Commitment Part 2 - My Commitments

It has been a long time, long time for me at least, since I've devoted a post to weight loss. I don't count the Hot 100 Challenge since I tried to stay away from numbers on the scale and such. I like it, I plan to keep it that way, it makes me happier to share OTHER aspects of my life other than my obsession with weight loss. But today, I'm returning to the subject...hopefully with a new approach, resolve, and commitment (hence the title).

Yay, it is October 1st. Start to a new month and that always makes me happy, new beginnings. I have a lot of new beginnings coming up, and I have been contemplating my level of commitment to these things (if that wasn't obvious from my post yesterday.) Today I'd like to go a little more in depth.

The first thing I guess I should understand is what exactly I'm committing to at this point in my life. I have long term goals, but I want to focus on my immediate goals that effect this next month of October. So here they are in a nut shell:

1. Hot 100 Challenge
2. My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge
   
3. Work Out 5 Days Per Week
4. Bike to Work (Starting 10/12/2010)

That's it! Simple right? Yeh, not so much. When I start thinking about the details my stomach gets twisted into knots. I mean, with each goal there are usually all these little min-goals that help you to accomplish the big goals, so that means 4 goals can be transformed into 20+ mini-goals, and then, and then, and then...

Sheesh! Makes me feel like eating a big tub of ice cream! But I'm not going to. Instead I'm going to do something to help me understand my goals, the mini-goals that come along with it, and how they all relate to one another. (This one's for you Candy...) I'm going to make a flow chart! Yay! Flow chart time :)

(Click to make it bigger)

You see! Doesn't that make life easier? Does for me. Makes me feel more organized and sane. I mean, I knew all these things that I wanted to do before I wrote them down, but now I don't have to second guess myself.

You can see the biggest bubble, and the one they all point to, is the Hot 100 Challenge which we all know about from a previous post.

The next biggest bubble is the 21 Day Challenge I'm starting this coming Monday. This is almost as big as the Hot 100 Challenge because, well, let's be honest; It is EXPENSIVE!

My Fit Foods is this place that makes food that they package, good for four days, and totally organic/healthy/and balanced. I have decided to commit to their 21 day challenge, where you commit to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day from them. No caffeine, no alcohol, but you do get to do this yummy (aka-yucky) liver cleanse thing every morning. Sounds great right? I mean, it isn't even gimmicky. It just takes the guess work out of cooking, and I really don't like cooking or worrying about what I'm going to eat. I mean, most of my problem with health/weight loss is food. It isn't even the control factor. It is just that I'm LAZY when it comes to food. (gasp, I know, I admitted it) I don't prepare, I don't really like preparing, and so I find myself driving through somewhere or giving into the temptation. My theory is if I already have all of my food I won't even be faced with that temptation. So, I'm willing to spend about $500 (that's right, OMG, I feel so freaking selfish doing this) on this super healthy food. Originally I thought "NO WAY!" But then I started breaking it down. No trips to the grocery store, nothing. This is my entire food cost for almost the whole month. I don't even have to do dishes.

I will admit one reason it is kind of expensive is that when you commit to the 21 day challenge a nutritionist makes out your food plan. Now, if it were me I would be eating the cheapest thing on the menu (oatmeal) every morning of the week. But, he has made me out a nice diverse meal plan. I mean really, it looks pretty tasty. After the challenge, if it is successful and I want to keep up purchasing things from them, I will try to take the cheaper route. I just can't stand the idea of blowing 500+ a month on food just for me. But this month I'm going all out. Lol, of course I'm going to try and cut back on every other possible expense, haha, so hopefully that will help with the guilt factor.

The other goals are pretty self explanatory.

Now, the problem I run into is I love goals, I just don't always accomplish them all because I like making so many of them. But this is it. Nothing else for the month of October, and you notice there is no weight goals. Because I don't care. All I want is that size 14 jeans by the end of the year. I know that is totally obtainable, yay! But back to what I was saying...I make all these goals, I get so excited and pumped up, and I don't face the reality of commitment (see yesterday's post).

Things are not always going to be easy.

Bam! That is the really difficult one. So from the get go I want to be completely honest with myself about the things that are not going to be easy about my goals. Here we go...complete honesty...

• Fear of looking stupid when riding my bike to work.
• Waking up at 4:00 a.m. to ride my bike to work and workout.
• Annoyance and having to get all my stuff together for the day at 4:00 a.m.
• Annoyance at having to take a shower at the gym.
• Annoyance at not being able to give Aaron extra hugs in bed in the morning (this is a BIG one).
• Annoyance when my husband makes, or asks me to make, something yummy for dinner for him. (Another BIG one)
  
• Irritation of not getting a 'fun' drink in the morning.
• Irritation on those occasions that water doesn't taste so good.
• Irritation when I have to drive up to Houston and pick up my food instead of going home and being lazy.
• Fear of embarrassment when I go out to eat with other people and having to explain what I'm doing. (Another BIG one)
• Fear of failure. (BIGGEST one)

Did you ever notice how scary it is to be honest with yourself? Well, it feels great when you are. After writing these things out and looking them each in the face I know that I can overcome them. All of them have to do with irritation, annoyance, fear...notice none of them say "I WILL DIE WITHOUT AN ENERGY DRINK IN THE MORNING" Lol, it is possible to over come each and every one of these things.

So, that is about it for my commitments this October. I know that if I'm steadfast I can accomplish each and every one, no problem.

And when I'm done...

Well, let's just say a manicure, pedicure, haircut, waxing, and a new outfit is in order :)

Thanks for reading!