Time to Get Unstuck

"You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment and now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it"

("Stuck in Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - U2)

Unfortunately, I've been stuck for longer than a moment.  I've been stuck for years.

When I got divorced several years ago, I went into a deep depression and started eating my feelings.  I unstuck myself from that for a while when I joined Weight Watchers and lost 30 pounds.  I felt great.  Then I met a great guy, and was happy again.  But now I've become complacent, so I've started gaining weight again. And again... I'm stuck.

Well, I'm turning 50 in March, and I feel like it's now or never to do something about it.  I think you can get away with unhealthy habits a little more when you're younger, but it catches up to you with age.  Now, I'm finding it harder to lose weight, harder to exercise, and harder to stick with anything for longer than a week or two.

So today, I joined the gym at work and am going to work with someone on developing a program that's right for ME. I'm excited, but - given my history and general tendency towards being a couch potato - I'm skeptical because I've never been a person who can self-motivate. I need encouragement.

My first encouragement came from my sweet boyfriend, who realized that everything else I was doing wasn't working.  He knows that I come home from work, plop myself down, and that's all she wrote.  I hate going to the gym in my apartment building or having to drive to the gym.  If I have to make a lot of effort, it's not going to happen. The only thing I truly enjoy is walking, but I'd need to do a hefty amount of walking to lose 20 pounds and firm everything up.  So, he suggested I try the gym at work, which is LITERALLY a half block behind my building, and I have to pass it on my way to the train.  I've also found I have the most energy right after work, so I'm hoping this will be the answer.

I also know that I tend to stick with something more if I have to be accountable in some way (e.g. having to get on a scale in front of a stranger every week at Weight Watchers).  This blog is my way of being accountable.  I don't care if anyone ever reads it... it's just knowing that at some point, someone might that will hopefully keep me honest.

Ok, this is my "before" picture. Ignore the wine glass, it's the only almost full-body shot I have of myself that's recent.

I hope to keep a log of my progress and share what works and what doesn't for me.  If you can give me a cheer once in a while, I'd appreciate it!!  Thanks for reading, and wish me luck!!
- Gail