The Challenge of Breaking a Cycle

I was so relieved when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that I dropped a couple of pounds. I'm now down to 250.8 pounds, which is sooo close to 240-something I can almost taste it. It's been a struggle, I admit it, these last couple of weeks. At first, I was hungry all of the time and heard my stomach growling on the regular. Then, I gave in to some temptations. Then I felt guilty and annoyed with myself for giving in to those temptations. I'm sure that you get that there's a cycle forming here.

My great challenge is to move beyond those initial two weeks of ups-and-downs and break out of the temptation cycle.

First, let's talk about what I'm doing right:

1. I've been drinking more than 2 liters of water daily.
2. I've been logging everything that I eat and drink.
3. I've started exercising again, including a weight training program: Stronglifts 5x5.
4. I've given up drinking alcohol, except on special occasions.
5. I've reduced my coffee drinking to the occasional cup.

OKAY! That's not bad! Now that I've gone through what I'm doing right, how about what's not working so well:

1. I've been overly concerned with my scale numbers.
2. I've been exercising irregularly.
3. My diet has been all over the place.

So... what do I need to do in order to move forward?

Two things: 1) I need to learn patience and let go of my unrealistic wish for immediate results on the scale and 2) I need to dig deeper and find more willpower.

I can probably learn to let go of my obsession with the number the scale gives me. As I continue to do weight training, particularly, I am sure that my pride in the work I accomplish will override my tendency to feel down about being up a pound or two from water retention.

But... willpower! Where do I get more of that!? I guess I'll just have to go back to #noexcuses hashtag and remind myself whenever I'm thinking of eating surplus calories or skipping a workout that I have to dig deep in order to be my best self.

We'll see how it goes.