Pretty powerful quote. I actually was watching an episode of CSI and as they were looking thru the things of a girl who died, this is a quote they came across, in her case she wanted to look good for her upcoming wedding blah blah…That quote really stuck with me though it is SO true. The weight in our country has gotten out of control, it has become a crisis all it’s own. The choices I MAKE decide MY weight.

Bottom line though is it is up to you individually, are you going to be unhealthy? Or are you going to change it? There simply is NOT a miracle cure to weight loss, it is calories in versus calories out. The fact that it is so simple is liberating and frustrating all rolled in one! Well that is the body part at least, a big component missing is the mental and emotional part. Trust me, I am the QUEEN of losing weight and gaining it back. Not a title I am proud of, but a fact and reality. The first step is recognizing it right??!!

I know I am not alone in my struggle to stay healthy. We are a nation of folks who know exactly what to do to take it off, it’s the keeping the weight off that is KEY! Did you know that when studies are done of people who have maintained their weight loss, the folks doing the studies won’t even consider to interview you unless you have kept your weight loss off for 5 years. Yes! That is how many people gain the weight back and will do so within 5 years. I hope you aren’t surprised by that, think of how many times you have lost weight and then think about how quickly you gained it back or at least within 5 years.

So what is the true secret to keeping it off? Well the experts and those that have been successful will tell you the mind and emotions are also what need to be taken care of during your weight loss journey. You see we are overweight for many reasons, are you lonely so food is your company?, are you bored so food becomes your activity of choice?, are you unhappy with your career, friends, family or a significant other and food provides you the pleasure you are missing?, is it deeper than that…are you an adult who was affected by your parent’s divorce? Have you lost a loved one and food is how you cope? Were you raped? Molested? Abandon? Were you physically or mentally abused? You see if you don’t work on the mental of why you allow yourself to be unhealthy you will continue to be unsuccessful in your weight loss.

Being healthy is truly loving yourself, you see we are not overweight because we have a weight problem, we are overweight because we don’t fix the problems that keep us overweight. In the end it all comes down to our choices, the choice to NOT diet but make healthy living our LIFE, and healthy living doesn’t just include the food we put in our mouths it includes being healthy mentally and emotionally and hope those of us that have struggled will make the CHOICE to do so no more, and that my friends will help this to be a Wonderful Life!