Progress Not Perfection

After sharing one of my posts on social media, a friend of mine used the quote "progress not perfection" to describe her own mindset towards her goals. I latched on to it immediately. Yes. That's it exactly. Make strides and strive for progress, but perfection is unrealistic and just winds up fertile soil for the shame, guilt and self-loathing to grow. I am happy to say that I have been progressing. In just a week mostly on program and working out most days. I'm hitting some non-scale targets and having some non-scale victories. I'm already able to use a resistance band (with more grace, I may add) on an exercise or two during my workouts this week. Last week, I couldn't even use the band (and nearly smacked myself in the face with it when I tried for an exercise or two during the pilates extreme workout). I am using the heavier weights more---not all the time. My legs are stronger. Even my ability to climb the stairs after my workout (I workout in a basement) has improved tremendously. These non-scale targets are as motivating for me as any number that appears on the scale. I also am more aware of the energy from food. There are certain foods of which I love the taste (cupcakes, donuts, sheet cake with butter cream frosting, pizza, the original chicken sandwich at BK, french fries, bacon egg and cheese biscuits---seriously---I could go on, but won't). Paying attention to eating these foods has allowed me to understand I don't like how I FEEL after I eat these foods. Sometimes I allow myself to eat these foods in spite of that, because I realize I won't feel super energized or great, and I still want the taste of the foods. Yet, another piece of growth that is HUGE here is that I'm paying attention. I'm making better choices based on energy levels and how I feel, rather than just mindless eating or emotional eating. It's progress, not perfection. I skipped the pilates workout this week. I was looking forward to it too. Maybe instead of today's workout that I don't love so much, I'll do the pilates instead. I'll figure it out when it's time to work out. Tomorrow is TREAT day. I am looking forward to this day and am planning to do things a bit different than last week based on how I felt after it. Again, progress, not perfection. I'm still working it out and hopefully I will continue to be working things out for many years to come; to me these are all "dash" experiences.

May you all walk in beauty and peace, focusing more on progress than perfection, my most excellent peeps.

\m/\m/