keep doing things right.

I've been reading quite a few blogs lately about women who are REAL. Who acknowledge that life isn't perfect, that they will miss workouts, eat too much, drink too much and fall off the healthy bandwagon a time or two (or three....or four). It's refreshing to not feel held to such unrealistic standards, to know there are people out there mentally struggling with the idea of missing a workout for no other reason than they just feel like grabbing dinner with their boyfriend. With my wedding looming not so far in the distance (in the wedding planning scheme of things), I feel beyond pressured to make a grand statement in a dress I bought for a body I don't quite have yet. It's hard not to beat myself up for bailing on a workout, for eating too many carbs or considering a sweat-free dog walk my day's "cardio." But in reality, I've lost almost 60 pounds, and sometimes a little before/after picture is all you need to remind yourself of the hard work you've put forth thus far.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you summer 2008 v. today, February 27, 2013. Lots of runs, zumba-ing like a fool, strength training, low carb eating and points-tracking. I also give you fried macaroni and cheese, a lot of wine, a lot of missed workouts and even more tears. Since I'm currently battling a "should I go out to dinner or go to the gym on the night before my weigh in" argument in my head, I need to remind myself (and the rest of you) of the following:

You will miss workouts. You will eat too many calories. You will opt for happy hour instead of zumba. For a night of errand running with your husband instead of that 3 mile walk you planned. A night of Sex & The City and Chinese instead of your 4 mile run. You will not track every thing you eat, you will pretend certain days don't "count" and you will cheat and use the weight from the previous morning's weigh in for your "actual weigh in" if you want to do something crazy like go out to dinner the night before your weekly weigh-in. You will have days when you haven't worked out for almost a week and still feel thin and healthy, and then turn around and have a "fat day" the day after your best workout to date. Your body will fluctuate. You will gain weight doing things you thought were good, and then lose 2 lbs after a horrible night of drinking and Taco Bell. You will struggle, and take two steps forward and one step back.

But the thing about two steps forward and one step back is that ultimtaely, you're stll going to get there. It has taken me four years to lose 56 pounds, which is approximately 14 pounds per year. No great accomplishment. But I've lost it, gained it back, lost it again and lost myself 1000 times in the process. But I've found myself 1001 times, which puts me one step ahead of my failures. The fact that I'm beating myself up over missing a workout is proof in and of itself that I'm doing something right.

Keep doing more right than wrong, Lauren. Keep doing more right than wrong, and you will get there. And you will look stunning in your wedding dress. You will also look stunning in your wedding dress while shoveling BBQ into your mouth at the reception.