You know what's depressing?

This summer, the Eating Coach blog is set to put out it's 900th post (that's the cool part).  The depressing part is after almost 900 posts, I haven't changed the world.

Obesity rates, depending on the numbers you look at, are still climbing.  People are still mindlessly munching their way through the day.  Clothing sizes, waistlines, ill health, and "value meals" are still growing in size and numbers.

I have failed.  I haven't been able to change the world -- which is my goal.  My writing has not catapulted me to fame and fortune (or at least fortune) yet.  The President has not appointed me Fitness Czar (yup, Czar is a real appointment -- we currently have a Carp Czar, Drug Czar and Car Czar -- why not a Fitness Czar?)

I have posted every weekday -- rain or shine -- holiday or not.  And here we are -- failure.

And yet, if I'm truthful, there are bright spots.  People who tell me they like what I write (or at least most of it :)  There are positive comments.  Conversations with people who have acted on some of the things I've written about.  People (maybe just a few) who are in a better relationship with food and with themselves, in part, because of this blog. 

So maybe I'm not a complete failure.  I haven't reached my goal of changing the world yet -- but -- some might say, it's early yet.  It's only been 900 posts.  It's only been a couple years of writing about changing behaviors that are completely different than what we've taught.  It takes time to change the whole world.

Maybe some of you would counsel me to be a little more patient with myself.  Perhaps encourage me to keep doing what I'm doing because it is making a difference (even if it is just in small ways -- they still count, right?)  Maybe some would tell me even the small differences will add up and I can't possibly change the whole world in one fell swoop without compounding all these small changes.

Is that what you would tell me??  Don't quit?  You'll get there?  Keep working?  It is making a difference  ???

And that is what I am going to tell all of you who struggle with the day to day changes we talk about here.  Ratcheting down you fullness level consistently takes time.  All the small decisions you make to leave bites uneaten add up to pounds lost...eventually.  Everyday commitments to park a little farther out in the parking lot make a difference.  Even though you aren't where you want to be right now:

Don't quit.  You'll get there.  Keep working.  It is making a difference.

There really isn't a quick way to the Fitness Czar job title -- I have to do the work.

There really isn't a quick way to change a whole life's eating behaviors -- you have to do the work.  One day a time.  One bite at a time.  One choice and opportunity at a time.