No matter how much fiction a movie contains, there’s always a chance to pick up real-life lessons or useful insights that teach valuable things about life. And if the iconic phrase at the top of this post doesn’t ring a bell, it’s from the movie “Law Abiding Citizen”.
In this movie, the main character is determined to see two criminals convicted for killing his wife and young daughter. The DA, personally handling the case, strikes a deal: the full penalty for one of the accused and a third-degree charge for the other. Meaning death row for one and at most five years for the other. Clyde (Gerard Butler), heartbroken and tearful, pleads for the chance to testify and convince the jury of what he witnessed. The DA warns him of the risks and insists this outcome is a victory. Clyde disagrees and keeps fighting to bring justice to both offenders. That’s when the DA delivers the memorable line: “It’s not what you know… it’s what you can prove in court!”
Enough about the movie! If you want to see more and find out what that phrase did to Clyde, go watch it. Now, let’s talk about how this relates to our weight loss goals.
I have a friend who is obese, like me, and finds losing weight very difficult, just as I do. He’s quite negative about fitness because he believes that for people like us, losing weight is far too hard and, more importantly, even if we manage to shed some pounds, we’ll soon gain it all back; possibly with extra weight on top of what we started. Although it’s a pessimistic way of thinking, I can’t help but see some truth in his opinion.
The fitness industry is living proof that my friend has a point. How many people do you know who start a diet to reach a goal, only for the pounds to return once the goal is met? As my friend noted, sometimes they come back with a vengeance.
What can we do? Are we doomed to this vicious cycle of losing weight and gain it all back again and again?
Here I have an idea that can be useful to people like us. And let me start by rephrasing our famous header:
IT’S NOT THE POUNDS THAT YOU LOSE, IT’S THE WEIGHT THAT YOU KEEP!
With that being said, let me tell you that it will be better to lose 10 pounds and keep them off that losing 20 pounds and gain them back in a couple of months.
Here’s the idea: imagine you lose 15 pounds in a month, no small feat, and now you’re at 200 pounds. Give yourself a couple of weeks to adjust to this new weight. During this time, keep a close eye on your 200 pounds, and if you notice a two-pound gain, take action to lose it and get back to your new base weight of 200 pounds.
I truly believe that after two weeks of fine-tuning, you’ll be ready to set, achieve, and maintain another weight loss goal.
Good Luck!
THE HETA BLOG 