Weight Loss: Do you have to be brave?

June 16, 2010

Occasionally I get emails that really make me stop and think about my journey. Recently, I got an email from someone who said she wanted to do the 5K Run/Walk with me, but was scared. It took me a while to think about what to say to her.

In a weight loss journey, do you have to be brave?

I don’t feel particularly brave.

I’m just a girl trying to make a change. This isn’t out of desire or vanity, this is out of necessity. Necessity for life, for living, for health, for myself.

Making a choice to live versus die isn’t brave, it’s logical. At least, right now it seems logical. It took me years of wading through a brain full of fog to figure out, DUH, it is logical!

I don’t think that people who aren’t ready to take a journey aren’t brave. I just think they haven’t figured it out. I went years without “figuring it out,” as I’m sure many of you have. Nothing wrong with that. And nothing wrong with saying so, either.

There are many times that I thought I’d figured it out, when I hadn’t even scratched the surface of what I actually needed to DO in order to be successful. I’m not talking just “eat right and exercise-” that is the easy part. The hard part is figuring out the WHYs behind the weight:

  • Why do I overeat? Binge? Hide food?
  • Why do I not feel worthy of living my life?
  • Why do I not want to be active?
  • Why am I living my life in fear of what others think?
  • Why do I feel unworthy?
  • Why am I so scared of exercise?

Seriously- I could go on and on forever. Do I know all the answers to those questions right now? NO! Do you need them to start your journey? NO!

In the end, the only way you can get started is to take one step. Just one. Then another. And another. That’s all you should ask of yourself, as you’ll learn something from each one of those steps.

No matter where you are in your journey right now, I just want to ask one favor: take a step with me.

Tagged as: journey, weight loss

  • Schelinski

    A great post and wonderful timing! I was actually going to talk about this very thing on my blog. I'm starting (again) on my journey….and these are the questions that I ask myself on a daily basis. I think we all do. I don't know about you but I find that finding the answers to the questions is one of the hardest things I need to face.

  • http://www.liveaudaciously.com/ Jennie Mustafa-Julock

    Sing it, sister! I completely agree. Far too much time is wasted on “why” when we should be asking instead, “so, what am I going to do about it?” Great post!

  • EIOP

    You sound a lot like me (I actually talked about small simple steps adding up to great things in my post yesterday) Great post!

  • http://bethsjourney.com Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin

    I don't think you necessarily have to be BRAVE to lose weight, I think you just have to be persistent. You do have to be brave to try new things and new forms of exercise, like running in your first race. I remember how scared I was the first time before I raced, and how long ti took me to actually sign up for one. The same was true with my first time going to Bikram yoga – I was sooooooo scared. But, I got over it and went, and couldn't be happier.

  • Brittany

    I don't think you have to be brave, but I do think the big key is to believe in yourself!! Like it's huge. Before, I didn't believe that I could do it, that I could be successful, or that it was even possible…so why even try? It wasn't until I believed with all my heart that I could do it, and that I deserved it, was I finally successful!

  • http://results-not-typical-girl.com Results Not Typical Girl

    Hey! Saw you on Curvy Jones' blogroll and wanted to tip tap type over to say hey! One of the songs on my mp3 as I'm learning to run is called Brave Faith. It makes me feel freakin' INVINCIBLE! If you head over to my blog and search BRAVE FAITH, I've got the song linked so you can hear it. Take a listen and I hope it makes you smile. Great entry and great blog! Thanks! – Kirsten

  • ella

    Insightful post, and more importantly, logical. Oftentimes on a weight-loss journey, people scrutinize their feelings. It can be helpful, but also tiresome. How refreshing to read: Do I want to live? “Yes.” Then, this is what I must do.
    Looking forward to reading of your progress.

  • http://www.mayorofthebux.com Danielle

    so true, it's all about the baby steps as well. I love knowing that there are others doing the same.

  • Sarah7500

    Well, I think I understand where that other writer is coming from. You can be:
    SCARED to fail
    SCARED to be hurt
    SCARED to fail in front of others
    SCARED to do well and then be expected to keep it up. SCARED to look stupid.

  • Sarah7500

    Well, I think I understand where that other writer is coming from. You can be:
    SCARED to fail
    SCARED to be hurt
    SCARED to fail in front of others
    SCARED to do well and then be expected to keep it up. SCARED to look stupid.

  • nathan

    just stumbled across this blog and it made me happy. if i could give you a superduper power hug through the internet, i totally would.

    keep up the good work! you make me feel good about people!

  • anonymousfatgirl

    On some level I do think you have to brave in the fact that you need to make up your mind and make a change. (Sometimes LOTS of little changes.) If you have lots of friends and family members that do not support you or your new healthy lifestyle, braveness calculates in. I also think of the first time going to the gym and how brave I was.

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