.

Strategy: Identify the payoffs that drive your behavior and that of others.

Even the most destructive behaviors have a payoff. If you did not perceive the behavior in question to generate some value to you, you would not do it. If you want to stop behaving in a certain way, you've got to stop "paying yourself off" for doing it.

My payoff was "Hey lost half a pound and still went out to dinner twice adn ate adn drank what I wanted" when in reality if I ate right probably would have been 2 pounds.

Any most importantly in my situation that lead me back to reading his life laws is

Life Law #4: You cannot change what you do not acknowledge.
Strategy: Get real with yourself about life and everybody in it. Be truthful about what isn't working in your life. Stop making excuses and start making results.

If you're unwilling or unable to identify and consciously acknowledge your negative behaviors, characteristics or life patterns, then you will not change them. (In fact, they will only grow worse and become more entrenched in your life.) You've got to face it to replace it.

Acknowledgment means slapping yourself in the face with the brutal reality, admitting that you are getting payoffs for what you are doing, and giving yourself a no-kidding, bottom-line truthful confrontation. You cannot afford the luxury of lies, denial or defensiveness.

Last week before I got real with acknowledging my behavior I almost didn't go tot he gym for a weigh in. It would have been the first weigh in I would have missed in over a year. I knew it wasn't going to be good, i was PMSing and didn't want to disappoint Jon or myself. I made the call to cancel then changed my mind. I said I would be in. Had a long talk with a girlfriend to discuss why I have gone off track with my eating and she gave me the suggestion of getting weighed in on Mondays ( for a 4 week trial period) so I would be accountable all weekend (the hardest days for me to be good) and see if it made a difference.

Even though I didn't gain, I stayed the same I still was disappointed, but not giving up. I asked Jon if I could weigh in on Mondays and he agreed. Then he said "Instead of Mondays, I wasn't going to know what day he was going to weigh me in. Could be Monday, tues or Thurs...to always keeping me accountable, always ready for the scale. I am always good days prior to a weigh in day and up to now has always been the end of a week, easy to be good on week days, but if I get weighed in on Monday i would have to be good Sat & Sun. A slight relief. I was exhausted trying to beat the system which you never can. Now I just have to watch what I eat EVERYDAY. Keeping it at 4 weeks for now is what I can wrap my head around. After I see the results in 4 weeks I will reevaluate and I know what I will have to continue to do....

Well i also picked 4 weeks cause in 4 weeks I will be going to Florida for my sons graduation from college and having him happy with the weight I have lost is the best motivation ever. I want him as pound of me as I am of him. I will enjoy my vacation no doubt, but will get right back on track when I get back and set my next goal. Taking it day by day, week by week. This is going to be a lifelong battle I will always struggle with, I know, but in the long run my health and well being hard work will all pay off. And Life law number 7 is another to keep rereading

Life Law #7: Life is managed; it is not cured.
Strategy: Learn to take charge of your life and hold on. This is a long ride, and you are the driver every single day.

You are a life manager, and your objective is to actively manage your life in a way that generates high-quality results. You are your own most important resource for making your life work. Success is a moving target that must be tracked and continually pursued.

So thanx to everyone for support. I appreciate it.