Seeing as it’s the beginning of a new year, I was thinking about how we often thing of the new year as a chance to make a fresh start. An opportunity, if you will, to make positive changes in our lives and in the lives of others. It made me think about first choices.
First choices are important and sometimes can alter the course of our lives. Some choices are small and inconsequential, but others are major life changing events. Think about some of these choices we make during our lifetime:
♦ Where and If To Go To School
♦ Married or Not?
♦ Children or Not?
♦ Employment Choices
♦ Moving and Relocation
♦ Financial Decisions
These choices are all important and have the potential to change the course of our lives. For me, I’ve made some good choices, like marrying John, and some not so good choices, like gaining 158 pounds. I remember very clearly knowing that the choice to eat a fried Monte Cristo sandwich, loaded Nacho plate, and Death by Chocolate dessert all in one meal wasn’t a good one, but I ignored my inner good sense and ate it anyway. And then I made choices like that over and over again. I can’t pinpoint the first choice that sent me on my weight gain journey, but I can sure pinpoint a series of poor choices that led me down that road.
I can’t pinpoint the first bad choice, but I can clearly remember the first choice I made when I started on my journey to lose over 150 pounds. I chose to turn my back on the foods and the lifestyle that were slowly killing me and face the fact that almost every area of my life choices needed changing.
The first two things I did decide to change the way I ate and commit to daily exercise. And believe me – those choices were hard to follow through on. I loved chocolate, cheese, and chips and ate them all day long. I hated exercise and avoided it like the plague. But those first choices laid the groundwork for the hundreds and thousands of choices that would follow during the 14 months it took me to lose all my weight.
The wonderful thing about first choices is that you always have a chance to make a new one. So perhaps your holiday choices weren’t as fabulous as you planned. It’s okay – make a new First Choice to move you closer to your personal goals.
As you start your New Year – what’s the first choice you are going to make? Will it be to exercise more or differently? Will it be to embrace trying new foods? Or do you need to say a temporary good-bye to foods that are hurting you? What’s your New Year First Choice? Diane
I was attacked by food at Christmas and got injured real bad, bloated even. But I’m on track with a commitment to vegetables because 2009 was lacking much of that.
.-= Yum Yucky´s last blog .."Tasting!" Chocolate Cheerios =-.
ooh this is so applicable in my life this morning.
but in a CHOICES ARE ALL AROUND US way as well.
in the wrong way
Mine is which my daughter but Id just finished saying to her/talking to her about choices and the great thing/upside to making a “poor” one is that new ones are ALL AROUND US!
great post, Diane.
.-= Miz´s last blog ..The Spark & MizFit (video/give away post) =-.
Am sure so many of your readers are going to find this entry very motivating – they going to get off that couch and get their lives going again..
I have to share…
I keep forgetting on my blog, have so much to put down at the moment.
I discovered I am no longer an emotional eater. This experience has shown me just that.
I have been through so much and yet have tracked and kept to my new lifestyle, it would have been so much easier to throw it all away and feel sorry for poor me…but no..thats not the new new.
Thanks for your lovely comments. I do love getting them, makes me feel so empowered.
.-= Marcelle´s last blog ..My last day in hospital =-.
I am saying goodbye to dairy for a bit and hello to variety in my protein and vegetable choices.
.-= Joanna Sutter´s last blog ..Wok This Way =-.
Choices are all around us and I will be the first to admit that I have made some very poor choices when it comes to food. If I hadn’t then I wouldn’t weigh what I do right now. But I love how you said that every choice can be made over again. Unfortunately the consequences are still there but we can change course mid stream – I love that.
I’m choosing to not give up on myself. Just because I’m not where I want to be doesn’t mean that I won’t ever get there!!
Diane, what a great post about the choices we did, do & can make! AS I have said before, right now, the fitness stuff is the easy stuff for me. For this year, I am going to try to be more self accepting which quite honestly has always been the hardest fro me, even when I was heavy & even now that I am “fit”.
Wonderful post, Diane!
As this New Year begins, I have chosen to take control of what I’m eating. During the holidays—and the months leading up to it—I started seeing poor eating habits creeping into my life again. I also felt I wasn’t pushing myself hard enough at the gym, so I am starting to incorporate daily strength training at home. I’m making the choice to take care of ME this year. If I should fail at some point, I hope to have the strength to make the choice to get back on track.
.-= Jenelle´s last blog ..Shredder =-.
This year i choose to stop the yo-yo.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Shocking fat comparison pics & surgery details =-.
My first choice of this year is to take this healthy life thing ONE DAY AT A TIME! I recently went through a short pity party and almost went for the food…
Sure, I am not the fittest now-but I am working on it…
Got to learn to take it slow and steady…
Thanks for your post!
