Reminders

Slumps and rebounds are the pits. No two ways about it. Seeing your progress slowed, or reversed is just downright depressing. Can even make you want to give up.

I know. Be there, done that, doing it again.

Now comes the purple shirt. I'm sure I've shared this story before but I'm doing it again.

Several years ago my mom gave me a beautiful two-piece outfit. The skirt is a shiny purple snakeskin print material and the top is a soft, deep purple short-sleeved button up blouse. Now, while the outfit was my size when she gave it to me it really didn't fit. The buttons were stretched across the bust and the sleeves were so tight on my upper arms that Billy would have to hold them and pull down on them to help get me out of it.

Needless to say I didn't wear the outfit very much. But the color is so beautiful and is one of my good colors so I did suffer and wear it every once in a while. Since it wasn't a "go to" outfit it got sort of buried in the closet. That closet is now under construction so I've rediscovered a lot of things that I hadn't seen in a while.

Including the purple outfit.

I wore it the other day and almost cried. I went to the kitchen and had Billy look at it. The top hangs on me and the the sleeves don't even touch my arms.

Its a reminder of how far I've come. No matter that the scales haven't moved lately; they have moved. I can't get discouraged - I have achieved.

And I needed that reminder.

It doesn't matter if you've only lost 10 pounds or 50 pounds. Every pound is a struggle and an accomplishment. Be proud and don't give up.

I also reminded myself that muscle weighs more than fat so it could be that all the toning that I've been doing is working and the number on the scale may go up for a little while. No one but me knows what that number is so what does it matter?

Sometimes it is best to not look at that daily ups and downs but to remember the big picture. Remember where you started and take encouragement from that. Don't let yourself get bogged down in the short term issues but remember that bigger long-term goal and just keep working. You WILL turn it around and break through that wall and then just start tumbling down the other side.

Trust me. Be there, done that, can do it again.