Just Call Me "Rutter"

One of the reasons I post a blog almost every day is because I know how wonderful and freeing it is to reach goal and I want to help others experience that same joy.  By sharing from my own experience and what I learned along the way, my hope is to smooth the path for those who are still on their own journey.

Although I'm not a sailor, I have many friends who enjoy sailing and boating and I'm always appreciative for the opportunities to spend time on the water with them.  I'm fascinated by the way they are able to navigate over open water, knowing where they are and - important to me! - how to get back to where we launched.

I was intrigued to read about navigation during the era of great sea explorations in the 15th and 16th centuries, when sailing ships traveled over hazardous oceans and navigated dangerous coastlines.  According to the article I read, "pilots used various navigation techniques - including a book called a "rutter" (not the "rudder," the ship's steering device).  This was a log of events kept by earlier voyagers who chronicled their encounters with previously unknown and difficult waters.  By reading the sailing details in a rutter, captains could avoid hazards and make it through difficult waters."

A rutter . . . in a way, I guess that's what I am, and what other health coaches, are.  Having navigated the waters of 5&1, Transition and Maintenance, we do our best to point out the danger zones so that you can have smooth sailing.  One of the things we continue to do is urge people to stay on plan and not cheat.  This advice sometimes generates discussion, but we repeat that encouragement over and over again because, base on our own experience and what we've observed, we know that staying on plan is the only 100% guaranteed way to avoid shipwreck on this program.  Staying on plan will keep you in the deep waters and away from the rocks and other things that could potentially sink your weight loss ship. 

I have talked to far too many people who have gone off plan for one reason or another and ended up struggling mightily to get back on and stay on.  The decision to go off plan has resulted in far too many people taking two or three times longer to reach their goal, and sadly some never reach their goal. 

With Memorial Day weekend over and summer officially kicked off, some of you will find this time of year easy to stay on plan and others will be continually challenged due to cookouts, vacations, graduation open houses, weddings . . . Every time of year brings its own set of challenges and every season holds a myriad of reasons to go off plan, if that's what you decide to do.  What will ultimately make the difference between reaching your goal and potentially not doing so are the choices you will make. 

I encourage you to open your "rutter log" and learn from those who have already navigated these waters.  We've reached the other side and are here to help you safely cross as well.  Of course, the choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)