.-= mamajuliana´s last blog ..Pity Party Over…Get to Work! =-.
This is such a great reminder that everything is a choice! It’s easy to make one bad choice and then justify more bad choices because of it, when in reality, one bad choice means you need to make a good choice even more.
I think most things that happen (with US) weren’t actually choices – they were things that just sort of rolled along – not conscious decisions – not with an eye toward reality/consequences.
.-= vickie´s last blog ..De-mucking =-.
It was so good for me to read this post. After starting the new year with good intentions and then making bad choices, I’m ready to make my First choice and make it a good one!
.-= Alissa´s last blog ..Exhausted =-.
I would love to hear some more about your “evolution of excercise.” Like when you first began what sort of excercises were doing and when did you begin to increase the intensity?
Thanks for any info you can provide!
.-= Tiffany´s last blog ..Day #6: TBL Inspiration! =-.
Thanks Diane, it’s all about choice! The choices we make determine our lives!
Really, nothing, except continuing on as I have been. (since I lost 8 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years, I think I navigated the holidays quite well.) Just looking forward to reaching my goal in less than 2 months or so!
.-= Sunny´s last blog ..Pee’ing Like a Race Horse =-.
I had to break up with almond butter… it was a sad good bye. lol I know some things need to leave the house in order to see success!
This is MY year!!! 
.-= tj´s last blog ..Breaking up is hard to do…. =-.
My most recent new choice was to get on that dang elliptical. I swear I hate that thing with a passion, lol. After 30 mins I’m nearly in tears and chance falling down the stairs to get to the weight machines because my legs are like jello and my quads are like concrete bricks. But I’m doing it. The treadmill was getting too easy, and boy is it nice to be able to say THAT!
.-= Tammy´s last blog ..This Too Shall Pass =-.
My choice is to put myself first, that way I can be there for others without sacrificing me.
.-= Lori (Finding Radiance)´s last blog ..Strength and being hungry =-.
Isn’t it funny that you don’t remember the choice to get heavier but you DO remember the choice to get healthier!
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..And I ran………… =-.
As always, Diane, you are right on the money. This post really convicted me that I need to take responsibility for my choices. It is easy to blame holidays, resturants, relatives, etc. for bad food choices, but your post reminded me that I am the one that makes the choice to put fattening food in my mouth in large quantities and not excercise at all. Thanks for the knock on the head. It helps to see that you have made the right choices and been successful.
No new action for me- just a vow to keep on keeping on like I have for the last 2 years. I figure eventually the scale will get sick of seeing me, give in and give me nice low numbers.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..So THAT’S what I need ! =-.
Life is a series of choices indeed. It’s never too late to make the right choices.
.-= AndrewENZ´s last blog ..Base training in the sun =-.
My first choice is to remember that I matter, that to quote L’Oreal ‘I’m worth it’
It may sound selfish – but by remembering that I matter I am more likely to make healthy choices- to take the ‘me’ time I need to exercise, to take the time to have my hair done so I look as good as possible. In other words to do all I can to love myself because I will never lose weight if I hate myself
.-= Sally´s last blog ..Ready for work again =-.
I’ve got a lot of first choices for this year! I love the chance to review what I’ve done and set some goals for myself. I do this throughout the year, not just at New Year’s.
.-= Jenn @ Watch My Butt Shrink!´s last blog ..Coughing up a lung =-.
I am just trying to make each day a little healthier. So I guess it would be a first choice every morning! Yesterday I had an off day, but I try to just move on and always strive to be better.
.-= Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..Crazy night =-.
I am so glad that I subscribed to your blog! I love reading your posts. It gives me that sense of common issues that we all need, and to see where you took yourself is AMAZING! Keep up the good work, and I will keep making better choices.
~nyky
.-= Nyky@ thecrazycrabb´s last blog ..Boot Camp Day 2 =-.
I don’t know my first choice in living healthier. I do know when I gained to my highest weight.
My first choice this year was to make a good workout plan which is flexible too: I can moderate it if I need to (saying that because I already did that on January 6th
) My second choice this year was to read the Beck Diet Solution.
.-= Fran´s last blog ..A day in my life: Wednesday January 6th 2010 =-.
As I read your post, I was thinking “Sounds like what I used to eat!” All the time! How I used to eat like that, I have NO idea. Bleck.
My new year’s first choice is to wean myself off of those foods that I indulged in over the Christmas and New Years. I allowed myself to indulge on those days, but now it’s not a holiday anymore. So, it’s time to say no, which, as you say, is more empowering than saying yes.
Hope
First of all, let me say that I just love your posts – I just don’t tell you that enough! Its wonderful to have someone who has been-there-done-that taking the time and sharing thoughts that any one of us might be having, or provoking new ones that can spark further changes. You’re awesome, Diane – you are!
