If Not Now, When? – Primo Levi
I heard this quote this weekend and it applies so well to our topic of health, weight loss, and fitness here at Fearless Fat Loss.
You see it’s so very easy to tell yourself that, “tomorrow I’ll start eating better”, “tomorrow I’ll start exercising”, or the ultimate, “I’ll start over next Monday”.
Do you know anyone who has repeatedly told him or herself this or have you been telling yourself things like this?
I’ve Been There
I’m going to cut to the chase and let you in on a secret: I know what you’re doing to yourself if you’ve been telling yourself things like this. I know this because I’ve been there and done that!
Yep, you cannot get past me with these excuses and I want to impress upon you that there are a variety of outcomes you can expect if you’re telling yourself that you’ll “start tomorrow”:
- You really do start tomorrow
- You really do start on Monday
Ok, I’m being optimistic there, although of course the power lies in your hands and you can certainly choose to change at any time you decide to. However, it’s more likely that if you are in the habit of telling yourself that you’ll change your ways at some future time that the outcome will be:
- 6 months, 1 year, 3 or 5 years from now you will look back and regret the fact that you never did “start on Monday”. You will either decide to forgive yourself and move forward with your life, choosing healthy actions from that point on, or you will continue to punish yourself by overeating because you feel so bad for wasting so much time.
I am looking into my crystal ball and painting this picture for you because in reality, this is what oftentimes happens.
In actuality, you only have this moment in time; right now is your life, this is your moment, and it is your choice. You can choose to be fully conscious and alive in this moment and choose to treat yourself with love, respect, and healthy action so that 6 months from now you look back and thank yourself for getting the weight off and getting fit. Or you can choose to continue to tell yourself that it will be better to “start tomorrow”, when in the back of your mind you know that you won’t.
If You’re Not Ready, You’re Not Ready
If you’re in that habit of telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow or next Monday, I have a better suggestion for you: drop the whole thing. That’s right, just stop telling yourself that you even have the desire to lose weight, shape up, and get fit.
What this will do for you if you fully release that thought that you “want” to lose weight is it will take a ton of pressure off of you. It could just be that you’re not ready to move forward, and that’s ok. But if that is where you are at, at least honor yourself and surrender to it. Stop putting on the act for yourself that you want to change because it’s not true – you really don’t want to, and that’s ok.
I believe that you are where you are at this moment in time because there is something there for you to learn. If you aren’t taking action in your now to allow your body to drop the fat and get healthy and fit, then there is a reason you aren’t doing so. Perhaps you haven’t yet learned what you’re supposed to and when you surrender to where you are now then that pressure you’ve put on yourself can drop away and you can ease up on yourself. After all, if telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow hasn’t worked, why keep on doing it?
Please note that I am not suggesting that you continue to remain in poor health but if telling yourself you’ll make some changes at a later date hasn’t worked yet, why not do something different and drop that desire? When you think about it you’ll still be living the same way you were before but without the inner dialogue that you “should” be living differently! That will make a big difference in your mental and emotional view towards yourself.
If Not Now, When?
Once you’re ready and willing to change your lifestyle to adopt those healthy habits and get fit, get strong, and lose the fat, then you won’t have those thoughts anymore that you’ll “do it tomorrow”. You will naturally want to take action today and not only will you have the desire, you will also act on it! Your now will be your when and you will create the body that you feel you deserve to have and believe you can have.
I have come to the conclusion after discarding 15 pounds as of today (yippee!) that when being in a state of readiness magic happens. There is a huge difference in your progress and results when you’re ready to release and let go even of excess weight. It’s not hard and the pound seem to melt off.
Thanks for sharing this information, JoLynn.
Shileen
I have to say that these words are exactly what I needed to hear! I am a health major in college. I am overweight, and I know I need to stop filling my body with junk. I also feel like it is an oxymoron for ME to be a health major.
I am the inventor of the fanclubs for people who say, “I’ll start over tomorrow/Monday”. Seriously though, your blog is what I needed to read to encourage me. I am tired of my fat. I am tired of feeling tired and uhealthy.
I know that I am ready to change my eating habits and change my life, if I want to help change others.
I am pretty excited..I just ordered my 6 week body makeover today! I am even more excited because my husband is coming home from Iraq in 9 weeks, and he WILL come home to a changed wife!
Hi Charity,
Congratulations on taking action to make positive change in your life and remember – we always teach what we most need to learn, so don’t get down on yourself, ok? 🙂
All the best to you and your husband!
I have been looking on the forum and recipe exchange, but I have a question: Do you know anything about taking diet supplements with this program? I bought the hydroxicut about a month ago and I still have some left. I don’t want to waste it, but I don’t want it overall hinder my weightloss with the 6wbmo. Do you think I should just stay off of it or will it help lose more weight?
Hi Charity,
I’ve heard of Hydroxycut but haven’t researched it or reviewed it so I don’t know about it but in general I don’t recommend those magical diet pills and powders. If you just get off the processed foods and exercise smart, which the 6WBMO will teach you how to do, then you won’t need anything extra.
Hope that helps! 🙂