Stand

In this day of microwave ovens, cell phones, email, and other methods of immediate gratification it shouldn’t surprise me when people opt to do radical invasive surgery to lose weight as opposed to the old tried and true methods – but it still DOES. I realize there are exceptions but a lot of the people I’ve spoken with are looking for the “quick fix”. And maybe you WILL lose a lot of weight fast – but at what cost: both monetary and physically. Because if you lose weight rapidly without working out the skin is going to just hang there – then you’ll need ANOTHER surgery to cut and tone the skin. Now I’m not opposed to a little cosmetic fixer-upper: However, when you have to have POUNDS of skin removed I don’t consider that a minor procedure.

Friends confide in me because they’ve seen such a change in me and talk about the change they want to make within themselves. And a lot of these friends are people with an excess of 150 pounds to lose ((side note: I’ve offered to put them in touch with Thea and Jan who both have FANTASTIC stories of losing over 100 lbsl!!)) tell me that their diet is fantastic and they work out. However, if we eat together these are the same people making fun of me when ordering a salad for either having dressing on the side, or just squeezing fresh lemon on it (“don’t I KNOW the dressing is what makes the salad?” ummmm ..no). And when I suggest going for a walk, or horror of horrors parking in the parking spot furthest away to get that extra walking time they act like I have two heads! ESPECIALLY when they know I have a handicap tag for my car and STILL park far away - it almost sends them over the edge. :)

I have a few friends who have asked me to help them in their efforts. I’ve started sending them encouraging calls and email while checking their progress. Recently I’ve heard “I only had one piece of cheese bread with my pizza.” “But everyone was having ice cream cake”. And my personal favorite, “You just don’t know how hard it is.”... I usually just sit in silence a few seconds on that one.

Everyone has their own journey, but the one thing I’ve learned is that AFTER you see the results people think it is easy, which totally cracks me up. It is probably one of (if not THE) hardest things I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding. But I’ve found personally it is a daily decision: what I’m going to eat, when I’m going to work out, etc. Sometimes I think it is easier for me because there simply is no other choice. If I go back to old patterns, I go back to walking with a cane and heading quickly towards a wheel chair. So it is not simply for vanity reasons, it is to keep myself mobile. I wonder if others knew their choice was to change their patterns or give up their mobility if that would make a difference? So even though I’ve been accused of being a gym rat, a pure food radical, and other things, I’m good with that. I just want EVERYONE to know that they CAN take back their life. I wish this blog allowed music, because I’d be playing STAND by Rascal Flatts

Cause when push comes to shove,
You taste what you're made of.
You might bend 'til you break,
Cause it's all you can take.
On your knees, you look up,
Decide you've had enough.
You get mad, you get strong,
Wipe your head, shake it off,
Then you stand.