Shock therapy

No, I don't mean the kind of plugged-into-the-wall-knock-me across-the room kind ... I mean the trying-on-a-pair-of-pants-I-know-won't-fit kind to remind myself that, while I'm making early progress, I've got a long way to go on my latest fitness journey.

So I've got my benchmark pants -- I've used them before -- to determine if I'm losing weight. I prefer this method to a scale because I want to see the inches just melting off and ... I don't like scales.

This is a great way for me to motivate myself to stick with my program. I don't take it as a depressing move -- I can't get into shape overnight -- and it's a reminder that I need to keep plugging away.