Making the Internet My Accountability Partner

So as I’ve mentioned before my goals around health and fitness are important to me, but I do struggle to stick to them. Earlier this week I got an email from my insurance that they were covering certain health courses and coaching sessions. So I decided to check it out. I went through an online self paced course. I felt very motivated to focus on my goals while I was going through the material, but it was the obvious things everyone already knows eat a balanced diet, move consistently, sleep well, and manage stress.

I was motivated by I was aware of my inconsistent history with following through, especially on weeks when my depression flares up. So when I completed that course and saw that there was the opportunity for a year long guided weight loss program I joined. The decision was somewhat impulsive, but I’m looking forward to trying something new and having support along the way.

I’m hoping that with tracking my food I can learn more about the relationship between my emotions and food. I have a tendency to go through periods where I am uninterested in any foods, it makes grocery shopping and meal planning very difficult. The goal is if I have a better understanding of what is going on mentally and emotionally I can set myself up in the future to continually make the best choices to fuel my mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. On this topic one thing that I really like about this program is that while they offer a food/calorie tracker I am not required to use it so, I’ve been using a pen and paper journal.

On the flip side I am required to weigh in each week. I currently don’t actually know what my weight is because in the past that number has made me feel terrible, but I didn’t have the tools to manage the emotions or change the number. So that does beg the question then why did I sign up for this program impulsively or not. The main one is those non scale victories. I genuinely would be ok if my weight didn’t change, but I would love to stop feeling terrible physically and emotionally in regards to food and my lack of balanced nutrients. I also would love to feel stronger and have more endurance for my hikes and make more progress towards my bucket list of running a 5k. I believe that the program will help me towards those goals, despite not having any specific/personal exercise advice, because I need that specific accountability. I can’t seem to hold myself accountable so having a third party whose sole focus is my progress towards my goals is going to feel great.

The first part of the program includes weekly group sessions for the first six months with the option of individual coaching as needed. So do expect to hear a bit more about this program and my progress, but don’t worry this isn’t turning into a weight loss blog. I still have a life outside of this journey and will keep you update on my thoughts and experiences as I cross items off my bucket list, work towards my financial goals, and move through life.