Don’t Struggle, Do What Works for You and Work It!

This morning I got on the bus and sat down in the second seat on the left. Not too long after another passenger got on the bus and sat in the seat in front of me. I'm not sure how your busses are made but this particular bus was made similar to a greyhound bus without the bathroom, so that first seat on the left is right behind the driver and right at the top of the stairs. What I noticed is how she struggled up the 3 stairs and the one or two feet it took to make it to the seat. I watched as she sat in the aisle seat then she grabbed the back of the driver’s partition so she could pull herself over into the window seat. Watching her struggle brought out a feeling deep in me, a feeling I feel every time I see someone grossly overweight, obese. Many times I've watched as people would have to pass up getting on the bus because all of the seats were next to someone and they needed two empty seats because of their size, so they are forced to wait for another bus with more room. I see this almost daily and it is usually a different person every time.

I feel this deep pain inside because I want to reach out, I want to help. I want them to feel how I feel about trying to make better choices for a better life. Then I feel a blanket of fear cover my soul and run through me like a spirit of possession, a fear of one day being just like them, a phobia of some kind. Afraid that if I don't keep going, if I don't keep trying, if I don't stop gorging on those "bad foods", one day that person could be me.

I can't say they enjoy where they are because a lot of them don't, I can't say they don't already have a plan because some of them do. I just know that watching their struggle brings out a few things inside of me. It is a reminder to me of why I'm doing this and why I'm going so hard, but it is also a trigger in me, that also reminds me of what I want to do once I've reached my personal health goal. As I struggle to become healthier I think of how one day I will be able to help someone with the same struggles tomorrow that I am having today. I will be able to relate to them and help them to understand. I know it takes a lifetime to make a lifetime change. There is no plan that fits all needs, it takes more than a diet and the gym, psychologically a person has to be "programmed" to change. Because at the end of the day it is all mental, if the mind isn't on board with anything you want to do then you won't do it.

Have you ever noticed how so many weight loss “miracles” focus on the laziest way possible to market their product? Have you noticed that people flock to these “miracles”, but gain back what they lost? Your brain is programmable even when you don’t want it to be. Eventually your brain becomes use to the “miracle” and the “miracle” no longer works or once the “miracle” gets you down to your weight goal you stop using it and your brain goes crazy like a runaway hostage and you go right back to your old habits. This happens with restrictive diets as well, the brain and body become use to the restriction and it no longer works or the moment you have something outside of that restriction the brain goes on overload and gorges on every unhealthy thing it can find. Somewhere you have to find a healthy balance, for me what has been working the best is when I said “I’m not going to diet, I’m going to change” you won’t hear me say I’m trying this type of diet for this amount of time to lose this amount of weight. I’ve scaled back on foods, I’ve changed how I eat foods, I eat healthier foods that I didn’t eat before, I eat less more often and I am more active. I’ve made lifestyle changes that may take more time, but my mind is being programmed, no “miracle” drug, no gimmicks, no games. The mind is the most powerful weapon against all else. Now, I’m not saying diets are bad, a lot of them can be tools in learning healthy eating habits. You have to find the right plan and work with it. I strongly suggest you find a diet that cuts back on what you eat and finds healthier alternatives and not one that eliminates food groups all together. I posted about the 17-day diet (aka the alternate day diet or next day diet) some time ago, that to me is a good plan because beyond that initial 17 days it goes another 17 days and keeps going in 17 day cycles until you are eating normally but healthier and it encourages you to eat throughout your day.

When I finally decided I wanted to be healthier I told myself I needed to become obsessed with being healthy, I wanted it to be an obsession, something like a drug. In my mind that was the only way I could fight against whatever would prevent me from being healthy, that at least I'd have a happy medium somewhere if my demons were that strong. I fight daily, everyday I’m tired, everyday I’m feeling lazy, everyday I’m sore, every day I have a reason to not workout, but I get up and go anyway. I have days I am watching the clock every 15 minutes but guess what, I’m still in there moving the whole time; I am doing what I have to do to get it done and as I walk out of class I say to myself “I did that”. Day by day I tell myself what needs to be done; I am my own drill sergeant and cheerleader. Last night I saw a girl who started going to the classes around the time I started going, I hadn’t seen her in a while. It was good to see her back, I noticed she struggled a bit like you do when you start working out but I couldn’t help but notice how she looked at me. We use to struggle together and even though I still have my moments I do a pretty good job keeping in flow with the class and exceeding even my own expectations. She made me realize I was on the right path and I wanted to keep going, I can’t quit.

When people ask me for a meal plan I start by asking them what they eat on a daily basis, what is a typical day of food for them. I don’t base their meal plan on what I think they should eat and assume they will like it. I start with what they already eat and make adjustments I know they can live with, as time goes by they can introduce new foods they’ve never had before that are way out of their norm but to start they have to start off with something they can live with and progress from there. When it comes to making lifestyle changes there is no “quick fix” and this is no T.V. show, slow and steady wins the race. Start off by walking 30 minutes 3 days a week and get some 2.5lb -5lb dumb bells, then gradually work into more exercise. You don’t have to do everything all at once, just do something and don’t stop doing it. Keep going and work your way up. Don’t stay stagnant and don't degress.

I end this by saying find what works for you and work it! Reprogram your mind one day and one stride at a time.

And…It Is What It Is!