I've lost track of how many weeks until black belt grading.

I've been way off track with respect to my weekly home training, journalling and nutrition. Christmas happened and I'm still struggling to get back the habits that will progress me towards my black belt requirements. Two people have helped me this week.

Person number one was the lady at weightwatchers who made me get with the program. I knew that due to some indulgences over christmas, which were turning into daily habits, my weight was beginning to creep up. I needed to nip this one in the bud and get back to healthy eating habits to maintain my goal weight. I decided to go to the weight watchers meetings weekly but adapt the program so that I didn't really have to face the music (the scales). I planned to go to the meeting and get some motivation, but only weigh in when I was confident that I was back on track and at goal weight. Quite accidentally, this lady, who works there, found out what I was doing, and she told me that I had to do the whole program or she couldn't allow me to sit in on the meeting - those were the rules and the rules are made for a reason - blah blah. From the look of determination on her kind, grandmotherly face, I knew that I would not be able to slip past her without causing a scene. The police would have to be called, and I would be ejected from the meetings for life. I paid up, got on the scales, took 10 minutes to reflect on my position, and then listened to Norma, the inspirational meeting leader. When the meeting ended, I realized that because I had weighed in, the meeting was more real for me; the accountability factor is a large part of whats needed. I went back to the lady who had stopped me and thanked her for standing her ground.

Person number two was Master Brinker. In class on Friday he had allowed for the fact that some of our personal black belt goals may change 2 months after we set them down. When I mentioned my struggles with training and journalling goals, he commisserated, mentioning his struggles with push ups after the New Year 1000 push up challenge. And then, in no uncertain terms, he said that we have to get back to the good habits we had before the Christmas. I could tell by his tone that he wasn't going to let me adapt my physical training goals.

I'm feeling that I am two 'kick in the pants' closer to getting back on track.

So tonight, right after getting home, I journalled. In one or two days I will journal again after reviewing the progress I have made towards my Personal Black Belt Requirements and setting out a plan for moving forward from here.