Progress

Phrase for the day: Progress, not perfection. That's good enough for me. Last night went better than all the other nights. For one thing, I was busy. I had yogurt and fruit after taking daughter to orthodontist while she happily munched her favorite - chicken and fries. Then later I had salmon salad, and did not finish it all. After that I had to leave and run some errands which took a few hours. By the time I got home it was time to go upstairs and help daughter with homework. I drank water and I may have had something permissible to eat, but I forget now what it was. I know I did better last night than any other night. I also stuck to plan all day so I had enough left in my "food budget" to eat more in the evening. Tonight is a busy night. I rarely have problems on Friday night unless I eat really late when I get home. Often I barely have dinner so I can afford to eat something later.

On Monday I will have an official weigh in and see what progress I made in March. Right now it looks like I have stayed the same, but at least I am staying the same at a loss, maintaining a low. I have dipped a couple of pounds but then crept back up. Even that fluctuation is only a 2-3 pounds, unlike the wild fluctuations of the past. I am hoping Monday may bring a lower weight so that I could have a one or two pound loss for the month. I will keep that goal in mind as I reach for food over the weekend. It seems much harder to lose now that my weight is already down 45 pounds. I have to adjust to eating even less which takes time. Staying the same is progress for me, it means MAINTENANCE - which eluded me in the past when I lost weight. Miraculous maintenance, without which there would be no true loss.

One other thing I want to focus on is toning and exercising. I may end up not taking much more off in pounds. But if I tone up what is left I am sure to be satisfied with the overall results. I have been doing my abs in the morning this week and my upper body with weights at home. I did one trip to the gym this week. So this is progress from my stand still while I was sick.

I looked at my pictures from my all time high weight yesterday and it is amazing to see the difference. I should take a photo now for comparison. It is getting close to a year since I took a progress photo. I believe I weighed about 15 pounds more when I took them. When I look at my results and progress, it gives me hope and confidence to move forward. I just looked up my last year's weight for March, and I weighed 18 pounds more than I do today!!! Now that really is progress.

I am also avoiding stress. I am staying in the moment, taking care of things I can take care of, one by one, and letting go of what I can't do. Especially with my brother. I am seeing the pleasant aspects of having him around for now. I am encouraging him as he looks for a place to live, and providing the assistance I can. I am not pushing myself to do things that would tax me physically, financially, emotionally or mentally. So, in the area of self care, I am making progress.

Progress, progress, progress. It's all about progress. Not perfection, just simple, steady, progress. And gratitude. I am grateful for the progress I have made and continue to make. Sometimes I have to look a little harder to see it, but it is always there.

Anyway, it's Friday, my favorite day. The weekend spreads out before me with it's seemingly unlimited possibilities.

Happy Friday!!!!!