Victory: The Headshot

This whole process of recognizing you need to lose weight, starting the process, having some success, being ultra-committed, losing interest in the process, giving yourself pep-talks to keep going, remotivating and recommitting yourself, losing interest again, pep-talks, recommitting, losing interest - you get the idea.... this whole damn process can be exhausting.  That is it.  Going through a life overhaul is completely exhausting.  It is full of ups and downs, easy times and moments where you are sure you just cannot care enough to continue with it, highs and lows. 

There are so many times that it seems like there will never be an end to this process (which lets face it - there isn't.  This is a life change. It's permanent, baby!).  Where every necessary action (shopping, cooking well, eating well, exercising, etc) seems like more work than it is worth.  Where you feel like there is no way you will get to your goal, and it isn't even worth trying.

And then there are these moments where it all clicks - where everything seems right in the world.  Where you are shown that the hard work is paying off.  Where something you hadn't noticed in the past comes screaming to the forefront, and you finally open your eyes.  These moments will forever be remembered as victories to me.  They help motivate you to stay on program.  They make going to the gym that much easier.  They remind you of the possibility, and it is the possibility that will keep you on task.

Current (week of 8/16/10)

I, like many of you, use Facebook to stay in touch with.....well, everyone.  I decided last week that I needed a new profile picture.  I had been using the same one for a couple of years now, and felt like I could use an update.  The picture to the left is what I came up with.  It is no Glamour Shot and I am horrible with the self-portraits, but I thought it was OK.  I can still see the hint of a double-chin and my eyes only look mildly crazy.  When we compare against other photos of me, and grade on a curve, this is an alright shot.    I haven't noticed huge changes to my body.  Things feel a bit smaller, a bit less rotund - but when I look at pictures of myself I don't see a major change.  I just looked at pictures from my family fun weekend, and although I was able to hold back the tears this time, I was unjazzed (which is similar to not jazzed, but more severe).  I still look like a whale.  A slightly smaller whale, maybe - but a whale none-the-less. 

License Photo taken 04/2009

It wasn't until today, when I took my license out and actually looked at it, that I noticed just how much my face has changed!  The picture I took of my license with my phone is super-fuzzy, but you can still make out the extreme-sveltness that I am speaking of.  Finally - I noticed a difference physically!  It makes all of this crap that I don't want to do 90% of the time seem worthwhile, and it actually makes me want to move my rear!!  The next time I want pizza instead of my baked chicken, I am going to look at my license.  I wonder if the State of Minnesota (shout out to the DMV) would be willing to make me posters of this picture to post on my refrigerator, in my car (for when those damn fast-food restaurants call my name), on my alarm clock (for the many mornings when I don't want to get up when it goes off) - with a few extras to hand out simply because it is a sweet pic.  I think this is the first time I have ever loved my license picture.   

What was your latest Victory?