Getting Back to the Basics

I realized today that I have spent the last couple of weeks just making excuses.  I would go to dinner and have a dessert with the excuse that I had enough points left on WW or that I had worked out and could handle it.  Truth? - I had enough points because I didn't bother to log them in - just kept a running tab in my head that I adjusted as needed to make myself believe I was being good.  I had a goal to exercise daily on my new Wii.  Truth? - I do exercise quite often on the Wii, but on the days I don't feel like it - I give in to the lazy part of me and sit down and watch Biggest Loser while eating something that wouldn't even be in the same universe as healthy.

I've used every excuse in the book to justify my actions lately.  I had to make cookies with the kids because they had been good, we needed a project together and they needed to be rewarded.  WHAT?!?!?  So how many problems are wrong with that train of thinking?  I can name one right off the bat - I rewarded my kids with food - AGAIN!  Oh, and guess who ate some of the cookie dough?

I've spent the past ten months fooling myself into thinking that I was on this great and noble journey.  I told myself that folks who were on the same journey passed me up becasue they weren't faced with the issues in my life.  It's just not true - just excuses.  Others have succeeded on this journey because they have committed to it. 

I read something on a billboard sign of a church the other day that caught my attention.  I couldn't remember the exact phrase today, but looked up what I could remember and the gist of it is this:  A winner makes a commitment, a loser makes promises.  I've made hallow promises to myself and others that I will stay on track, stay focused and finally succeed in changing my life and losing this weight.  I've foolishly told myself that I was doing this for others...then I told others that I was doing this for me.  Frankly, I was doing this because it's what I expected to do.

Well as in other posts - today is a new day.  So once again, I'm starting fresh.  I'm getting my new log in and starting all over again.  I'm through giving others advice I have refused to follow myself. 

I commit:

*  I commit to drinking water throughout the day and giving up the massive amount of soda that has entered into my weekly routine.
*  I commit to removing the excuses and owning the stumbles that I will make along this path.
*  I commit to reducing the amount of eating out for convenience, and plan to focus on what I can do at home for myself and my family to make our diet a more healthy one.
*  I commit to stop giving advice to others that I'm secretly ignoring.  If I say it - then I'd better be doing it.
*  I commit to working through the lazy times to be a more productive and steadfast person.  If I don't do the work, I won't lose the weight.
*  Most importantly - I commit to myself not to focus on the failures of the past, but the success of the future.  I will have days that I could've done better, but I will strive to have more days I'm proud of than days I've found disappointment in.

Today is a new day and a beginning is always better than a failure.