Pain is Temporary, Pride (& Health) is Forever

Katie had a fantastic week this week – she found pain, but she also found pride.  After a difficult week last week, I showed Katie tough love in an effort to motivate her to really make a change.  As I talked about in last week’s post, Katie whined more than she worked last week.  As we embarked on this week, I told Katie that during our workouts together, I expected nothing but hard work and zero whining.  I also asked her to express (either through writing or talking) why she wanted to lose weight and what she hoped to gain from the process.  In our first few weeks together, Katie had “signed up” to lose weight with me, but she had not made the full commitment to herself.  When I went back this week to meet with Katie, she said she realized she had to make the change for herself and not because someone else wanted or expected her to.

Not only had Katie made the commitment mentally and emotionally, she finally made it physically.  This week Katie had developed some serious blisters and expressed pain in her ankle.  These are discomforts and pain that are not life-threatening; however, her obesity is.  So, I encouraged her to push through the pain.  She wrapped her blisters in bandages before we left the house for our workout on Sunday.  However, about halfway through the workout, they were coming loose.  I was so proud to see Katie rip them off and continue pushing.  She didn’t give up and she replaced shedding tears with shedding blood!  I couldn’t have been happier to see that!  I told her as we cooled down that sometimes we have to fight through the pain and fear in order to come out stronger.  The blisters will heal and the fear will subside, and she will be left with pride and health, which will stick with her for the rest of her life. 

When I went back yesterday for our weekly weigh-in and another workout, I was hopeful to see good things.  Katie lost 2.6 pounds this week for a total of 13.4 pounds so far.  This is over 5% of her body weight and an average of over two pounds per week!  She is really making a complete lifestyle change – and I expect that she will keep this weight off.  Unlike the reality weight loss shows where contestants are taken out of their daily routine (and the behaviors and enablers that allowed them to gain the weight in the first place) and playing for prizes, I am helping Katie and her entire family find ways to make healthy choices in their everyday lives.  This is the method that will help them get AND STAY healthy for life. 

Katie's family freezer - color coded!

In fact, in a recent email from Katie’s mom, she wrote to me, “I told her that I will cook like this and buy healthy food forever.  I do feel that it has been a success for our family.  We are all eating healthier and much more aware that what we eat affects our mood and energy level.  Exercise will continue to be a very important part of our life from now on too.  And Katie has certainly lost weight and strutted around here last Saturday with cute jeans and a tank top on feeling very proud of herself.  I don't want it to end, she has gained self-confidence.”  And during yesterday’s workout, for the first time I could see confidence on Katie’s face.  I even made her run up a steep hill – I found an embankment on the side of a large drainage area and I couldn’t resist seeing how Katie fought to make it up.  She ran up that hill five times in a row!  I stood at the top cheering her on and gave her a high five each time she reached the top.  At the end of our workout, we went back to try a few more times – and she ran up it three more times!  On the last climb, she had a huge smile on her face as she slapped my hands.  I’m not sure who had more pride at that moment – me or her! 

Katie is no longer allowing temporary pain and fear to hold her back.  She is pushing through so she can find pride and health that lasts forever.  Are you allowing a temporary pain to hold you back from discovering your own health and pride?  Fight through the fear and pain because your pride and your health will be waiting for you on the other side.  Whether you need personal encouragement or you want to offer support to Katie, share your story by commenting below or email me at ddamron1@hotmail.com.  And please share this story with those you know and love.  Allow Katie to be the proof that fear and pain can be replaced with pride and health, and that is definitely worth fighting for.      

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