Everyone has a bad day once in a while

And today was one of mine. I had a moment this morning when I asked if all this effort is worth what seems like such a small payback. To quote my first morning Tweet "Is it really worth it? The sore muscles, the sweat, the hard work, the avoiding favorite foods. Just to see a tiny half pound loss?! Really?" Moments like this are bound to happen to us all. Judgeing by my past experiences, I'd have to say that tough moments in the begining of a diet (although I'm not "dieting") are to be expected, along with those same tough moments whenever you hit a plateau.

How did I get past this? You may ask. Well let me tell you. It was largely thanks to my Twitter support group. After posting that tweet, I had several responses encouraging me along. The main points I got from everyone were 1) YES it is worth it, 1/2 lb here and 1/2 lb there, next thing you know, you have hit your goal and are feeling Fabulous! 2) Don't lay everything on the scale, that is only one small piece of what I'm trying to accomplish. I need to put more stock in how I feel, how my clothes fit, and what I'm able to do now that I may not have been in the past. After all, I'm now regularly climbing stairs, taking 2 to 3 mile walks, going to the gym, and have been on a hike. I haven't done anything like this in a long time.

I've also learned just how important a support group is. If you are trying to lose weight and/or get healthy, and you haven't built a support structure to help you when you fall, why not? It's like walking a tightrope without a net. Sure, you can accomplish it after a LOT of practice, but you wouldn't start out that way. You can expect difficult days when you start out on a new journey like this, and it is imperative that you have people who can help you up when you fall and pull you through it. Family & friends are great, but people going through or that have gone through the same journey will have more insight & will understand what you are going through. You can make friends with other bloggers (like me!) and encourage through comments, make friends on social networking sites like Facebook (yes, I'm there too), or for instant reactions 24/7 make friends with some of the many Twitterers who are on a similar journey (yep, you guessed it, you can find me there too).

Whatever you do, and however you need to do it to work for you, just stick with it. You will feel so good about yourself and everything you are able to accomplish. Take pride in the little things you do. And remember to smile as much as possible, it feels good, and smiles are contageous - you might just make a stranger's day.