Determined To Succeed

I am a people watcher. I love sitting in coffee shops, restaurants and stores, or being at huge major events, and just watching people. You see all kinds whern you do, too. If I’m lucky I also get to hear people. It’s such an insight into what makes America tick. And on lucky occasions, like yesterday, I got to be out and about and heard people’s thoughts on weight and exercise.

Co-incidentally, both instances happened after I got coffee. I was just sitting, enjoying the absolutely beautiful pre-summer morning we were having in southern New Jersey when I heard two guys talking – two “guy guys.” They were taking about having packed on some extra “poundage” as they put it around their middles. One asked the other, “so, what are we gonna do about it?” The other replied, “I guess we better start exercising, right?”I almost chimed in and said “hey, it works. Good luck,” but that breaks the rules of people watchng. Kind of like the Prime Directive on the old “Star Trek” – observe but do not interfere.

The other instance was later in the afternoon. I was again getting coffee and enjoying the day when I heard one guy talking to a younger couple. They had all just received their respective coffee drinks and I overheard the guy say to the couple, “you guys aren’t heavy. I’m heavy and have been heavier.” He went on to describe how he’d lost over 50-pounds, which the couple remarked was great. Then, the woman in the couple asked the inevitable question – “so how did you do it?” – with that look in her eye like she’s waiting for the magic pill answer everyone else expects. The guy looked at them both and said “exercise. Totally exercise. That was the key. You can have all the diets you want in the world but you have to exercise.”

I almost stood up and applauded, but again remembered the “Prme Directive.” But both cases underscore the great need for, and seemingly growing understanding of, exercise in any weight loss journey. I mean I would not be where I am today, which is ever-so-slightly better than yesterday – 237.4 – without hitting the gym and trying to workout IN ADDITION TO trying to eat better.

When I step back for a moment and remember back to when I was 400 pounds I thought exercise was impossible. I though working out was something thin people did, partly to taunt us fat people – like saying “see, you all cant do what I’m doing. HA!” But that’s not the truth. The fact is I started out just trying to lose the first ten pounds by doing the only exercise I could do – walking. That simple increase in activity was enough to get me started and it was awesome. And throughout this journey I’ve met countless others out there who have all said the same thing – that exercise combined with diet is the way. And exercise isn’t just for the thin. It’s for any and everyone, children and adults alike. So if you are heavy do not be afraid or intimidated into not exercising. There is a brave new world out there for you if you wish to boldly go and find it.

I finished my coffee and left the coffee shop smiling a little bit to myself.  Even though I had to obey the “Prime Directive” it was great knowing more and more people are catching on to the “there is no magic pill” thing and that exercise is a huge component to weight loss. As I got into my car I started to even quote the old opening of “Star Trek,” this time changing it around a bit…

“Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Exercise…”

I know, I know. I am such a geek…