I’ve been struggling with weight loss, it seems, for the last couple months; I haven’t seen a real loss on the scales since mid-February, I think. For now, I’m taking the attitude that I need to pay close attention to maintaining if my body isn’t releasing weight.

But it’s more than that; I need to own that I’m not doing everything possible to produce the results I want, and I need to get my focus back on success.

For most people with no contributing issues, watching food intake is usually enough to lose weight. For me, that’s not so; I need to have several factors in line before weight loss occurs. They are:

• Eating right — of course. I have to make sure that not only am I eating right, but that I’m eating at the right times. Smaller meals that are more frequent throughout the day, and not too late in the day, work for me.
• Drinking enough water. I admit I really struggle with this. In order to lose, I must drink half my weight in ounces. Any less, and it’s rare that I lose. If I’m not properly hydrated, I’m not going to lose. I use a program that tracks and reminds me when it’s time to drink more, and at my weight, I’m drinking well over a gallon of water a day. I admit it’s an incentive to lose weight, just so I don’t have to drink so much.
• Exercise. Which, for me right now, is the concerted effort to move more. As I lose weight, movement is easier, and while I’m not currently using a structured exercise program, I’m working my way up to that.
• Proper use of medication and supplements. This means that I need to be consistent with prescription medications, take them at the right time, and take them properly. I also take some supplements, and they also need to be taken properly.
• Sleep. I need at least eight hours of sleep. If I’m not sleeping well, I will not lose weight.

Of the above, I can always do better on every single one; they are within my control, except sleep. I can work on improving sleep, though, through a variety of means, including stress reduction.

I am currently six pounds above my low; this is an improvement from last week, overall. I plan on making sure I pull all of the above elements back into place, because I have a ton of great reasons to continue on this journey.