(don't let it) slide

Lately, conversations with friends revolve around 'stepping up'. 

This of course, means different things to each person.

For the most part, it is stepping up to keep--if not make one's self more healthy, fit and possibly attractive.

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This is not centered on any particular agenda, except that you wouldn't want to 'slide'.

Youthfulness from a physical perspective is something that easily slips between your fingers when you reach a certain age.

Truly for me, turning thirty shook me up pretty good.

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It did not happen overnight.  It was a slow process of packing in pounds. 

Someone came to visit, we went to a buffet.

It was someone's birthday, we drank a little too much cocktails.

My Mom sent over my favorites.

I attributed the tightness of my pants to these small seemingly harmless activities.  I thought to myself, I am just bloated, I'd be back to normal next week, when I go back to my routine.

It never happened. 

One day, I woke up overweight.

That was my new 'normal'.

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As if having to buy clothes one size bigger was not enough clue.

It took my brother pointing out that I needed to lose weight to get me started.  I need to thank him for challenging me to a round of biggest loser.  That made all the difference. 

I bought a digital weighing scale. 

And gasped at my weight, the first time I stepped on it.

I weighed myself everyday.

I gave up some things.

Eventually, I was somewhat back to my old self.  Not as I was early in my twenties, but a more 'realistic' version of it.

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I've managed to stay somewhat the same since.

And now that a few years had past, and we are all about continuous improvement, it is truly time to step up again?