As I read back on recent posts, realizing I’ve missed a few posts, also that a trend is developing. Too many posts that include the word “hard” or some variation on that theme. That got the over optimistic me thinking about my first inclination.. to say buck up and move on. Or some other platitude… Yes it may be hard, but anything worth doing… you know.

But it is a challenge. To change habits, routines, the you that other people know and expect. So maybe admitting that it’s hard is OK… as long as it doesn’t lead to a binge and a “poor me” session. That’s not what I mean, not at all. I think it’s healthy to admit that you’re doing something hard, as long as you stick to the plan, stick to the goal.

One tool that may help is having a friend or family member there to listen, maybe hiring a coach. Just having someone to help you stay on track, or to let you figure out that you need to get back on the horse, can be a great help. In my case, Porter & I are doing this together, so we try to help each other. Some days it works better than others, most days it works fine.

The other tool I use is my scale. For many reasons I’ve been told not to weigh myself daily, but I do. I do because it helps me to understand the ups and downs of my body. How long it takes for something to show up and that my weight will fluctuate. At first I was pretty disappointed because nothing was changing. Now that I have a good muscle base, if I keep the calorie count low, it shows on the scale. I write it most days on the kitchen calendar. Talk about accountability!

And change can be tough… But use it. Feel good about the progress you’ve made, proud that you’re climbing a mountain.

And keep climbing.