Don't you quit!

              It seems like just yesterday we welcomed 2014 and we are already beginning May. Where did the time go? Every year many of us make New Year resolutions according to our own needs. Some keep last year’s unfinished goals and some start new. We all come up with our own goals. In women, the common goal is to lose weight. I too have made that resolution, this article isn’t about how to achieve your New Year resolution or how to lose weight but a reminder about it.

Many of you already know last year my Ammi (mother) had a massive stroke and last summer I went to Karachi to visit her. It was a very hard and painful time for my entire family. We all thought we were going to lose our Ammi. I am not blaming my Ammi about my weight but due to her sickness it put a lot of stress on not just me but on my entire family as well. Everyone’s focus was and still is on Ammi. I am one of those when I am under stress I eat a lot and very unhealthily.  And we all know when we are under stress it’s very hard to focus on positive things, the very first thing most of us do is stop exercising and make unhealthy choices.

I am one of those lucky ones who so far does not have any kind of health issues. But I noticed due to my high stress I didn’t exercise and started eating unhealthy food, I quickly started gaining weight and at some point I got scared. I was having all kind of pains, had no energy and felt very negative. Which is unlike me, I am a very happy and positive soul. I didn’t like myself that way. One day I sat down and start writing how I was feeling and it was so easy for me see that the problem was my weight was controlling me.

One thing I want to make sure for me it’s not about smaller number but be healthy! And by losing extra pounds we do feel healthy and happy! When the New Year started I made the decision that food can’t control me anymore, I will be in control. My Ammi’s situation is still very painful and hard. She is losing each day but my family feel blessed she is still around us. When I talked to my nieces about my weight gaining issue I found out they also dealing with the same thing. They are actually seeing Ammi each day so their situation is harder than mine. My niece’s names are Mahwish and Zaib, they are 27 and 29 years old. The three of us have been helping and supporting each other. I have a food journal and I come up with my own weekly goal. My weakness was sweets but not anymore. I have signed up for a 5k and I am so looking forward to it. By being present or aware and with my niece’s support I have already lost some weight already. I noticed I am sleeping better and my energy level is up. Mahwish also makes her own weekly goals and so far she has lost 9 pounds and Zaib has lost 8. I am super proud of them. My whole point of writing this story is that it doesn’t matter what your New Year resolution goal was, whether it was to lose weight or something else. As long as you keep making progress and focus on the end results. If you haven’t seen any progress don’t get discouraged or quit. Keep doing it if that’s something you really want to. It’s so easy to blame on others, food, lifestyle and make more countless excuses but it takes one strong mental decision and once we have decided on something, nothing can change it except our own self. Some days when I Skype with Ammi and I see her in pain and crying, those days are extremely hard for me. I feel negative, complain about everything and have the attitude “I don’t care about anything anymore” but now I take a deep breath, take a nap or I write down how I feel and then I start walking again. Let’s not wait until next year to start all over again. We still have 8 more months to go, don’t compete with anyone just believe in yourself. “Quitters never win and winners never quit”!