I’ve been making a lot of proclamations and promises about things I plan to start/do/accomplish in 2018. Grand statements of intent. I’ve been writing blog posts about them – and waking up every morning saying to myself ‘this is the day… the day I begin’. Well, it’s time to fess up, time to come clean. I haven’t started one damn thing I promised myself would be well underway by now. Not one.
I tell myself the year is still new as the weeks begin to march by. It’s only February. But the weeks have March on the brain and soon it will be springtime. I’ve got to start taking myself seriously or start accepting all these self deemed deficiencies as part of who I am (which doesn’t excite me in the least – I can do better).
We had a Super Bowl party on Sunday last week – we pulled all the stops; bags of potato chips and French onion dip, taco chips and cheese dip, beef dip, vegetables and dip, ice cream and brownies, and 2 special lemon pies smothered in whipped cream. We had a calorie laden palooza and ate ourselves stupid.
I’m not interested in football at all, I was only partaking in the party for the food – and it was delicious. We weren’t rooting for either team, but rather NOT rooting for one – an odd way to pretend to watch a game. But we cheered between mouthfuls of dip and danced at half time. And chatted about plans to take our resolutions seriously first thing Monday morning.
So on Monday morning my daughter arrived to take her mother for a calorie burning walk (my daughters have actually been pretty good about their resolutions – it’s their mother who is procrastinating). It seems I need a handler – someone to keep an eye on me – a conscience. She hustled me up the street – we logged eight kilometers. It felt terrific. I made us a delicious spinach omelette for lunch (apparently zero points on the program she is following) and then she left. She left. She left me alone, in my kitchen, with an entire Super Bowl lemon pie in my fridge…. (the pie is now in the garbage, minus the whipped cream topping – I’m not telling what happened to the whipped cream, but obviously if we are going to have pie in the house, I’m going to need a chaperone).
I fell asleep Monday night beating myself up. I woke up Tuesday morning and had a little talk with me. I asked the usual questions; What am I waiting for? I’ve already blown the first month of the year. Six Mondays have passed, so I’m obviously not taking my ‘next week’ promises to heart. We are a week into February and I’m already tired of the worn out excuses I give myself. Could I make a Tuesday the first day of the rest of my life? Why not?
I decided to try a little experiment. Knowing what I know about me, I need to be held accountable. I decided to start a diary of my progress for a week to see if I could stay on track. A week of mindful eating (not dieting), and a reasonable step back into a fitness regime. A beginning with a witness (you), to hold me accountable. One week, just one…. I should be able to accomplish that.
Here goes — I promise you (and me) that this will not be a weekly post…
Tuesday morning — I wiped the dust of my exercise DVD and plugged it in. Leslie Sansone and I walk/jogged for half an hour. I made a green monster for breakfast (spinach and frozen blueberries) and tried to nudge my tastebuds into enjoying it. Green monsters are an acquired taste. The morning got off to a reasonable start, even if it was almost noon before I jumped into the shower. (Note: tomorrow I will get an earlier start. I will set my alarm clock).
Wednesday morning — I wonder how many calories a person burns patting their own back. Yay for day two. I dressed in my exercise duds and met Leslie for an early walk/jog. I downed a green monster and added spinach to my shopping list (the bag in the fridge smelled a little funky and the monster left a greener taste than usual in my mouth). I went grocery shopping and stocked up on lots of smart foods; low fat yogurt, carrots, celery, skinny pop (note: two servings of skinny pop does not a lunch make – by 2pm I wanted to eat my arm).
Thursday morning — I had to eat a few Advil’s before plugging in my walk/jog DVD. I got it done but found Leslie a little too upbeat and perky to cope with on a day three morning. Sure, she hasn’t let herself ‘go’ in the months my DVD has been collecting dust, but she could have been a little sympathetic when I found tying my sneakers a challenge. (Note: fresh spinach makes a world of difference in a green monster).
Friday morning — it’s exactly the same distance from the beginning as it is to the end of this one week challenge, and both feel a long way off. Instead of spending half an hour drinking coffee and coming up with a decent excuse not to plug in my DVD I decided to multi task and dream up the excuse while doing the workout. Turns out half an hour goes by fairly quickly even when you’re annoyed. Tomorrow I hit the home stretch – the down hill (note: pep talks about down hill adventures help a lot – the end (and the beginning) is near).
Saturday morning — I don’t know if it’s the sunny morning or this feeling of accomplishment I have, but a half hour walk/jog workout in the dry warmth of the den doesn’t feel particularly strenuous or uncomfortable. I’ve been making a big deal about a small thing. I’d forgotten how smug I used to feel half way through the day, knowing I had already worked out and that any additional exercise was gravy. (Note: typing the word ‘gravy’ when trying not to eat things like gravy isn’t a good idea – I now have gravy on the brain).
Sunday morning — believe it, or not, I woke up enthused about my date with Leslie and actually excited to do the workout this morning. I’m feeling quite chuffed, week one is almost in the bag and I can taste victory… this exercise in accountability is proving a very positive thing. Leslie and I have re-established a rapport, it turns out she’s not so bad after all – a little too perky sometimes, but always encouraging. (Note: don’t make early morning judgments about a fitness guru).
Monday morning — the finish line. Week one, done like dinner! (Coming up with something other than food references will be something I work on next week). The accountability challenge has kept me on track — I’ve got seven days under my belt, a base on which to build. Turns out a week isn’t actually very long (in hind sight). I’m set to tackle week two. (Full steam ahead).
note: making a Tuesday morning, in February, the first day of the rest of the year isn’t a bad idea. I know one week of anything doesn’t change anyone’s life, but it is a beginning. Much like saving that first one hundred dollars – it can be a challenge – but (and here’s the secret) the second hundred dollars is a lot easier to save because you have a base and momentum. Same goes for a fitness regime – I now have a base and a rhythm, week two is bound to be easier. The toughest part is behind me – getting started.
I highly recommend this accountability game — if you’ve read this far in the blog THANK YOU! You were the reason I kept up the good fight (with myself). I’d be happy to return the favor if anyone needs someone to hold their feet to the fire. All you have to do is send me a note and let me know that I’m your accountability person and then check in a week later with the good news that you stayed your course (whatever that course may be).
I’m off to week two… diary done – a check mark on my resolution list, and a feather in my cap.