My thanks to the anonymous gentleman pictured above. It appeared as an illustration in a report that I read about Visceral Obesity. I hope he has been able to make the changes discussed in this BLOG, and is now healthy and fit!
This continues Part II: The Right Body At the Wrong Time-Why is Change So Difficult?
You can also go to Body By Design Studio website and Body By Design Studio Newsletter to learn more about us and read previous posts on this subject to gain context.
I ended the last post by stating that the planning and action phases, (3 and 4) of the decision making process was where the problems begin.
Let's take a typical example. You want to lose weight. This time, you REALLY want it to happen, so without further ado, one morning, you begin.
It would go something like this. (some of this is from my many failed efforts in the past, by the way)
This is a more or less male example. Ladies, you can fill in your terms and behaviors, you know what they are! : )
The Internal Dialogue - " I have got to get these extra pounds off! I look like a fat slob in these clothes! I'll look like a hippo when I go to the wedding! etc., etc. (you've been beating yourself up until things finally come to a decision climax!)
Your Plan - (such as it is) " I'll start tomorrow! No wait, that's Friday, and I've got stuff planned for the weekend-I'll start Monday.
No bread, No potatoes, No ice cream or sweets! I know that sweet stuff and all those carbs are the problem.
Exercise! I know I have to do that too! I'll get up an hour early and finally start using those running shoes I got six months ago! I'll run as far as possible and increase the distance each day! That's GOT to get results!
Action
MONDAY
Morning- Man, it's been a busy weekend!
I went to a great party!
Hell, since I was going to torture myself anyway come Monday, I pigged out on all the good stuff, watched the games on TV and vegged out!
So, now, I got out there and ran this morning, man, that was murder! But, I did get in about a half a mile, better than I thought!
Let's see, with all this running, I don't have much desire to eat.
I'll skip breakfast, I really don't care that much about it anyway, and stop at the Starbucks on the way to work. Great! This is working already!
Later-Wow! I made it all day! With no carbs and just some rabbit food, and with plenty of Red Bull, I'm rockin!
Dinner time. With my serious calorie deficit for today, I can chow down tonight! I'll just be sure it's plenty of meat, whole grain bread and veggies; the wife's got frozen corn and some French fries ready to go.
Bedtime - Man, that air-popped popcorn tasted more like air than popcorn, but a couple of Slimjims helped. My total calories had to be 1/2 of what I usually eat!
TUESDAY
Morning Well, I did run today, but my legs are killing me! I don't think I even did as much as yesterday. Well, at least I'm staying on my diet, plus plenty of coffee; and I made it a latte today since I'm burning all these calories!
Noon I'm hanging tough! At the meeting today, cookies looked good and I wanted some, but I didn't touch them.
Dinner time. Told the wife all I want is bacon and eggs. I know from reading the Atkins Diet, I can eat as much of that as I want!
Bedtime Cantaloupe!
A Low Carb Diet, I read, lets you eat that kind of stuff if you're feeling really hungry
I weighed myself. I lost three pounds!
Just writing this is reminding me how miserable I was when trying to lose weight in this manner.
This type of behavior and the variations of it will not allow you to achieve your goal!
There are so many things wrong that it's doomed to failure, it's just a matter of time.
Let's see....feeling deprived, can't eat your favorite foods or do the things you like, sore and achy all over.........
No Sane Person Wants That for a Lifetime!
Here's why this approach cannot be maintained.
First and foremost, the reason.
I want to lose weight - will not stand the test of time. That's why we always gain it back.
Remember when I said you have to convince yourself that not making the change would be a disaster? This does not come about by thinking you're getting a little fat, or wanting to look good for the beach or reunion.
A healthy and fit lifestyle has to be identified as the change that needs to be made. This doesn't come about easily.
Usually, the first time it crosses your mind is when your faced with your own mortality. " If I get through this, I'll never______________(fill in the blank) again!"
If you're young when you have this epiphany, it often passes, and you're back at the old bad habits.
A small, wise percentage of people take action then and there.
Usually, the next wake-up call is in middle age, when long time family, friends and acquaintances suddenly start dying or suffering injuries. Heart attacks, cancer, diabetes take their toll; bad backs, sore feet, digestive problems become common.
Let me remind you, NONE of these are caused by germs or bad luck.
(There will be a post on "bad genes made it happen" in a future blog post)
During this period in life, many more people take the hint and adopt healthier lifestyles.
I was not one of them!
When I say I know how to help you be healthy and fit, I speak from experience!
Take a look at the picture at the end of this section to see what I look like now.
So here I am at 59, and I finally wised up!
People I know and love are dying, sick or disabled; and I'm feeling the effects of lugging around all this excess poundage.
I Finally get the message. The next funeral I attend may be my OWN!
to be continued
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