I'm not going to reach my goal!

Recently I realized that I was not going to make my weight loss goal. I still have 21lbs to reach what I had pretty arbitrarily decided was my "ideal" weight and 18 days to do it. Not gonna happen. But a funny thing happened when I started really examining what this meant. I realized that I don't care anymore.

Not the BIG "don't care" but an even BIGGER "don't care". I realized how little the number on the scale means to me now. I realized that it's no longer about merely losing weight but about living a healthy life and taking care of myself. It's about wearing cute clothes, having the energy to be active with my kids, taking fewer medicines, not feeling like gravity is holding me down on the couch.

I will eventually drop that 21lbs but it will come off gradually because it's less about losing fat now and more about toning muscle. I still have some flabbiness to tend to and it's firming up over time. I know I will eventually wear those size 8 jeans but not because I've lost another 10lbs. I'll be comfortable in size 8s when I've got a toned tummy that fits nicely in them!

I also recently realized that I was hungry all the time. I was snacking more and coming in higher on my nutrition ranges and lacking energy. So last week I adjusted my calorie range up and I feel better, have more energy, and am showing early signs of once again losing weight!

Of course, I'm entirely stressed out about something coming up this week and that's not helping with the whole "wanting to eat all the time" thing but that's when I just make sure to keep plenty of healthy snacks around!

Anyway, I've learned that it's very important for me to be flexible. I have to have flexibility with my goals... especially the arbitrary ones. I have to watch my daily nutrition to make sure it's still working for me, and be willing to change it up if it's not.

So will I ever make it down to 140lbs? I'm not sure. 150lbs is still within my "healthy BMI" range (and still less than I weighed in high school). 140 was just an arbitrary number (the mid-point of my "healthy BMI" range) so I figure as long as I continue making healthy choices regarding food and movement then whatever number my healthy, fit body wants to land at is okay by me!