Keeping My Focus Short, Not Long-Term

I didn't weigh in on Monday, because I was BAD last week. Oh man, I ate so much. :D

But I've been making up for it this week, and doing really well, so I'll be back weighing in at some point this weekend or on Monday, and I should have good news to report.

But here's one thing I've realized about this weight loss attempt. I'm not focusing on how much I have left to lose. In fact, I haven't really stopped to figure it out at all. When I started I knew what weight I wanted to be at by my wedding, I figured out how much weight I'd have to lose each week to get there, and I've focused only on those numbers. If I don't make a weekly weight, I don't get too concerned, as long as I can make the monthly goal. I'm working hard right now to make sure that my week of messing up doesn't stop me from reaching my goal for the end of this month.

And I really do think that focusing on the short term goals, while keeping the long term goal in the back of my mind, has really helped me. It's so easy to get discouraged if you think about the big number that you still have left to lose. I mean, I went into this wanting to lose 87.5 pounds! That sounds almost impossible. But 2.5 pounds here, 10 pounds there, sounds so much more reasonable and achievable.

And I also always have in the back of my mind that eating this small amount (1300-1400 calories) is only temporary. When I get to my goal, I'll be able to increase that a bit in order to maintain the weight where I want to stay. Eating the way I used to should never become a daily habit with me again, but I'll be able to eat a normal amount, and I won't have to focus quite so much on how many calories are in each meal I eat. That keeps me going, too, when it feels like I can't stand counting calories yet another day.

I like having a plan of just monitoring my weight once a week to make sure it isn't creeping back up, and cutting back for a few days if it does. That sounds so NICE!

And for right now, I just keep plugging away, day after day, knowing that if I get through each day without overeating, my body will do what I want it to do. The end will come, and in fact it's creeping closer and closer with every passing week. And I can get to that end goal without having to focus on the big number that signifies how much work I have left to do.