Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Casting My Vote

A few days ago I started a poll asking what is holding you back. There was an overwhelming response of 65 votes, and – while nobody opted for ‘it doesn’t feel right’ – the rest of the results break down in the following manner:

19 votes for 'fear of failure' accounted for 29.2%
11 votes for 'fear of success' accounted for 16.9%
8 votes for 'mediocrity' accounted for 12.3%
4 votes for 'not enough time' accounted for 6.2%
1 votes for 'not enough money' accounted for 1.5%
6 votes for 'not enough support' accounted for 9.2%
9 votes for 'it’s not a priority' accounted for 13.8%
7 votes for 'other' accounted for 10.8%

It’s a lot more evenly spread than I ever would have suspected. I think what it boils down to is that the reasons, much like the people voicing them here, are varied in nature. It is not so important to look at what the problem is, but rather to investigate what can be done to move past it and on to what we want and need.

For me, the complacency that has recently taken up residence in my mind is the biggest setback I am currently facing. It is very easy to be satisfied with how far I have come and to start loosening up on the reigns. But the truth is that I am not quite where I want to be yet. I know that I have a little more in me still and that temporary gains I have seen these past two weeks are simply evidence of some residual habits and a few new emotions.

I am better than what my last couple of weigh-ins might suggest and I need to get back at proving that to myself. Complacency may have been what was holding me back, but now I can use my understanding of this issue to fuel my determination to stay the course.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 9 glasses of water
- 1 pan-fried banana and light peanut butter wrap on a soft tortilla shell
- 3/4 cup fat free lemon meringue yogurt with 1 cup fruit, seed, and nut granola
- 2 caramel rice cakes
- 3 cups spinach salad with cubed cheese, croutons, dried cranberries, and calorie-wise Greek feta and oregano dressing
- 1 mug decaffeinated tea with milk
- 3 1/2 cups low fat, reduced-sodium popcorn
- 1 cranberry almond multi-grain bar
- 4 cups Caesar salad with Parmesan cheese, croutons, dried cranberries, and fat free dressing
- 3/4 cup fat free raspberry cranberry crumble yogurt with 1 cup granola cereal
- 1 1/2 cups mint chocolate bar ice cream blend

EXERCISE:
- 30 minutes of jogging with a 5 minute walking warm up and a 5 minute walking cool down

10 comments:

  1. what you say makes so much sense to me as well.
    complacency is, in *my* world, mediocrity's BFF.

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  2. Glad you're back home and ready to get back at it! :)

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  3. Very interesting. I was the money one BUT I do have fear of failure that holds me back BUT in times when I had a bit of money to try some things, it overcame that..... when money is not the issue, many times the fear wins out unfotunately.

    Stay the course kiddo... you can do it!

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  4. what a great post and what great info.Who would think fear of success would be so many peoples answers. interesting.

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  5. I chose fear of failure, coz I have tries and failed before. I never thought it would affect me now! The poll made me look inside! Great post!

    p.s; I have something for you, come and visit my blog :)

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  6. I am coming to realize that we all need to keep moving forward somehow. Whether we are at goal weight or 20 lbs away. When you look 'pretty good'....when you feel 'pretty good'...it becomes easy to become complacent..because it beats the hell out of "fat as an orbiting planet' and 'sick and tired'. I am starting to think it's a matter of constantly raising the bar.
    Be happy at your progress, but seek new altitude.

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  7. Still struggling with the complacency, even after writing this, but it is getting better. Just trying to stick with my fake-it-till-I-make-it plan until the real drive kicks in.

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  8. Complacency... Aaahhhhhh, now I understand what is holding me back! Thank you for this post.

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  9. I love the way you say that - complacency really is a hindrance not just in weight loss but it's tough to have that balance of really being happy with yourself which we all should be, but still wanting to improve!

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  10. Happy to help, Annalisa!

    Excellent point, KyokoCake!

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