A letter to my co-workers at work who like me are part of our own little community of biggest losers, many thanks and kudos to my friend Sean over at Seanlandia who talked with me last Saturday over dinner, and was the inspiration and motivation for my letter. There are some minor grammar errors so please pardon:
After last Friday's results I am as astonished as all of you, but the reason are slightly different. I am more surprised that the changes I have made have garnered a faster response than I anticipated. While I am using weight watchers as my vehicle to get to my goal what I have to say is universal to the cause.
Discipline we all lack it and we all crave it in the same instance. Maybe someone kept you from the cookie jar as a kid and now subconsciously you act out to eat whatever and whenever. Maybe you snack while bored; you eat while watching the TV. Ever feel guilty after eating something particularly sinful with out really knowing why you ate it. Have you ever hidden food? Most people me included have done most or all of these things. When we don't confront them we don't change these behaviors i.e. we don't change our figures. Maybe you don't do what I described above but I bet deep down inside you, you know why you have not lost as much as you were hoping, and you'll never say it to anybody. Until you confront that side of you though your efforts are going to be self defeating.
From now on I will not be using the word diet. Neither should you. I don't think anyone on this list needs to be on a diet me included. Diet is a medical term more commonly used to describe an eating regiment prescribed to someone who can only eat specific foods because of medical circumstances. These would include Diabetes and Celiac's disease. From what I know about you all no one has any conditions like this. What we all need to understand is Behavior Modification. You act in certain patterns, so its only natural for you eat to eat in certain patterns as well. Don't believe me? What do eat when you are stressed? I bet there's a small list of foods that always comes up.
Sometimes those habits run counter to keep a slim figure. Most of mine did. Those were those little voices in my head that I was talking about earlier. We need to change our behavior in order to reach our goals. It is not easy. It is not like turning on a switch, and for some of us we did not get this way overnight so neither should we expect to melt away by morning. Its going to be a harder road ahead for those of us who I have overheard utter the following: "can't", "won't", "just don't like", "wasn't prepared", "I know but". If you are not positive you will not win, not this contest but in reaching your goal to begin with. If you can not make changes to lifestyle to help then you will not make any changes to your body, or at least any that you want. For me I just turned 30 and I always had held the belief that I didn't need to worry about things cause I was still young. It was a very stupid statement, but it was one of things that I kept in the back of my mind because I didn't want to face the reality of the situation. Well guess what I'm 30 and very overweight and I know I can already feel it impacting my life. I don't know about the rest of you but I have loved ones that I want to be with for as long as I can, so that is my motivation that is my discipline. My fully loaded Starbucks is not worth missing my nephews graduation from college because I had a heart attack when I was 50.
I may not be able to stop a bus from hitting me but I can damn well wake up take control of my own life and how I treat it. Now of course there are certain pleasures in eating. A special occasion like birthdays or anniversaries are always special and who wants to be the one counting calories in the restaurant while the rest of you party had already ordered. No one not even me. There are things like simple pleasures in this world that make life worth living and some of them are food related. If your vice is eating out. Then do it, only do it once a week. This was one of mine. Let me tell you last week you all know how much I lost, but what you didn't know is that Saturday I went to an Italian Restaurant and ate Fettuccine Alfredo, probably the 'worst' thing you could have. I was with a bunch of friends I had not seen in a while and I wanted to enjoy the night so I did. I just made sur to eat a large salad first and did not take home the leftovers. You can still treat yourself as long as you stay vigilant and make sure you are making better choices.
I know this long, and my intent was not to lecture but to help motivate. I do not want to win this competition by a landslide, I would rather it end neck and neck with each one of you. I want us all to do well. Two more things.
A) Several people have asked me what I am going to do with the money, well here's my answer. This competition is far from over but some people are treating it like it is. I will sweeten the pot. I am not in this for the money. To prove it; if I win I will donate my winnings to the Clarks Foundation in OUR names plus an extra $50. I am taking it this seriously; my health and yours is my motivating factor.
B) Like I said there is another month, and while I firmly believe in setting small achievable goals I know I won't be at my overall goal for some time, but I firmly intend to start a group here at Clarks who can help people like me and others who want to eat right and improve their overall well being. Maybe some of you will help me start it. The invite is there; all you need to do is bring your positive attitude and desire to make a change.
I hope this all find you with a renewed sense of feeling;
Garrett Earley
National Accounts Coordinator
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