OnePhatMan
This is the sort of thing you miss if you’re not a hiker, out in the woods.
If you’re not on the notify list and want to be, please read this. There’s been some confusion about the new list, so I wrote up a little explanation.
Also if you’re not on the notify list, you didn’t get notified that I’ve started a new section of the site, to be populated with articles by me about dietary and health issues. Currently, there are three articles.
In this life, there are two real things we can control. We can control our minds, and we can control our bodies.
Are yours in control? Why or why not?
What makes a person so totally lose control of his mind and body that he eats his way up to weighing almost 400 pounds? I wish I knew the answer to that, because I’d write a book and make a million bucks. It’s an intriguing question, one that begs answering, but not by me.
I’m not here to answer questions, I’m here to talk about solving problems.
Who cares why it happened, anyway? The fact is this: it happened. Rather than cry about it, or bemoan the fact that you’re fat, let’s figure out how to fix it. In my first statement, I said there were two things we can control, our minds and our bodies. If you can learn to control your mind, controlling your body is a piece of proverbial cake.
After all, our thoughts (what’s in our minds) control the words we use. Those words influence our beliefs, which in turn dictate our actions. And, as I’m prone to pontificate upon, our actions—that which we do with our bodies—lead us to our results. Know what the cool part is? Our results then influence our thoughts, and the whole thing repeats in a big circle.
You have the ability to change any piece in that circle, but what most overweight people tend to do is this: they get freaked out about being fat and immediately try to change their actions by getting on a fad diet, taking a pill, or some other such thing. This works for some, but for most they’re trying to take charge too late in the cycle (by changing just their actions) to do much good.
What if you started at the beginning, by changing your thoughts first, then letting the rest follow naturally? Might this work? Remember the words of a very intelligent phat man, who shall remain nameless because he’s far too humble to ever mention this himself: change your mind, and your body will change itself.
You can make a mental transformation instantly, and then just sit back and enjoy the physical ride. Everything starts with your thoughts. Consider the following thoughts of person A:
Now, contrast those thoughts with these thoughts from person B:
Which person would you say has a better chance of transforming themselves from a fat person to a fit person? What you think—what’s in your head—is at the crux of any truly successful change, and those thoughts are entirely under your control.
What do you choose to think?
Of course, you also miss things like this if you don’t hike, so it all evens out.
If you want to get notified when I write an update, this link will do the trick.
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Wow, Fred, I’ve read you for years and you haven’t said anything today that you haven’t said many times before but you’ve never said it more clearly and powerfully.
It reminds of one of my most powerful moments of clarity. In nine years of leading two Weight Watchers meetings back-to-back on Saturday mornings, there came a day I’ll never forget. First meeting, a woman was lamenting her struggle. “I had a terrible week and I don’t know if I can turn it around. Things are more stressful at work than they’ve ever been. My husband is having health problems, he may have to have surgery. Money is tight and last night my son was brought home by the cops for being a minor-in-possession.” We all listened and offered our understanding and support.
Second meeting, I was giving an award to a member for reaching a milestone. As is my practice, I always ask members receiving a big award to speak to the group. She said, “My divorce became final a little over a year ago. Our marriage couldn’t handle the stress of raising an autistic child. I had to go back to work for the first time in fourteen years. Money is tight and we’re barely getting by. So much of what happens in my life is completely out of my control. When I was forced to face the fact that I was no good to my children if I wasn’t healthy I decided I could no longer put off doing something about my weight. When I quit fighting it and actually embraced healthy eating and fitness I realized that what I put in my mouth and how I exercised were things I absolutely could control and my efforts to improve my health became an island of calm and sanity for me.”
So when are you going to choose to view the elliptical as the most enjoyable thing you’ve ever done?
Some things are beyond even me.
Hi Fred, Like lulu I also lead Weight Watchers. I believe the biggest
problem most of us have is how we talk and think. This week we compared
it to a child’s ways. I don’t like it, you can’t make me, it’s not fair.
And we examined how that holds us back from success. I’ve read your
sit from the beginning and bought your book. I tell all my members about
you. You go, man.