Motivating Factors Pt. Deux

Thanks everyone for the feedback, it's time to continue the conversation that I started a week ago.

I think we all understand and can agree that fear is a motivator.  However for me and I think for most others the fear of dying because of lifestyle choices fades pretty fast.  The moment temptation arises our fears are assuaged as we dive into the need to comfort ourselves from those same fears.  It's really a sick cycle and we are the metaphorical hamster on the spinning wheel.  This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Austin Powers where Fat Bastard is bemoaning the fact that he is fat.  "I'm unhappy because I eat, I eat because I'm unhappy"... many of us have this issue.

I asked last week what motivates you?   If fear is not powerful enough on its own to keep us motivated then what will?

I think I shared this a few blogs ago, but in coming to my decision to become a healthier version of myself during a day of solitude I wrote down a list of dreams that I wanted to accomplish in my 30's.  The dreams that pertain to my weight loss are my motivators.  Some of them you probably will find ridiculous, but then again being almost 450 lbs is also ridiculous.  (BTW-I tipped the scales Sept. 2009 at 440.6 lbs and lost 20lbs using the Weight Watchers System for 3 months.  This journey started at 426.6 lbs)

1).  To be able to sit comfortably in a chair with arms.

This might be to some a very silly and almost embarrassing motivator unless you are a large person.  Chairs with arms frighten me, they make me shake, and sweat.  They usually send me running, okay walking around looking for another chair without arms.  CWA (chairs with arms) are a huge deal.  I can remember times going to a new restaurant, hoping to God they would have at least one chair without arms so I didn't have to endure the 'Slouch' position. You know what the 'Slouch' is all about don't you?   You know the one where you put your butt on the front of the chair and lean back so that you almost form a plank shape against the chair.  This allows you to 'sit' with most of your largesse out of the arms while making it look as though you mean to sit that way.

I have to say though I may not be able to fit in some CWA's no matter how much weight I lose.  I am pretty big-boneded (no that wasn't a spelling mistake, you have to say it like that 'I am just big-bone-ded') and there are some chairs that my ass just wasn't made for. Like those small metal chairs that used to be in every reception office and hospital waiting room.  The ones with with shiny legs and upholstered seats.  I can't even get a leg in one of those things.  'Just take seat sir the Doctor will be right in ' 'Uh no thanks, my hemorrhoids flared up again why the hell do you think I'm here?'

Plane seats aren't much better.  The last time I flew was on my way home from our honeymoon in Mexico.  Now I am not sure who makes those plane seats, but I can bet they look NOTHING like me.  They probably haven't ever seen a person my size.  I almost didn't make it home because the seats were too narrow, or was it my ass to wide... either way there was a struggle, a deep breath, a snap of the arm bending on the chair and there I was hoping that I didn't have to get out again till Edmonton, only 6.5 hours away hoping I didn't have to pay for that broken arm on the seat.  I really thought it should move, I guess it does now, any other 'large' passenger that uses that seat can thank me later it is now officially 'broken in'.

The point is that one of my motivators is to be able to sit in a CWA without any fear of me breaking it, bending it, snapping it, or otherwise destroying a seat that some small person can easily fall into.   My hope is to walk into any restaurant and never have to worry about the question... 'Booth or table sir?' 'I don't care I fit anything now!"

2).  First shopping trip in a 'normal' sized store.

You know what's funny about this one, is that it happened last week.   Amy bought me some new clothes to work out in.  I was worried, how were we going to pay for this? (clothes at the Big and Tall store cost me anywhere between twice to three times as much as it would anywhere else, apparently we use THAT much cloth).  Amy brought home 3 bags but from Wal-Mart!  This is a big deal.  I have never bought anything at Wal-Mart  (some of you would applaud that).  So either Wal-Mart is buying bigger clothes or I am getting smaller.  It is a combination of both.

I always go into Old Navy with Amy looking for stuff for her.  She always tries to find things for me, but I tell her it's a waste of her time, but in a few short months it won't be, and I will have joined the masses, the proud new owner of a poorly sown polo-shirt that only cost me $10!

3).  The ability to do things that I haven't been able to do. (ie. Sports, Hike, Camp)

Acouple of weekends ago we went to Jasper and did a small hike, and a bunch of other really nice walks around a lake (I walked around an ENTIRE lake).  These were huge milestones for me, normally I would rather watch others hike or walk around the lake, now I am the one doing it.

The camping well it might not be that strenuous, but from a guy who makes  a 3 man tent look like a grocery bag I am excited to head off into the 'wilderness' and explore my 'Manhood' as I make fires, and sear meat yay for Coleman stoves and Hot Dogs.  (BTW does anyone know how to make our stove work?)

I started playing ball again, this is always something I have done except for the past couple of years in Edmonton, but I am really excited to be able to play at a level that I haven't been able to do.  I am looking forward to the day when I am more agile, quicker, and stronger on a bat than I was even in high school.  I am looking forward to the day that when I run around the bases I actually run around the bases.

Fear might start our motivation, but living is what keeps us motivated.  Motivation needs to arise out of a desire to achieve what you thought impossible.  Motivation is all about setting a goal, and pursuing it relentlessly until it is achieved.  Our motivation should be about LIVING LIFE WELL whatever that means to you.  For me the key to a life lived well, means that I become a healthy person (emotionally, physically and spiritually) so that I can do the things that I dream of, so that I can be the husband, the father, the leader, the man that I know I was created to be.

I am excited to share my week with you.  I had a great eating week, and I had a couple of dogged work-outs but I persevered.  I lost another 4.4 lbs which means that I broke through 380 this week and I now sit at 379.6lbs!

Thanks for following, I pray that somehow, somewhere you will find the motivation to change your life wherever it needs to be changed.

Talk to you all soon
Blake