Begin with the End in Mind

Three years ago, Thanksgiving weekend marks the time when I started thinking about making transformative change in deep, substantive ways.

I enjoyed the family holiday gatherings, but I felt terrible from the food. Food and leftovers tormented me for days before and after the holiday. This happened every year.

I was fed up – literally and figuratively. And, being fed up went far beyond the food.

All the lifestyle diseases that stem from obesity were becoming inevitable realities in my life. I felt heavy, achy, tired, and older than my years. This was not how I wanted to live.

To live, I needed new solutions to the lifelong struggles that plagued me around weight, health, and wellness. I had to face my shadows in new ways if I wanted to transform them. 

The food turbulence of that holiday season made getting successful traction less likely for myself. I gave myself a few weeks to reflect, plan, and learn before starting.

I knew I had to begin with the end in mind. I started asking myself: Why do I want to change? How do I want to live? What do I want to do?

The answers grounded me. I wanted to be healthy, to reverse lifestyle diseases, to prevent other diseases if possible, to feel good, to be active, to be more present in my own life. 

Most importantly, I wanted to be around for my children, family, and friends.

To do these things, I needed to change from the inside out. And, that started with dramatic changes to my food.

The food I eat permeates every aspect of my life. Understanding this cause-effect relationship is my most profound gain from weight loss. I felt this truth as I ran 7.5 miles yesterday.

My body felt strong as I met the challenges of the treadmill with a comfortable and natural stride. Four years ago, I could not run at all.

While running was not my end goal, the ability to run is a sign of the health I have gained. There are more important measures of my progress. 

The past few days have been surprisingly easy food days as I spend time with family. Foods and leftovers have not tormented me.

Not every day is a struggle anymore – even holidays that revolve around foods I no longer eat. 

I have felt fully present, enjoying the time with the people I love. The heavy shadows of food addiction have not controlled my holiday weekend.

Getting to this point took time. Not every day, weekend, or holiday goes this smoothly. But, sharing the successes is as important as sharing the struggles. 

Beginning with the end in mind helped me reach personal milestones. Taking the time to center your reasons for change may help you reach personal milestones, too.