This morning after the dog unceremoniously woke me up at 5am in order to go outside for business time, I laid back down in bed with the looming thought of an 8 mile run that beckoned my name after the sun awakened from its slumber. Since the thought didn't haunt me too much, I was able to return to dreamland. 2 hours later, such a return would not be the case. 7:30 am and the other dog needs to go outside. This time Heather wakes and takes her. I lay there, trying to think of any and every excuse in the world as to why I don't need to run 8 miles on a cold (cold for Florida) Saturday morning. I could think of none, and so out of bed and out the door we went.
It was a good run, as 8 mile runs go, and I was certainly happy with the time I spent exercising with my wife. We took a route that ran us by our church so we stopped there for a water break and saw a couple of friends who lent some much appreciated encouragement. Gotta love the encouragement. It was on the way home when we were almost done, when my legs were screaming, when mouth wanted nothing but water, that a thought came to my head. That thought...during this weight loss journey...it would be easier...
So here are 5 things I think would be easier...
1. It would be easier to quit...
...or never start in the first place. I think we can all say that when we step on the scale with the intention of seeing the numbers go down, we sincerely desire to lose weight. But the truth, at least in my own life is that when the cards are on the table and it is my turn to bet big, I have most often folded. I have given in to the difficult circumstances and situations and given up. Of course, I don't call it quitting. I call it postponing for a day. I say things like, "There is always tomorrow." or "Today, is the last day I eat like this." It is all the same rhetoric though. I am quitting each time. Quitting is easy. That is probably why I still weigh 270+ lbs.
2. It would be easier to blame...
...anyone or anything else than ourselves. I love to play the blame game. And I can come up with some great blames. When I failed out of college during my sophomore year, I blamed my parents who were 100 miles away and I blamed my work. When I was caught in a lie with a girlfriend, I would blame her. When I gained weight and was put on probation in the Army, I blamed my leaders and the Army itself. I am the king of the blame game. Why? Because, like most people, I don't want things to be my fault. When I don't want to exercise, I don't say I am lazy, I blame the weather for not being perfect enough. When I don't want to eat right, I don't say I am gluttonous, I blame the food companies for making the food so darn tasty. And when I want to give up, I don't admit my lack of willpower, I blame all of the things going on in my life. Blaming is easy. That is probably why I weigh 270+ lbs.
3. It is easier to "wing it..."
...rather than prepare. I am not a very organized person, but if there is one thing I have learned in life. If you fail to prepare, then you prepare to fail. I used to think that I could just eat healthier and run every once in a while and everything would work itself out, but the truth is that without a plan there will not be success. Jared had a plan when he walked to Subway twice a day and ate healthy subs. It might not be the plan we all think of, but it was a plan. The question is, why? Why do we need a plan? Simple...LIFE!!! There are enough surprises in our life that can disrupt what is going on. The fact is those things that are not in our plan our the first things to go. Without a plan, working through lunch means driving through McDonalds on the way home. Without a plan, the birthday party for a friend becomes a night of binging on cake and ice cream. Without a plan, the walk you have every intention of doing gets overrun by 1 of a million different things that can just come up. If I want to lose weight, I have to schedule my runs, I have to count my calories and I have to make a shopping list. It's easier to just "wing it." That's probably why I weigh 270+ lbs.
4. It's easier to dream...
...about being thin and healthy. I am going to call this one the celebrity complex I have because it certainly applies. Why? Because when we are little and we dream about our futures, most of us have lofty ambitions of being famous athletes, Oscar winning actors or the best one ever, President of the United States. I wanted to be all three. But something happens in the time between we are kids with notions of grandeur and adults who plod through life. Our dreams become less and less realizable. They don't stop being our dreams. Here I am 37 years old, I still think I could start a Hall of Fame baseball career. I think the same is true with my weight loss. It is great to dream about being thin. It is great to think about all the clothes I could wear. It is great to contemplate the 6 pack Abs I would have. Reality is a different story though and I think that can bring us down. Why? Because dreaming doesn't take work. Dreaming about being an athlete takes nothing. Being a famous athlete takes hard work. Dreaming about being and Oscar Winner takes nothing. Being an Oscar Winner takes hard work. Same with President, MAYBE!!! It's easier to dream. That's probably why I weigh 270+ lbs.
5. It's easier to stay in bed...
...than get up. I know we have all been there. We just want to stay under the covers than face the day. I know that when I am in bed, I feel safe. Heather is there, so I feel loved. The pillows are worn to my exact head shape so I feel comfortable. That bed is a place where no one can hurt me, no one will make fun of my size and no one will interrupt whatever crazy ideas I come up with. It is easier to stay in bed because the longer I stay in bed the longer I can wait before facing the day. The longer I stay in bed, the longer I can wait before putting on pants and shirts that are a little too tight. The longer I stay in bed, the longer I have to avoid all that causes me to quit, blame, wing it and dream about weight loss. There is no reality in bed. I am not out of shape, unhealthy or fat. I am just there, comfortable and safe. It's easier to stay in bed. That's why I weigh 270+ lbs.
You may not agree with my assessment here, but I believe it when people say that if it were easy everyone would be doing it. If losing weight were easy, everyone would be doing it. Consider the words of Jesus in Luke 13:24, "Work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail." Here Jesus is answering a question about how many people will be saved, but the answer is specific. (You) work hard. A lot of people try, but fail. Why do they fail? They quit. They blame. They "wing it." They dream. They stay in bed. The concept is the same with losing weight and getting healthy. (You) work hard. A lot of people try, but fail. They quit. They blame. They "wing it." They dream. They stay in bed.
This morning I stared at the ceiling wishing there was some way I didn't have to run 8 miles. I got up. I ran. I loved it. When it is over, I felt as if I had accomplished something. I got home, made the bed and decided I could face the rest of the day. I will carry on. I will take responsibility. I will plan and prepare. I will face reality. I will get up and take on the day. I hope you will too.
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