Since starting this blog, I have talked, e-mailed and chatted with lots of different men and women who, like myself, are in a hardcore battle with their bodies. It’s been a great thing and has provided me with some much needed encouragement, information, and on occasion even some gentle reminders to get back on track. And as I have talked with more and more people, there are a few universal truths regarding this fight that seem to hold true. Here are a few:
Everyone wants to see results NOW. This may seem “duh” to you but this is one of the areas where I tend to get the most frustrated. I am a product of today’s get-it-now mentality and when a goal requires patient endurance rather than quick intensity, it gets much harder. For the longest, I thought this was a battle exclusive to me. Turns out it’s a battle exclusive to everyone.
When you don’t plan, you don’t succeed. The people who I’ve seen have the most long term success do the little things (which turn out to actually be the big things). They have healthy fruits and vegetables available and ready to eat. They have a time set aside every day specifically for exercise. They drink lots of water. They track their calories. They make menus and the shop according to them. They know ahead of time what foods they should and should not order when going to restaurants. You can’t just stumble through this process - it has to be very intentional and well thought out.
Exercise is an acquired taste. It’s kind of like coffee. The first time you “taste” it, it may be so gross that you want to gag. But if you just keep at it, eventually you are addicted. Exercise, if done regularly, actually becomes something you look forward to. Shocking, I know. But even I have been there. And if I can learn to like exercise, then trust me - anyone can.
Everyone has ups and downs. I don’t really even need to go into this one because it’s just that simple and universal. You’ll have bad days. What’s NOT universal though is the response to the down times. People who succeed get back on track fairly quickly and without beating themselves up over it.
There will always be distractions. I recently had a friend tell me that there is always going to be a party, funeral, potluck or holiday going on. I can’t use ALL of them as opportunities to not eat well. She also said that much like an alcoholic has to learn to be around people who drink, part of the battle when dealing with food addiction is learning to be in situations with unhealthy food. Because it’s always going to be there.
These are just a few and I’m sure there are others that will come to me as this journey continues. Struggling with body issues is something that the majority of us face at one time or another. Hopefully hearing how others are in the same boat can provide you with some needed encouragement today.
Everyone wants to see results NOW. This may seem “duh” to you but this is one of the areas where I tend to get the most frustrated. I am a product of today’s get-it-now mentality and when a goal requires patient endurance rather than quick intensity, it gets much harder. For the longest, I thought this was a battle exclusive to me. Turns out it’s a battle exclusive to everyone.
When you don’t plan, you don’t succeed. The people who I’ve seen have the most long term success do the little things (which turn out to actually be the big things). They have healthy fruits and vegetables available and ready to eat. They have a time set aside every day specifically for exercise. They drink lots of water. They track their calories. They make menus and the shop according to them. They know ahead of time what foods they should and should not order when going to restaurants. You can’t just stumble through this process - it has to be very intentional and well thought out.
Exercise is an acquired taste. It’s kind of like coffee. The first time you “taste” it, it may be so gross that you want to gag. But if you just keep at it, eventually you are addicted. Exercise, if done regularly, actually becomes something you look forward to. Shocking, I know. But even I have been there. And if I can learn to like exercise, then trust me - anyone can.
Everyone has ups and downs. I don’t really even need to go into this one because it’s just that simple and universal. You’ll have bad days. What’s NOT universal though is the response to the down times. People who succeed get back on track fairly quickly and without beating themselves up over it.
There will always be distractions. I recently had a friend tell me that there is always going to be a party, funeral, potluck or holiday going on. I can’t use ALL of them as opportunities to not eat well. She also said that much like an alcoholic has to learn to be around people who drink, part of the battle when dealing with food addiction is learning to be in situations with unhealthy food. Because it’s always going to be there.
These are just a few and I’m sure there are others that will come to me as this journey continues. Struggling with body issues is something that the majority of us face at one time or another. Hopefully hearing how others are in the same boat can provide you with some needed encouragement today.
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