An Unusual First Question from My Trainer

Where will your feet take you today? 

This is what my fitness coach asked me on my first day, sitting in his office at the gym.  “What has that got to do with my weight loss?” I asked. 

His answer surprised me.  It was enough to get my feet jogging not walking.  Basically, he wanted me to get honest with myself. 

“Didn’t you have dreams when you were a kid?” he poked me.

In my youth, life was vibrant.  Dreams were approachable.  Fun was integrated into life.  Today, it’s traffic, deadlines, coffee breaks (instead of recess), work attire, bosses (instead of teachers), sitcoms in the evening, and chores on the weekends.  Life had disintegrated the fun that had been integrated.

My fitness trainer had me thinking about my dreams again, because to him those dreams had everything to do with my eventual weight loss.  Weight loss is not about getting thinner or healthier.  It is about getting a lifestyle that mirrors my dreams. 

Okay.  I get it. 

Having a happier, more engaging life, doesn’t have to be – and shouldn’t be -- tied to my weight loss.  In other words, I don’t have to lose weight first, then change my lifestyle to fit my dreams.  Instead, move my lifestyle toward my dreams, then lose the weight.  Hmmm.

This simple concept did wonders in my head before embarking on a diet and  exercise program.  It helped me approach this thing called weight loss without the burden of having to prove myself first.  It gave me permission, rather the obligation, to change my lifestyle now, and not to wait until I had reached a certain weight loss goal.

I Tried Something Totally Different For Me

One thing I did that even my son questioned me about.  I took up drumming.  I decided to fill an opening to play in the band at my church.  Something totally different for me.   But, it was a hidden dream of sorts.  What it did was integrate a larger vision of myself than just becoming a thinner guy.  It expanded my weight loss goals to a new vision for myself. 

A lifestyle shift took place.  My trainer’s advice made sense, because in the long run, I had to have the ability to keep my weight off.  A lifestyle change has kept it off.

The reason his question was so big and important, Where will your feet take you today?, is that it allowed my weight loss goals to be supported by long term, sustainable, to be ongoing. 

His One Question Revamped My Thinking

If weight were my only desire, then because it’s so small a part of life, that I end up reducing life to weight.  It really is belittling of the human spirit.

My trainer emphasized, “This is your one and only life.  What do you want from it?”  You want the self-confidence that comes from achieving your dreams, your personal goals, be it taking up photography, traveling, playing tennis.  You want to live the life that is active and fulfilling.  Me, I wanted to play the drums in a band.  I’m doing that now.  I am so glad I was pushed to answer this question before pushing myself to lose weight. Before doing anything else, it’s important to ask yourself this one question.