Influence

 the shape of leadership

The How and Why of Weight Loss

Better health is within reach

George P Wood on October 27, 2017

georgepwood

A 2015 study by researchers at Baylor University reported that more than a third of U.S. ministers are obese. I am one of them. I have been so for most of my adult life. At the end of 2016, I weighed 266 pounds, which my doctor said is at least 66 pounds more than I should.

Obesity correlates with any number of health problems. For example, it increases a person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, depression and osteoarthritis. Plus, it just makes you feel bad about yourself. I know I did.

December 9, 2016, was a significant day for me because that’s when my wife, son and I welcomed our two foster daughters into our forever family. They were 5 and 3 years old, respectively. I was 47.

My wife took me aside that day and said, “I need you to be around a while.”

She wasn’t talking about my fidelity. She was talking about my mortality. Given that obesity increases the risk of bad health and early death, my wife wanted me to get serious about weight loss. She didn’t want to rear our children alone. Talk about a wake-up call!

So, I joined Weight Watchers and started walking. Ten months later, I’m happy to report that I’m down 30 pounds. I’ve still got 36 to go, but I’m confident that I’ll get there and keep the weight off.

Weight loss is a matter of knowing how and why. The how is easy in theory, though difficult in practice. Eat right and exercise more in a sustainable manner. No fad diets or extreme exercise programs. No quick weight-loss schemes.

In the race to shed pounds, slow and steady wins. There’s simply no substitute for patience and self-control when you’re trying to get healthy.

The why of weight loss is the most important thing, however. It is your motivation for action. It is the new way of thinking that initiates your weight-loss journey and sustains you in that inevitable and frustrating period when the results don’t happen as quickly as you’d like them to.

There’s simply no substitute for patience and self-control when you’re trying to get healthy.

Motivation can be external or internal, as well as positive or negative. Initially, my motivation was external and negative. I started to diet because my wife was worried about my health.

Over time, however, only an internal, positive motivation will keep you going. Why? Because only then do you both own and want a better future for yourself.

It’s one thing for your spouse to say to you, “Honey, I want you to be healthy.”

It’s another thing entirely for you to say to your spouse, “Honey, I want to be healthy.”

Say it with me out loud: I want to be healthy.

If you, like me, are part of that third of American ministers who are obese, will you join me in the journey toward better health by committing to eating right and exercising more in a sustainable manner over the next 12 months?

Do it for yourself — to feel better. Do it for your family — to enjoy your life with them. Do it for your congregation — because your example will encourage them to begin making positive changes in their own lives.

Do it for God — because God is glorified when you honor Him with your body (1 Corinthians 6:20).

But whatever you do, get started today!

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