Relish the Struggle

Artist unknown

Some people might think I am crazy for thinking the way I do, but to me it's not achieving that defines success, it's the perpetual struggle toward a goal, a person's perseverence despite the greatest odds, that chisels out of our formless mass a strong and well defined character. As in this on-going battle against the pounds, so too with all other aspects of life, I don't want to be at the top of that mountain, because up there, people get lost in the meaninglessness of their lives.

You have achieved, therefore what is there to fight for? You have overcome all challenges and barriers, therefore now all there is to do is sit there and rot on your high position. In the days of ancient Mexico, when the Spaniards invaded, there was a great story unfolding in the midst of the protagonists involved: Moctezuma, Cortez, Malinali.

One was the product of a group which had achieved their goals and was sitting on a high and mighty throne...rotting away. Moctezuma had no where else to go. He was emperor of all. He had no purpose but to get fat off of his riches.

The other was a nobody compared to his magnificence, Moctezuma. Nonetheless, Cortez was destined to be at the right place at the right time, with the right people to assist him achieve his wildest fantasies.

And he did. Yet as soon as he reached the very top of that colosal pyramid that controlled Mesoamerica, and became a great man, he was quickly reduced by his own patrons and reminded of his status as a virtual nobody. He was not given a throne in Mexico, not even a thanks, because he had served his purpose and there was nothing else he could achieve for them or for himself. And he died like the simple merchant/mercenary/sailor that he was.

Malinali's successes, as well, were tied to the conquest. She was a slave who was given to the invaders as a gift among other sex slaves. But she aided the Spaniards well in more ways than one, and they loved her for this. However, as soon as her services as interpreter in tri-lingual conversations were able to be provided by other Spaniards, she was tossed away, like a used rag for washing in others' hands. She was reduced back to her slave status.

Why the history lesson? Because I am a history buff. But the point is, it happens time and time again. Look at great boxers, like Mani Pacquiao. When they are coming up, everyone is exited about their prospects and how they will perform against the current "best" or the champions of the day. But as soon as they reach that summit, the conversation shifts, and the expectation becomes a question of when they will fall, and at the hands of which new up-and-coming challenger?

Once you reach the top, there is nothing left but to fall again.

When speaking of weightloss, it is important to prepare for this possible eventuality. It is not beneficial to "go on a diet" at any time in your life. Diets have a starting point and an ending point. What happens at the end? Statistically, most people rebound right back to their decadent ways and to even greater weight gain than when they started their "diet".

If you want to lose weight and be able to keep it off for good, or for a long time, you absolutely must frame the goal in your head as a lifestyle change.

This involves planning.

Plan what foods you can rely on to quell sudden cravings for decadent treats. For instance, keep peanuts with you everywhere you go. Whether at your office or in your car. Women can carry little packs of peanuts in their purses. Keep bottled water at hand always. When thinking of eating a meal, don't leave the planning phase for when you are hungry and just got an hour or half an hour to eat. Plan your meal at least one day ahead of time.

What fruits are you fond of? Are they the more sugary type? Try sticking to apples, pears, berries and any fruit which contains a lot of seeds or edible peal. As for veggies, if you are the type that never eats that stuff, that is simply because you have only been exposed to a certain variety of vegetables.

Go to your supermarket and take a few more minutes in your shopping routine to look through the variety of veggies available. Buy small amounts of as many as you can so that you can try each one out and determine which one you like and can treat as your default veggie. You NEED to have a go-to veggie and protein source/"good" fat in every meal so that you can help yourself feel fuller longer and enjoy the health benefits that comes from this meal combination.

And, by all means, try to stay away from the soda pop. This is the toughest thing to do. I struggle with this a whole lot. I will be treating this topic on another post.

That's all for now. Peace.