Spoiler alert! This post IS about following through on set goals, but It’s also a message for me in the area of sticking with my weight-loss goals. You can apply this advice to any goal so keep reading and focus on your own goals as you make your way through this post.

Yes. I'm that girl. Whether I want to admit it or not. I know that I am. I'm the delusional chubby girl who hides from full length mirrors in an effort to avoid facing her current reality. You know the one where I admit that I am so not the same much thinner girl I was back in undergrad. I mean seriously, at a time when I chose to spend my allowance (yes, I got an allowance in college thanks to the BEST uncle in the world) on new clothes instead of sugar filled brunches and fancy dinners loaded with cheese and pasta, staying thinner wasn't that hard.

“So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.”

2 Corinthians 8:11 ESV

Over the last few years, especially after my daughters were born, I've tried to lose weight. It was much easier when I was younger. Now it totally requires focus and commitment. Two things I seem to be lacking because I have yet to succeed. But I'm not giving up. After my last failed attempt, I took a moment to reflect on what went wrong. Here’s what I figured out..

1. You have to remind yourself of your goals in order to be consistent.

Life is busy. Make your goals a priority. There are always deadlines, project details, appointments, meetings and other random stuff floating around in our heads every day that we can’t forget. If you’re like me, you probably reference a to-do list and/or a calendar multiple times a day because relying on your memory alone is not an option. So why not do the same with your goals? I'd never start a new project without a well-defined goal and a plan that I reference often to be sure I’m staying on track. Why would I approach weight loss any differently?

2. Progress is still progress even when it doesn't result in a drastic change.

Ok. So being bummed out that I only lost 2lbs in a week instead of 15lbs is just plain ol' ridiculous. Focusing on having more -2lb weeks is much better than undermining my small victory by renouncing my diet over the weekend, indulging in way too much fried everything and then starting it again bright and early on Monday morning weighing more than I did before I started. It’s so important to commit to the marathon and not just focus on completing the sprint. Looking back and seeing progress made is far more rewarding than still being stuck where I started or in WORSE shape because I quit.

3. Making changes won’t be easy or convenient.

This is a big one. It's always super easy to give in to peer pressure when it seems like everyone else is heading out for lunch. Ever ignore your alarm clock and sleep in instead of working out? We’ve all been there. Preaching to the choir, right? If losing weight was easy, I'd totally be the spokesperson. It's not though and I KNOW that. The goal is to remind myself that while it's not the easiest thing I've ever done, it's far from impossible as long as I stick with it. I will probably feel inconvenienced when I have to pack a lunch or plan meals instead of stopping to grab something “quick.” But that doesn’t mean my goal isn’t worth the extra effort. Besides, who doesn't want to be the "hot mom?"

So, I'm back on the wagon and armed with a few new accountability tools. I'm pretty sure I won't be wearing a bikini this summer, but next year will come and when it does I'll be ready.

What goals are you trying to complete. Let’s support one another. I’d love to hear about your goals and help cheer you on! We can do it.