Muffins with Mom – The Fitness Protection Program – A Struggle with Weight Loss

 

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Mothers will tell you the truth. They will protect you from hurt, harm,  and danger, but they will speak the unfiltered truth, just like an honest child. And that’s why I decided to create my very own Fitness Protection Program. There are no warranties, no guarantees, but protection of my sanity is covered.

You may not have this problem, but I have been trying to lose weight since 2020 B.C. (Beginning of COVID). I exercise, but I have yet to find the balance between exercise and eating the right foods. In my closet, any clothing with elastic waistbands is the new sexy. After an exhilarating workout one day, I decided to go to the dark side (non-stretchy clothes).

I pulled on a pair of jeans, sucked in my stomach, and firmly snatched the waistband together and secured the button. They fit snuggly, but not uncomfortable. I slid a t-shirt over my head, topped it with a jean jacket, and tucked my feet into stylish, yet practical boots. Off I went about my day.

I stopped by to visit mom, wearing my snazzy outfit. I slid my bulky winter coat off with the grace of a model, struck a pose and batted my short eyelashes at my mom. She said, “that’s cute outfit. It would look even better if you had on a pair of dark jeans. What happened to those dark jeans you used to have?”

“I can’t fit them. I now select my clothes based on weather…whether I can fit them.”

And that’s when I decided I needed a fitness protection program. I would workout in secret, protecting others from the sight of me struggling; sparing them the sounds of grunts and groans. This was also a way of protecting me from my inner critic telling me, you don’t have to exercise if you don’t feel like it. You can do it later.

My Fitness Protection Program includes making healthy food choices, exercising regularly, and rewarding myself along the way. A key component of this program is to be kind to yourself. There will be days that you are more successful than others. Take it in stride and remember that everyday is a new day. As one of my friends says, it’s you against you. No need to base your success on anyone else.

Create a reward system for yourself. I mentioned this in a previous blog post, me and a few friends created a Workout Jar.  The idea  is to pay yourself $1 each time you workout. After 90 days treat yourself using the funds from your jar. One friend took this challenge a step further, she adds .50 cents each time she makes a healthy food choice.

Are you working to shed unwanted pounds? You may need the Fitness Protection Program. Design a routine that works for you, create your own rules, and make it fun. Remember, you are never alone on this journey. When you feel a struggle coming on, find a way to laugh through it.