It is a journey; therefore, be prepared for some occasional bumpy roads and detours. Things will not always go the way you planned or expected. What is always true is that CONSISTENT small steps will eventually get you to your destination. It is not only a weight loss journey, but also a self-discovery journey, that ultimately ends as a spiritual journey. You get to EXAMINE YOUR STORY and it may be a bit uncomfortable; however, do not let fear or pride prevent you from taking that first step to your BEST self and life.

WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING DESPERATELY

It is not happening fast enough for you, or it is not happening at all. Contrary to what you believe, you did not gain weight overnight; therefore, expect it to take time to reduce the excess weight. Therefore, when it is not happening fast enough ask yourself two questions:

1. Am I being CONSISTENT with the healthy steps?
2. Am I being too IMPATIENT?

When it is not happening at all, you need to ask yourself one question:

1. Am I being HONEST?

We can be quite good at lying to ourselves. I really did not have much to eat today, while we forget that we grabbed a donut when we walked by the break room, had an extra serving of fries at lunch, then we had a couple of cookies as an afternoon treat, and quenched our thirst with a bottle of some sugary concoction. I have been there and done that. I was constantly indulging in cookies and ice cream or having the extra serving of something and wondering why I was gaining weight. Perhaps we are not honest with our ability. We can make unrealistic plans that are impossible to be consistent with.

I WISH I KNEW THESE BEFORE I STARTED MY JOURNEY

1. What you believe you achieve. If you believe you can’t, you won’t and if you believe you can, you will.
2. Patience is a must, you simply cannot rush weight loss; therefore, settle in for the long haul and trust the process.
3. Change your perspective, it is NOT what you are losing, but rather what you are GAINING.
4. Do not give up on yourself, you are WORTH the investment of time, energy, and money.
5. KNOW your ‘WHYS’ before you get started.
6. Use a strategy that WORKS for you, not something that worked for someone else. If you cannot sustain it, it will not work.
7. Sacrifice is a must if you desire success.
8. Our attitude determines our altitude. If you have a rotten attitude, you will not get very far.
9. Lose the fear and fully embrace love.
10. Check your mindset frequently and daily.
11. Know when you are MOST vulnerable.
12. Understand how physiological hunger shows up in your life.
13. There will be plateaus, and there will be temptations, REMEMBER your anchor.
14. When all else fails, KNOW that you will not die if you do not eat for 24 hours.
15. We can take back control of our bodies and minds.
16. You do not lose weight by going to a gym, you lose weight by changing the 4 W’s.

LOSING WEIGHT COMES DOWN TO A CHOICE

It really is that simple. The choice we make is saying ‘NO’ to the unhealthy so that we can say ‘YES’ to being healthy in mind, body, and soul. At the end of the day, it really is a question of how much we really value our health. Therefore, I leave you with this question, “How important is your health to you?”