You Just Do

So many people look at others who are carrying a huge amount of weight, hundreds and hundreds of extra pounds, and wonder how they let that happen. How did they not notice? How did they let it go so far? And then keep going beyond even that? How can they stay that way?

I don't wonder.

No one "let" a massive weight gain happen, as if they were having robbers over for the evening and inviting them into the house. Most did notice, but circumstances in their lives made taking appropriate action within themselves something they couldn't handle. It didn't go so far suddenly, overnight. If it had, like any rational person, they would have freaked out and done something about it immediately.

No, this was slow. A pound here, another pound there. Because, what is just one pound? Nothing to freak out about, right? You were the same person yesterday as you are today... you handled your business, you survived to greet the next day. One pound doesn't change that. That is how the pounds stack up.

People view others with massive weight to lose as if they're a whole other species, a different type of person. They treat them with disdain, as if they're mentally deficient. This is important to note, because sitting on the inside of that fat-shell we look at ourselves and say "Well, that can't be me! I'm still as smart as when I was a size six, maybe even smarter! Something doesn't fit here with everything I've been taught and shown..."

There is no difference between a thin person and a heavy person. Deep down, we are all the same. Things just... happen. We let them, it's our own fault, true. But when they do, and we face the reality of our own situation, the reverse process is very difficult to face for the same reason that gaining it was so easy. If one pound gained was no big deal and didn't change who we are, then one pound lost doesn't make a big bit of difference either. Yes, every pound lost is one at a time and eventually they do add up to a big change, but most people go into weight loss for things other than a number on the scale or tag on your pants. Most people look at losing weight as a way to make themselves a better person. Since gaining a pound here or there didn't change who we were originally at a smaller size - why would it change who we are now?

I read an article a couple of weeks ago (I can't find it now, it was on Yahoo Health Reuters) that showed a difference in attitude and behavior amongst test subjects (mice) when they were over-fed, and those that were under-fed. The over-fed, fat mice were despondent. They didn't care to look around and explore new environments, and when dropped in water they didn't care so much about keeping their head above it. They were unhappy, and anti-social. By contrast, the "thin" hungry mice were eager to check things out, swim to safety, and get along with others. The theory is that when you are over-fed you have no reason to try to get along, look and experience new things, or even take much interest in your own life. Whereas, if you were hungry (consistently, so your reserves were low - i.e. thin) you would need to be nice to others, work together to find food, and generally take an interest in your own life simply to insure your own survival.

Basically in short, if you are thin and generally hungry you are supposed to be nicer. A side note here; if this is true, with the majority of the U.S. population over-fed, it suddenly makes a lot more sense why people are meaner nowadays and why so many people are unhappy with their lives in general (aside from the economy and other nightmares.) I don't know if I agree with the study, but I find it very interesting nonetheless. It suggests that we actually can change a major part of how we operate internally by what we choose (or choose not to) eat. However, when I think of some of my fitness competitor friends as they cut in preparation for competition... well, those are NOT happy, friendly people. They'll take your head off for a bagel, if you don't watch yourself.

Still, this study offers intriguing ideas about the potential to be a better person overall by changing your weight and eating habits. But this is also a cumulative effect, and hard to gauge in reality. Are you nicer with people being nice back, or are people just treating you like a human being again when you are thinner? Both improves the quality of your life... I suppose the jury is out on that one.

But this brings us around to the biggest question I am asked time and time again: How do you stop eating the junk and the big portions, and start eating the right stuff? The answer is that you just do. It's not easy, and usually that pizza is always going to be more desirable to me than a super healthy meal, but my Id is not a separate entity. That little devil on my shoulder is still me, and ultimately I make the choice in either decision. So, the answer to how is simply that one just does.

This usually frustrates the heck out of people when they ask. That isn't what they wanted to hear. They wanted to hear about some magical refrigerator organizational process, or a supplement that makes you operate like a health-nut-robot. They didn't want to hear some warped version of a Nike ad. But you know what? The reason that ad campaign is so successful is because it is 100% true. How do you workout every day? You JUST do it. You drag yourself out of bed, and you just do it. You stop arguing and whining about the unfairness of it all and you just get it done. You stop whining like a six-year-old about not having a slice of cake, grab your apple and go focus on the rest of your life. You walk away from the bad choice, and accept the good one. You just DO.

It's not always easy. It is also a cumulative process that doesn't require 100% adherence. You need to make enough of the right decisions in order to shape your health the way you want it. It's the same formula for anything you want in your life. One decision doesn't solve all your problems. If you think about all those "instant" fixes out there - even winning Lotto wouldn't solve all your problems, you would just end up with a whole set of bigger new ones. There is no instant fix in life, for anything or anyone.

Your health is cumulative. Your career is cumulative. Your relationships are cumulative. Your life is cumulative. The only way to make anything better is to make the right choice on step at a time. Even I lose sight of this fact and slip, but it doesn't make it any less true. You make the right choice on your own power. You just do.