Welcome back!
It’s March and we are starting a whole new series on permanent weight loss. We’re talking about the essentials of permanent weight loss from a different perspective. You are at the center of this story, and I want you to be inspired and excited to forge ahead as you continue on this weight loss journey, so get ready!
If you’ve been following my teaching for any length of time, you know that I don’t teach diets. By definition, diets are eating plans meant to be temporary, so it makes sense that when we stop a diet, we regain any weight we lost. Usually, we gain even more than we lost! So, I don’t teach diets.
But you can choose any eating style you want and lose weight – keto, plant-based, vegetarian, Mediterranean, or another. Pick whichever you want and stay with it – you’ll lose weight! But the problem comes with that second part: sticking with the plan you choose. The problem isn’t knowing what you want to do – it’s with staying with the plan you choose when life happens. That’s why I don’t teach diets. I teach you what to do to stay on plan when life happens!
But there’s an even bigger problem that stops us from moving forward. It’s the one that makes us wonder if there’s even any kind of eating plan out there that will work for us. It makes us question whether weight loss is even possible for us. Sometimes, this is the thing that stops us from even trying. Or it causes us to give up for long periods of time between diets.
We’re not sure that pursuing weight loss is a worthy task for us.
But it is – and I want to show you how so you can get the inspiration and motivation to take on this work as the calling it is. Yes, I said calling! You need a STRONG reason to pursue this weight loss goal and keep going even when you want to quit. So you have to be called, just like the heroes in some of our favorite stories. This week, I want to help you see yourself as the hero in your story as we look at some heroes whose stories have definite similarities to yours. We’re going to talk about some inspirational women, real and fictional, who had lives and challenges just like you so that by the end of this post you’re ready to strap on your gear and go to battle to win!
Ready?
First, Tina Turner. I don’t know if you saw What’s Love Got To Do With It, but you probably know the story. Tina Turner had an amazing music career, but she was tangled up with her abusive husband and she was afraid to leave and lose everything. But she had to go. She had no idea all the challenges ahead or if she was even going to keep her name, but she WENT. And didn’t we all cheer when she finally got away? But even more than her escape from the control of Ike, watching the music empire she went on to build in her solo career is what inspires us. What if she never left Ike?
You’re the same. This weight problem is an obstacle in your life. What might you create if you conquer this obstacle? You might break the legacy of obesity in your family for your kids. You might model a new way of self-love for your daughter/sister/cousin/niece. You will definitely create a space in your life where the weight problem was, taking up your mental time and energy. What could you create with more space in your life? What dreams are on hold because your energy is consumed with the weight problem?
Next, Shuri from Wakanda Forever. When we start this part of the story, Shuri is mourning the loss of her brother, The Black Panther. She’s so caught up in her angst and regret that she can’t complete her mourning process. Then she’s faced with the threat to Wakanda from another vibranium-containing city that plans to wage war on Wakanda unless she helps them neutralize the human threat that is determined to locate the vibranium. She still is focused on being the princess and tech genius that she’s been, and she’s not trying to become the hero as Black Panther that she’s called to be.
That’s just like you. You don’t yet see that you’re being called to fight and win this battle of weight. You’re too distracted by thinking that it’s selfish to focus on your weight and maybe a little bit vain. You’re fooled by the thought that there are more important things to work on than your weight, and you’ll get to your weight when you’re life isn’t so crazy.
Reality check: Life keeps happening. If you don’t solve your weight problem, your life will still be busy and crazy AND you’ll have to deal with the health problems that eventually come with it (if you’re not already). And then how much will you be able to serve others when you’re struggling with your own health? Even if your health isn’t your immediate concern, who in your life would be helped by your losing weight? How many of your family and friends would be helped if you were able to lose weight and show them how to help themselves? What about the younger women in your family who need to see a different outcome than increasing weight as they age?
Last, Moana. She was the princess of a village that was facing extinction because the heart of a goddess named Te Fiti was stolen, so the land and waters were being poisoned in retaliation. She knew that she had to find the demi-God Maui who stole it to find the heart and restore it to Te Fiti to save her island. But she had lots of obstacles – she didn’t know how to sail, her father wouldn’t let her go, and she didn’t even know where Maui or the heart was!
But she went anyway.
That’s you too. You don’t know all the challenges that lie ahead in the weight loss journey, but you need to go ahead anyway. If you don’t, you have no chance of solving your weight problem. That’s the key: The only way to win is to go forward. Moana didn’t have to have all the answers to go forward and neither do you. For now, you just need to know that there’s a threat and you have to go forward to solve it. Make no mistake – your weight problem is a treat. It’s taking your time and mental energy, two of your most precious resources right now. It won’t stop unless you solve it. So resolve to yourself that you’re going forward, even though you don’t know every challenge you’ll meet along the way. Decide WHY you need to solve your weight problem. Get your reason clear. And know that as you take your steps forward, you are creating your very own hero story. It’ll be an incredible story to tell!
Next week, we’re talking about creating your plan for the journey – don’t miss it!
Some of you would like to have a guide for the journey – you’re not thrilled with heading out alone. And that’s wise! If you want me to be your guide to help you lose weight permanently, get one of my few exclusive one-on-one coaching spots. You can schedule a free consultation on my calendar and we’ll get started!
Want to watch this lesson? Here’s this week’s YouTube class!
