Take Time

Diets are difficult
when mixed with the struggles
of every day living.

Wouldn't it be great to just
go to a Fat Farm and let
them put you through the
obstacle courses
and feed you balanced meals
and be your personal trainer
for six or eight months?

But, no.
None of us are that lucky.

We have to confront such choices
as whether we will sit down
at lunchtime
and eat a nice tuna sandwich,
or run to the bank,
drop off library books,
sort laundry,
clean the shower,
take out the garbage,
balance the checkbook,
and feed the dog instead.

Then- in a ball of stress
and exhaustion,
we reach for the cheese doodles
or the cold pizza.

Life is like that sometimes.
It just comes at you fast.
Sometimes we react
without much thought.

There are some people out there
that think losing weight
is as easy as changing shoes-
that we should just do it
and get it over with.

But I have learned from experience
that you can't lose weight
just by announcing it
to the world.
You cannot shed those pounds
because your husband or mother
or kids are prodding you forward.

Dieting is a spiritual adventure.

Not only do you have to feel it
in your heart,
but your head has to be with the
program, too.
No matter how badly you want to succeed-
if you don't have the proper mindset,
failure looms at every buffet
and potluck and day-old-donut sale.

We dieters have to meditate.
Be aware and on guard.
Tell ourselves the we deserve
to sit down in peace
and eat our tuna sandwich.
Relax.
Unwind.
Get our mindset stabilized.
Treat ourselves to down time.

Then eventually-
one by one-
tackle those every day errands
and responsibilities
that cower over us.

Dieting is not like
changing shoes-

It's like moving the earth.

But every inch counts...
Every second matters...

Each day
is one day closer.