Let’s face it: everyone wants to lose weight. Billions of dollars are spent each year by souls who sincerely hope for success, but our country is still plagued with what has been termed, “the obesity epidemic.” Apparently, wanting is not enough.
Think about a young lady who watches the runners during the summer Olympics. She notices how the athletes are so strong and graceful, and being like them is all she can think about. She watches race after race, studies the athletes, and thinks about becoming a runner every moment she’s awake. When she finds out about a local marathon next weekend, she signs up. She’s never been in a race before, and hasn’t had any preparation, but she really, really wants to do it. What are the odds that she could run the 26 miles to finish the race?
No way! Running for that distance takes more then desire. It takes months of preparation, training, and focus. Losing weight is the same way. Thinking about being skinny, wanting desperately to be skinny-- that is not going to make you skinny. Signing up for a weight loss program is a start, but what will get you through to the end? What is going to set you apart from all those who want it, but don’t follow through?
Yesterday we talked about hitting bottom, and realizing the deep need for change. Next you need to find a goal. I’m not talking about a number. Think deeper. What do you want from weight loss besides looking good?
Your answer will become your motivation, the well that will sustain you during this experience of losing weight. That well needs to run deep. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be thin, but its a shallow goal that will not hold up when you come home exhausted from a long, emotional day at work, your pantry is empty, and the double cheese pizza is calling your name.
Other sources of motivation that won’t stand up over time: losing weight because you think someone else wants you to (what happens when you find out that person doesn’t care after all? Or, if in the future they aren’t a part of your life?), for better opportunities, be it in your dating life, job or friend situation (there’s no guarantee that these areas will improve after you lose weight, and then what?), or because you think it will fix all of your problems (there will always be problems).
A more substantial goal might focus on your health, and all of the possible diseases and conditions that you can avoid by being in a healthy weight range. Think about the long term benefits, the quality of your life, all of the things that you could do without the limitations of extra weight. Think about the energy you will have, the pains you have now that will no longer be an issue, about your emotional health.
The picture that stirred my “aha” moment surprised me because there was no escaping the fact that I had let things get out of control. That moment is part of your motivation, so
go ahead and print out the picture, or write out the situation that inspired you to change, and post it somewhere prominent. It will be a reminder of where you have been.
But don’t neglect where you are headed. Think about that goal, write it out, and post it on the fridge so when you get to the end of that long, emotional day at work, you’ll remember exactly why you don’t really want that pizza after all.
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