During one of my heaviest seasons, my mother-in-law and I were discussing the struggle of weight loss. We were leaving a popular local restaurant, where I had eaten plenty of chips and tortillas along with the meal. As I took a bite out of my praline, I said, “I just so want to lose this weight!”
We laughed at the contradiction, and it went on for more years than I care to admit. It’s the conflict between what we want and being consistent in pursuing it. It’s too easy to give up. Habit change takes time, so hang in there.
Someone heard my story from 10 years ago when I began my weight loss journey in earnest. They heard me say I had made a resolution to start on New Year’s Day, but by April, I was in a bigger size yet again.
“You broke your resolution,” he said.
“Broken, yes, but this time I didn’t abandon it,” I said.
Too often when we set a goal, at the first stumble, we let it go. “Well, I’ve blown it now. What’s the point?” The point is whatever led you to make that goal in the first place. Is the reason for the goal still important to you?
Staring down that praline, I lost sight of the goal in favor of the momentary pleasure. Trimmer would have been “nice to have,” but I WANTED the praline.
Know what I mean?
Before the end 2012, I had, indeed, reached my goal weight, but the road to it was long and winding – and bumpy. Very bumpy. Lifelong habits and consistently poor choice-making take time to overcome and retrain, but we can be successful.
The truth is, addressing real change is an ongoing activity. It’s not a “one and done” thing. It requires maintenance just like so many other areas of life.
This year, my mother-in-law wanted to share out all the Christmas goodies they’d been given, but we declined. We really enjoyed various foods we don’t normally eat, and they were wonderful. Maintenance, however, required better choices thereafter. If you stumble, return to your goal as soon as possible. Remember why you set the goal and what you want most. Then go for it.
