What I've Learned from Being Fat

I have all the excuses in the world.  I could probably even convince you that I have some good reasons for being fat.  It's so ironic because I used to look at fat people and think to myself, "Really, just get off the couch and stop stuffing your mouth".  And now I have a totally different perspective and maybe even sympathize with "chunky" people when I reach down to tie my shoes and it is hard to breathe.  Some of you know exactly what I mean!

I have learned some lessons from being fat and am still learning some. 

For example, I have learned that having a plan is important.  Without a plan for exercise and eating and sleeping, I find myself making excuses day after day after day.  If I don't have a plan to exercise, I always seem to plan on doing it later.  I set "start" dates for my plan. I tell myself I will start on the 1st, or the 15th, or the 30th and until that time I pig out and gain ten more pounds waiting for that "special" date.

And without an exercise plan, my eating habits suffer.  If I am not disciplined, it makes sense to go to Taco Bell for a chicken burrito and buy a cheap meal, right?  And, I don't want to offend the ladies at the office that slaved over a birthday cake for one of the plant employees by not having a piece.  That would be rude.  And, the funny thing is that if I do eat healthy, some people look down on me, claiming that I think I am just better than they are.  (what they are really saying is, "You are making me feel uncomfortable because I know you are doing the right thing and I don't want to do the right thing.  It is more comfortable if you will just pig out with me".)

And if I don't have to get up an hour early to exercise, I don't have to go to bed at a decent hour.  And this vicious cycle just keeps going around and around.

The biggest lesson I am learning is that I need to focus on all areas of my life, not just business or my marriage or my boys.  In regards to my weight, I start and stop and start and stop.  My wife gets pneumona and I stop losing weight.  She gets better and I start again.  I have a lot on my mind and I am not sleeping well at night so I don't get up and exercise and if I don't exerise I figure I might as well have a nice fat-filled meal at a local restaurant.  And I start to gain weight again.

But if I would just stay the course and focus on my health, everything else seems to fall into place.  I eat healthy, I sleep better, I perform at work better, I feel better, I have more confidence, I think better, and I keep things in better perspective.  I know I would feel and look better and have a better future healthwise if I would just get the work done and stay focused.

So why wouldn't I get focused and lose the weight and keep it off?  Obviously, the pain of the future in my mind is not greater than the temporary pleasure of a fat-laden meal or the ease of sitting on the couch.  I need to get to a hopelessness in my life regarding my weight.  I know it sound strange but I need to focus on the negative outcomes of my life if I don't lose weight.  Diabetes, heart attacks, cancer.  All of these should be enough for me to get moving again.

I have learned to not be so critical of others from being fat.  That is a good thing.  I also have learned that I need to apply the focus that I have in other areas of my life to my health.

What a hard lesson for me to learn!! But I think I am ready........again.