Okay – the first choice(S) that I am making is to quit pretending I am a vacuum cleaner when it comes to food, and to get off of my rear and get it back in gear! Fingers crossed!
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Turnaround Tuesday! =-.
Oh, this is a good question! I think for me the first thing I’m addressing is all the negative noise in my head. I can’t get much else done until my head’s on board too.
.-= Gigi´s last blog ..The King and I =-.
My choice is to put more into my exercising and quit being so darn chatty at the gym when I should be concentrating on my sets!
.-= Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..Visualization, chattiness and over-analyzing at the gym =-.
I love the notion of always having the ability to make new first choices. Never thought of it that way! Making those first choices count can be difficult at times, thats for sure!
Well, the first choice was to up the mileage on my blossoming love affair with running. I upped my mileage and efforts and ended up with a stress fracture.
Details in my post today…I’m one crushed little bug righ now…
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Out of Order =-.
GREAT POST!!!!! You are so right!!
My first choice of this new year is, as you already know, to do the Couch to 5K program, so that I can train to run/jog 3.1 miles.
.-= Leah´s last blog ..Not Be Weary =-.
My First Choice is a simply continuing what I’ve already started. Workout hard, eat REAL food, gets plenty of rest and enjoy every moment of my life
Enjoy your journey.
… and sorry for those typos. trying to zoom through too fast!
.-= diane´s last blog ..Why Do I Run? Why Do I Tri? What Do I Seek? =-.
I feel like I’m flunking this quiz…I don’t even know what choices I have. I wonder if my choice might be to be more successful in following through with my previous choices. Or something to that effect. I KNOW how to do things right, I just have to do it.
Mia
“The first two things I did decide to change the way I ate and commit to daily exercise.”
Those were the same two choices that lead me to my current journey. The part that still amazes me is that I actually followed through on them. I guess you could break it down to a daily choice. Every day I woke up and decided i would stick to it. Even more, I made that choice with every meal and snack I ate. Wow, that’s a lot of good choices – doesn’t make the bad ones seem so bad!
My choice this New Year is to be open to things. I’m tired of shutting myself off from the world, and life in general. My life ain’t gonna live itself.
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Meet me in my office =-.
Exercise differently for me. That is what I need right now.
.-= South Beach Steve´s last blog ..Wednesday’s Word of the Day – Habits =-.
I’m trying to decide whether or not to get a treadmill…
.-= mackattack´s last blog ..Lamb with minted spaghetti squash =-.
Wonderful, eloquent post as always! I am committing to writing down my intake in order to take off a few pounds that have crept their way back on. So far, so good!
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Nom nom nom! =-.
My first choice was to get back to running. I missed it and the feeling after I was done.
.-= Cynthia (It All Changes)´s last blog ..Things I Won’t Miss =-.
I love this blog. Your words definitely inspire me to make the right choices!
.-= Carla´s last blog ..I’m a magazine freak =-.
When I was younger, I used to wish that I could take back all of the second helpings and heaping servings or any other bad food choice/health choice I made.
I used to wonder what life would have been like had I *not* had those calories.
But, then I learned that life is all about living in the present and moving forward to a better future.
Great post!
~Kellie
.-= The Chubby Girl Diaries´s last blog ..Welcome to the *No-Deny* zone =-.
Great post, Diane…I liked what you said about first choices, and how you can always make a new one. I think that is the kind of attitude we need to have for each day. Every single moment, we are making new choices. Every moment, we have opportunities to make things right again!
.-= sophia´s last blog ..New Year’s Self-Reflection: The Final Of The Beginning =-.
My first choice is to LOG my workouts more. I think I’m already doing the maximum for my body (sometimes too much) and I really need to start logging exactly what I’m doing. How many sets, reps, minutes, etc.
.-= Carla´s last blog ..The Greatest Gift =-.
My first choice is to consistently increase the intensity of my workouts. As my trainer says, it should never feel easy.
.-= karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..The Healthy Edge =-.
Lets see, my first choice for the new year. To stop being a lazy butt just because I’m pregnant! My journey was not suppose to end just because I got pregnant… but what do you think I did? I have let go of the journey is tarted and back slided. I don’t feel it’s been horribly awful, I’ve kept some things in mind. BUT letting go of any of the good work i was doing was BAD doesn’t matter how little. So this last 3 months of pregnancy I’m working on getting back to basics so that i can start the hard work again when this kiddo is born. My first steps to exercise daily (even if for 10 minutes) and to give up sweets for 4 days… I’ve had some bumps already, but I’ve not given up! Your post today has helped me fianlly decide to throw AWAY the apple pie in the frdige that has helped me to push back my 4 days the last 3 days.
Thank you!! It is all about choices!!
.-= jules´s last blog ..I’m a rockstar!!! (ok not really, but I feel like one) =-.