For all that I write, or have said, I never tell anyone that he or she must lose weight, or get in shape — with one exception, myself.
I have had people ask me if I thought they needed to lose weight, and my answer is the same — No. Whether they are 150lbs or 400lbs, it isn’t for me to decide who needs to lose weight.
It simply isn’t up to me.
Yet, they persist, so finally I answer their question with a question. ”Do you think you need to lose weight?” Their answer will determine if I can assist them.
If they stammer, or have difficulty with an answer — they aren’t ready.
If they answer, “Yes, I need to lose weight and/or get in shape,” —- they might be ready.
If they answer, “It doesn’t matter, I want to lose weight and/or get fit,” —- they are ready.
When it comes to battling obesity, and getting fit — we are often looking for external motivation. On occasion, we are seeking validation that we don’t need to take control of our health and wellness. Both are irrelevant.
If we want to lose weight — we must want to lose weight.
If we want to get fit — we must want to get fit.
If we are healthy and fit, can we live a better life? Most definitely, but as it is with everything in life — we must want it.
I’m not talking about wanting it, as I want a Ferrari, or a mansion or a beach house. Those are dreams, and many obese people often dream of being fit. No, that kind of wanting never leads to results.
We must thirst for it as if we haven’t had water in days.
We must hunger for it as if we haven’t eaten in weeks.
We must desire it more than we have ever desired anything in our lives.
However, desire itself isn’t enough — that desire must be combined with determination and discipline. To put forth the effort to successfully battle obesity is not for the faint of heart. It genuinely isn’t all that difficult, but it does require work and effort. No one is going to pass a wand and make us fit. No one is going to cast a spell and make the fat shed from our bodies.
We must be willing to do the work. We must change our lifestyle to make this happen. A half-hearted, half-assed approach will yield nothing! We must take charge of ourselves and make the necessary changes — we must get moving and we must stop eating health robbing foods and we must have strong and unwavering belief in ourselves.
We must want it with a passion that is second to none, because if we do — then we will succeed.
