Changed – Changing – Will be Changed
My question – can you be in 3 states at the same time? Not geographic states, like the 4 corners of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico; but 3 states of being, 3 states of progressing.
For me, this is a year of physical change. I am committed to reducing weight, improving my quality of life (stress, sleep, happiness, etc.), and participating in the events of my choosing – hiking, biking, tennis, physically exertion-based projects. I will admit, this isn’t a new resolution but this time it feels different, it IS different. Why? I’m acting – I had a physical, I am tracking calories and exercise in an app, I’m accountable to others, and best of all, my wife is embarking on a similar journey.
So why the change? I can’t stand my situation any longer!
The Accountability Mirror
Truth be told, every morning I’m taunted by my bathroom mirror. A previous tennant in our home switched all our lighting to “cool white” LEDs with a bluish hue. The “cool white” lighting, augmented by the steel blue bathroom paint, leaves my ever-enlarging belly a purplish color. Not surprising really, since (per Mayo Clinic) “every pound of weight we put on is 5 miles of blood vessels.” So doing some simple math, if I’m 70 pounds heavy, that’s 350 miles of extra blood vessels!!! Is there any wonder why I have high blood pressure!
David Goggins, in his book Can’t Hurt Me, shares how he went from being a depressed, overweight, hopeless young man to what Outside magazine called "The Fittest (Real) Man in America," by relying on the Accountability Mirror. Each night he recorded his next day goals on Post-it notes and the next day he worked them. Sounds simple enough – not really rocket science. Goal setting, acting, and accountability.
So in the spirit of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based) goals, my current “short-term” weight loss goal
1. Lose 25 pounds by April 17. This equates to ~2 pounds over 12 weeks.
WHY lose 25 pounds? The easy, obvious answer is that being heavy increases my risk of heart disease, diabetes, etc. But more importantly, being heavy and out of shape prevents me from participating in vigorous activities, whether athletics or projects, that are foundational to ME, to MY identity and MY joy. Healthline.com suggests, “It’s best to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds per week. This is more likely to be a sustainable loss, especially if you achieve it by eating a balanced diet and exercising.”
WHY April 17? Since I’m motivated by milestones, I purchased airline tickets for a much-desired Utah National Park hiking trip, with outgoing flight on April 17. Literally putting my money where my mouth is! I am committed to being lighter and in better shape by April 17 to get the most out of Arches and Canyonlands!
Which takes us back to the original question - can you be in 3 states at the same time?
For me, this time, I can answer YES. When I made the weight loss decision, I am Changed, Changing, and Will be Changed. I CHANGED – I have decided and I am NOT going back. I AM CHANGING – I am not there YET. I WILL BE CHANGED – I am hopeful for the day when I have reached my weight loss goals.