Day 667 Fundamentals of The Mental and We All Lead

Day 667

Fundamentals of The Mental and We All Lead

Wednesday morning started normal enough, but it didn’t take long to realize this wouldn’t be an ordinary day.

I owe a big thanks to AOL for featuring me in the headlines of their welcome page for nearly eight hours. All day long I’ve received e-mails (over 300), hundreds of facebook friend request and messages, nearly 300 new blog followers, and well over 200 comments on the story found at AOL’s thatsfit.com I don’t know what to say really. Imagine that---I’ve written about every single day in detail along this road---and finally, something leaves me without words. All I can say is, thank you. Thank you for all of the very kind words.

A few have asked about the mental aspects---and so I found this in the archives from Day 232:

Today I received a question from a regular reader. She asked if I had any tips for the mental aspects of the change. Honestly, this entire journey has been about the mental aspects. If you haven't done so, I highly recommend going back and reading from Day 1. Some days will entertain you, maybe make you laugh, some may make you cry...But some...and these are the ones to look for...Some may give you the breakthrough you need to fully understand the mental aspects I talk about. For another regular reader named Rachel, a good friend of ours, it was Day 229 titled "What If It Was Impossible To Cheat" that finely made it click. It was like a breakthrough moment for her. Rachel has read from Day 1 every day along the way. But it took that blog to really breakthrough with her. The following suggestions are exactly what I've done for the mental aspects part of this journey. I suggest:

Forget every rule you thought was iron clad about losing weight.

Admit to yourself that you don't know it all, because someone who knows it all can't learn effectively. Have you ever heard someone say “you can't change him, he's set in his ways.” Be open to a “new,” simple approach to weight loss that really isn't new at all.

Wipe from your mind the idea that some foods are forbidden.

Do some really deep internal self-counseling to discover your “motivating thoughts.” Why do you want to lose weight and feel great? Develop that list and defend it from your old habits at all cost.

Realize that food is not the enemy; you have been your own worst enemy.

Let go of any blame for your obesity that you have ever placed on someone or something.

Admit that you are the one in charge of you. And since that is true, you're completely responsible for your habits, good and bad.

Stop being the victim. Empower yourself to rise above your circumstances instead of allowing yourself to stay chained to them in a depressing existence.

Here's a BIG one: Be 100% completely HONEST with yourself. Stop telling yourself lies. Lies come in the form of excuses and rationalizations. Be honest about them and you'll start to recognize them every time they pop out of your mouth or brain. Stop rationalizing bad choices.

Defeat excuses at every turn. Stop thinking of all the reasons why you'll never be able to do this, instead think of all the wonderful reasons to do this and never give up.

Don't “let yourself off the hook.” Don't say “I have time to do this later, I'll start next week, or next month, or after the holidays, or after we get past all of the birthdays coming up...right now, let's eat!” Maybe you don't have time. I let myself off the hook for over twenty years. If your transformation is important to you, don't let yourself off the hook.

Understand that every action has a consequence, good or bad. Shoot for the good ones.

When you're alone, that's when you have to police yourself extra. Almost every weight loss attempt in my past has ended with me bingeing alone. Don't let yourself down like that. Take pride in your resolve.

Make sure to remind yourself that there isn't a food you can't enjoy at one time or another. You may not have the calories for that cheesecake today, but find a way to work it in sometime soon.

Understand that it will get easier, but only if you put forth a consistent positive effort.

I'm sure there are plenty more spread throughout this journey. Go back and read from Day 1.

Remember, I'm not an expert. I'm just a guy who's been through this stuff my entire life. I was over 500 pounds for the majority of my adult life, until 232 days ago. These things I share are simply breakthrough thoughts and principles I've discovered along the way. If you're skeptical, then hide and watch what I do. Trust me, this is only the beginning of this journey for me. If you stopped reading this blog today and then come back in a few months, you will find me below 300 for the first time since age 16. The most important advice I can give anyone is: Don't make it complicated. Keep it simple! Calories in vs. Calories out. Later you can get more advanced if you want. And eat for goodness sakes. You have to provide your metabolism with fuel my friend. You have to eat and exercise.

We have a bunch of new members in the Positive Effect Water Challenge, wow---a bunch! We’ll try to get an updated list together, but remember---if you said you were participating on this blog or Kenz’s blog---then you’re in! That’s it! Now, all you need to do is push yourself to drink 64 ounces of pure-clean-unadulterated water, everyday between now and August 1st. Just check in and tell us how you’re doing every now and then, even just once a week if you can, whatever fits your schedule. I’ve even had some new members who gave me the thumbs up on my facebook page---so, we’ll try to get all of them together soon—it’ll take a little time. Just remember---64 ounces a day, everyday…pure water. You’re doing it! Thank you for your participation!

One of the fantastic emails today referred to me as a “leader.” Hmmm…well, it reminded me of a blog post I had written a while back, titled in part: “We’re All Leaders” --Here’s an excerpt:

We're really like a flock of geese flying in formation. When the leader is tired, or not at his best, he drops back and another takes the lead for a while. When I'm taking a nap and the girls try to wake me up to no avail, but they take the lead and go workout anyway, they're the leaders. I can't tell you how many times I haven't felt like lacing up and hitting the trail, but then the girls insist. Their enthusiasm for this journey is always enough to snap me out of any laziness I might be visiting at the moment.

For so many years, I was the leader of a different sort. We lead by example, and my example was a perfect recipe for becoming morbidly obese and dying young. That's where I was leading this family, straight into tragic situations and consequences. To become a responsible leader of this family…has been an amazing turn around in our lives. As far as leading others, I don't know if I would call it that. But I do know that I plan on spending the rest of my life sharing my story and trying my best to inspire and motivate people to free themselves from the prison of obesity. And that's the wonderful thing about this journey for all of us. Your success has the power to inspire others; your commitment and consistency will give you the results that may end up providing the inspiration that brings someone to the point of control, the point where they too make the decision to change their lives for the better...to break free, to live.

You can't do it for them, although we wish we could, but you can provide the most inspiring success you can and it will spread to others without much effort on your part. When someone thanks me for inspiring them, it sincerely touches me; it further fuels my efforts and success along this road. And then the success that person experiences can and will do the same for others. It's a wonderful circle of inspiration and motivation. It's a powerful thing. We're all leaders—capable of spreading wonderful inspiration.

I really dislike relying so heavily on excerpts for today’s edition, but I really needed them today. My day today was one of the most exciting and rewarding days of my life. “Thank you” doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. Very blessed…very blessed indeed.

Thank you for reading! Remember---send in your water drinking pictures! Just email your picture to me at seanboy105@hotmail.com or to Kenz: kenz@alltheweigh.com Goodnight and…

Good Choices,
Sean


Christine from http://www.phoenixrevolution.net/ drinking the H2O!


Long time reader Sarah S. drinking the water while working!


Today’s featured before picture---with mom!


Don’t be scared! I’m proud of this small reminder…the only tattoo I ever need.


My daily water drinking photo is giving fits uploading. I’ll include it tomorrow!


Kenz rocking the water too!