I wrote yesterday about how I went hog wild in Toronto and ate and drank anything and everything in sight. The result is a horrifying number on the scale, and a serious increase in the roundness of my face. I need to fix that; I am fixing it. Now, I have to deal with the toughest part of losing weight: the wait.

I didn’t pack on the weight overnight. It took months of poor eating habits and being lax on my own rules. No, this is all my fault, and it’s a cumulative result. Now, as I reverse the trend, I have to realize that it will take time to get rid of this extra weight. I skipped exercise yesterday due to a medical condition that may sideline me for the next two weeks, but I am going to try to do something tonight after work to get the heart pumping a bit. Even if I can’t run, I can at least do some kettlebells or maybe some push ups.

I have to be patient. Perseverance is key. Motivation isn’t enough; I have to be able to wait out this process. I also have to trust the process. I’ve done this before, and I was very successful with it. As long as I make sure I eat the right foods in the right amounts and get enough sleep, I should be able to repeat my success.

I am reminded of the turtle and the hare. We all want to be the hare; lose that weight as quickly as possible! How often do you see advertisements that promise a weight loss of 20 lbs in a month? 10 lbs in a week; guaranteed! Well, I won’t say it’s impossible; I’ve done both! But I did both when I weighed over 300 lbs, and it’s pretty easy to drop that first 20 lbs just by eating right. Right now, I’d be happy with 10 lbs off my first month, but I’m not sure I’ll make it. I am also not putting too much emphasis on the speed of weight loss; I want it to be slow, steady, and permanent.

I can’t say, and I won’t say that this won’t happen again. I recognize that every now and then, I eat too much or drink too much and weight creeps back up. What I do know, however, is that I won’t just ignore my weight and health, and that I won’t allow it to get anywhere near where it was before I started. I also won’t let it get this high again; it’s way too much. The amount of work I have before me is pretty big, but it’s not insurmountable. I’m not tackling it all in one day or even in one month. I have an open timeframe to reach my goal, and I’m literally taking it day by day. I did everything perfect yesterday. My goal is to do the same today. If I’m successful, then I might see some result when I step on the scale in the morning. Heck, maybe I won’t, but I know that if I keep doing the right things, the weight will eventually come off.

Today, I will do everything right. Tomorrow is a new day, and I will worry about it when I get there. Today, I just need to take it easy, eat right, and try to get a little exercise in. And definitely getting to bed on time. That’s a big one.