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| Dmitriy posted this picture of me on Instagram and nearly made me cry. Left: July, 2013 at Top of the Rock Right: August, 2015 at Best Fitness in Erie, PA |
Do you ever hear yourself?
It's August, I'm enjoying the summer too much. Fall is coming, I really like Apple Pie and Apple Cider. School is starting again and it's going to be stressful. Halloween is coming,I love all that candy! Holidays are approaching, I can't wait for the food! I think I'll wait until New Year's to get started on my diet.
OR is it ...
I don't have time. I'm too busy. If I try, it might not work for me. I really don't want to go to the gym. I really don't have it in me. I work really hard and I can't take one more thing. I've blown it already, so what's the point? My fill in the blank hurts and I really don't want to injure it again.
Both of these types of internal dialogues used to play in my head. It was like a broken record when it came to convince myself to lose weight. At Christmas, 2013, I pretty much knew I had to do something. My weight was increasing, I felt horrible all the time and I was heading towards a medical disaster. (I have a family history of diabetes, addiction, high blood pressure, and stroke.) So, on January 1, 2014, I started my journey towards fitness. It was NOT pretty at first. I've written about this previously.
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| I could probably go back and find another 10 years of pictures of me. Being fat, battling the ups and downs has been my life story. |
1. You must fight the internal dialogue, whatever messages you are giving yourself that say, "Not now" or "You can't do it." This is key. When you hear the voice in your head, say to yourself, "Stop!" or "Shut up!"
2. This one is somewhat obvious, but simple: stop waiting until tomorrow. I don't care what time it is today, what you had for breakfast, dinner or snack, or what you have going on tomorrow to keep you from starting today! Endeavor today to make the change. You don't need to have one last big splurge! Make a healthy dinner, start a shopping list of foods you need to keep in the house, go join your local gym, pour out all the sugary drinks in your house and start drinking only water. Start now. Don't delay.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25a
If I had not determined to put one foot forward and STICK to it, I would probably have serious medical issues by this point. Just say to yourself, "I'm going to do this!" and refuse to allow anything to interfere with your goals.
I'll be honest, the first seven months were pretty much a disaster for me, but I did not give up. I kept saying to myself, "Tracey, you can't give up. You have to figure this out." My trainers really helped me, more than I can even tell you. I've written about them here: Mike Made Me Do It and Dmitriy Made It Happen. In those early months, when I wanted to quit, I didn't. If I had a bad day or a bad weekend or a bad week, I said, "Come on now, get back on track." When you are getting started, or if you are stuck along the way, my best advice is to refuse to allow one bad day to turn into a month of bad days.
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| 2014 is the year I decided to change. I had a rocky start, but I finished strong! |
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| This year I really got serious. In January, I went from a Size 16 to a Size 12. By March, I was in a size 8. In May, I wore a two piece bathing suit for the first time since 2003. I feel stronger, healthier and happier than I have in my entire life. |
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
3 John 1:2
Follow me on Instagram @tracoleman99
Question for you:
If you could change ONE thing about yourself, what would it be?
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