Patience is a virtue

There is so much to be said for patience. It is something our parents teach us as children and it is strengthened (hopefully) as we mature. I've been told that I'm very patient, though I don't always feel that way! One place I know I fall short in the patience department is with myself. Like many people, I'm very hard on myself. This is easily recognized on fitness journeys. 

I began my own journey in 2011, with my fair share and ups and downs along the way. Looking back, I can see that my greatest accomplishments were when I was being patient with myself.  Don't get me wrong- I was patient, but consistent in my routine. I didn't expect to lose weight and be fit over night. I didn't get out of shape in a day, so I know it wouldn't take a day to fix it. 

When I've become impatient with myself, is when I've begun to slip up. My impatience didn't fuel my fitness fire. It sent me running around in circles like a crazy woman! A quick tailspin of panic, impatience, and guilt caused me to fall off the wagon and lose my way. 

I decided last year that my relationship with food was a large part of the problem. I love food as much as the next gal, but being an emotional eater put a twist on it. Over the past year I've gained about 15 lb. I stated this in another post about ditching my scale. Ditching the scale was two-fold. I wanted to quit obsessing over the numbers, and I also wanted to heal my relationship with food. 

In the past few months I've been very impatient with myself. I get annoyed that my clothes don't fit like they used to, and my legs aren't sculpted like before. Despite the shortcomings, I remind myself of the healing I've undergone over the past year.  Honestly, the weight gain over the year was worth it and necessary. I've been healed from the poor relationship with food and the scale. 

Now, feeding and fueling my body is back to being my fitness priority. My body is a gift from God. It is something I should cherish and care for, just as we would any other precious gift. Patience is such a precious thing to have on your journey. Without patience, you'll risk become frustrated.