Seek Motivation (Wherever, Whenever)

Losing weight isn’t always easy–and we need all the help we can find

I woke up the other day on the wrong side of the bed. I wasn’t happy the progress of my weight loss efforts. I had lost my focus. I could hear that little voice in the back of my head making up excuses. 

Then fortune smiled upon me: I just happened to run across a jar I shoved in the back of my craft closet. Two years ago, I had cut all my favorite quotes into little strips and put them in a jar. It sat by the door, on the way out of my house, for those days where glass was half-empty. Finding that jar again, it was as if the long-ago me had sent a message to myself, these two years later. 

Personally, one of the best motivators I have found is listening to the words spoken by the brilliant leaders before me. But maybe you like poetry. Movie quotes. Compliments you’ve gotten from family and friends over the years…. 

Whatever it takes – wherever you need to keep them (the refrigerator door is a good spot) – think about the forces in your life that provide motivation. 

Your Doctor Can Help:  
As Clarence B, an Ourlife customer in Savannah, says, “Dr. Bradley is quite a motivator.” (Clarence has lost 30 pounds with OurSkinny). 

To borrow a phrase from one of Dr. Bradley’s posts here at Get the Skinny: “Remember all the overweight residents you saw the last time you visited a nursing home?” NO? I thought not—our overweight loved ones rarely live long enough to enjoy their golden years. 

For sure your own physician can tell you about the health benefits losing weight can bring. Schedule a physical and, by all means, ask your doctor if maybe you ought not lose some weight (you can point him to www.ourskinny.com and see if he or she thinks it’s right for you). 

TEAM me 
Here’s an idea that’s tried and true: get a friend or two to join you in your weight loss journey. In this case, that means BIG “TEAM” leads to little “me.” In Savannah, a group of OurSkinny customers have started a support group—but there’s no reason you can’t start your own. We know that it’s no fun doing it all alone. In fact, if you get a group of three or more people who want to try OurSkinny, email info@ourskinny.com with “TEAMme” as the subject line and we’ll see if we can’t work out a discount for you.

Coaching:  
Don’t forget that with every order, you can schedule a consultation—via phone or email (your choice)—with Coach Rebecca Fowler. She’s fun, knowledgeable, and she’s got a wealth of experience: including tips, tricks, motivational tools to get you started and help you along the way. 

On that note… 
…back to my jar of quotations. Clearly, I have got the fever, but football coaches seem to have cornered the market on motivational slogans. Nothing hits home quite like the brutal honesty of the master motivators in the game of football. Here are some of the little slips of paper that sit in a jar by the door of my house: 

Statue of the infamous football coach, Lou Holtz

• “We compete, not so much against an opponent, but against ourselves. The real test is this: Did I make my best effort?” – Bud Wilkinson  
• “If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.” – Lou Holtz  
• “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” – Joe Paternno (At Ourlife, we are constantly preaching, “Prepare, prepare, prepare!!”)  
• “No one has ever drowned in sweat.” – Lou Holtz  
• “There’s nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you.” – Woody Hayes  
• And my favorite: “Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.” – Lou Holtz

No matter what you are facing in your life, rising weight, trouble finishing that 5k, or just bad times, everyone needs a little boost to show them all things are within reach. Once you get that, discipline will lead to success and to CONFIDENCE.

Now go accomplish those goals!