Sunday, December 6, 2009

Focus Pocus



we started a remodeling project a few days ago, and I'm so excited about it. I love wood. I love tools. I love paint. (Ahrr Ahrr Ahrr! ....Okay...so how do you write the sound Tim Taylor of Tool Time makes?)

I could work all day on it. I'd rather do that than eat, sleep, or (sadly) shower.

I've been pondering "focus" lately. I really felt I lacked focus. I was on a roll towards making healthier changes in my life: increase physical activity, replacing questionable foods with better choices, being thankful...all those mini-goals on the side. well, I've begun shifting away from those things before they became hard-n-fast habits. I was really getting down on myself and my lack of focus.

Then this guest-room makeover took place. I realized I had extreme focus as I often do with any task at hand. when I start something, I keep going until it's finished. That goes with any project. I have this attitude of, "Don't interrupt me. Just let me keep going and be done with it."

I'm thinking that type of focus just applies to things that have a tangible end product: the whatever is clean, built, fixed, made, organized, packed, etc. I can look at it, feel good about it, and use it. There's a satisfaction.

Fitness doesn't have a tangible end product that results from short-term, hard-core focus. I can't workout and eat right for a week and say, "Okay! All done! Destructive habits are eliminated. I have a strong, healthy body now!" It took me a long time to get into this mess; it's gonna take me a long time to get out.

Do my fitness goals just seem too far away to hold my attention? Is there a way to balance and multi-task my goals and somehow focus on several things at once? Do I have a personality flaw where I can only focus on one thing at a time? Maybe I do need a little magic to do it all.

I'm trying to internalize what eating healthy can do for me right now (something tangible). For instance, if I drink a glass of water and eat several servings of veggies, I won't see a difference in the mirror. BUT I imagine what is going on inside of me. My cells and organs, like an army in desperate need for supplies, are saying, "YES! we can use this! Rehydrate that area here. Send those nutrients there. Move! Move! Move!"


It can't be about the mirror. It can't be about how my clothes fit. It's gotta be about resupplying my body with stuff it can build with, so those little cells can see a tangible difference in their remodeling project.

6 comments:

  1. Gina, thx for stopping at my blog and for your comments today too!

    OK, yes, losing weight is tough but you said it.. it took time to get into this mess & quite honestly it takes longer to get out. As we all know, it is harder to lose it than to put it on!!!! That stinks but true. Who can't eat 10 cookies at one. I can BUT I have learned to make choices, portions control & know that I don't have to eat them all now. I can come back in a few days & have another bog ole cookie like I do every weekend!

    I think the key is to find your motivation.. what works for you both exercise, food & life wise. For some, too restrictive is not good. For others, it is the only way. BUT, if we focus on our health & being there for our kids & loved ones & being healthy for them & passing on this to them, that is good too!

    I know that you can get your mind back into this. You can set short & long term goals that are tangible. Check out my post Monday & the article I am posting from ACE. I hope it helps!

    Hang in there!

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  2. I think you make a great point that it helps to think of the very real but invisible things that are going on in our bodies everytime we eat healthy food instead of stuff that's bad for us. Long term goals like weight loss can seem so far away!

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  3. "Love wood....love tools....love paint," all great signals our body might be saying "feed me my loves, my productive, creative stimulants that are not out to hurt anyone, but, in fact, could heal in the long run, and I will not be as demanding with food to fulfill all of that in their place." JazzySinger

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  4. I love your ideas and attitudes. The idea of visualing what is happening inside as you make different choices is really, really smart.

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  5. Forget health, I want to see what's happening in your guest room! (Just kidding! Really! But I totally loved your kitchen pic.)

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