Friday, July 1, 2016

July 1st, 2016 Just Be Yourself

July 1st, 2016 Just Be Yourself

Most things in life benefit from the advice, "just be yourself, take it slow, baby steps--and you'll make it just fine." This is solid advice 99% of us would agree on for most every situation/circumstance, yet--when it comes to weight loss, the old diet mentality doesn't start that way.

As a child, my weight climbed steadily, and the more it did, the more mom became terrified. I was alarmed, mainly because mom was so shaken from the sobering doctor's office weigh-ins, not because of the weight issues. Countless doctor visits ended with a diet plan--printed, outlined--meals, snacks, and everything--right there in black and white. Eat these things from now on and in these quantities and that'll fix the weight problem, was the message. This process repeats all over the world, all the time--special plans, perfect food lists, eat this, don't eat that--try this new program or pill or surgery--and here's your food menu--stick with this...and oh, by the way, start this in the morning. Good luck!

 Some of the most intelligent people in the world come up with the most amazing plans. And still, in most cases, they forget the importance of advice they would most likely and very automatically give someone for a non-weight loss related issue. Take it slow...baby steps, you'll make it--just be yourself.

 The plans, procedures, and menus are designed to work. And they do. But too often, the human element isn't factored into the equation. All of the focus is poured into the plan because, well--if you do the plan you'll lose weight! So, yeah-- do it!!

 Basically, here's the challenge: Wake up tomorrow a completely different person. Wake up tomorrow free of a lifetime of old food behaviors--and do the plan. Don't ask questions--just do it. Don't be yourself. Don't honor "where you are." Turn a 180 and hold on tight so it doesn't become a 360. It's never easy because face it, losing weight is hard--so get tough and get it done.

Uh, that never worked for me---ever. 

I'd still be over 500 pounds or dead had I not stopped the diet mentality merry-go-round in September 2008.

The gradual evolution of good choices, within a budget--was, for me--a way of flipping the ratio, as I like to call it. Instead of putting 80% of the focus on the food and exercise, I placed it at about 20%--and placed 80% on the mental/emotional elements necessary for consistent positive progress. Because seriously, without consistency, the plan doesn't matter--whatever it is, it needs consistency to work or be proven ineffective.

Allowing for natural growth, baby steps--being myself, honoring where I was--even if it included calorie counted fast food meals in the beginning, made it possible to gain consistency for the first time in my life. And the mental space created by this 80/20 approach gave me the room I needed to explore the deeper issues and patterns that helped keep me "in the food" all those years.

I talked to mom the other day while she was watching a very popular daytime television show hosted by a well-respected television personality who has written multiple weight loss books. The guest on the show was someone who had hundreds and hundreds of pounds to lose--and there, this well-respected celebrity host/doctor was giving this poor man the hardline advice--and telling him what he had to do, and the plan. And you know his intentions were fine. But again--when it comes to weight loss, why do many in the world--even the experts, miss the human element??

 I was absolutely appalled by the approach. I told mom--"oh my, I can't believe that--uhg--I'd go toe to toe with him on this and I'd win, I guarantee." And yes, I speak the expression "uhg."

And no...this isn't a case of Sean getting over-confident. I'm grounded in the most wonderful ways. I just know what I know to be true based on my experiences. And also based on successful stories from countless others.

I only have today. I'm never immune to relapse/regain. My success isn't a given. It requires a practice each day. it never requires perfection--but it does require consistent practice. It's been a lot of practice. And it doesn't make perfect and it doesn't guarantee anything.

But if I continue practicing exceptional self-care--and I remain connected spiritually and I remain connected in good support circles--then by golly, I just might have a good chance.

One thing's for sure. However I evolve from here, I'll do it while being myself, taking it slow with baby steps and honoring where I am along the way. I'll not compare or judge my path against anyone else's path. I will honor the fallible nature of my unique humanness.

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 I donated blood today! It felt so good to do it again. Every single time, I'm reminded of 500 pound days, when raging high blood pressure disqualified me from donating on several occasions.
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These vitals...I'm incredibly grateful. Apparently, I have an athletic heart. I'm not sure it's necessarily athletic--it was once trained to keep up with the pressures of a 500 pound body--and now, in comparison, it isn't challenged.  It's either athletic or bored. I'll take either one, or both.

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Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownJuly 2, 2016 at 8:34 AM

    Excellent post Sean! Such great advice on focusing on mental/emotional elements. I know when I first met you it helped me tremendously loosing weight at a new approach until my food/sugar addiction took over. More interesting since freeing myself of my past sugar addiction Dec of 13, no added sugar with the no artificial sweeteners mental clarity has been constant along with my eating habits not tied to emotions. The mental/emotional aspect has been huge in my over all transformation loosing 250 pounds the past 3 years and give a lot of the credit to being free of the food sugar addiction that use directly tie into my emotional eating and affect mind clarity. I guess in a nutshell what I am saying is food/sugar addiction was so strong in my case, the over ridding factor that constantly interfered with the mental/emotional part to a impossible level compared to the one I enjoy today. I am so thankful not being emotional tied to food and enjoying the mind clarity I enjoy today.

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