Here I am one year later. One year after starting a journey, prompted by others and started on a whim. A journey that I thought for sure would be like many others I’ve taken. One that would end in failure or sadness. A journey that wouldn’t take me all the way to my destination, only half way. That’s not how this journey is turning out, but then again in reality I am only half way with a long ways to go. But, I don’t have a reason or—more importantly—a desire to discontinue my forward progress. In fact today is a new day. A new start. A recommitment to my journeys purpose.

As I move forward into the second year of my new lifestyle. My new commitment to improved health and habits. I had a huge tiny failure that put me out, made me feel down and backwards. But, after a days work and a good nights sleep I’m feeling differently towards my tiny huge mistakes. I’m going to turn this negative into a positive. A sign if you will that I’m doing the right thing, and moving forward I need to refocus and redouble my efforts.

I’ll get where I’m going this time.

The last 12 weeks I’ve been lax, I allowed myself to make excuses, to cheat myself. I fell into a false sense of accomplishment and security. I allowed my ego to get the best of me.

The excellent part is that I’ve recognized this, and know how to remedy it.

I’ve gained 10 pounds since my last weigh in. It’s shocking and disheartening. I now weigh more than I did when I started this last 12 week cycle. I’d love to say, I have no idea how this could have happened, or that I worked so hard and did everything right, but that would be untrue.

I know exactly where I went wrong. I know exactly why I gained 10 pounds and I have to change that, so I can move forward and lose the rest of the excess weight.

No excuses, no guilty explanations. I screwed up. I have no one to blame but myself. I have no one to face but me.

I’m not mad. I’m not sad. I’m stoked.

I’m excited, I’ve gotten a wake up call, I got a slap in the face. I got a confirmation that what I’ve been doing is right. That I just need to make sure I focus on my goals and not allow myself to make exceptions, because that’s when things snowball out of control.

Oddly enough, my waist is smaller than it was 12 weeks ago, and I’ve grown 3/4 of an inch, placing me at six-foot seven and one-half inches tall, go figure.

Overall I’m quite pleased with my accomplishments in my first year. And I plan to continue focusing on creating my life the way I want it to be moving forward.

As always thank you for the support and help over the last year, it’s been an amazing, eye-opening and lovingly peaceful experience.