Think for a moment about the highest mountain you ever climbed, the deepest valley you ever crossed, or the longest river you ever had to swim. Perhaps it was healing a relationship with an estranged loved one, closing a big deal at work, overcoming an addiction, surviving an illness, succeeding against the odds or making what seemed like an impossible dream come true. I imagine that there were moments in the process when you felt weak, became convinced you could go no further, and wanted to turn back and give up.
A few years ago I decided to walk in an 18-mile marathon. At about the 10-milke mark, I hit the proverbial wall. Every muscle in my body ached, and I hurt in places that doctor's don't even have names for. I was tempted to sit down in the middle of the road and ask the medics to carry me away on a stretcher. I thought there was no way I could make it to the finish line. But I didn't give in to my negative thoughts. What kept me going? How was I able to summon the strength I needed to forge ahead? I focused my mind on how good I was going to feel when I finished what I started. And I reflected on the other times in my life when I thought I had reached the end of my rope, only to find the strength to "tie a knot" and move on. I finished the marathon ? and the experience of almost giving up taught me that the deeper we have to reach inside ourselves to succeed, the greater our sense of accomplishment.
Losing weight or living a healthy life is not easy. It may very well be the hardest thing you ever attempt to do. And it may require you to bring for every ounce of your inner strength and personal power. The same wall we encounter during other challenges in life will invariably rear its ugly head in our journey to lose or manage our weight. There will be days when it will seem as if the universe is conspiring to ensure our failure, to force us to give up on the goals we set in January by throwing cold water on our enthusiasm.
But don't fall into the enticing trap of negativity. You have the capacity to face the invariable challenges that lie ahead. You have the strength to endure setbacks and disappointments. You have the energy to persevere. You have succeeded in other areas of your life, and you can reach the goal you have set to live a healthier life.
Jackie Stanley is the creator of a series of personal wellness and weight loss journals titled "Lettuce Is Not Enough." She can be reached at 336.854.8667 or at jackie@lettuceisnotenough.com.
We all encounter those hosts and hostesses who feel it... Read More
The low carb diet craze has become extremely popular amongst... Read More
If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
All Diets Work: No Diets WorkHave you lost weight in... Read More
Now that everything from a tan to pantyhose comes in... Read More
Once upon a time, I fretted about going to a... Read More
What are the best fad diets? It's a question I'm... Read More
What is the best form of physical activity?The best form... Read More
If you've been scouring the news, devouring as much information... Read More
Spring is here and swimsuit weather is just around the... Read More
There are all kinds of fad diets and quick fixes... Read More
There are those that walk amongst us who have followed... Read More
Hot dang! If a few hundred other folks can peddle... Read More
It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed,... Read More
Summer is about to be in full swing, and it's... Read More
The following are diet tips that can help you shape... Read More
Losing weight is a struggle that many of us face... Read More
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose... Read More
Success stories on the gastric bypass are everywhere, but how... Read More
Imagine this ... What if you could ?Increase the rate... Read More
Believe it or not, losing a little or a lot... Read More
Debunking The Ab MythAb training has been done to death... Read More
Recently, I was reading about a diet plan where you... Read More
The Quest to Reach Your Ideal WeightIt was late in... Read More
RISING POPULARITYGastric bypass surgery has become a popular surgical procedure... Read More
Over the last twenty five years the most common questioned... Read More
Yesterday evening my computer hard drive crashed. Resulting in the... Read More
Metabolism is the process by which your body changes food... Read More
Diet drop out, a significant problem for all types of... Read More
World Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached... Read More
For many years, herbalists believe that Cayenne is the most... Read More
Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and... Read More
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!The health clubs are always racking... Read More
You may be considering a low carb diet program, but... Read More
A frequent question brand-new gastric bypass patients ask is "How... Read More
When you begin the decision making process to have Weight... Read More
Some of my dieting tips are not conventional. You can... Read More
Food Cravings: How to Practice PatienceDuring holidays and parties you... Read More
Watching television exercises our eyes but nothing else. Unfortunately, it... Read More
False campaignsMore than 50 percent of Americans and Canadians are... Read More
Fat burning exercise is not merely one that will burn... Read More
Body wraps can help tone and tighten the skin, improve... Read More
Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More
One common question I receive is, "What do you do... Read More
I know, I know. What a crazy question!Considering that we've... Read More
Not everyone can handle hot food. But who said cayenne... Read More
Much has been written about obesity and globesity. Obesity is... Read More
WARNING: Don't weight train until after you've lost weight! No,... Read More
Every day you walk down the street it is becoming... Read More
Burn fat while you sleep! Eat whatever you want and... Read More
Living a powerful, healthy, fit and trim life is a... Read More
Compulsive eating is characterized mainly by periods of impulsive bingeing... Read More
20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at... Read More
Any food that we take into our bodies is composed... Read More
Temporary weight loss is easy!You simply starve yourself on the... Read More
Yes, you must be aware of the following 7 points... Read More
Actually, I was reading about fad diet and suddenly I... Read More
Exercising too hardThis is probably the most common mistake. As... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it:... Read More
For the past several years one subject has been coming... Read More
Causes of ObesityJust like there is no weight loss pill... Read More
Food manufacturers can easily manipulate a whole population by the... Read More
Have you ever stepped on the scale after a week... Read More
Okay, so you've read some of these articles, done your... Read More
Weight Loss |