I have seen a lot of Trainer James in recent weeks on several SPARK pages, tonight I decided to check out his page, loved it. Great Motivator and he will make you think (check out his page, if your not on sparkpeople.com, you should be). I read his blog of the day: Obesity VS Food Plan and it really got me to think.
I do agree being obese keeps many of us on the sidelines of life, were waiting to lose weight before we begin our journey... some of us lose 10 years, other a few months and some don't lose any at all. Some people continue to live life to the fullest even at any weight, I just came across a Spark Page today of a beautiful woman, Anume2010 and she travels the world, hikes in rain forest, enjoys cruises, swims at the beach... things I have fantasized about doing of course, when I finally lost weight. Giving my props to Anume2010 for living life and being a beautiful shinning person!
Trainer James mentioned the importance of keeping a Food Journal which I completely agree with this! I was honestly mortified when I came to realize that some days, actually several days a week, I actually consumed 5000+ calories a day. No wonder I gained weight in morph speeds, I was literally eating myself away.
I personally don't believe anyone wants to be obese, some say they like it but in reality, being 330 pounds just a few months ago, being morbidly obese, I know how much weight hurts our bodies, there is nothing fun about it. For years I fantasized about finally losing the weight, what life would be like. Everything would be different, my career, my love life, I would be a better parent, I would take trips, I would dance, I would take pictures again, people would love me, I would love myself. But just like Trainer James said, the diet pills just masked my food addiction. The latest fad pill or combination of three super foods would help me lose 5-10 pounds, if that, and before you knew it, there I was in the drive-thru for Mickey Dee's, nothing changed. I was looking for a quick fix and there is not a quick fix to this problem. There is something deep that turns you to food instead of dealing with an issue at hand. Not all of us are emotional eaters, but many of us used food to deal with life. Why? Why do we do it?
Each person might have a different answer, some might not even know why they can't commit to improving their life, but there is something, a wall, an emotion, an event that is preventing them from moving forward, whether or not that person does not believe in themself or has just has lost all hope because it seems utterly impossible, how can we help that person?
It is time to do some soul searching, we have to identify the issue so we can finally face the battle once and for all.
I know it's Friday night and this blog is a little heavy but this week a friend of mine gave me some information that I just can't shake.
7 out of 8 people told that they must lose weight to prevent death DO NOT LOSE WEIGHT! Only 1 person will actually do something to save their own life.
So the real question is, (even if it is not a life or death situation) what is preventing you from losing weight?
***Just a side note, no matter where you are in your journey to becoming a healthier person, you are not alone, it is possible, you are stronger than you could ever imagine, I know you are. On January 1st 2010, if someone told me that on March 5th 2010 that I would be 38 pounds lighter, that I could walk 3 miles, ride a bike for 2 miles, complete an hour Cardio Dance Class and that I wouldn't have smoked in over 8 weeks... I would have laughed to myself, even though I wanted it, I didn't believe in myself, but now I do. I can thank all of my blog followers and SPARK for such motivation, inspiration and the knowledge that has kept me going.
In the past, FEAR of FAILURE kept me lurking in the shadows of life as an obese person, I had given up all hope. I am so glad I can see clearly now, it is possible. I read this on SPARK and want to share it with you:
Weight Loss isn't just about choosing to eat right & exercise. Many times, it is also about having the self-worth to make a change and believing that you deserve to do something positive for yourself!
Every Person is worthy of love, respect and self-care, maintaining a healthy weight is part of that.
But again, I challenge you: What is or has prevented you from losing weight?
or
What has given you the strength to overcome this obstacle once and for all?
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Fantastic post! I am honored to be a part of your journey!
ReplyDeleteTrainer James
TrainerJames.com
you are so inspiring - i started in mid december and have only lost about 11 pounds - way to go - makes me want to work harder!
ReplyDeleteYou are an incredible motivator! I have been on and off the weight train since December, and I just can't get the motivation to begin and succeed. I have a huge emotional eating problem. I am going to sit down and really think about your questions you've asked. Thank you for creating such an eye opening blog. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah...it's totally the emotional/stressful situations that get me....like being on unemployment for a solid year, can't seem to land an interview even though I'm trying my damndest, finding out my unemployment check ends in 2 weeks and then I'll be penniless...these are the things that send me into the spiral and go running to food for comfort. My brain knows that the comfort is fake and temporary, and technically only makes things worse when I get on the scale, but I still fall down that same hole when things get really bad. I've still got a LOT of work to do in order to stop turning to food to soothe the pain.
