Responsibility 199, what is it?

Responsibility 199 is a belief; I believe that to be healthy and to increase my longevity I need to weigh 199 pounds or less...
Responsibility 199 is a need; I need to reduce my weight, reduce my percentage of body fat, and the elevated threat of disease my present condition presents...
Responsibility 199 is a mission; I recognize that achieving 199 will be a challenge, perhaps the hardest I have ever undertaken...
Responsibility 199 is a commitment; I acknowledge that I must commit to action, commit to change, commit to myself and those I love to achieve this mission, to increase my longevity...
Responsibility 199 is ME.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Stand Up To Success

Rain, it rained while we were attending our son's soccer game yesterday. It happens. When it does, you can break out an umbrella, hang in there & tough out that which would deter you, or, you can flee from that which is unpleasant. What would you be more apt to do?

Keep in mind I am talking about a rain shower, not a hurricane. Sometimes, you gotta flee! But do those of us who struggle to get fit, stay fit; do we tend to flee too easily in the face of difficulty?

A whole post could be dedicated to what "difficulty" means to us, and I may do just that near term. But let me stay focused on my point; why we choose to stand down in the face of difficulty.

This analysis could go in so many directions. There is the science of the flight-or-fight response, but I'm not talking about facing a momma-grizzly bear protecting her cubs. There is the quest for convenience and ease in life; but I'm not talking about using the remote control to change the channel versus getting up and using the buttons on the television console - want to have some fun hide the remote at a time when you know your kids will watch television; odds are they will flee for something else to do before they push buttons on the television.

Instead, I believe why we most often choose to stand down the difficulties of weight loss is really quite simple; we don't step up and make decisions before we act.

Over the past month or two I've had so many opportunities to exercise, but quickly if not almost instantaneously decided not to. No, that is wrong, it wasn't a decision, it was a reflex reaction made nearly unconsciously. Why do I unconsciously not do what I know I ought to do?

Where does that come from? I'm honestly not certain. But what I am certain of is that when I am on my game, I am consciously determining the pro/con of options and making reasoned decisions. When I am off my game, I've checked out in the decision making department. That inner-demon has checked in and unconsiously decides that I will watch tevelvision versus go for a walk.

To be successful I need to stand up to the challenge of making difficult decisions. For some of us, choosing 30 minutes of exercise over 3 hours of television is a difficult decision. Choosing 30 minutes to prepare a healthy meal over a 3 minute drive-thru meal is a difficult decision.

Success is recognizing when a decision is before you that will impact your weight.
Success is standing up, spending 3 seconds reasoning the options and before we act.
Success is making a conscious decision in the best interest of you, not your inner-demon!


Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

7 comments:

  1. Patrick good to see you posting again :) I've missed ya. Yea, making those better decisions for ourselves is sometimes tough. I always try to ask myself the question "what is the decision that is going to make me feel the best" and then it's never a hard one.

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  2. The path to a healthier lifestyle begins with a single decision and continuing to make those decision one choice at a time keeps us on that path. Deep huh? Missed you bunches!

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  3. A great post Patrick! Really, there are so many reasons people come up with for not getting healthy.... you summarized very well.

    It is tough stuff, losing weight & making better choices. It is something that will have to be part of your life always & many people either do not look at it that way OR don't want to. It becomes to hard in their mind & they turn off.

    Heck, lots of things in life are hard & people still do them BUT if you are not around OR you can't even do them because your health went south, well, that ain't the best choice!

    Glad you are back!

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  4. I was just thinking about you today when I was standing in front of the biggest selection of hot sauces I've ever seen. Next time I'll try to take a picture and if you don't have one of them I'll send it over :)
    You are quite right success can just be taking a few extra minutes to figure what would be in our own best interest!!

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  5. I LOVE this post. Love it. For too long I chose to flee, take the easy way out. Making conscious choices is absolutely key for me to be successful. So good that you're back!

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  6. Excuses, excuses, excuses!
    Then when you "get it" and try -
    it's like magic! Love it!

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  7. SOOO GLAD TO SEE YOUVE CHECKED IN!!

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