Change

I read something that absolutely shocked me yesterday.  According to the article, "Medical studies have shown that even though people who have had heart-bypass surgery are told that they must change their lifestyle or die, about 90 percent do not change.  Typically, 2 years after surgery the patients haven't altered their lifestyle.  It seems that most would rather die than change."

You would think that a major surgery like heart-bypass would be THE wake-up call and that, post surgery, individuals would be motivated to do whatever was necessary to stay healthy, but that's not the way it works.

The article didn't say why people don't change their lifestyle, so I'm going to do a bit of speculation.  My guess is that these individuals think their problem has been fixed, and since they are focused on fixing a problem rather than creating a new, healthy life for themselves, they go right back to what they were doing that got them into trouble in the first place.  Even though they are told they will die if they don't change their lifestyle, the immediate problem that led to the bypass (chest pain, etc.) is gone, so the sense of urgency isn't there.  For these heart patients, what they wanted was to fix the issue with their heart, and once the problem is solved (in their mind), there is no motivation to change their lifestyle. 

Motivation is never, ever sustained by fixing a problem; it will only be sustained by focusing on something we want to create, and it has to be something that we REALLY want.

That's why diets don't work, because diets are focused on fixing a problem - the number on the scale, the too-tight clothes (or clothes in a size we don't want), or the bad lab report from the doctor.  Focusing on what we don't want won't keep us motivated, or moving forward.  According to studies, 85% of dieters regain the weight they lost, plus additional weight, within two years.  The statistics aren't on our side! 

Like me, you probably started this program hoping to fix a problem - it's almost always something negative that prompts us to finally start a weight loss program.  However, if you want this to ultimately be more than just another failed diet in a long line of failed diets, it's important that you begin to shift your focus from what you're trying to move away from to what you're moving towards.

In his book, Dr. A's Habits of Health, Take Shape for Life/Medifast's Medical Director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen details the phases of this program that follow getting to a healthy weight: transition to healthy eating, developing habits of health for life, optimizing our age, and living a longer, healthier life.  These steps keep us focusing on what's next and enable us to continue to create health in our lives. 

The article I quoted at the beginning of this blog said that most heart-bypass patients would rather die than change their lifestyle.  What about you?  Is this program a quick fix for you, or are you ready to change your lifestyle and create something amazing in your life?  The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)