And it begins again...who's with me??

This is starting to become a trend, isn't it? Every year around this time I start working out again and inevitably stop. I know I'm not the only one, but that doesn't make me feel any better about it. I've been trying to figure out why I stop working out and sometimes the answer is obvious - I hurt my neck and couldn't for a few weeks, or I was sick and couldn't for a week - but that doesn't explain why it takes me weeks or even months to get back into it.

The funny thing is, if I'm being really honest with myself, it's not just working out that I tend to stop doing. (I'm refusing to use the word "quit" because there's no point in being that harsh with myself - what does it gain?). I stop doing a lot of things I actually enjoy! Like baking for instance. I love to bake - LOVE IT. The enjoyment I get when I see people eating and liking what I bake is crazy - I don't even care if I get to eat any of it myself. And I keep saying that I'm going to try and bake something new every weekend, and then try to make those recipes healthier. But have I done it yet? Nope. Why? I wish I knew, but I'm going to spend some time working on it. I don't have kids, my job has fairly regular hours, but somehow it's Sunday night and 8pm and I have no idea where my weekend went.

Maybe I set unreachable goals for myself. Maybe baking something new every weekend isn't realistic to start off. I could do one weekend a month, and then build up, but for some reason that's not my immediate response. It's all or nothing, and when I can't reach the all, I begin to feel like I accomplished nothing. Same with working out. After I've been away for awhile (this time it's about 3 months since I last worked out), I assume that I can go back to doing the same - actually more - than I did when I was going to the gym regularly. Why? I honestly have no freaking clue. Does anyone else do this? Am I setting myself up to fail so it's easier for me to give up? Say to myself, "Well you tried but you just couldn't cut it"? Well I'm done with this. Seriously, what is the point? I'm ready to make a change, but I've also realized that it's a slow build. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

So here it goes - another year and another fitness-based resolution. But it's going to stick this time because I'm ready to let myself succeed. With the help of great friends, an amazing husband, and an inspirational fitness community (I'll get to that next post) I'm ready. Finally.

~ Catie