Some of us are tempted by imagined truces in the bloody warfare. Thoughts such as, "Maybe I'll just take the summer off and then I'll get right back into it in September", creep into our consciousness.
Summer is here and it might sound so good to "take the summer off" from our weight loss goals but what will we accomplish if we do that? Who are we fooling? The enemy will still be waiting for us in September and by that time even more troops will have arrived and burrowed deeper trenches and strongholds to fight us from.
As the founder and facilitator of Pray It Off, it makes all the effort I put forth worthwhile when I hear from members that they too are believers in the "never give up" mantra. I received the following letter a few days ago and was blown away by the powerful punch it packed in so few words.
Yes, it is hard to stay commited to a healthy lifestyle but this PIO member reminds us of the alternatives!! I asked her if I could share it with you in the blog and she kindly said yes.
Please add your your comments on why we can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up!!!
Ellen,
I watched the video from last week's meeting! Love it! This is so neat being able to still see the video when you can't go to the meetings!
Just a comment. I think when people say they want to take off time from PIO they're basically saying they don't want to be accountable any more! It becomes, as you said, about you and they're accountability to you - not what it should be about - their accountability to themselves. Why? Because it's so damn hard to do something consistently for as long as it takes to lose the weight and keep it off - the rest of your life!!
I only know this because I have felt the same way so many times! Right now, after all of the insanity of the past few months, I really feel like I will never do this - never lose the weight. But then I remember being in the hospital with a family member and seeing very heavy people there for heart surgery or diabetes related surgeries. Or I remember the Doctor telling my family member that the surgery, he had just had, only went as well as it did because he is thin. And I know I don't want to be hooked up to those machines and iv's and in pain and have things amputated!! And then I remember why I can never give up!!!
Thank you every single minute for not giving up on me!!! And thank you also for continuing PIO even though you are working full time now and have that extra added stress!! You continue to inspire me. I just have to put that inspiration into action!
Love you more than Chocolate!!
PHOTO: http://www.teachmychildrenwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/never-give-up.jpg
The timing for this probably couldn't have been better. Summer is so hard and people ( myself included ) have a harder time with all the cookouts and gatherings. Not that I was thinking of taking time off!! I know what that would do to me. I can't go backwards again. I've done that too many times. I will shake the hands of anyone that can take the summer off and still do well, but I don't think I'll be reaching out to too many. Friends...think about it again if thats what you're thinking. Stay in it for yourselves. :)
ReplyDeleteHow many times do I have to try again?
ReplyDeleteOne more time.
I think that taking time off is abandonment of a clearly visualized goal. I now know that I am gluten sensitive and can't eat anything with gluten in it. Should I "take time off" and have a bun with a burger? Visualizing that resulting setback is enough to keep me keeping on. Temptation to backslide will be always with us but the Blessed Mother is only a whispered prayer away. God gave me a body He wants me to take care of and that is an everyday duty. So if I am tempted to take time off, maybe what I need to do is to look for something fun to do as I keep on keeping on.
ReplyDeleteMost everyone comments about not giving up on eating healthy. I still struggle to even begin the exercise part of this life style. I cannot give up on PIO until I find the exercise solution. For some of us it's less about food and more about activity!
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