What is your “Why”?

January 2025 Update – This post was originally released in December 2021, and some of the context will refer to a group challenge that was happening at that time.

1/21/2023 (Originally posted 12/31/2021)

“It’s about YOU!”

What is your “Why”?

If you’ve joined this group, and are signed up for the 100-Day Weight Loss and Stay Fit Challenge, you probably already have a pretty good idea “WHY” you are here.

To “Get Fit”; or “Stay Fit” while helping others Get Fit too.

You are here to work with a larger community – towards a common goal – to learn and share ideas – that we can all consider on our individual paths – some will stick – some won’t.

This is about “You”.

It’s also ON YOU to make it happen.

Nobody else.

You got yourself in this situation.

You’ll get yourself out too.

I’ve seen posts in Facebook weight loss groups that read like “My (spouse) has cookies and candy in the pantry….that’s soo selfish…they must WANT me to fail.”

Those posts are generally followed up with several comments bashing the spouse for lack of support or even sabotage.

I think to myself “Do these people ever go grocery shopping?”

I mean, every checkout line is WALL-TO-WALL candy bars!

And you wait in line – with ALL THAT CANDY – and control yourself.

But if your spouse has a Milky Way, Snickers, or a bag of chips in the house they’re a “bad person” or “wishing you fail”.

Please stop.

Here’s the truth.

NO ONE ELSE CAN “MAKE” YOU FAIL – ONLY YOU!

If you have a normal family, there will be junk food in your house.

There will be FREE sweets at your work (you know where people hide them too!)

There will be Birthday cakes, Christmas cookies, Halloween candy, Easter baskets.

You will have access to it all.

And you will need to develop the mental strength to abstain.

If you feel YOUR lack of progress is due to SOMEONE ELSE’s actions, you will never make the change.

You may have to do all of your own grocery shopping.

You may have to do all of your own meal prep (I recommend a minimalistic approach here).

It’s likely everyone in your household will not be eating what you eat every day.

Others may not eat at the same times as you.

You’ll adjust – They’ll adjust.

At the start it’s a natural reaction to be proud of the initiative you’ve taken to better yourself.

To make a positive change.

And we want to BROADCAST it to everyone who will listen.

Family, friends, co-workers, social media.

Without any accomplishment.

What you are really doing is seeking validation.

Like you need someone else to be “on-board” with your decision to change.

At that point, you are questioning yourself.

Don’t question yourself.

Not everyone will recognize your efforts.

Don’t force them to (it will come naturally with progress).

Not everyone will be supportive of your efforts.

Some folks, maybe close to you, will not agree with what you are doing.

People will say stupid sh*t.

Some may not want to see you succeed.

And there are those that will tell you EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING WRONG! (Oh, there are A LOT of experts and opinions out there – you will get them all!).

Be prepared mentally to deal with it.

There will times when you will FEEL selfish.

There will be times when you will have to BE selfish.

Most of us are not use to that!

I’ve ended family outings early, driven separately to gatherings and left, or taken a “pass”, just to get a workout in that day.

1 workout

Do I feel guilty when it happens – Sure.

Am I making “MY GOALS” a priority now – Yes.

Would I do things differently – NOPE!

Your family or close friends may not understand.

It may make you frustrated.

But at the end of the day.

You need to do this FOR YOU.

AND you need to do this FOR THEM TOO!

YOU REALIZE THAT.

THEY just may NOT REALIZE IT….YET!

Most of my content is for those needing to lose a lot of weight.

That was my experience.

That’s what I know best.

For those of us that are like I was.

Morbidly obese (BMI = 37.9).

This journey will be hard at first.

And then it’s going to get REALLY hard.

Before it gets easier.

But it WILL get easier.

And you will look back and wish you had done it long ago.

There will be times when you are just like “screw-it I’m done”.

Don’t be “DONE” until your goals are achieved.

If you start to feel this way reach out to me or another group member for support.

That’s why we’re all here.

Ask questions.

Adjust your approach.

Revise your goals.

Leave what happened yesterday behind.

Get right back at it tomorrow.

But don’t be DONE!

“THIS TIME MATTERS”

Write that down on a piece of scrap paper or post-it note.

In your handwriting.

“THIS TIME MATTERS”

Keep that note where you will see it often.

And follow that motto.

For the next 100 days.

THIS TIME DOES MATTER!

It’s my vision that the successful members of this challenge become Get Fit S.Y.C. group “experts”.

And will soon be mentoring new group members by sharing their success.

For now, visualize yourself at your goal weight.

And EVERYONE asking “How did you do it?”

Then it will be up to YOU to help friends, family, or maybe even someone you’ve never met.

Accomplish the same thing.

And I visualize more and more people learning how to get and stay healthier.

EXPONENTIALLY,

And that’s why I’M HERE!

-bigloserjim