Search the Community

I had to take a step back last year because I was struggling quite severely with a rough year behind me. I had attended more funerals than I should've (the last one being my adopted brother in November and that especially broke my heart), work had me stressed out to the point where I wasn't sure I would be coming back this year when we opened again, we went on holiday after our economy "crashed" and the exchange rate took a rather huge knock, etc. and everything filtered into my holiday and I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. BUT that's 2015. I took January to re-centre myself and now I'm back. Part of re-centring myself is starting over very simply (especially because there's a lot going on over this challenge). Main Quest: To lose at least 10kgs by the end of the year. I'm taking a strange approach to achieving this goal this year. I'm not actually focusing on the goal itself, but on myself. Doing things that will get me back to the person I was when I was 70kgs lighter - a happier, healthier, more energetic, disciplined, focused and optimistic me (don't get me wrong, it was also the hardest time in my life, but I have it much easier now and I'm not nearly all those things anymore). Quest 1: Keep a food journal. In March I'm hoping to begin the search for a (few) professional(s). Top of my list is a dietitian, with the help of my GP (the list also consists of a therapist/life coach and a personal trainer/exercise coach). So when I find this dietitian, I want to give them my food journal, as well as any medical data that my doctor has at the time. If this dietitian is also a life coach/therapist then bonus. Quest 2: 10 minutes of INTENTIONAL exercise, daily Intentional exercise is exercise that doesn't involve exercise that I have to do daily in order to function. So everyday I have to walk up 7 flights of stairs to get into my apartment (otherwise I can't go home) and I walk 10 minutes to the bus and 10 minutes from the bus to my office. This is all daily activities, so these don't count. You'd think 7 flights of stairs counts, but the elevator has been out for almost 4 months now and we still have about 6 weeks to go (apparently). So yeah on top of that, I need to do another 10 minutes. I have a bike so it'll mostly be cycling, but I'd like to do other stuff on the weekends (when it's not sweltering). Quest 3: 10 minutes of reading, daily. I love reading. I have always loved reading and it has been a safe place for me to escape to. I never discerned between fiction and reference. So for this year I have a challenge to complete 12 books this year. It doesn't seem like much but in between everything else, I don't have as much time to lose myself in a book. So 10 minutes a day (at the least), every day is a good start. Quest 4: Daily grooming I'm a beautiful girl (this is fact, not vanity or ego) even though I'm morbidly obese. When I was younger I was more interested in making sure that I looked like the beautiful woman that I am - possibly teenage, young adult vanity - but over the years I have neglected myself and stopped caring. In looking after myself I am bringing focus back to myself. Don't get me wrong, I do things like brush my teeth and shower everyday. This grooming involves washing my makeup off my face, handling my curls, moisturising my whole body, shaving regularly and applying bronzer/self tan as necessary. Motivation: I am my own motivation! I have a wonderful boyfriend who loves me at every point in my day/week/month/year and isn't stressed about how I look. He isn't embarrassed to show my off or introduce me to people. He is very proud of me and tells me often that I'm beautiful (without prompting). I don't necessarily believe this myself, and he doesn't deserve that, but mostly I don't deserve it. If I don't care about myself, I am never going to get better at life and will have no motivation to actually live, but to continue surviving. PS. I probably won't be in a lot to update, but will do so as often as I can.