Wednesday, January 24, 2007

COMMITMENT, The Key to Success

According to the Encarta Dictionary the word “Commitment” means, “Loyalty, devotion or dedication, for example, to a cause, person or relationship.”

What I have heard over and over again and found for myself, is that having a COMMITMENT to living a healthier lifestyle is the key for success. By focusing on that commitment you will do anything in your power to succeed.

Every morning for years I would wake up and say “today would be different.” My plan was to eat three healthy meals a day and exercise. I would eat a plain bagel or a small muffin with regular coffee for breakfast. An hour latter I was still hungry and have another small muffin with coffee and before I knew it the day took off and I was eating all the time. Around 5:30pm I would start exercising to get rid of all the calories I had consumed. Then I would eat a healthy dinner and get into bed so I would not continue eating. This process continued day after day.

Then one day I went to a 12 Step Recovery Meeting and heard everyone telling my story. The next day I called someone in the program and made a COMMITMENT to change my eating habits for one day. That was over eight years ago.

What I found that by making that commitment to change my eating habits was the key to my recovery. Even though I am following a healthy eating plan that works for me, my strong Commitment to not eat anything outside my plan is the only thing that maintains my recovery from compulsive overeating.

Some of the tools I use to maintain my commitment everyday are as follows:

Each morning before I get out of bed give myself a big hug and ask my Higher Power for the willingness to stay on my eating plan just for today.
Call a friend and share with them what is going on in my life.
At the end of each day acknowledge myself for my accomplishments and lessons learned.

Would love to learn what tools you have learned to help you stay on your journey of healthy eating.

I know together we can fight this obesity problem. Please let me know if you are interested in joining a group whose commitment is to educate people about what steps they can take to stop focusing on the food all day and start living a healthier lifestyle.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Helen, I will pass this on to my clients.

Anonymous said...

Helen,
Sounds like you have engage some good tools with your commitment, very good!
Yes, commitment is one of the keys to effective change process.
Thanks for visiting my blog, hope you stop by the next installment on change.