Hot and Cold

"You're hot and you're cold, you're up and you're down, you're in and you're out"...Katy Perry.

After yesterday's rather chipper post, I woke up with a case of the blahs - I've been thinking about how people go "off the rails" post comp or post goal for want of a better description - you're fired up, you're focused, you nail it and then what? In short, you've 'lost' your motivation - not because you're misguided, silly or lacking in character but simply because you achieved what you set out to do.

I'm seeing how important it is take the time to work out what you really want from life and what the next step is. Sometimes the issue is that we don't "know" what we want, but here I htink there's value in the answer that we more likely than not know what we don't want, so use this as a starting guide.

For example, I know that after I hit my "comp" weight, I became less motivated about my nutrition. I've certainly had a few more "bumps" than I had anticipated - you'd think that with the volumes of experience I have in this matter it would be really easy - well not always! Proper management of the other stuff that's been going on in my life has involved being introspective about my eating. It's as if I've had to say to myself, "just eat well anyway and wait for the motivation to come back". So there have been a few shaky times where I've wanted to overindulge in food, but most of the time I say to myself "in the long run, you'll be pleased you took care of yourself". The same goes for turning up and doing your workout regardless - this morning the last thing I felt like doing was teaching RPM, but I have a small, but very smiley group who are just great to be around - felt so good when I was done that I even had a little treadmill walk and trained my shoulders. Carolyn sent me a great email called "7%" and I'm going to share it with you this morning...


Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone..
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere
.39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.It's estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'.. I'm in the 7%. Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

I'm so glad I'm keeping on keeping on. Now that I'm excited about my nutrition supporting my new found inner tiger at the gym I'm starting to feel better - and now that I've just read that wonderful seven percent post I'm starting to feel more like my old self again.

I reckon writing has gotta be one of the most therapeutic things ever, don't you?