Motivation

When I first heard my diagnosis, I was completely ready to do anything it took to be healthy, and try to heal my body. That was 2 years, 5 months, and 22 days ago. Or 907 days, or, 21,744 hours, or 1,304,640 minutes have past since that moment. Time. Time that I have done things. And time that I have gotten tired of fighting.

I am a stubborn person. I get what I want. I try to be nice about it, but I have a hard time hearing no. But there are somethings that you cannot get, no matter how hard you try. I cannot beat PCOS from sheer determination. It helps, but I have to have patience, motivation, and a persistence. Eventually, I got tired of fighting. I forgot the feeling I had while sitting in the examination room. Or the fear when I saw the doctors face and realized it was more than just a routine thing. I have become relaxed in my fight. This is why it's so important to make these changes, and make them for life.

March 2011               March 2012                July 2013

I sometimes catch myself thinking, If I quit eating sugar and other simple carbs, and loose ten more pounds, my body will be great, and then I can eat those things again. It's hard to change things about yourself permanently. Besides being stubborn, I hate change. I resist it. I fight against it. Eventually I can accept it. This is what I am working on now. I need to run everyday. Every meal needs to be healthy. I cannot eat a whole bag of gummi worms, or chocolate, or a whole carton of ice cream anymore. No matter how good those donuts smell, I cannot have one. This is a lifestyle change, not a change for a few weeks, or months. We do this because it is healthy. Not just because we want to loose the weight.

I have come too far to back slide. And I still have a long way to go. I have figured out a few things that have worked for me. Things that get me out of bed, that stop me from grabbing that cookie, and things that get me to the gym, or pounding the pavement.

• Set goals - these have to be doable. If it's just not eating sugar for just ONE day, and that is all you can do right now, then do it! Set long term goals, and then short term goals. Set goals for one day at a time. Along with these goals, write down why you want to do this, what it is that you want to achieve. 
• Hold yourself accountable, report to someone if you need to. Keep a journal. Write down what you eat, when you exercise, things you do to resist the temptation, and go back and read it! 
• Give yourself rewards. If you were good for a day, buy yourself a new Mp3, or nail polish. Or if you made it a week or two, get a new movie or buy yourself flowers. 
• Find an exercise that you at least like to do, if not love. There's yoga, zumba, crossfit, running, walking, biking, swimming, and even Jillian Michael's workout videos. I'll admit it, I was ashamed to go to the gym once, so I did videos in the safety of my home. I am not an exercise expert or anything, but I can tell you that the recommended cardio workout is about 30 minutes a day, with muscle-strengthening exercises a couple of times a week. I would suggest doing at least 45 minutes of cardio if you can. Even if you have to walk around for the last 15. You can do this!
• Get an exercise buddy. If someone is up early, waiting for you, you are more likely to get out of bed!
• Fast paced workout music has saved me. I love 80's, angry girl music, boy bands... Anything with a  fast beat that will get me going.
• Realize that this is going to be hard. That in a few days, or weeks you are going to hit that wall. You are going to crave sugar and carbs like you will not believe. You will want to give up. You will honestly be weighing the pros and cons in your head. Something that meant so much to you just a few weeks ago, is going to seem way too hard, and not worth it anymore. Fight back. Drink more water. Talk yourself through it. Call someone. This is worth it. You are worth it. Look back at your goals, and your journal. You've come so far! 

We are all human. We are not perfect, but we can do hard things if we are determined enough. Change is hard. But anyone can do it, if they will work at it. If you are stubborn, use that to your advantage. Be stubborn about doing what you need to, to be healthy. 

You are a healthy person, and you can do hard things.