I remember seeing the headline. It struck me as funny and inspiring all at the same time. What was the headline? “Man Loses Hundreds of Pounds Walking to Walmart.” I did a double take and gladly read the story.
A man named Pat received a bad prognosis from his doctor. If he didn’t change, he would soon be dead. Overweight and out of shape, he devised a radical plan. He got rid of all the food in his house. If he wanted to eat a meal, he had to walk to his nearest Walmart which was a mile away. Over the course of 2 years he lost 200 pounds with this strategy.
I remember thinking, can walking really cause this kind of change? The answer is a resounding yes. Pat was able to change his life by walking several miles a day and altering the way he was eating. He eventually traded the walk to Walmart for walking on the treadmill and lifting weights. Over the course of several years he dropped 330 pounds and vastly improved the quality of his life.
Pat had to start where he was. When the doctor gave him the bad news, he had a choice to make. Would he continue down the path he was on? Or, would he devise a plan and take control of his life back? It started with a single decision. It started with a single step. And then a step after that.
I have reframed my own health journey in this way. I would love to hit the easy button and immediately be in shape. However, I choose to live in reality and know that is not the way this works. The journey to be healthy and in shape is one that consists of many steps. Every day I have to choose to take the next step.
What is my next step? Tracking calories, lifting weights 3 times per week and walking daily. As I develop consistency in these things, I believe I will see progress. As I see progress, I will reevaluate like Pat did, and take the next step and then the one after that.
What are your health goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
See you on Day 4. Next topic: Thankful is the way to be.
The 740 Challenge 