Is this winning?

June 12, 2011

This week was not the best, health-wise. Throughout the week I didn’t get more than 5 hours of sleep a night, which left me less than enthused to exercise. Add lots of work stuff plus volunteer commitments that all seemed to hit at once, and I was exhausted and drained. Food was okay though, and I’m happy that I got out and rode a bike for the first time in 15 years, went to Bikram yoga on Saturday, and did 2 miles with the pup today.

I feel like I’m going through both a physical and mental reset right now. I wrote about my adjustment period here, and I think in order to really push past it, I need to get my sleep, work stress, workouts and food just right. I’m still working on managing stress and on prioritizing activities, so for now I’m in a state of homeostasis.

What I’m battling right now: Feeling like I’m letting others down. Letting my trainer down, letting readers down, letting others down. I put enough pressure on myself to succeed. Add on the layers of my over-analytizing what others think of me (which I’m sure is completely unjustified) and I feel a little bit like I’m sitting in a pressure cooker.

Here’s the thing: I feel great. I’m not stressed about the scale not moving. I am doing things with my body I never thought I could do. I’m not binge eating. I feel present and strong with my body.

I must remember: in the end, it doesn’t matter what others think.
My journey. My body. My life.

No matter where you are in your journey, please don’t let others opinions cripple you from succeeding how YOU need to succeed. Do not let others define you as a success or a failure.

Here’s my motto for this week:

Source: tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Tagged as: ramblings

  • http://www.imnochef.net Melanie Couch

    Love your saying!! That is so true to me also. Hang in there!! I am in the same place as you right now. I hate letting my readers down more than anything. I have accepted that they all go through this too and can learn from it with me. You are doing great!!!

  • http://theravegan.wordpress.com/ Jen/The RA Vegan

    I deal with the issue of feeling like I am letting people down all the time. My goal is not weight loss (though I will admit it has been a nice side benefit) but living life to the fullest with an autoimmune disorder. When I take time for myself to recharge or when I say “I just don’t feel up to that right now” I feel as if I am not being the parent/teacher/friend I want to be. But in the end, I have to take care of me. Because if I don’t, I’m not available to anyone else. I love your current mantra and will be employing it for myself, with the goal being a balance in life. Thanks!

  • http://theprosandconsofme.blogspot.com The Pros + Cons Gal

    Please, oh, please don’t start trying to blog for anyone other than yourself. If you don’t feel like posting — don’t. If you just get too busy, your readers understand, as most of us are going through the same things. Not always feeling like were doing enough good, slacking a bit, or just not blogging for a while. I love reading your posts because they are real and honest and speak nothing but the awesome truth. As long as YOU feel good about what YOU are doing and what YOU accomplish, that’s all that matters! I love the motto for the week. I totally feel it! :)

  • http://www.sweatinguntilhappy.com Alan Ali

    Love this! :) Do whats best and screw the rest!

  • http://diaryofafabgirl.me Sacha

    Love the motto! Plateaus and trying to get everything adjusted to move past a plateau can be so frustrating. You’ve come so far, and I’m glad you still have fight in you to continue. I also know what it’s like to over-analyze and worry about what others are thinking. It seems counter-intuitive to our goals. As you continue your practice of yoga, a lot of that over-analyzing and worry should dissipate. Hang in there! Take baby steps if you must, but please don’t stop! :)

  • http://got2run4me.wordpress.com Coco

    Everything is so much harder when you are sleep deprived. Getting even a bit more sleep may help make work stress less stressful, better food choices easier to make, and give you more energy for exercise. It sounds like you are in a good place as long as you don’t let “shoulds” undermine your accomplishments.

  • BAH

    Great motto!!! I feel the same way about letting others down but really I think it is myself the most!!! Have a great week and hang in there, you are continuing to do great things!!! ;-)

  • http://kclanderson.com KCLAnderson (Karen)

    Yep. BTDT. It’s like, “oh, I have this blog and everyone expects ABC or XYZ or whatever.” But what it’s really about is that *I* expect ABC or XYZ or whatever. In the end, that’s really what it’s about…when I am harsh with myself, I perceive that others are being harsh too :-) And they most definitely are not.

  • shay

    great motto!

  • http://kittykatzfluffnstuff.blogspot.com/ rach

    EXACTLY what I needed to hear today!

  • http://losinghalfmyweight.blogspot.com jayme @ losinghalfmyweight

    you feeling great is the most important thing. yes, others look to you for inspiration. others watch your progress. and yes, others judge you (it’s human nature). but this journey has taught you (and me) that it’s about looking after yourself, listening to yourself, and dealing with your own stuff, but in a way that others can peer in and perhaps learn lessons. the lesson here today is that sometimes homeostasis is healthy, a chance to reflect on where you’ve been and where you want to go, a chance for body, mind and spirit to catch up with each other.

