For year 3, I'm not committing to losing weight. I'm committed to one year of maintaining. Why not make a lifetime commitment? I have found that one-year commitments are more impactful for me. I guess I'm not good with long time commitments. "For the rest of my life" seems so long and impossible. One year gives me accountability and something to shoot for.
What an amazing, difficult, rewarding two years, both physically and emotionally:
- went from 331 pounds to 164 pounds: I lost more than I weigh now
- went from barely fitting into size 32 pants to having my current size 14 pants being baggy on me
- no longer in danger of diabetes, which has always scared me since my dad had it. Cholesterol, blood pressure, pulse, and triglyceride levels are also normal
- finally got help for binge eating, a problem that has plagued me since I was a teen. I feel better, less focused on food, and more positive about my future and my ability to maintain than I ever have before
- went from a couch potato who couldn't walk a quarter of a mile without my back hurting and breaking out in hives to being able to run six miles without stopping. I have hiked some steep, long trails in South America, North America and Europe. My physical fitness has become the greatest gift I have ever given myself.
- finally, I have gone from a shy, sad person with no self confidence and with fears of dying before age 45 to a still shy but much more self confident person who feels some pride in herself and is planning for many, many healthy years ahead of her. Someone who still isn't entirely where she wants to be, personally or professionally, but who believes that things will get better.
Here's to another one-year commitment!
And I think that one year commitments are very powerful as that's what initially got me started this time.
