Countdown to 35: Sliding Back, Pushing Forward

February may have been the shortest month, but for me it’s been the hardest so far. Between Valentine’s Day treats, many busy working days, and cold weather that makes me feel like snuggling down on the couch, I’ve really struggled to stay on track this month.

Did I back slide a little? Yup. I had a few days (ok maybe more than a few) where all I wanted was pasta. The combination of lack of sleep and stress made me crave comfort food. And I indulged in that craving a few days.

However, what I find important to remember is that just because I may have gained back a pound or 2 this month, it doesn’t mean I should throw it all away.

I think that’s a common trope when it comes to dieting. Maybe you sneak a piece of bacon or a donut in the morning. And once that happens, it feels like the rest of the day is screwed so you might as well just eat whatever you want.

I know this, because I think like this too.

However, during this process I’ve been really focused on not only shifting my habits, but shifting my mindset on how I look at food and “dieting”. And this way of thinking has been one of the biggest challenges for me.

I mean, if you spilled a little coffee on your shirt in the morning you wouldn’t say “screw it” and pour the rest all over you, right? Instead, yes, is a little coffee stain annoying? Absolutely. But is being covered in coffee going to impact your life significantly more? Also, yes.

I think that’s my message to myself this month. I had quite a month in February. It flew by quickly and contained a lot of very good and very stressful moments. A lot of the month I was just trying to function day-to-day, and I think I did a pretty damn good job.

As we head into March, instead of feeling guilty or down about not losing the weight I wanted to last month, I’m going to refocus and go back to the best practices moving forward. Will it be perfect? I can guarantee it won’t be. But it will be my best try!