Ten Reasons to Be Proud of Yourself on Your Weight Loss and Health Journey

Committing to a weight loss journey is an accomplishment. Identifying exactly what you are proud of in your journey so far can be motivating as you plan to carry your healthy habits forward for life. Here are 10 reasons why Lark is proud of you, and why you should be proud of yourself.

1. The journey. The emphasis is often placed on the destination rather than the journey. However, being process-oriented instead of outcome-oriented can not only make the journey more pleasant, but also increase your chances of reaching your goals. It is time to be proud of your journey, including times you have logged your meals, eaten a serving of vegetables, or gone to bed a few minutes earlier.
2. Weight loss. Why not? Weight loss is a hard-earned accomplishment, and every pound matters. Celebrate them all! Losing any weight on this journey, or keeping yourself from gaining weight, is something to be proud of, as it is one of the most impactful steps you can take as you try to lower health risks.
3. Small choices. Count it as a victory every time you bake instead of fry, take skin off poultry before cooking it, and pack a lunch instead of eating out. These and any other smart choices that you may have made along the way are big wins. These daily choices are anything but insignificant, since they are big enough to help you reach your goals, but small enough to fit into your lifestyle and become lifelong habits.
4. Inner strength. Getting to this point in Lark means you have a good amount of discipline. The smart choices you have made can give you confidence that you can make more in the future. People may not be able to see this change in you, but you can feel and appreciate it.
5. Outer strength. If you have started working out or gotten more physically active since starting the program, your physical strength has likely improved. Cardiovascular or aerobic activities, such as uphill walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling, can strengthen your muscles, heart, and lungs. For more strength benefits, consider adding resistance training, if you have not already. It also lowers blood sugar.
6. The downs. If you had setbacks (and everyone does), and you are still trying to lose weight, it means you stuck with it through the rough times. There may have been lapses when you were less focused on the program, weight crept back on, workouts were skipped, or unhealthy foods crept onto your plate for a while. Getting over a lapse or plateau is a true achievement, and something to be proud of.
7. Your knowledge. Not everyone has gone through mission after mission of education on nutrition, fitness, and health topics. You have! Use your expertise to keep yourself on track for life, and consider lending a helping hand by sharing your knowledge with others.
8. Progress. What differences do you see when you reflect on where you were when you started the program and where you are now? Are you lighter and more fit? Is food logging an automatic process now? Do you think more about what goes onto your plate? Any positive changes over the past few months are praiseworthy and pride-worthy!
9. Prioritizing. Life is about prioritizing your time, and often energy, since there is rarely enough of either. Putting your health needs high up on your priority list is something to be proud of. That is because it is the right decision, as being healthy will make you happier, more productive, and better able to support others, and because it can be a tough choice, since it can mean giving up other options such as late nights at the bar.
10. Perseverance. Keep up with the program means you’ve had a chance to learn more about health and yourself, try out different strategies to lower blood sugar and lose weight, and practice making healthy choices. The trait of perseverance can serve you well in the future as you set and work towards new goals in health and other areas of your life.

Committing to your health is no small feat, and it is time to take a step back to appreciate your accomplishments. Realizing what you have done can help you carry forward what you have learned into the future for a lifetime of better health.