I get asked a lot how I stay motivated. How do I keep going day after day, week after week, year after year. How have I stayed on track, kept the weight off and still remain positive. The secret lies in accountability. And in this one action, human nature is displayed in full effect. Pride is the original sin.
Let Me Explain
As a health coach, one of the tools in my bag is ACCOUNTABILITY. Not to be confused with babysitter or hand holding. My story is 7 years it took me to lose 50 pounds. I remember it was April of 2017 I created my Instagram account as a means to stay accountable. I figured someone somewhere would notice if I didn’t post that day and call me out. I needed that level of support to keep me going. It is hard work doing it alone. I had no friends on the weight loss journey I was on, I had no weekly meetings to attend or someone to talk to. I was alone. But somewhere I thought I could do it on my own, without help, my way on my terms. How hard can losing weight really be? HA HA HA, I have to laugh at myself IT IS FRIGGIN HARD WORK!
I talk all the time about online accountability groups I host. And in 2018 I found out for the first time what this is. I was excited that I wouldn’t be alone on this journey. I had other people all with the same end goal. GET HEALTHY & STAY HEALTHY. Virtual cheerleaders from all over the country supporting, encouraging, being there for me. It was wonderful. I talk about this all the live long day as it’s a great tool. But it saddens me when I invite a woman who immediately says NO. I used to take it personally, but then I have to remember where I was just a few short years prior.
What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?
I was listening to a live call the other day from a fellow lady on her health journey. And she was sharing her story from unwell to health. She started with these tools back when all the programs were on DVD’s. And the coach that was assigned to her ( you get one free when you purchase a product) invited her to join an accountability group she was hosting. This lady, said NO. Looking back she said it was because she was afraid of failing with someone knowing. She was afraid of falling of the wagon (again) and being ashamed. If she was going to fail, she wanted to do it on her own terms. She realized one day that her pride was standing in the way of her achieving great things. Her health being #1. When she got out of her own way. Said yes to the accountability, yes to being open, honest & willing to support other woman along the way – well that is when change happened. And here she is today, healthy, maintaining her health & earning an income for her family.
I see this all too many times myself. Some how we think we can do it alone, but we aren’t telling ourselves the real reason. We are letting our pride stand in the way of us being all we can be. Pride is the original sin.
When I was carrying around that extra baby weight that would not come off. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. I would hide under layers of clothes to hide the rolls, I would only show my head in photos not my clothed body. I hated that people saw me as over weight. I hated the judgement I THOUGHT they were projecting onto me. Oh she over eats, she is lazy, she is…blah blah blah. NOOOOO, that was all me. My thoughts, my negative self telling me that is what people were thinking.
Ladies, if you are carrying extra weight I will bet you dollars to donuts it’s not because you are over eating. Let me tell you my story in a nut shell:
My Story in a Nutshell
I had my last child spring of 2010. I was cleared to lose the “baby weight” at the 6 month post partum time frame. I had a challenging recovery.
From Fall of 2010 to spring of 2017 I did all of the following to lose the weight:
- all the cardio
- counted calories
- joined Weight Watchers (I gained 15lbs with them)
- Joined Curves & worked out every business day for a whole year (only lost the 15lbs I gained on WW)
- I wrapped myself in wraps to lose fat
- I used every fat burning cream I could get
- I did diet pills, fat burners
- I think I even tried the Special K cereal diet
- I tried Slim Fast
- Meal replacement shakes & starvation
I DID IT ALL. I can’t count how many times I tried, failed & tried again. I was almost at my giving up, breaking point when I found ACCOUNTABILITY. My story is true that pride is the original sin. Our Pride, our ego’s always hold us back from great things.
The weight came off & has never returned. It’s a lifestyle.
What is holding you back from losing the weight for good?
So, the next time I invite you to join me. It’s not out of judgment or shame. It’s because I see my old self in you. It’s ok to be lost. It’s ok to have tried everything. It’s ok to rest. Accountability is what has kept me going since 2017. The weight hasn’t come back, I have some great new friends in my life, an online community that motivates & inspires me daily. If it weren’t for them I might have quit. But I had to get over myself. Admit doing it on my own isn’t working as well as I had hoped and that I needed help.
When you hang out with eagles you will learn to soar! Trust me.
