You Have “The Power”

 I know what it is to let year after year pass with all good intentions of finally, once and for all, learning to control my weight. I know what it’s like to never have anything to wear that I actually want to wear. I know what it’s like to dread swimsuit season, yet again, and live in jeans all summer, sweltering away because I felt self-conscious in summer clothes. Your life does not have to be this way. The power to change is in your hands.

Decisions, Decisions

The first thing that you have to decide is what do you truly want? This has to be a definitive decision. Because most of us live in a place where food is abundant and we can get it, this decision will be your rudder in the storms of life. Once you have made this decision, navigation is easier. You will ask yourself the question, “Does this comply with my goals?” whenever you encounter a nutritional/fitness challenge. I am frequently bombarded with nutrition bombs at work by well-meaning people who “gift” us with food, all kinds of food. I don’t have to consider whether or not I will eat 99% of that food because at least 99% simply does not meet the nutritional standards that I have set for myself. This decision will be your pivot point. Make it realistic and stick to your guns. Never allow people who are unhealthy and have unhealthy habits to sway you once this decision is made.

Be Ready

One problem that I always encountered before learning to eat David’s Way, is that I would “go on a diet” and be full of hope, promise and a giddy euphoria. I mean, after all, this was IT. I was going to get skinny! There! I decided…then, mealtime came. For some reason, we think that if we just say it, it will happen. You know, a sort of “build it and they will come” mentality. I once worked for a major weight loss company and I saw this every, single meeting and event. People would come in and buy a membership, buy the cookbooks, buy a kitchen gadget or two and God knows what else they would buy, sometimes spending a massive amount of money…and be pleased as punch that FINALLY, they were going to lose weight! The next week, and sometimes the next…, they would come to my table angry or sad, unable to understand why the scale was not cooperating. They would say, “But, I bought all this stuff!” as if buying the stuff would somehow make weight loss easy. It’s not easy. If you are addicted to sugar and refined carbs, you may experience terrible feelings of loss and depression when you give them up. I did. It was hard. I cried. I lay awake at night. Human beings are creatures of habit and when we have been medicating ourselves with excessive carbohydrates that increase serotonin, we miss those damnable molecules when we walk away. Just expect a measure of hardship going in. Get your big girl/boy panties on and grin and bear it. You can’t sport a 6-pack while guzzling a 6-pack and a pizza. That only happens in beer commercials. If you want a trim, toned body, you have to put in some work.

SLOW DOWN

I have mentioned the conversation that David and I had when I first began weight training and eating correctly. I asked the same dumb question that I always ask whenever I began a weight loss program, “How long will it take?” I wanted to get ripped FAST! While I knew that I could not build the muscle that I wanted overnight nor lose the extra body fat that was left over from my employer’s program, I still wanted a quick fix. David’s wise advice, “The rest of your life.” was exactly what I needed to hear. It made me focus on the task at hand and quickly dismiss all of those whims that we can have about just tolerating a program for a while to achieve our goals. I instantly realized that the goals that I had in mind were far-reaching and hugely demanding. I realized that the sensation of “holding my breath til I get there” that is so common in most weight loss programs, was not going to get it anymore. If our goal is to truly be the best that we can be, then shouldn’t it take the rest of our lives? We can’t be our best unless we perform at our optimum day in and day out. There will be blips on the radar. There will be tragedies and sickness and stress and all of the ups and downs that are a part of life. There will be birthday parties and vacations and Holidays. Your rudder will allow you to navigate these normal parts of daily life with finesse. Your goal is to make it to a safe harbor, a place where good nutrition and good fitness habits have designed and honed the body that you want to live in for the rest of your life. There is no rush. The harbor is not going anywhere. Just head that way. Repeat. Know that giving up is not an option and that knowledge will help you stay on course. You will get there if you never give up.

Ever Learning

Always search for more information to help you along your way. We have over 800 articles, recipes and product reviews here at David’s Way. We have the Calorie Counter Pro to help you determine your caloric needs. We highly recommend attempting to lose no more than one pound per week and always only with your doctor’s permission. We have the Body Fat Pictorial Estimator  that can help you determine about how much body fat you may be carrying. Everything on this website is free, take advantage. Our goal is to help educate the world about the dangers of obesity and self-neglect/abuse. We hope to play a part in making people more responsible for their well-being. That is our mission.

Plan to Succeed

1-The long range effectiveness of strategic planning is usually related to the practicality of the plan. (1) Keep it simple. Decide on you number of calories, track them, eat them. Don’t over-complicate your nutrition. It’s fine to try some new recipes, we have a lot of great ones, but don’t throw out all the ordinary, healthy food in your house and go buy all “diet food”. That’s too complicated. Incorporate a few workable, healthy changes at a time.

2-Look ahead. Know that as you accomplish specific goals, your goals will change. Have an idea of where you are going and as you meet each new milestone, check it off and move ahead. When I first began lifting, I went to Dick’s Sporting Goods and bought a kettlebell. I worked hard and soon I asked David if he thought that I could use a barbell. He said yes. I bought a Beginner’s Set. I used that standard barbell until I needed more weight and then got an Olympic bar and a power rack for safety. I met small goals and moved up. If I had made the investment of the equipment that I have now at the beginning, I wouldn’t have known what to do with it. I couldn’t have used the Olympic bar. It would have been easy to get discouraged at that rate. Since then I have added a few other pieces of equipment that have made my workouts more effective but I had to grow into these changes. Plan your path and work hard.

3-Be clear about your goals. Clarify your goals with yourself, your family, your physician and your nutritionist or trainer. If people don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish, they can’t help you. If you don’t know then you won’t accomplish anything. Attaining a good body fat ratio is admirable and recommended but if you work like that is your only goal then that is all you will ever get. I want a bit more and I create my entire life to accomplish those goals.

4-Remember that being healthy is not usually complicated for most people. Eat right, get some exercise and rest. See your doctor for specific recommendations. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. This is the main reason that we tell you to avoid added sugars and simple carbs. It’s a very simple thing that has a profound potential to make positive changes in your health. Refined, added sugars are a source of empty calories that provide you with no benefits so why waste your calories on poor nutrition. Don’t overthink healthy. Our bodies want to be healthy. Quit overloading them with garbage and seek out nutritionally dense foods that build and nurture your body for a lifetime of good health.

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2790676/