The Dichotomy of Weight Loss and Instant Gratification
We live in a world of instant – instant messaging, texts, faxes, emails and technology – a world far different than the human body.
I can’t count how many times a year a client comes in wanting to lose weight NOW when they have been gaining weight for months or years.
The body is worlds apart from technology so how do we reconcile this within ourselves? How do we focus on the earned reward of weight loss, and delayed gratification?
You can’t diet for a week and expect instant results. It just does not happen yet so many people expect it.
Let’s break it down in simple terms, and add a visual example to illustrate.
You decide to throw a spontaneous backyard BBQ, send out the invites, and suddenly realize you’ve neglected to water, fertilize and weed your yard for a few months.
No matter how much you water it, and even pull the weeds, it is virtually impossible to have a well-manicured, luscious lawn and vegetation within a few days.
You might get a little bit of control and color change but it will not be as beautiful as if you had nurtured it each week for several months or even years, similar to not being able to get into that dress or suit by crash dieting.
The reality is no free lunch, no quick fix, and no magic pill.
Good old-fashioned weight loss and management takes time and giving the body the dignity of changing over a few months or even years depending on the amount of weight loss needed is essential.
Decide where you want to be a year from today and then commit to changes each week to get there.
Just like it’s still a treat to receive a hand written note versus the instant gratification of a text, so is the reward of being steady with lifestyle changes with resulting weight loss versus quick weight loss fixes.
The turtle, although not technologically savvy, does win the race with weight loss, and keeps it off for the long haul.
