A few things to share.

Over the past year and a 1/2 as I have slowly but surely worked towards a healthier me, I have had so much help from so many angles. My biggest source, naturally, has been friends and family. I don't know where I'd be without their push and their compliments and so on. But, be honest, your support team isn't there 100% of the time. Not a bad thing, we need to rely on ourselves sometimes too and although that is hard, it teaches us things about ourselves we may have missed along the way.

I believe everything happens for a reason, good, bad, all of it. I also believe that sometimes bad things happen for good reasons - initially it may suck, but in the long run good comes gushing out in the buckets for you. Know what I am talking about? Well, instead of rambling on and on I'll get to my point.

When you are on a long road like I am, this "quest" for a healthier body and spirit and to be honest, skinny girl jeans... your support team is key. Yea, leaning on yourself is good to a point, but you need reinforcements and when your normal team is not or cannot be there for you then what? You need a back up plan! I am not saying that my team has failed in anyway, it is just that people have their own lives and I'd be quite pompous to say that I think they should all be giving me 100% of their attention and time to help me along the way. Self reliance is important but when you can't rely on yourself either - T R O U B L E in paradise baby!

So, what is a girl (or guy) to do? Get your backup plan!! Here are a few things I have done to help me stay with it, don't give in, be strong, heck, not just devour an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Super Double Fudge Brownie Delux Ice Cream in one sitting. Hope they help you too!!

People Watch - yup, I sit back and watch others behaviours and what they do to their bodies. Watch people in resteraunts and think "do *I* look like that when I am eating?" envision how others see you doing the things you think look gross or unhealthy

Write Yourself A Note - a note of encouragement, a note of congratulations, or a new list of goals and things you want to achieve. Write it and read it to yourself. I make new goal lists every few months and it helps keep me focused!

Compare the Before/After - if you have not been keeping a photo diary of your weight/fitness then start now! Photo proof is the best and most encouraging (next to buying a size smaller jeans) Also look at the things you were doing before and now... For me a HUGE thing was seeing all the stuff I've done this past year that I could not or would not have done before - swimming public (even doing a slide!), dancing, going on ATV rides and more.

Websites - I have tons and tons of sites I like to go to for help. I can look up things with diets, foods, excersizes, emotions... there is an endless sea of help on the internet! Here are a few faves of mine:

http://hotthickchick.blogspot.com/


http://www.sisterskinny.com/


http://www.prevention.com/cda/homepage.do

So, get up, get moving and get feeling better! Drink your water today! Do something good for you and remember you are your best helper! (Omgawsh I sound like a self help tape or something! EECK!) Just do good for yourself today - OK?

Darla