Do you have a few pounds you need to lose?
I recently lost that pesky 15 pounds that has been hounding me for too long. But wait, before you say congratulations, you should probably hear the back end of the story (pun definitely intended).
You see, these 15 pounds and all five-foot-one-and-a-half inches of me have been having an on-again, off-again relationship for quite some time. I spent a long time blaming my Dad for instilling his horrific eating habits on me — regular bed time banana splits topped with every imaginable accoutrement, a surplus of sugary drinks and treats on hand daily along with a sedentary lifestyle that led not only to his premature death but to my ongoing struggle with weight.
No matter what story our past holds, the only story that matters is the one we are living now. And now, our health is our responsibility.
So before you say ‘good job’ to me, maybe wait another six or 10 months, because getting that excess weight off is only half the battle. The other half, maybe even three-quarters, is keeping it off. And I’m not at all confident that this time will be any different from the other times.
My junk food addiction can only be tackled one day at a time. Every time I pass on dessert or just take a bite, every time I drive by the bakery, every time I sit very far away from the munchies at a party, know that they are calling to me, know that I want them and know that it’s hard.
We often look for the shortcut, the easy road, the pill, the magic elixir to make losing weight easier.
It’s not. Unless you are one of the blessed few with a fabulous metabolism then there is only one plan to follow that works.
You don’t need a membership at a gym, you don’t need a scale, you don’t need a fancy juicer. You need to make healthier choices 80% of the time. That’s it. You need to make good food choices and make activity (not just busyness) part of your daily life. It’s not just about short-term choices, it’s about long-term results. It’s about being happier and healthier for life.
So if those extra pounds have stayed away by the end of the year, I will be so happy to accept your congratulations!
