I get asked a lot of questions about weight loss. I know some answers and have no idea about others. One of the best questions I have been asked is….
“What is the hardest part about weight loss?”
That is such a great question because everyone will answer it different. Some people hate working out, yet I love it. Some people hate getting on the scale but I do not mind. Some people hate the whole yo-yo part of it but that does not bother me. It cannot because I have done it my whole life.
You see, the hardest part for me is weird. It is not something that a “success story” should say.
I lost 200 pounds.
I gained muscle.
I work out a couple of hours a day and I do it with a family and a full time job.
I kept off most of the weight.
The hardest part for me is that I will never have “The Success Story Switch”.
The switch I thought I would get once I lost a lot of weight. The switch I always thought I would get once I lost weight. But I never did. I faked it a lot. I wanted to have it. But honestly, I never got it. I never will.
Success stories make it out like they have “The Switch”.
Where at their worst they were weak. They felt hopeless. Yeah, I have felt that.
After losing weight, they are strong who now knows how to lose weight and who does not struggle. I kind of know that, except the struggle part.
I know how to lose weight. But I also know that I will struggle.
I thought once I was there, it would be easy. But it was not. It never will be.
It was not easy when I lost 100 pounds.
It was not easy when I lost 200 pounds.
It was not easy when I gained muscle.
But something being easy is a lot different than something being possible. Weight loss is very possible. Living a life without a weight issue is possible. Difficult, but possible.
But I did not realize the person I was at 420 pounds……
I was always strong. I always will be.
I always have a voice.
I always knew how to lose weight.
I am a positive person. I am rarely negative about things. I do try to see the bright side of things.
I am also honest. I am a success story that will struggle with food. I will always find McDonald’s delicious and I will always love cake. But wanting and doing are different as well. I also want to spend time with my son and wife. I was to be successful. I know what I want more.
But I also know that I can live a life without it. I am part of the .000001% that cannot control certain foods. Instead of fooling myself that I can, I needed to own up to the fact I cannot.
I do not need to relax on a couch and talk about it. I do not need to cry about how I wish I was like someone else.
I am happy with everything I have done.
I am happy with everything I will do.
But I will struggle with food.
This is not an easy thing for a “success story” to say. Not for someone who has lost 221 pounds and gained 30 pounds of muscle over the last 4 years. Someone who was on track until tragedy struck and then got a little lost. Someone who got back on track and will weigh less than his wife has ever seen him by the end of the year.
I could lie, I know the right answers. I know what to say to get you on track. But I also know that no matter what my weight is, I will have a weird relationship with food.
But struggling is not failing. Not by a long-shot. I will succeed. I am and will be a success story. I will motivate myself and hopefully others. I will figure out what I was put on this Earth to do. Funny thing, four years ago I wanted to die. Now, I want to live.
I will never look at a old picture and wish.
Wish I could look like I used to. My best picture is the one I take today.
Wishing does no good and dreams end when you wake up.
I will live in the present. For my son. For my wife. For myself.
So I am the oddball. The guy who lost a lot of weight, has impressive pictures, and will tell you that he will struggle. I will not have that picture with my arms crossed in a tight shirt saying “Look at me, I did it, now you can also”.
I will wear a sweatshirt, and tell you that I struggle.
But I promise that will not stop my success.