    If you feel great, then feel great with no apologies, my friend! (and congratulations on feeling great, by the way!!! that’s fantastic!!)

  • http://mizfitonline.com/2011/06/13/zensah-racerback-tank-reviewgiveaway/ Miz

    it took me almost 3 decades to learn that all what mattered was what I THINK.
    and yeah
    four plus later I still forget some days.

  • http://delightfulshrinking.com Amy Benitez

    I love your positive attitude. What a fantastic motto! Whenever I get “stuck” I start feeling like a weight loss fraud. Like all my friends keep asking if I’ve lost more weight and I don’t want to say yes and lie, but I also don’t want to say no because I’m embarrassed. Thanks for reminding me there’s no shame in a plateau!

  • http://getfitkatie.blogspot.com Kate

    You are not superwoman, so don’t beat yourself up about not being made of steel. Your motto is correct. You are getting there, and you will make it.

  • http://southernweigh.blogspot.com Melanie

    I love that quote! You will get there and so will I!

  • http://www.definediana.com DefineDiana

    Oh my goodness, this is exactly how I feel right now. I love that quote. I am going to print that out and put it on my fridge as a reminder. Thank you Emmie, this is just what I needed today!

  • Debbi

    Emmie,
    Your honesty is the thing I like the most about you. Please do not put pressure on yourself by thinking you might disappoint those of us who follow you. I don’t think you could ever disappoint me. You have the same feelings that most of us have. I have to stop myself from being self critical every single day.
    Just keep on being yourself. You really are amazing and inspiring. More so because you are who you are each and every day.

  • http://braverealworld.wordpress.com Joanna @ braverealworld

    Gosh, I can so relate to being worried about others people’s opinions of me. WHY do we care about this?! I have come a long way to caring less about it, but I still have a ways to go to totally not caring. I think I’m going to print out the mantra you posted.

    Also, as a faithful reader, I don’t feel the least bit let down or disappointed. Keep on being you. You inspire me!

  • http://gettinghealthy-myblog.blogspot.com/ Debbie

    Great saying, and so true. We are who we are and we don’t need to apologize for it. You just keep doing what is best for you. And you’re right we’re all in the same boat.

  • http://jamericanwoman.blogspot.com/ Niki

    Man, I can relate to this! The pressure and pull to get things accomplished while some things slip. It IS hard to balance all these Very Important Things all at the same time. I think you’re right though – winning is constantly changing and adapting to find more balance in your life.

    So inspired by you!

  • http://thecrazyne.blogspot.com/ Tracy

    Thanks for the quote.. definitely going to use that! Thanks for the continuous inspiration!!!

  • AidelK

    Hi Emmie, I just happened upon your blog looking for recipes from Rocco’s new book. You look FANTASTIC! I just had my 1-year anniversary of trying to lose weight. I’ve lost 52 pounds, but I’m kinda stuck. It’s getting harder. I see this will be a good stop for inspiration and motivation. Keep up the good work!

  • http://mywaistlossjourney.blogspot.com/ Maria @ my waist loss journey

    So the question is…why am I writing this blog?? For you or for us…I’ll answer that for you…for YOU obviously….I hate that our bodies are on their own time…doing everything right and not seeing results is so darn hard.! But I guess if you continue to do the right thing everything will fall into place. I love your motto for the week… I’d like to add my own…
    -Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. – Maria Robinson

  • http://www.journeytomarvelous.com Melissa @ Journey to Marvelous

    Em, you’re rocking it!…that’s all I have to say. Everyone has plateaus…I feel like I’m constantly at a plateau. As long as you’re feeling healthy and happy, the rest will work itself out. Keep it up!

  • http://startlosingthefat.com Robin

    It is nice to hear so many people are stagnant in their weight loss. Do you think I am crazy or mean, please don’t. I am only being positive. If you can’t keep those scales moving into the negative it only means that you have done something right to begin with. Currently, I am at a “status quo” with my weight, and I could not be happier because before I started getting healthy and exercising, I just kept ballooning up. This is just your body “resetting its fat thermostat”. Keep up the great work everyone, we will all start moving into the negative again. For now, let’s not beat ourselves up but be happy we are all on the right track. :)

  • Renee

    Hi Emmie-
    Just found your post today as I was searching for info on the arm band. I just navigated your story from start to finish and I’m completely motivated. I’m yo-yo dieter of the decade- 50/60 lb. fluxuation from year to year. No joke! The thing I’m most impressed with about your story is your determination to keep going, regardless of what the scale shows. I don’t know why I’m ruled by those numbers. You’ve reminded me that it’s about much more than that- and you look incredible, by the way. Thanks for the lessons and I’ll keep checking in.

  • http://www.facebook.com/aprilshoemaker April Shoemaker

    I have this quote on one of my work out Tees and I LOVE it!

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