#15: Finding my mantra

Since Shane and I started our lifestyle makeover officially a week and a half ago, it has been almost too easy. I'm consistently coming in right on track with my calories and even lost five pounds at my last weigh in. We've stayed pretty much on track with C25k, we went to the YMCA yesterday, and today we went for a bike ride. 

At some point today, it hit. The dread. If you've ever been on a diet before or attempted a lifestyle change, you know what I'm talking about. That point when you're eating chicken and steamed veggies again for dinner and you just want some mac and cheese / loaded mashed potatoes / whatever your calorie-rich comfort food is. And while you know you might have room in your calorie count for the day for a little indulgence, you know that if you get out to go to the store, you're just going to end up in the Jet's Pizza parking lot. So you munch those veggies like it's your job, but you don't really enjoy them. 

Shane suggested today that we come up with our own mantras to help us through this fat to fit process. Sometimes I swear he's a genius. I need to remind myself that as long as I'm eating, while it might not be super tasty by my normal standards, as long as I'm getting adequate nutrients, I will survive. And when I want to stop running because I'm actually breathing hard and sweating for once, I really can make it until my legs tell me to stop. 

It never gets easier, you just get better. 

I was looking through my Pinterest for mantra ideas and this one really stuck out to me. It is so true! Things that seem hard to me now will soon become part of my routine. It won't be easier, but I'll be better and stronger. Running the hill behind my house is no cake walk, but I'll get faster. It even applies to my food troubles...unless our country undergoes some serious changes, it will always be easier to eat unhealthfully (I'm looking at you, fast food). But the more I get in the habit of cooking at home and diversify my recipe box a bit, the better I will be at making good choices for my body. I have a feeling cravings will always be a struggle, but I'll be better equipped to handle them. 

I'm going to try this one out for a while and see how it fits. I had a couple of runner ups, and if you're looking for a mantra, maybe you'll see one that speaks to you too!

I love how straight-forward this one is. Either you do it, or you don't. And if you don't, you have no one to blame but yourself. And is it just me or does that lady not look like the mom from Good Luck Charlie in the face?

This is kinda along the same lines as the last one. You have a choice to make, and your actions will have consequences. Which can you live with? 

When you're at the beach in a few months (lucky), you'll be glad you pushed yourself just a little bit harder on that run or decided that no, you didn't really need that cupcake that badly. 

Be your own cheer section. If you don't believe you can do it, then you won't. 

When you remind yourself of what you're working for, it will be that much easier to do just one more push-up, or stop after one scoop of ice cream instead of three. You're worth it. 

Hopefully you've found some words to motivate you when your brain is telling you to give up. I know I'll be repeating my mantra to myself a lot here in the coming months. We can do it, we just have to remind ourselves that we can!