Well folks, I can honestly report that I've worked out every day this year! Alright, I realize the year is young, very young, but so far so good.
I won't shock you by telling you my weight. Let's just say there aren't many linebackers in the NFL that are heavier than me, but I won't be denied. I don't know what it is, but I have a different feeling this time around. This is certainly not my first challenge.
It took me dozens of attempts to finally quit smoking. I kept trying and finally made it. That was 13+ years ago and still smoke free.
What made the difference? First of all it was my not giving up! I never tried any kind of patch or pill or even a 12 step program-- just kept trying to cut back on the number of smokes in a day. Quite a feat as I was up to 3 packs a day!
What finally worked was not allowing myself to smoke, but MAKING myself smoke at regular intervals. I started out at 15 minutes; I told you I was up to 3 packs a day, so this was not out of line. It was the "smoke every 15 minutes whether I wanted to or not" that did the trick.
I then moved to 30 minutes after I made myself physically ill, forcing nicotine into a body that not only did not crave it anymore, but was beginning to find it repulsive. Then it was on to 45 minutes, then an hour, two, three, until I put them down forever.
So here's the deal...
I was watching a show, I believe it was on The Learning Channel, that featured a few of the residents of the Brookhaven Obesity Clinic, (it was more of a hospital). Each person weighed hundreds of pounds, some around 800 pounds or so, but what caught my attention was the sons of one of the patients.
He and his brother were very overweight, not unlike myself. The older of the two had been having chest pains and went to the doctor. The doc told him about lifestyle changes, of course, which included better food choices along with exercise. But what piqued my interest was this.
He was told that it would take around three months to get his new lifestyle up and running completely. This may have changed my life!
I began to realize that every time I began a new regimen to lose weight that I tried to "hit the ground running," at full speed, instead of working into it. My interest in "The Biggest Loser" tv show, I believe, added to my failures. Not to completely discredit those folks running the program, but I never had the time or resources to devote to weight loss, so there was no way I could duplicate their results. I would fail, then beat myself up for it. No more!
Now, I don't plan to make myself eat like I made myself smoke. Since I don't have to smoke to live but I have to eat to live I will take a different approach, as described in the next paragraph. I also am looking for a lot of support from my wife, who is following the "program" with me, and my old friend, Reality Man.
My plan to lose weight is something like my plan to quit smoking. I will increase my physical activity-- which includes many different modes of exercise to prevent getting bored-- while decreasing calorie and fat intake. I've already gotten into the habit of drinking plenty of water.
It is a simple plan and I have the same feeling of success with this as I did with smoking. I will keep you guys informed of my progress, but will spare you any shirtless weigh-ins.
Ken McCreless is just a guy who loves to write. No dazzling website or publishing milestones, just a love for words and a respect for the power they wield. Contact him at ken@kenmccreless.com
You did a great job with this article and I wish you the very best of luck. I can completely relate as I quit biting my fingernails 15 years ago, lost 100+ pounds three years ago and yet cannot muster the courage to quit smoking. As I type this I am awaiting my latest attempt upon the arrival of a Zyban prescription. Your story has been an inspiration and I'm rooting for both of us!
weight, smoking, drinking, swearing, probably the biggest vices we humans have. i, too, have gone from 2 packs a day to one, and am not willing to give up the crutch completely until my life is back on track. my partner keeps my cigarettes, and at 10 pm, i get a pack, and not again until 10 pm the next night.
i did, however, quit drinking 16 years ago, and i did go to a 12 step program, although it turns out it wasn't so much the alcohol i had problems with, but daily life. i was able to get helpful suggestions on how to make things easier, and haven't touched a drop, even in these past 2 horriffic years. thankfully, i stopped, or my writing would be very blurred :)
weight is an issue, but i'm trying, and once i can get out of the house again, and get more exercise, i'll concentrate harder on losing some.
and swearing? well, let's say, it's better!
this was a very well written, and honest article, and i really enjoyed it,
Ken, I wish you the best with your plan. I think you will succeed. You appear to be one who, when you finally, definitely, absolutely decide to do it, you do it. Let us know how it goes. (Of course now that you've written about it, the pressure is on!) Good luck.
I think most of us who are overweight struggle with this all the time. It is the "instant gratification" that seems to be the downfall of our weight plans. We all want instant results. Learning that it is a gradual process and accepting that seems like it is a better plan for success.
Hi Ken thanks for sharing your story in a light hearted matter. I think this is helpful for many given the subject is a sensitive one. I am praying and rooting for you! You are an encouragement to others. Maybe some smokers might succeed in quiting if they tried your tactic. Blessings fellow traveler.
Thanks,Ken for a great article. I'm reading it to my husband who I have been coercing to quit smoking for over twenty years. Every so often he says, "I quit". It lasts about three days--sometimes a week.
Thanks for sharing--he could also use the weight loss too.
Excellent article, Ken! I smoked years ago and quit cold turkey. I can remember how difficult it was. Since I have gained about twenty pounds, but I won't trade the extra weight for the smoking habit. Best to you!
Great article and encouraging for those who can't quite "give it up." But I've found that it's not just smoking, drinking, or eating that we have to control, but so much more of our life. Personally, I've given up shyness, suicidal tendencies, hopelessness, depression, negativity, and my perception of limitation as opposed to abundance. It's amazing the number of "bad habits" that keep us down. I've recently given up habits that have lead to a loss of weight that had nothing to do with drinking, smoking, or eating. It appears we all would rather not deal with our problems by doing the wrong thing, but it takes a lot of courage and work to do the right things that not only benefit us and our families but all we come in contact with. And as we improve ourselves, we become shining examples for those who are struggling. It also makes us stronger and helps us to reach out to more and more and more that we can help. Great stuff. Thanks for the article.
Thank you, Jeff. It's great to hear from you. It seems you and I have a good deal in common. I hope to be as good of a writer as you as well...someday.
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