Maybe you, like me, have chosen a career that is in direct conflict with a toned, healthy body. When I started writing seriously I gained 3-5 pounds a year. It kept creeping on and “suddenly” I was obese.

Work can be never ending . . .

The sedentary aspect of the job is only part of the issue. The other issues are probably similar to things you deal with in your job, things like deadlines that make you work long hours, stress that makes you crave chocolate, projects that are so overwhelming you don’t take a lunch break or have enough time in your day for exercise.

Chances are you don’t get to work in your jammies like I often do, but we share a lot of the same struggles I wrote about in my weight loss journal:

Day 121 Crazy day! When my first guests arrived for the wrap party hosted by my friend and fellow author, Alison Strobel Morrow, I was still in my gown! Seriously! Since I needed to get a proposal to my agent I figured I’d get up early and start working. When I finished I would work-out, clean the house, shower, and be gorgeous for the wrap party.

Right.

I hit send on my proposal as the doorbell rang about 6:30 that night, let the first two people in, then rushed off to brush my hair and put clothes on. Sheesh! No exercise, no decent food. . . and  here I was, house not so clean and me not so clean. But we had fun at the wrap party anyway—and I lost ¼ inch around my waist in the first 45 minutes. ~Feb. 21

Day 122 ~ How have I let this happen? I haven’t exercised since Monday, and it’s Friday! Thought I might make a strong focus of exercise this morning until I opened my email and found that my agent wanted several things in the proposal that I hadn’t put it. Next thing you know I’m reliving Thursday and working all day in my gown. But this deadline pretty much trumps everything.

I eventually got frustrated with my lack of creative progress and wanted to reach for snacks. I was proud of myself when I took a break and did 40 minutes of Pilates instead! Then it was back to the grindstone.

I never did get my work being as perfect as I wanted it to be–or maybe I did and didn’t know it. I called a writer friend and read it to her before I could hit the send key. She assured me I’d done good work. Her words gave me enough courage to call it finished  When I finally sent it off to my agent it was with the plea that if I was stupid instead of clever she would let me know. Sometimes I just can’t tell. ~ Feb. 22

As I’ve said before, life rarely looks like I’ve planned it. It’s easy to get thrown off track in the weight loss journey, but every step forward moves us toward our goal. Even when things aren’t perfect, like in these two journal entries, we can make a single decision we wouldn’t have made before–like when I did Pilates instead of snacking–and still be moving in the right direction. We can choose strong nutritional support that helps carry us through the stress times.

My career–and maybe yours–doesn’t lend itself to a healthy body. But I’m not powerless. Sometimes the deadline battle trumps everything else in the short-term. I just can’t let that be for the long-term. Because I am important, not just my responsibilities. If I don’t take care of me eventually I can’t take care of my responsibilities.

To ponder and share:

A single right decision keeps us moving forward.

Some careers work against a healthy body, but we aren’t powerless.

If I don’t take care of myself eventually I can’t take care of anything else.

Tagged: careers, healthy body, I'm not powerless, pilates, right decision, sedentary careers and health, take care of yourself, taking care of me, weight loss