21 Days of Accountability – What Happened

Posted on 03 September 2010

When I launched Creating My Reality, nine months ago, I wanted to create a place that showed my personality, my flair for life, my loves and my passions. I wanted somewhere others could learn about me, the person behind the ‘artist’. I wanted to show that it is possible to follow your own dreams but that it takes effort and there will be hurdles along the way.

That’s why this blog is called Creating My Reality. I’m creating my reality with my thoughts and choices, setting and reaching new goals and quite literally, creating; it’s my reality, through my creative projects.

Not long before I launched my 21 Days of Accountability something happened. My husband turned 30 a month before, it was during school holidays so he took time off and we got to spend two weeks together as a family. It made me remember just what it is I want out of life. I spent a lot of time reflecting on my own situation and I was made aware of just how much has happened and how quickly our nine years together has passed us by.

I got to thinking about the next few years.

In 5 years time some of my children will be entering their teens. I’ll have entered my 30′s. These are the givens.

I was so lost though. After all the BS that had happened in the past couple of years I’d forgotten what it was like to be me. Chavah. In five years time did I want to still be living in the South? Would what I was venturing into now with my art, give me the results I’m seeking? Would I finally be at my goal weight?

The goals we originally set as a couple when we shifted here 5 years ago had already been reached, what were we meant to do next? These were the types of questions going around in my head.

So before life returned to it’s regular busy schedule, after the children went to bed, Andrew and I sat down and finished the conversation we’d been having for months. It was time to make some decisions.

It was time for some deeper thinking. What if those five years were the last years I had on this earth? What, in my daily life would I change? Am I happy? Are the goals I have set, the goals I’d still want to pursue? What will I have taught my children?

I didn’t like the answers I came up with. I was so angry with myself that I had let mediocrity become the norm. I have a lot I want to do and if things stayed in the state they were in I wasn’t going to get anywhere. I needed change something but where did I start?

It seems it took a month of contemplation but then; one night, it all just clicked. I lay in bed and the thought ’21 Days. Just 21 Days.’ popped into my head. That was it! I had to change.

I needed to make more of an effort. I didn’t feel strong anymore, I didn’t like who I’d become. I remembered the benefits a person gets mentally, when they work on getting in shape physically. That would be my starting point. Once I felt good about myself again, I’d work on the next step and then the next and then the next. If I got myself physically and mentally strong, I would, with no doubt in in my mind, reach these next goals I’d set for myself.

The next day I got up and I wrote:

21 Days of Accountability – Day 1

I didn’t even think. I just wrote it and put the pressure on myself. After I published it I thought, ‘Oh crap, what was I thinking?! I’m not ready to do this.’ Maybe I wasn’t but you know what? It was exactly what  needed. It took balls to speak about depression on my blog. This normally happy person was now going to have to open up about something that would probably put people off her. It was highly embarrassing for me to share just HOW fat I had become, but I’d done it now. I could either live in the embarrassment or show the world that I’m not full of sh*t. I do what I say I’ll do, when I say I’ll do it. You better believe it!

So each day I wrote about a different topic. It wasn’t just to help others, it was to help jog my memory about the good habits I’ll need to practice in my life to get the body (and life) I truly want. As I wrote each tip, I remembered a little more about how good it felt when I put the tip into practice.

I can’t even begin to explain just how good I feel now:

• There is no depression.
• There is no sadness.
• I am surrounded by friends.
• When my life encountered a hurdle just two days ago, I was strong enough to cope.
• I work out every. single. day. I’m allowed a rest day every week if I want it but after 23 days (because I’m 2 days late writing this) I have only had 1 day of no exercise and even then, I wanted to be working out. I’ll use it if I want to. I like having no pressure to do either, or.
• I love the way I feel during exercise.
• My children’s immediate assumption if I’m not with them is that I’m at the gym.
• My skin is almost glowing.
• My hair is growing even faster, I swear.
• I have a lot more energy, even though right now I’m full go for about 16 hours a day.
• I have no pain in my hips.
• The pain from my torn ligament is only minimal now and has only happened once (after a 16 hour day).
• I’m getting a lot more sleep.
• I can fall asleep easier.
• My children have been happier too. They were already happy kids but something changed for the better.
• I lost 3.2kg and 95cm’s in 21 days.
• Portion control is back in action.
• I’m not emotionally eating.
• I can control my cravings and never feel deprived.
• I have visible muscle.
• Water is my drink of choice again. I actually like it.

These 21 Days of Accountability have been amazing. I had no idea what would happen when I started. I’m well on my way back to finding myself again and I’m excited about carrying on! I like me.

21 Days of Accountability may come back again in the future if I need it but for now, every Wednesday I’ll be doing a weight loss post. It will have a tip or a recipe etc and monitor my progress. I hope you’ll be back.

In the meantime, go through again to read the tips and progresses made from the past 21 Days. If you’ve decided to do this for yourself, I wish you all the best. I hope you end up feeling just as good as I do. Let me know how you go and if you need a cheerleader.

21 Days of Accountability:

Day 1: How I got fat.

Day 2: Simplify and write a schedule.

Day 3: Write a Menu.

Day 4: Get to it, just do it.

Day 5: Find an anthem.

Day 6: Get some sleep.

Day 7: First weigh in – Make a ticker.

Day 8: Learn to drink water.

Day 9: The psychology behind a cheat day.

Day 10: Involve family and friends.

Day 11: Keep a food journal.

Day 12: Create a vision board.

Day 13: Boost your testosterone naturally.

Day 14: Second weigh in.

Day 15: Take measurements.

Day 16: Get strength training.

Day 17: My super secret tip.

Day 18: Why women should exercise during menstruating.

Day 19: Sweat it out.

Day 20: Find some support.

Day 21: Final weigh in.

I think it’s safe to say that I have been able to switch my bad habits for good ones. I began seeing the differences in my life after just 4 days, by day 7 life was great again and by day 14, I believe I’d already established the mindset needed to succeed in this long weight loss journey. Come day 21, I just can’t even fit in the amount of changes that have actually happened. I’m back to myself again and that makes me happier than you can imagine. Thank you for being there with me these past 3 weeks.

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