I’ve found the motivation to get my head back in the game.

I never completely lost my mojo, but I did put things on hold for a bit. Now, I’m working towards getting back on track for losing weight.

There are times when I have to fake it until I make it; I believe I started this whole journey exactly that way, nearly three years ago. And then there are times where I become my own motivation, and that’s what’s been happening the last few weeks.

Somewhere along the road

For one thing, I passed a one-year mark on logging into MyFitnessPal. I may not have consistently recorded all my data on a daily basis, but just the act of logging in kept my long term goals on my mind. If I had skipped a day, I would have had to start the count over, but even through 18 total nights of camping, I made sure I logged in.

For another, those of you who support me have reminded me of what I’ve accomplished — and that’s one of the biggest reasons I’ve invited you along for the ride. That reinforcement reminds me that I’ve fought a good fight, but still have a long way to go, especially when there are cameras about and I see photos of myself afterward. I still struggle with this, but I think, right now, my brain’s perception of me more closely matches my true physical being.

Thanks for being there — especially those of you that I was unaware were even following my journey. While I don’t openly talk about my weight loss journey unless someone asks, it’s always refreshing when someone asks. Many of you did this last week, and it reminded me of the many reasons I’m on this journey.

I have to remind myself that this isn’t a race, and that determination and effort are cumulative; every small step forward is worth the effort, even if it doesn’t seem important at the time. Like the character Andy Dufresne in Stephen King’s Shawshank Redemption, chipping away at my goal will eventually get me to where I want to be — free. (The character spent 19 years using a small rock hammer to create an escape tunnel from prison.)

I’ll keep taking those small steps. Even now, it seems impossible that I’ve come this far, but it’s proof that everything I do toward my goal counts. The longest journey starts with but one step.