Written by Nighthawk/Gayle Wagner - Lost 47 pounds in 8 months - became a Marathon Runner and then a Yoga Teacher
"It's Time For Tough Love"
I've been through just about it all the past 8 months since I started my journey to a healthier lifestyle. I've contemplated long and hard about whether to post this, but have decided that I would.
The topics vary but all have similarities in that the poster seems to want validation for their mistakes or shortcomings in following the plan.
For instance: "I can't find time to exercise."
Well, I'm here to tell you,NONE of us had an extra hour when we started, but we MADE the time. It was just as hard for us, but somehow we did it. Get up early and do it.You find time to watch a few hours of TV every week or surf the net, don't you? Use that time to start walking!
"The demands at work are just too stressful"
Think again if you believe you're the only one who has a job that drives you nuts.
"There are so many goodies at work. I can't resist them!". There's food in every workplace in America that is brought in daily....donuts, birthday cakes, coffee cakes, candies. This practice will not cease because you've decided to get healthy! You have to DEAL with it and make the right choice and not put that crap in your body! Say, "NO THANK YOU!"
"My husband/kids don't like the Sparkpeople food".
Fine. Make their meal, then make yours. Choose to eat healthy.
"I have too many problems in my life right now".
Face it, we're always going to have problems. If you are waiting for the "right time" to lose weight and get lean and healthy you will never do it. The time is NOW.
"I am dealing with a family crisis now"
I could tell you umpteen stories about Dieters who have reached their goal and maintained it who have been through hell and back. They have terminally ill kids, parents who are dying, sick spouses, and many themselves have life threatening illnesses. THEY DID IT.
"I just can't seem to get motivated"
What brought you here in the first place?
I think we all have one thing in common and that is we are sick of being overweight, tired, out of shape and just plain old FAT.
Don't we all want to be full of energy, lean, healthy and ready to partake and enjoy all that life has to offer?
Don't we want to be able to go to walk into a regular store and pull an outfit off the rack and just buy it instead of having to search for something that is going to hide our fat?
There's a reason why each and every one of you surfed onto this site and signed up. You are being given the chance to do something for yourself and get healthy. You can choose to take that chance and within months you will be a different person because you will feel better, have healthier skin, a better attitude, be more energetic AND have lost weight and firmed up...IF YOU FOLLOW THE PLAN.
Make no mistake about it. There is no easy way. This is NOT a fad diet plan. You will learn to eat healthy.
But you can't eat right for 5 days and then eat off the plan for 2 and expect to see a weight loss and then come on the boards and talk about it. What habits are you learning? None. What is this showing all the other dieters who may be coming to these boards for encouragement?
I'm not saying that you shouldn't post things when the going gets tough. But instead of saying "I CAN'T do this", how about saying "I did THIS right". Let's start posting some more positive stuff and see what happens.
Even if it's just that you drank all your water for the day or that you didn't eat that piece of pop-tart that your kid dropped on the floor. Let's focus on the good!
When I started on the diet plan I told myself that I'd do just 24 hrs. at a time. I was petrified I wouldn't be able to make it through the first day without my afternoon candy bar and junk food binge. But you know what? I never said, "I can't". I always said, "I now eat only HEALTHY things" and I chose to follow the plan. And that included the food diary, the water, the exercise, the whole enchilada.
Think of all the people who didn't have the chance you do. They are now sitting in their houses or in a hospital bed, unable to get out because they are so big that they're embarrassed or because they have health problems that make it impossible for them to even enjoy the simple things in life.
Seize the moment! The time to do this is now.
Getting off my soapbox...
-Nighthawk
"Every step, every mile, every set, every rep, every meal, every day"
