When summing up your life at the end, I’m pretty sure they talk about what you’ve achieved in your life, the people who’ve gone before you, the people you leave behind … and not anything about your weight. Imagine that, this hugely important thing in life, has no meaning in the end?
I want to tell you that having adopted a very specific weight-loss life, I have become more aware of just about every aspect of my fitness and every body issue. The challenge is balancing that awareness and commitment to change, against living my life. I mean, actually living my life. I occasionally feel compelled to liberate my body from this self-imposed famine and make up for all those lost calories! And that sums up the problem of the yo-yo dieter. Every time that happens, more pounds pack on and you’re back at the beginning or worse.
So how to avoid the pitfalls of failure? Experience the joy. I have this one body to take me through life, and although I have my own set of issues, pains, and problems. This is it. This life, this body, and now … this life change. I’m still broken, still in pain a lot, but I’m getting smaller. As I celebrate each small success, I feel better for succeeding at the day-by-day efforts while still looking to the “big” successes down the road. What kinds of things? My shirt today: when I bought it a year ago, it was pretty snug. And now … nicely loose.
I read an article recently, by a woman who has given up on dieting. She acknowledged that she would probably die young, and probably suffer from diseases like diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and joint deterioration. She went on to say that she will also have written books, been a good parent, and taken care of her parents. That was good enough for her and she wasn’t dieting ever again. That may seem like a fair perspective, but to me it is a little frightening. It was actually fear that pushed me toward weight loss in the first place.
Here’s the thing … WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT EASY! If it were … there’d be no fat people! And the billion dollar weight loss industry wouldn’t exist. Weight loss is not easy every single day that you’re on a diet, or a plan, or a fast, or whatever you choose. There are no healthy quick fixes. There are no gimmicks that are successful in the long run. The fact is, weight loss requires putting less calories in than you can burn through activity and exercise. Only 2% of successful dieters who lose (and keep off) 50+lbs. are over the age of 60. Sadly, that puts me in a risky category.
I’m probably in no position to give advice, since I’m at the beginning of my journey. But what I know, so far, is that how you begin the voyage matters. You have to pick a healthy weight loss option that will work for you. You have to figure out how to be more active. And that means something different to everyone. Again, you do what works for you. Don’t believe everything you read (remember when eggs were eliminated from your diet, and then recommended as a daily intake). Don’t take chances with your health in order to lose weight. There are some plans out there that are just plain bad for you.
I’m not having a perfect experience with my plan. I’ve had my failures. But I’m not giving up. I’m going to get on that river cruise ship at a weight that will allow me to move and be comfortable. That’s the plan … and I’m sticking to it!