2008 March 26 « 200by40 – Weight Loss the Right Way

Not My Kind of Motivation

2008/03/26 at 7:45 pm | Posted in Commentary, Motivation | Comments Off

Okay, alright, I admit that every now and then I need that little boost to carry me through this journey of mine. So last night I opened up iTunes and searched for “weight loss” in the podcast section.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but when I realized that were so many out there it was hard to narrow my choice down to one.

So I ended up selecting one in particular which shall remain nameless (as long as I can bite my tongue). From the preview it sounded interesting. Then again, I was listening to the prologue to the podcast which explained what would be covered. Anyhow, I subscribed to it in the hopes that it would bring me the necessary words of wisdom to succeed while out for my walk.

I continued listening to the prologue at work and yes, it still sounded like it was going in the right direction.

Then the psychobabblish mumbo-jumbo began and the rest was lost on me.

Maybe it’s because I’m a guy. Maybe it’s because I can be an arrogant, stubborn bastard at times. Or maybe, being the creative type of person I am, the message that the author was trying to convey was a bit more complex than it need to be. The truth is I’m willing to give just about anything a shot at least once but these so-called motivational podcasts? No thanks. I’ve learned my lesson and will unsubscribe when I get home.

Additionally, it seems that mostly everything about weight loss, whether periodical or podcast, is aimed at the female crowd. This was apparent when the author started to talk about “fitting into my favorite bikini by summertime.” It’s as is if every man is perfectly accepting of their physical stature and desires not to change it.

Some of us beg to differ.

I came to the conclusion that if this kind of rhetoric is what carries you through your progress, that’s entirely fine. Be happy and go with it. But I guess the only things I need to get me through all of this, even in my darkest hours, should be those that inspired me to do it in the first place: my wife and son.

They are who I live for, who I would die for, and who encourage me to push harder—whether they know it or not. On those days when I don’t feel like walking or want to buy that pack of Pop-Tarts from the food machine, all I have to do is look at their pictures on my desk and my mind shifts immediately.

Thanks, guys. You are indeed my motivation.

Victories and Milestones

2008/03/26 at 3:25 pm | Posted in Inspiration, Milestone, Victory | Comments Off

I am adding two new Categories to the blog today: Victory and Milestone. Here’s a brief description of each.

A Victory will commemorate a major event that I had been battling since starting my weight loss, for example, fitting into a smaller pair of pants, shirt, etc. In short, it’s a small celebration.

A Milestone, on the other hand, will recognize a major event in a series that is worthy of recognition but will only lead to better things down the road.

Confused? Fear not, I have an example of both on today’s entry.

Today’s Victory
Years ago, Ann bought me a Low Rider brand shirt that, in all honesty, is one of the coolest shirts I’ve ever owned. It’s red-and-black-and-white plaid. It’s truly worth wearing but the problem was that when she bought it I was still, for lack of a better term, a blimp and could only button the thing in certain areas.

It was a size Large. What in the world was she thinking?

At any rate, I swore I’d wear that shirt if it killed me because it’s the thought that counts. Last night I tried it on for the first time in months and I’ll be damned if it fits me now. It’s a bit snug at the bottom button but hey, that’s easy to fix. I have conquered the shirt and could possibly wear it to my uncle’s wedding in a few months. That’s a sure Victory.

Today’s Milestone
Yesterday at work I had noticed at that my belt wasn’t quite holding up my pants they way they used to. So I went into the bathroom, unbuckled it and pulled it tighter. It was then that I realized that I need a new hole on my belt since I had surpassed the smallest one.

I went home and drilled a hole in my belt so that it does the job better—until I have to buy a smaller belt. That’s a Milestone.

The next Victory has yet to be determined but my Milestone is quickly approaching: Reaching the 240s.

Stay tuned!