When people in my new career hear my weight loss story, the first question is almost always “How did you do it?” Depending on the audience, I tend to tailor my response to what they are expecting to hear or maybe what they need to hear. Lately, I’ve been playing a lot with the idea of choices. The truth is, it was a million tiny little choices that brought me to my life now.
My hubby first started sparked the idea in me. Recently he’s been ordering new things at restaurants we go to all the time. The other day he waited patiently for someone to turn instead of cutting someone off and then the whole lane opened up. He waits patiently for a older lady to cross the street and the parking space we need opens up. He says “Change your choice. Change the outcome. Let’s see what happens.” Lately, both of us have been rewarded for small choices that change our course.
When it came to losing weight, it didn’t wake up one morning and decide “Today is THE day!” I didn’t start officially on any single day. It was 100 choices over three weeks and then I noticed my pants are a little too big. Then I decided to keep making those choices and add more to see how I could change my outcome. And 1-2 MILLION choices later, here I am.
It’s making the same choices day in and day out to focus on your health. It’s choosing health over whatever else may come. Example: My friend recently joked about me being the energizer bunny. Trust me people, I’m just as tired as the next person. I also want to sleep in late and skip the gym. I also want to eat stacks of pancakes instead of hard boiled eggs. I just make it a priority and hold myself accountable. I don’t let myself get away with excuses. Excuses lead to me being 300 pounds.
It’s making new choices, risky choices that might be uncomfortable. For example: I’m about to run the Tough Mudder for the third year in a row. The first time I went, I ran it with strangers and didn’t even really know what I was getting myself in to. Instead of backing out, I chose to be uncomfortable and I’ve been running that race ever since. It’s the best race I run all year. Another example, recently chose to share my story with someone at the gym and now they are turning into a weekly client, which could blossom into years of revenue.
But it’s also about forgiveness. You’re not going to make the right or best choice all the time. And you have to learn to forgive yourself. I still eat crap sometimes! I skip a workouts! (really, I swear!) I scream at the car in front of me instead of waiting patiently. But I try not to dwell on those choices. I try my best to forgive myself and move on. You can’t change the past because it’s in the past. What’s the point of being sad or mad about it? Let. It. Go. Make better choices today. Be awesome TODAY.
No one chooses how you feel. No one is going to make the choice for you. No one will be there when you have to hold yourself accountable. You could work with a whole team of fitness experts (I know a great one if you need a card…..) but in the end, you choose what happens. Trust me. If I could make the choice for everyone, we would all be happy and healthy and running a mountain somewhere. We would all feel what losing 160 pounds feels like and you wouldn’t be here reading this blog. I can’t make that choice. But you can. What choices will you make today?