Posted by Pam Turner on 5/7/2008, 10:43 am
Message modified by board administrator 12/23/2010, 8:04 am
When you looked in the mirror this morning, what did you see? Where you pleased with your reflection, or did you spend 5 to 10 minutes focused on all your flaws...weight being the main one? Maybe you didn't look at all.
When I was at my heaviest I had an experience that has stuck with me all these years. I want to share it with you. I had a bad tooth. I had procrastinated going in to the dentist (don't we all?) and finally had to accept the fact that I needed to go in when one of my molars cracked while eating a hot dog bun! As I sat in the dentist chair he began to look around in my mouth and I could tell from his face that it wasn't going to be good news. He told me that I had cavities in my front teeth! I was shocked when he told me that so he then asked me a question I will never forget. As he held up the mirror and started showing me the holes in my front teeth he asked me, "Don't you ever look in the mirror?" I realized that the answer to his question was "no". I had avoided my reflection for so long that I had actually not noticed holes in my teeth. It goes without saying that I obviously had not been smiling at myself when I did look! I was so ashamed. He held up the mirror to show me my teeth, but what he showed me was my pain. To this day I still struggle with the fillings I have had to replace half a dozen times in those teeth because they don't hold very well. A little reminder for me.
Many of us want to lose weight to look better. Appearance is important to our self esteem, but
let's not forget the health benefits of weight loss. I think that when we are young our looks are top priority, but as we get older we realize that our health is far more important and should not be ignored. I have a friend that is about 220 pounds overweight. She is 25 years old and has been overweight most of her life. She suffers no negative health effects from her weight. She has normal blood pressure, blood sugar, no aches or pains, she can run endlessly and works out like an Olympic athlete! In her mind she sees herself as invincible and it has made it easy for her to justify remaining obese. Don't get me wrong...she is miserable with her weight and the fact that it has prevented her from many opportunities in her life including finding a mate so emotionally she has suffered greatly, but when we talk about it and I try to get her to understand the damage that her weight is doing to her she brushes it off by replying how "healthy" she is and that she doesn't want to discuss it. My fear for her is that in most cases serious health damage related to obesity is often invisible until it is too late to correct it. She has had some hormonal problems recently that are weight related, but it is almost like she is waiting for something major to go wrong before she will seriously face her situation.
Most people are not that fortunate. Health issues can kick in with as little as 30 excess pounds. Wear and tear of being overweight is cumulative and should be prevented at all costs. Diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are three of the most common problems, but obesity effects every system of your body. Don't wait for the health crisis to occur to finally commit to your diet. Start walking on the path towards optimal health and the happiness that comes with it. Cambridge is a gift to those of us who have spent a lifetime dieting with little to show for it. You will get the results you need with Cambridge! You can turn your health around and avoid a future spent trying to do damage control. Don't fool yourself in to thinking that medical science has a pill to correct what may be ahead of you. Prevention is the key to health and it is never too late to start.
Picture yourself walking along a road. You come to a fork and you must choose which way you will go. To the right you see a smooth bright path that leads to a future of robust health, happiness, adventure, fun, fulfillment, and confidence. To the left is a bumpy road full of rocks and potholes. It is dark so you can't always see what is ahead. You constantly stumble on unexpected health crises that require detours to doctors and hospitals. You are scared and ashamed that you choose this path, but you can't find your way out through the maze of confusing and conflicting medical advice that has you convinced that you are hopelessly doomed to this destination. If you have been on the left path, it is not too late to find your way back. I did! Cambridge is the key to the shortcut. The past 8 years have been the best for me so far and I credit Cambridge for helping me find my way. I would still be 300+ pounds...if I was still alive which is doubtful...and trapped in my misery and pain.
For those of you reading this who are already on your way to losing the weight and regaining your health, congratulations! You have wonderful things ahead of you! If you are still trying to decide what to do then please know this...You CAN lose the weight, you Can take control of your health, and you CAN change the course of your future starting today! With Cambridge the journey is just as exciting as the destination. You will enjoy your experience losing your weight and be excited about the changes you will see and feel every day. It is exhilarating to take control of your life! When you reach your goal you will have the satisfaction and pride of knowing that you did it yourself. There is a lot to be said for taking responsibility for yourself and not giving it over to someone else. This is your life and your body. Make it in to what you want it to be and leave the weight behind like a worn out pair of shoes. Your future is waiting!
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