Do I Have a “Reset” Button?

Day 86

Do I Have a “Reset” Button?

For years, my husband has been searching for my “off” button or “mute” button. Today, I am looking for my “reset” button. My wireless router can be reset but jabbing a paper clip into a tiny indentation. I’ve poked myself but nothing is happening.

That’s the point, 86 days in and things have started to slide backwards. I have NOT bought clothes, shoes or accessories, but the progress in cleaning everything up has come to a screeching halt and the prospect of fitting into my lovely summer dresses is dwindling. When I stop to think about it, this is about the time that resolutions and big plans revert to habits as stubborn as the graying strands at my temples. I think this is why the process will take an entire year.

In January, I did a fabulous job sorting and organizing my shoes. Do you know that feeling when your clothes feel loose? That exhilarating “lost a couple pounds” (or just had the flu) feeling? That’s how I feel when I look at my shoes. Lighter. Well, actually I can see the light between them as opposed to when they were in a mass. When I look at the clothes hanging in my closet, I get that uncomfortable “this doesn’t really fit anymore” feeling so it’s time to get back to the plan and clean out the closet like I did my shoes.

In January, I also determined that I would have more clothes to choose from in my existing wardrobe if I could fit into them. I have determined that I am approximately 10 pounds from fitting into almost everything. Sure, a few things will be a little loose at that point, but I can live with that.

Here’s the challenge: I know I have to get back on track and attack this with the same resolve I had in January so I have to “reset”. For my organizing efforts, I am breaking the tasks down into manageable chunks then scheduling them. This week, my closet will be finished. This is on my calendar in indelible ink. I may be scrambling next Sunday night, but it will be done.

Ten pounds won’t happen in a week. I am giving myself 10 weeks. One pound per week. I think this is do-able. I found out that it takes 3500 calories to burn one pound of fat. Then I looked at the typical exercise I do in a week. How many calories do you think are burned jogging for an hour? That’s 60 full minutes on lung-burning, muscle-screaming jogging. 500. That sucks, I thought it would be 1000. It feels like 1000. So I am logging my exercise calories burned to get an accurate picture of what I am actually burning. This also makes me much less likely to eat additional calories, knowing how hard they are to burn off.

So, here we go. The second phase of my year-long challenge, the “reset” has begun. It’s a big lie to state that a habit can be changed by not doing it 10 times, or even 10 weeks. But that’s OK- I’m in this for the long haul.