Get Fit Friday – Support System

When traveling down the road to any sort of change in a person’s life can be a lonely time if not managed correctly. When I decided to get back on to the wagon with my health and wellness challenges I realized that it was going to be important to have a support system set up so that I don’t get thrown off of it again. Without having some sort of support system set up, I knew that I would just have my Fitbit and my own mind to keep me on track. While those are both fantastic things to use, I knew that I needed more.

I have decided to use MyFitnessPal again as there are a great number of people who are on there that are always willing to give a word of encouragement or of warning when they see that there is something that isn’t quite right with what I am eating. To make this work properly, I have to make sure that I am honest with myself as to what I have eaten for each meal. I need to make sure that I am not ingesting too much sodium and that I am drinking the amount of water that I require on a daily basis. If I fudge on these, then it is not a true picture of myself and I am only lying to myself.

I have also decided to use social media as a way to keep myself accountable. I post on Facebook daily, twice a day, when I have finished my walk and with how many steps I have taken in a day. It is a good way for me to keep track of it, plus it is nice to see my different friends liking the post that I have made. It is a little like all of them giving me a pat on my back when I have done something good. We can all use that and so I figured that I might as well get those virtual pats however I can.

The last thing that I have done is reconnect with a friend from high school who is also going through the transformation of changing her exercise and diet. It is nice to have someone who has known me for so long, heck we used to play volleyball together in high school, and can therefore understand the struggles that I am going through in a different way. Having her root me on really does help me.

It is important to understand that when you make the choice to change the way you have been eating and getting exercise that it is time to make sure that you are surrounded by people who are going to help support you. Sure it is wonderful to have someone tell you that you can do it, but to have them say that they are doing the changes as well in their life makes such a difference. They can then understand when you have the bad days that all you want to eat is sugary and fat filled things and can help to talk to off the ledge thinking that it isn’t even possible to make these changes.

All of these different changes that I have been making in my life are there to help me become even better than I already am. If there is anyone that is going through these struggles as well, I am more than willing to lend my support as I know what it is like to do it on your own. Making the changes are not easy but they are for the better of myself. I know that with the right support system, willingness on my own part, and being honest about what I am putting in my body, I can make these changes for the better and make them a permanent part of my life.