It’s time for the latest installment of the Blog Forward Challenge by ZonePerfect! (There’s a giveaway at the bottom, but you have to read the post to get to it. Promise you will?)

This is my third post in this series. You can read the other posts here and here. We are more than three-quarters of the way through the year. It’s time to check in on those resolutions!

So… the resolutions… well…

You guys, I have no excuses. I mean, I have plenty of them. They just all stink. I weighed myself recently and I weigh almost exactly as much as I did in the beginning of the year. In a way this is progress because last year I put on weight instead of losing. This year I maintained. Baby steps, amirite?

I could rehash all my shortcomings again, but why bother? The issue is that I have some pretty big hurdles between me and my goals and I haven’t come up with effective strategies to deal with them. In this post, I’m supposed to tell you how I plan to recharge and reignite some of the excitement I had earlier this year. The truth is I have no idea. The days are getting shorter, it’s already colder than I’d like it to be, and a schedule change has made it impossible for me to work out at all during the week (not that I was working out, but the possibility is killed dead at this point). In fact, I’m going to have to learn to be one of those people who cooks and preps food on the weekends just so I can keep my head above water during the week.

I guess my plan is to figure out how we’re going to eat mindfully when I don’t even really have time to make a grocery list.

(When I no longer have a lunch break most week days, the ZonePerfect Bars are going to come in handy what with their not needing to be cooked and requiring no clean up! Go ZonePerfect Bars!)

I’m also supposed to revisit the letter I wrote to future me earlier this year. In case you missed it, here’s the letter:

Dear Future Me:

Hey, what’s up? I hope you’re not still fat. Haha, kidding. Sort of. Seriously, did you get your act together? I hope so. You need to be strong and healthy to watch your kid grow up, write your memoir, and empty your house.

Wait a second, how old are you now Future Me? If this is 6-months from now Me, it’s fine if you didn’t accomplish this stuff yet. But if you’re 5 years from now Me and this stuff still isn’t done, what the what?! Come on, Me. You had 3 goals in 2014. I’m disappointed in you.

Oh. This letter was supposed to be encouraging. If you did the stuff, yay you! And I know you did because Present Me was pretty adamant that this stuff would get done. Past Me was the one all about slacking off. I hope you’re on to newer goals and newer challenges. You better be.

Don’t let us down, Me. Keep growing, or some other inspirational message. Also, work on your pep talks.

Kind regards,
Present Me.

Obviously I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not accomplishing what I wanted to but the year’s not over yet, so there’s still some hope. Let’s go with that: There’s still hope!

As previously mentioned, I’ve got a giveaway all lined up here. One lucky winner will receive a well being essentials kit provided by ZonePerfect. Your kit will include a tumbler suitable for all* your drinking needs, a pedometer, lip balm, hair ties, hand sanitizer, a box of ZonePerfect bars and a coupon so you can buy more at your leisure. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Comments received by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2014, will be eligible.

*I have no idea what sort of things you might want to drink but this is a cup and so I assume it will work for you. But if it doesn’t, sorry.

Mandatory disclosure is required for every program-related post. Although I have entered the program and received complimentary product and ZonePerfect promotional items, I am free to comment about ZonePerfect in a positive, neutral or negative fashion.

AND THE BIG WINNER IS… Rachel!! Congratulations on winning the wellness essentials giveaway! I’ll be contacting you by email to claim your prize!