Woman 7: Man 5
That is how last week’s heading read. I wonder how I will fare this week.
I believe that losing weight is not impossible. It is certainly something that can be done and has been done before. Generations of women before me have put on and lost it all, while still keeping a smile on their face. Adds in the media attest to this success, bombarding us with gym memberships and new drinks, diets and equipment that promise a new sexier frame. Before and after pictures that speak volumes. Once upon a time, personal trainers were not classified as a job description, now it is. Information about diet and exercise is everywhere. Everywhere you go, in the newspapers, magazine adverts, on bus stops, TV, flyers etc. Even for those that don’t care and are not searching for ways to cut the fat – the information is there. Usually, thrust into your hands while you’re trying to push a cart load of food at the supermarket. Slender young things who ‘randomly’ decide that you fall within the category of those who need to know more about their latest weight loss discovery, shamelessly feel obliged to make sure you’re informed.
This multi billion dollar market can’t be wrong. Someone must have achieved some sense of success, otherwise they wouldn’t be selling…right? which brings me back to my submission in the first place - it can be done.
But knowing it can be done, and doing it is absolutely A DIFFERENT THING.
Why do people succeed? I think its one part exercise, one part diet (and this is the part everyone knows about) AND (this is the bit no one really knows much about) one part determination/perseverance/ focus/ gungo-ness/ stick to it-ness (what ever you call it)
Funnily enough it’s the last 1/3 that really make all the difference in the world. Not the diet or the exercise, altho’ that does give you a booster.
After my dismal display on the scales last week, and my cave time – I realise (once again) that it’s all up to me. While circumstances in life might sometimes make it harder for you to exercise and make the right food choices, you can’t give up. Failing and trying is still better than giving up and packing up.
So….this week, I jumped back on. This time I took time off to go to the gym. I went twice this week. I also went back to having more salad-based meals and while I still snacked a little, I made sure I drank loads of water and chewed gum. Somewhere a long the journey I had slowly but unconsciously stopped my gum chewing exercise after each meal, and worst still, I had brought carb’s back for dinner. Somehow I had lost the will to fight. Some where along the way, it had become boring. It was still worth-it, I still felt more liberated, more confident – but I had become complacent. Unwilling to walk the talk.
This week, a friend passed on. Very unexpectedly. Oddly, the obituary today listed quite a number of other people who also passed on at or about the same time. Life is so very short. It was like a wake up call. While I could have taken it to mean, life is short so live it up – eat all you want. OR I could have seen it as, take care of your body, its the only want that you’ve got, the only one that will keep you alive.
Reading about Tiger Wood’s indiscretions this morning. Published alongside it was an aticle that said, when it comes down to the wire, only two things are real in life - your health and your family.
With that, and the jolting reminder that life is short – I have chosen the latter attitude to adopt.
Anyway, I hope that when I stand on those scales two days from now, my resolution would be reflected back at me. God knows, I need that encouragement to boost up my 1/3rd – which is horribly lacking now. To keep the motivation going, the gungho-ness on high gear and the I can do it-ness, sincere and crystal clear in my mind….I have to constantly remind myself, over an over again, that it is all worth it.
