Why Do You Want To Lose Weight?

It’s a question that every health book, magazine and fitness professional will say is critical to achieving health goals. Are they correct? Absolutely. I’ve lost weight enough times to know that the key to my success has always been the “Why?” I know what you’re thinking…Great, here’s another article about how “positive thinking” will help me lose weight, get healthy, yata, yata, yata. These types of articles used to annoy the heck out of me! I simply wanted to know WHAT DO I NEED TO DO to get rid of my blubber. So if you’re looking for the secret in doing this all I can do is share what worked for me.

So there I am -- 200lbs and pregnant for the third time. After the initial shock wore off of having conceived again when my second child was only 10-months-old I then became elated at the idea that this pregnancy would complete our family. Through out the 9-months I found myself examining my over expanded butt, back and thighs thinking they couldn’t possibly get any bigger but I learned…they could. My mind struggled with the fear that since I had not lost the weight gain from my second pregnancy what would I look like after packing more pounds with this one. How was I going to lose it? Could I lose it? Or was the idea of having a slender, shapely body over for me?

Flash forward -- I’m lying on the hospital bed recovering from labor. I’ve never actually minded hospital menus. My food choices are being made for me. Whew! So far so good. For me, food has always been the challenge. What kept haunting me was the fear of not knowing how I would handle going home, taking care of  two babies in diapers, cleaning the house, preparing meals, doing laundry, helping my older daughter with home work, baths and STILL manage to exercise and eat healthy meals through out the day! If you’re a woman reading this thinking this juggling act is easy and attainable then chances are you already have a rocken body or are well on your way. But if you’re a mother who can relate to this insane life style not knowing where the energy and motivation to change your body will come from…keep reading this article this maybe your answer.

Okay, here’s that “Why” I was talking about. During my 6-week post-labor recovery I worked on my mind. I actually asked my brother that instead of flowers to buy me a self-help book. So he brought me Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins and Spiritually Fit by none other than Clark Bartram. I remembered how I was able to lose weight the very first time and how my mind was in a completely different state than it was now. I figured I was going to be lying in bed quite a bit nursing my baby so I might as well try to work on my mind. I had failed countless times with will power alone and remembered how in the past when my mind was focused, strong and driven then my body became focused strong and driven. It didn’t matter what kind of day I was having…I made it to the gym. It didn’t matter what event was happening that day…I exercised. It didn’t matter if I wasn’t seeing the results as quickly as I wanted it to…I did what I knew I had to on pure faith alone that one day my body would transform. I needed my mind to return to this place so that I could raise a family while losing a considerable amount of weight, changing my figure and getting into the best shape of my life.

During those 6-weeks I read, read and read. I didn’t worry about exercising as much as I did reading. I viewed changing my mind being CRITICAL to changing my body. I linked them together. CHANGED MIND = CHANGE BODY. I noticed that when I read and charged myself mentally it was easier to eat right and not get anxious or excited when I was around food that had no business going in my mouth! So I kept doing it -- kept reading all in an effort to change my old way of thinking knowing this would ultimately be HOW I would change my body. I didn’t know the details of what exercise routine I was going to do when the doctor gave me the thumbs up to begin exercising but that was okay.  For now, it was about changing my mentality so that I could remain motivated and inspired to stick with what ever program I chose to do. I was petrified that I would do what I had done so many times before -- throw in the towel when I became discouraged from not seeing results.

I kept asking myself, “Why do I want to lose weight?” My answer (affirmation) was this, “I am a fit, strong, vibrant, energetic mom.” That’s really WHY I needed to do this. My children needed me to be strong, vibrant and energetic. And in order for me to be THAT I needed to be fit. Did I want  to look sexy? Sure, I’m not going to lie the idea of feeling beautiful was so appealing! I hadn’t felt like that in so long. I was hoped that after three kids and 12-years of marriage that “feeling” was still possible.

Like many people my new year’s resolution for 2008 was to get into shape. My daughter was born on August 5th, 2007. I enjoyed her, enjoyed the holidays, continued to work on my mind, walked several times a week, and tried to make good food choices. Not much happened in terms of my weight loss. It was not until January 1st 2008 that I knew it was time to take this challenge by the horns and really make it happen. It’s now been 6-months and I have gone from a size 14 to a size 8, lost 25 lbs and 6 inches off of my waist. I have so much more to accomplish but I am excited beyond belief! And it all started with my mind.

Be sure to check out the next article where I’ll focus on specific challenges I faced and how I over came them.