LOSING THE WEIGHT

I have lost over 20 pounds in the past five months.

Not quickly…but slowly, methodically, intentionally, and out of necessity.

Before the weight loss, I shouldn’t have been surprised about how my body had changed. While it was convenient to blame my age and “season of life,” frankly, my lifestyle choices had gotten out of control: excessive sweets; coffee with the cream and sugar (not the other way around); sporadic exercise routines; and a blatant disregard for portion control!

Then one day my primary care physician used the word “prediabetes.” My first thought was, “No way -- diabetes happens to other people. Not to me who still maintains some semblance of respect for healthy food choices!”

But there it was – an A1C bloodwork reading reflective of at least 3-months of poor lifestyle choices. I had stopped my almost daily neighborhood walks and was oblivious to an increasing craving for sugary and fatty foods. Sure, I still knew what the good stuff looked and tasted like – but I wasn’t giving it full credit for its value. I was also negating the physical tell-tale signs: poor sleep, low energy, and increased inflammation from a preexisting autoimmune disease, lupus or SLE.

Something had to change immediately because I would not accept the alternative. In fact, one of my life’s mantras is to accept and act on things within my control; to lead myself well. So, I began consulting with a nurse practitioner and a dietician, tracking my food through a mobile app, and focusing on portion control. I haven’t resumed a regular exercise routine yet, but it will return soon.

If you’ve read this far, it’s likely that means I’ve piqued your curiosity about the relevance of this post. Frankly, I didn’t even consider a deeper meaning or correlation between weight loss and life and business matters until one night while I was washing dishes. Yes – you heard that right – plain old boring dishwashing inspired me to write about other forms of necessary weight loss.

You see, like the primary causes for an abnormal A1C lab test, everything we do and don’t do well in our personal lives, within our companies, and in our organizations will eventually reflect what is going on internally.

For example, if we:

·       Make business and/or personal decisions without considering the possible outcomes or consequences, troubling warning signs might include degraded or lost relationships, a lack of repeat customers, unreturned emails or phone calls, or poor business reviews.

·       Inconsistently or half-heartedly communicate, provide lackluster services, or sell inferior products, our relationships and reputations begin to suffer as family, friends, and/or clients question how important they are to us.

·       Ignore the tell-tale signs, preexisting issues or conditions can worsen and lead to irreversible or irreparable harm.

As I think about the final five pounds I plan to lose, I also know I need a plan to keep the weight off. After all, I did not gain or lose the excess weight overnight. If I want to ward off (or at least reduce the probability of) another unexpected diagnosis tied to my lifestyle choices, I must stay committed to new eating and exercise habits for the long haul.

I suspect you already know what’s coming next, so here it is.

1.       Do you, your company, and/or your organization need to actually or metaphorically “lose weight” to improve your overall health?

2.       If the answer to #1 is “yes,” are you willing to invest the time, energy, and focus to make it happen?

3.       If so, when will your plan begin? Actions speak louder than words.

Remember: positive and sustainable change doesn’t happen overnight; it is hard and it is humbling. Yet, as I celebrate my own weight loss journey - the renewed energy and improved prognosis - I promise you the results will be worth the wait (no pun intended)!