This week has been filled with victories. I'm not only tracking my meals, but eating as planned, looking away from the treats in the office kitchen, and keeping my calories FAR lower than they were when I was roaming wild. I'm super proud of myself!

I also hammered out a schedule that works for me. This is a huge load off - I realize some people might feel like it's a prison built of timeframes, but I've found in my own experience, that "playing it by ear" takes a LOT of energy, and often leads to me not being able to do everything that I want to.

But today is like exam day. It's my first day of scheduled strength training. For the past several weeks (months?) I've found myself too tired, too busy, too not-nowed to actually pick up a weight when planned. So I'm ignoring all the reasons I should skip my workout tonight (physically tired from yesterday's workout, would like to catch up on sleep immediately rather that put in hour of exercise first, would like to crash on the couch and zone out when I get home, it'd be easier to workout if I cleaned up the house a bit first, yada yada yada). I don't care if the reasons not to are good or not. What matters is that I come home, change out of my work clothes, and start.

Just start! That's the hardest part for me when I'm doing something new. But if I don't start, then I will stay where I am. I won't build the muscle I want, I won't lose 2 lbs/week for the next ten weeks, and I won't feel comfortable when I go on vacation.

If I don't start, I'll be mad when my pants hurt just as much to close next week as they do this week. If I don't follow through on this part of my Plan for Success tonight, soon enough, I'll be coming up with all sorts of ways to compromise my way out of succeeding.

If I do start, I'll be sore tomorrow. I'll feel kinda crappy tonight as I struggle to do things that were once easy. I'll have to think about what exercises to do, and I'll have to spur myself to keep going after it gets uncomfortable. But, if I start as planned, I'll stay on track with my Plan for Success and be giving myself a chance for victory. If I push myself, I will feel proud of my effort afterward. And if I start, then I can continue, and if I continue, I'll start to look different when I pass a mirror. My clothes will fit differently. Heck, I'll be wearing different clothes. It will start to get easier to do things and I'll feel better when I'm working out. If I start, I can have everything I want.

So, building on the victories of this week, I just need to make one last push when I get home tonight to get my gold medal. Here is my visualization (very helpful!): I pack my bag up and leave the office. I walk out to the sidewalk, cross the city to my house. It's super hot out, I'll be sweating and sipping on my water bottle. I'll listen to music to keep my spirits up in the oppressive heat. I'll get home, and strip off the outfit that will surely be sticking to my skin and stand in front of the air conditioner drinking cold water from the fridge until I feel better. Then, I'll pick up my weights from their corner and put them in the middle of the floor. I'll push my laundry out of the way and pile it on my bed if necessary. Then, I'll pull out my cushioned mat and lay it down. And then, I'll pick up my weights - I'll start with 10 pounds - and I'll do shoulder presses.

That's how I'll start.

And that's how I'll win.