Friday, March 7, 2008

Triggers

OK, so I didn't mean to come accross so uncompassionate in my last post. As I've mentioned in a recent post I'm just writing on whims....so let me finish...try to finish, my feelings about my own weight loss and how important it is to me to extend a message of compassion and hope.

So, I think we all agree that when it comes to the physical part of losing weight, we all know how to do it....stop doing what is making us fat. Live within our calories, and move our bodies more. But a comment left from my last post brought to mind that the challenge those of us have with weight loss isn't physical...it's mental. And if you've never been fat, you really can only approach it from the physical....and that's why I'm different. I can relate to the part that's mental.

And the mental part, because we all have our own history, our own "stories", our own lives, is as different and individual as each one of us. So what is really meant when some one asks the question..."How did you lose all of that weight?"

Upon further reflection, it is my opinion that what is really meant by that is not, how did you physically do that, but what changed in your head? The question really is, "What finally motivated you to make the physical changes?" Motivation is not a physical thing it is a mental thing. Again as different and individual as each of us.

The reason why we ask the questions, the reason we read blogs and watch programs, read articles about weight loss is that we are hoping that something, what, we don't know exactly, but something, that will trigger motivation. Something that is said, something that is seen, that turns that light bulb on.

For me the exact moment was when my coworker told me about a weight loss bet, based on the TV show Biggest Loser, (I hate, I mean I dislike, the name of that show BTW), that triggered something in my head that turned on that light bulb, that somehow gave me the motivation to get up the next morning...go on a 2 mile walk, start making and eating all of my own foods. That was my trigger.

Triggers can be an example we want to duplicate, like success stories. Maybe how some one eats or what they eat can trigger desire to do better. How someone looks or performs athletically will trigger a desire to do better. Or maybe it's just a happy positive outlook on life that triggers us to want more, to do better.

Or, triggers can be examples we don't want to duplicate, like illness and depression. Again, seeing unhealthiness in others, loss of mobility, or misery. Those triggers can motivate us to want better for ourselves too.

So I conclude, that if I can say something, do something, show something that can or will potentially trigger positive change, then I feel grateful. And that's what it's about for me. And I'll talk, and I'll write and I'll continue to live by example, and I'll keep sharing what all of this means to me in the hopes of this continual forward journey in knowing and recognizing my good life.

14 comments:

Bill Fox said...

That's good stuff Tracy. I still look at all the "fitness" mags, fitness artilces in other mags, even watch dumb infomercials, even though 99% of it has zero to do with how I train. People always want to know if a certain book is "worth it". Is ETK "worth" $25. If something gets you psyched to keep training, gives you the will power to think "I don't really want to eat that", then it's worth it. The PX90 infomercial is pretty good.

Ciao Bella said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ciao Bella said...

Tracy,

You are so right about the triggers. I also for look triggers that keep firing. :D It's easier for me to get going than it is for me to KEEP going. Hence, the reason I love to read blogs, look at success stories and follow people who are on the "right" track.

Tamikka

Last post removed for typo.

Franklin said...

Tracy, when I just saw the picture of your previous self at the top of the post, I just started crying ... you are incredible and an inspiration to so many.

Unknown said...

You look younger now. Lots of hard work in those 3 years. Nice Job.

leslie said...

Wow! That's it. Just wow!

Gabi said...

This is a very good point. Everybody knows about the benefits of being fit and eating healthy, also the dangers of being sedentary and overweight, blah, blah. They see the facts, they see the logic. But still, they won't change their lives until something, a "trigger", makes them get involved emotionally, too. It is not enough for motivation to simply _know_, one needs to _feel_, no matter if it is fear or desire.
Another good question is (maybe for another blog post coming? :)), as Tamikka pointed out, how to turn an initial (often very short-lived) flame into a burning fire that lasts long enough to bring results - especially because, as I think about it, modern life doesn't actually encourage perseverance, it makes you believe you can/should get everything immediately. (Like credit cards enable you to buy things you can't actually afford yet. Also, there's liposuction, and so on.) Investing time, a.k.a. patience, is somehow out of most equations...

Tracy Reifkind said...

Bill,

I can't tell how many times I am triggered to do some crazy ass training stunt, because of someone elses blog....1500 swings, LOL It wasn't my idea!

Tracy Reifkind said...

Tamikka,

Hmmm...easier to get going than to keep going? Wow, I never thought about that.

Maybe boredom, or not fast enough results would cause me to stop once I started. I tend to stay motivated by postive results.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Frankiln,

I will be posting more before pictures of myself, for that exact reason.

The problem is that,#1 I didn't exactly beg to have my picture taken during those times in my life, lol, and #2 I didn't have a digital camera back then either, so scanning and other mehtods are a bit more time consuming.

Thank you for the compliment.

Tracy Reifkind said...

soccer,

It never hurts to look younger! I did have someone tell me that I looked like I was in my 30's...hey, I'll take it!

Tracy Reifkind said...

Leslie,

When are we having a pressure cooker party? Vegetarian chili, tons of veggie soups, and chicken stock (I mean veggie stock, sorry!)in a fraction of time!

Tracy Reifkind said...

Gabi,

"Turning an initial flame into a burning fire"...I'm going to use that phrase! I like it. It will make a good blog post...soon.

J.B. said...

I started to write a big diatribe inspired by your post, but I decided it was better served as a post on my blog. Fantastic work. Truly amazing stuff.