There are several activities that have helped me recenter who I am now, who I want to be, and what I want to achieve. I weighed my highest at 216 back in 2017. I've lost weight, I've gained weight, I've stopped tracking, I've tracked diligently. I never restart my journey, I continue it. Even though I've gained and lost the same 20-30 lbs MANY times, those are just detours the directions rerouted us through. Because, you see, I didn't know actually WHERE I was going!
Sure, my destination has been in the 120s, but that's akin to saying "I'm going to stay at a hotel in Los Angeles" but not actually knowing the name of the hotel. I know how to get there, by following the directions, but I hadn't done any research on the rating of the hotel, the amenities, the quality of the buffet. All I know is that I have a room!
But what if we did our research? What if we only looked at 5 star hotels because we can stay anywhere we want in LA! We can live in a nice penthouse suite. We could stay in a solid chrome room. Your options are endless.
With weight loss, we know we lose weight by eating less food energy than we burn. Whether you count points, or don't count calories at all, this is science and a fact. Your directions will always be the same - maybe they were handwritten, or your directions are sent via your phone or in your car GPS. Is OnStar still a thing?
So, how do you figure out your destination to a place that honestly doesn't come with a map? You research yourself. Do you want to live in your 5 star suite, or your dingy side road motel? What kind of life do you want to live in?
How do I imagine my goal life?
Great question! This is an activity I do each time I lose around 20-25lbs. It makes for a great check in point to see where your priorities are as you lose your weight. (You can do it more frequently if you want, I'm not your mom.)
- Sit down and relax. Grab a piece of paper.
- Write down all the things you want your future self to do. Try to go for as many as you can think - big or small. Aim for at least 10. This could be things like "running marathons", "not eating because I'm feeling emotional", or even "walking the dog every day"
- Your sentences should start with "I am a person who..." - you don't want to be this person because you are already going to be this person!
3) Select two things from your list.
4) Focus on doing those two things for the following 60 days.
- Make reminders on your phone! Write your "I am" statement on post-its and stick them to your mirror. Say them outloud 3 times in the morning when you brush your teeth, and 3 times in the evening when you brush your teeth again. (And for those of you with REALLY good dental hygeine, say them 3 times when you brush your teeth in the afternoon!)
5) Reevaluate after 60 days. - Did you become the person that does those two things? Yes, or why not? What do you think now that you are a person who does those things, or what excuses held you back from getting there, and what can you do to overcome those challenges. Do you want to be a person who does the thing?
6) Repeat. Pick items from the same list, or generate a new list.
For example, the two I am working on in this 60 day period are "I am a person who has figured her shit out" and "I am a person who closes her exercise ring more often than not". Guess what I'm doing now? Journalling every night about my thoughts about weight loss, food, and other challenges, AND closing my exercise ring more days in May than in April.
And now you're thinking, "but u/gan1lin2, that's such a SIMPLE exercise!" and YES! That's the point! We're here for the long run anyways, no need to deck them out as quickly as possible.
Set yourself up for success. Maybe, for now, we can only imagine the hotel room has the softest bed in the world. In 60 days, the hotel has gained the largest and most luxurious tub we've ever seen. Then we'll be able to visualize that prime ocean view. Eventually, when we arrive, you won't drive by it because you knew exactly where you were going this whole time.