ReplyDeletetruly amazing post. Extremly well written! It takes lot of determination and patience to endure this journey. You just have to keep reminding yourself why you are doing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pep talk! Amazing post, just what I needed today. I have lost some of my focus lately, so thank you. I haven't used my Spark page lately....think I'll go hang out there for awhile ;)
ReplyDelete"People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present" -Thich Nhat Hanh. Time to start living out loud girlie! Reta/anume2010. You're amazing!
ReplyDeleteI turned 40 in December. I know that many people think it's the new 30 but in all seriousness, it's not if you're obese.
ReplyDeleteI don't have many more chances to start a life changing journey. That's what got me started. I stopped relying on motivation (cause in all honesty, it's seriously lacking) and started depending on my determination to keep moving. The more moving I'm doing, the more I want to do. The more moving I'm doing, I'm starting to wonder what else I can do.
The weight is coming off slowly, but coming off. That's all that matters in this game!
Congratulations to you! Keep it up - you are doing wonderfully. You are very fortunate to have such control and persistence. You can do anything you set your mind to.
ReplyDeleteLauralei - EVERY pound counts, embrace the 11 pounds, that is 11 pound gone forever. Everyone's journey is different, some lose quicker than other and some slower than others, the main point, is that your making healthy choices and your still going! Keep up the good work and be proud of the 11 pounds, I am so proud of you! As far as working harder, keep pushing you are so much stronger than your might even realize!
ReplyDeleteMeg - I am glad you enjoyed the blog and it got you to thinking. The important thing here is that you said you have been off and on, which means, you have not given up. The most important thing about becoming healthy is that you keep going. We all make mistakes, we all fumble, but you must pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep working towards your journey. Digging deep to understand what causes the emotional/stress eating is so important or it will never go away. It might bring up painful memories but it will make all the difference in the world with your journey. Of course, things can't change magically overnight, so start working on replacing those comfort foods with healthy alternatives and before you know it, you will realize, your breaking more of a habit than an addiction.
Tammy - EMOTIONAL EATING and the fear of not being able to pay your bills are not a good mix, that is diffinatley not a drink you'd order at your favorite bar! I can completely relate to this, I was laid off almost 5 months ago and it is SO scary. I constantly remind myself that life is bigger than me and everything will work out. I have come so far in life and I know that it isn't all going to fall apart now. It may seem like it, but I have hope. Consider calling 211 or go online to http://www.211.org this website can help you find local food, employment, housing, healthcare, counseling and more! All though this won't solve everything, it can connect tou with resources in your ares that can help you and your family. In the meantime, try to grab a healthier alternative when you feel your emotions swelling up in side of you and/or go for a brisk walk. Your in my prayers, it will be okay!
CJ - I completley agree, reminding yourself why your on this journey can make all of the difference. My personal mantra " I WANT TO BE HEALTHY" sometimes I have to repeat it over and over to help overcome challenges and keep me on track. When it doesn't work, I just pick myself and keep going.
Out & About - FOCUS here you come! Taking the time to stop and recenter yourself is a wonderful way to jumpstart your journey, take time to think about why you want to become a healthier person and then take it one day at a time.
Tara - WAY TO GO! Look at that domino effect: The more moving you do, the more you want to do, the more you do you wonder what else you can do! WOW! Trust me, you can do so many things, everyday you are getting stronger, push yourself and don't confine your journey to a box. Mix it up a bit and have fun discovering all the things your body can do!
Honeygo Beasley - It's been amazing finding out how much I really can do. If someone told me that I could ride a bicycle for 3 miles strait, then walk for 2 miles, work out at Curves for 45 minutes and take a Bikram/Hot Yoga class for 90 minutes all in one day, or even just one of those exercises, I would have laughed in their face and now, 70 days later, I AM DOING IT! I AM LOVING MYSELF MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY, ITS TRULY AMAZING!