Success is …

We all want success. We want to look good when we go to the beach, or the wedding, or just look good in general. We want to hit our weight loss goal (as fast as possible, of course) or maybe our body fat percentage goal. Maybe we want to run a mile just a little faster.

And, many of us will say, “Tomorrow I will … ” (Eat healthier? Start walking? Ride a bike? Start taking my own meals to work? Buy an exercise DVD?)

But what is everyone waiting for? Why did I need to wait until I was 45 to take my first steps along this journey, when I had been big for the previous 3+ decades, too.  Are we waiting for someone to become our cheerleader? Someone to encourage us, inspire us,  and hold our hands?  Someone to tell us “it’s okay” when we get weak and eat that Cadbury egg staring at us in the store?
 
Inspiration is nice. We all need it. But inspiration can only take us so far. With apologies to Thomas Edison, who was giving his definition of “genius”, I have altered his quote to read:

“Success is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.”

In other words, get off your butt and get going! Don’t talk about getting started … just get started.  Don’t talk about eating healthier–just eat healthier. Get rid of those foods that are your major weakness. If you have recently loss weight and no longer fit into your old size, donate the clothes, right now! Don’t let that security blanket sit in your closet (“just in case”) because if you think like that, you WILL be wearing that size again (and probably soon.)

And when you have the moment (or day) of weakness, don’t throw your hands in the air, wail, and shout “I failed!” Start again. No one has every lost weight in a steady and unbroken line. And no one ever will. We are humans and our bodies and minds play nasty and evil tricks on us. Make sure you know your goal and keep working toward it.

If my words are inspiration to you, I am happy. That is most of the reason I put my thoughts out here. But if my words do not get you to accept your responsibility and log all your foods, to get off your butt and walk a little further, to not game the system (by taking credit for routine activities and counting that as exercise so you can eat that Cadbury egg) then that inspiration is wasted.

Nike refined Mr. Edison further. “Just do it.”

YOU are in control of your body. You can do it. Or not. Your choice.