Overcoming Obstacles

I have written and re-written this blog post more times than I can count. It is ironic that probably one of the most needed posts to be written has become the hardest for me to pen, because it is about overcoming discouragement and because it is so very personal.

Throughout my odyssey in which I have endeavored to lose weight, there have been many ups and downs. Having never felt like this phrase accurately applied to anything else, I can truly say I have literally put “my blood, sweat, and tears” into this journey. Even though almost a year later I can look back over that span of time and see how great my sacrifices have been, they have all been very worth it. But the success I have achieved thus far does not exempt me from feeling discouraged and isolated.

Over the past year there have been times when I have cried tears of joy at hitting a goal and sobbed at the desire to be like a “normal-sized” person one day. I have bleed due to user error of gym equipment or scraping myself on a hike and bleed due to injuries sustained while striving to lose weight. The sweat has come the easiest of them all; I have sweated in the gym, at the park, on the side of a mountain, traversing down the walking trail, and while walking up to the scale every week.

It was all worth it!

Almost every week in the first nine months of my weight-loss journey I watched more pounds melt away each week, with the intent of never finding them again. However, around the ninth month something happened, something I had been warned would eventually happen, but it never seemed to come – but it did.

I reached my first weight-loss plateau.

For about four weeks I struggled to lose eight-tenths to four-tenths of a pound. With each passing week I felt the discouragement settle in and the feeling that I was all alone took root a little deeper, a little more each time. Having simmered in this discouragement for close to a month, I decided to finally seek the counsel of my personal trainer, revealing my thoughts of giving-up. He lovingly admonished and questioned me about not coming to him sooner, but he also helped put me at ease with myself. Not only did he kindle a recommitted spirit in me focused on the goals that I was determined to achieve, but he encouraged me to share my struggles with my closest support team members.

The following is an excerpt from an email from a friend which I received in response to sharing my struggles:

“The same Power that rolled away the stone, and left an empty tomb; the same Power that repeatedly performed and performs healing; the same Power that gave us this life to live on earth temporarily, is still at work today! Whenever I start to become discouraged, I start thinking about the fact that I not only have a friendship and relationship with the Savior of the world, but that I have given my life to Him. How could we worry? How could we be anxious? How could we be discouraged? He loves us, and gave up everything for us, and has promised us an eternally perfect plan and life with Him. When I feel my senses taking over, or feel my ship sinking, I remember that my Courage is not breakable, sinkable, or able to be overtaken. Worry and anxiety are down-payments on problems we may never have. Even when we do hit a plateau, we can remember that our feelings cannot forecast the future, only God's Spirit can. When we feel the ship may be going down, our Courage can always be up; the essence of faith! The bottom line for me is always: My faith in Jesus cannot live in the same heart with worry, anxiety, or discouragement. It just can't!”

We live in a world plagued with instability and ruled by forces beyond our control. At times it is difficult to remain positive and encouraged, especially when you originally had the illusion that you were in complete control of a specific situation. After reading my friend’s encouraging email, I could feel the chains of my discouragement and isolation breaking and falling off. These were the major lessons I learned: First, you cannot achieve anything on your own volition, especially while excluding God. Second, the feeling of isolation is merely an illusion and there are people willing to help you if they knew you were in need. Finally, hard work and perseverance always pay the highest dividends in the long run.

As of the posting of this blog, I have gotten rid of 195 lbs. in 50 weeks!