All or Nothing...

My first fun run for the year is this Sunday.... oops I'm not really prepared, in fact I had forgotten to register... but I checked it out yesterday and they were still accepting registrations.  There are two options a 5.5km and an 11km.  I chose the 5.5km to start because I wanted to do the run for speed rather than distance, how I'm going to go with that.... is anybody's guess!  BUT I'm doing it and well frankly... that's the main thing here!  No use wimping out on the first one right!

And that is kinda the point here today.  Something, is always better than nothing.  I used to be that kind of all or nothing dieter, you know, I had to do everything perfectly or I'd "ruined" it (really because it wasn't that one chocolate bar that ruined it, it was the candy shop I consumed AFTER that one chocolate bar that ruined it), it wasn't that one day I missed training, it was the weeks and weeks after when I didn't get off my arse for love nor money unless it was to head to the kitchen.

It's a mindset that can be hard to break, but it's quite crucial!  So what if I consumed the equivalent to a small pig over the Christmas period "oink oink" indeed!  Why does that mean I shouldn't go out for a walk or have vegetables at my next meal, what part of it gives me licence to go 'ahhhhh whatever' and raid the contents of fridge and pantry alike.... sometimes it's in the little choices, and it can work both ways. 

Some people will say that is just me, I am all or nothing... that's still a choice folks but when it comes to trying to make long term sustainable lifestyle changes, I think that all or nothing can work against you.  It's when that boring old common scensicle "moderation" mantra comes into play.  You know it's about having a piece of cake... not the whole cake.  I used to say well if I could learn to only have a piece I wouldn't be in this predicament, I just can't do it!  Isn't it amazing what we can talk ourselves into... and out of?!

I spent a long time knowing all the things I should and shouldn't do to lose weight... and well the only thing stopping me, was well ME!  It's a confronting thing as we build up a wall of excuses to justify our behaviour but sadly folks that's all they are excuses... so don't be overwhelmed, don't think if I don't get it perfect today I can't go on tomorrow, because you are worth more than that negative chit chat!

Start small, look at what you aren't doing, and just add one thing in a week, drink a bottle of water, head out for a 20 minutes stroll, don't go back for seconds, swap your full strength coke for diet coke, just pick something and do that one thing for a week, irrespective of anything else you do.  Then the next week pick something else.  By the end of the month you have four new things you weren't doing before, it might not be perfect, but let me tell you I PROMISE, it's better than nothing! :D