Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Lion-Hearted


It’s a myth, you know, that overweight people suffer from low self-esteem more than the rest of the population. In fact, psychological tests given to overweight folks have proven that obese individuals are, on balance, just as mentally healthy (or unhealthy) as anyone else. There’s no support for the idea that overeating is generally associated with poor mental or emotional health. Quite the opposite, actually; many slim people who were interviewed said they wouldn’t have the courage to go out if they were obese. They’d simply stay at home and hide their fat faces.

Think about it: you get up every morning, get out of bed and face the world head-on. You accept strangers’ stares, children’s cruel comments and friends’ “helpful” advice, all with a wane smile and gentle good grace. You’ve recognized the inner demons that have put you in the state you’re in, and you’re going about doing something about it. You’re getting your life in check, as well as providing emotional support for others who are also getting their lives in check.

Here’s my point: you’re not weak.

Here’s my second point (and this may sting a little): you’ve got to get stronger.

You’ve got to get stronger because this is a long, uphill climb, and it will take its toll on you, both mentally and physically. You’ve got to get stronger because time is not on your side, and Life will jump up and throw hurdle after hurdle after hurdle in your path. You’ve got to get stronger because me and everyone else that follows your story aren’t going to be satisfied until you reach your goals.

We’ve all got our own ways of fighting this fight, our own methods to this madness. You may cut carbs, she may count calories, he may swim 50 laps a day, I may simply try to eat smarter and exercise more. There’s no one way–no right way–to get there from here.

But ask yourself this: Am I really doing all I can to succeed?

If you can honestly say “yes,” then God bless you, but I suspect that you’re in the minority if that’s truly the case. I know this is going to sound… well, funny… coming from a guy named Jack Sh*t who spends half his day telling fart jokes and making kooky lists, but you’ve got to get serious about this if you want to find the success you claim you want. You need to shift it into high gear, and start getting it done, and I mean like, today. You can half-ass it for as long as you want, but the real results aren’t going to happen for you until you knuckle down. Until you get serious.

There is a lion in my heart, and he’s roaring at the fat that I’ve saddled myself with by being stupid and lazy. Roaring at the complacency that allowed me to put my own health and future in jeopardy. He’s roaring at me every day, filling my spirit with grit and reminding me that this is my day, this is my time. He’s pushing me to run wild and pounce on this chance, this opportunity to reclaim my life.

This journey is not for the weak or the meek; it is for the strong-willed and the lion-hearted.

It’s time for you to roar.

65 comments:

  1. I am blogger, hear me roar!
    Jack, you are 'da man!

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  2. I am feeling more like a little kitty cat than a lion today. I will be giving your question, "Am I really doing all I can?" a lot of thought this afternoon.

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  4. This was great, Jack. Powerful. The paragraph beginning “If you can honestly say “yes,”” is my favorite. Good solid advice!

    --Susan

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  5. Great post! I think that was a nice way of telling people to get their sh*t together. lol

    Raawwrrrrr!

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  6. I am shocked by your serious post haha. But good points :-)

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  7. Absolutely wonderful. You're so right on so many different levels. The excuses, rationalizations, and the blame game must go before real consistent success can happen---They must be replaced with self-honesty and personal responsibility.
    We're so on the same page here...the page where many successful transformers reside, because there's no substitute for these universal truths.
    Love this post. Thank you for writing it. Now come on, tweet something that makes me shoot my green tea out of my nose---Please!!

    My best
    Sean

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  8. Am I doing everything I possibly could? No. Probably not. Scratch that. Definitely not. But I'm finding a balance between getting healthier and living my life while I do it. Admittedly some days I'm more balanced that others, but I don't want to put my life on hold while I do this - might as well enjoy the ride. But damn it - my little lion is always roaring - even when other stuff tries to drown it out!

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  9. Great Post!!

    Oh, I thought of another Elvis title:

    "In The Buffet"

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  10. Nice... but I'd have gone with: "In The Gelato"

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  11. Great post as always. In addition to your wisdom, you answered my burning question of "Who has time to sit around thinking up all these fart jokes and weird list?" Now I know.

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  12. Amen, Brother! Being over-weight builds a tough hide.

    But still one you have get up off of to lose.

    More Elvis: Don't Be Cruel...I ain't half full.

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  13. I was just thinking last night that I could be doing more toward my weight loss efforts. Great minds think alike.

    That's some good sh*t, Jack.

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  14. I'm on it (and your medal is in the post)!

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  15. GREAT post Jack. I'm ROARIN' here in San Diego!

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  16. This is an excellent post! Successful weight loss and maintenance really does come down to ceasing the self-bullshit and excuses. And enabling. But kicking oneself in the ass (several times, to keep the inner child huddled in a corner) is the single kindest act you can do for yourself.

    *applause*

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  17. love love this ... so hate the helpful advice... oh and the food police...

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  18. So true. I need to start letting my lion roar a little more.

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  19. How very Narnia of you my friend.
    My lion's name is Aslan...

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  20. Thanks for posting this. I needed to hear this after the crappy day I had yesterday.

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  21. Denial used to be my constant companion. But no more. Your posts are always what I need--either something ridiculously hysterical or super serious. I'm so glad I have found other people who are losing weight the old fashioned way. Have a great day Jack.

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  22. I tried to ROAR at last night's cake temptation, but I lost that battle (just being greedy). I will do better next time! Rrrrr!

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  23. This post is awesome and thank you for writing it. I'm totally with you on overweight people and their self esteem issues being no deeper than anyone else's. Ours are just more obvious!

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  24. Great inspirational post. Follow me at: http://losingweightafter45isabitch.blogspot.com/

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  25. Great post! I like the visual picture of the roaring lion. You gotta roar to be heard!

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  26. Great post and one that put my gnat-like attention span aside long enough to read the entire thing. That's really saying something!

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  27. Nice perspective and very insightful. Thanks, I needed to read this and the timing couldn't have been better!

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  28. I think this is the most powerful post you have ever written. I couldn't agree more.

    I think I'm weak so often, but I'm far from weak. Sometimes I may be dense and need someone to hit me in the head with a 2 x 4 to wake me up.

    This post's timing is perfect for me as well. I have just decided it's time to re-evaluate, update my goals, and do some serious tweaking.

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  29. I am not doing everything I can, for sure. But today is a new day. Thanks for the support and the mind-set readjustment.

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  30. Thanks, Jack. Much needed. Even got you a post all of your own (more or less) on my blog.

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  31. Love this inspirational post, albeit a little corny--but hey, the lion king was a great flick. Giving it your all is important, but it's necessary to not be a perfectionist either.

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  32. Many fatties (me ;() looked in the mirror and saw a fitter self than was true, causing higher self esteem. Sort of a backwards anarexia

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  33. How have I not found your blog before now?!? Saw my followers go up to 23 and there you were. Great post. Read the previous ones and laughed. I needed that. Thanks, Jack. I'll definitely be back.

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  34. This is what I needed to hear today. Thanks for tellin' it like it is. Rawr!

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  35. This is very true and it has taken me some time to realise that I have been doing very little in my attempt to lose weight but as you say that is changing today.

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  36. MEOW!!! Interesting points and dead on. Very incouraging blog :)

    Nina

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  37. Amen.

    Great quote:

    Being overweight is hard.
    Losing weight is hard.
    Maintaining is hard.
    Pick your hard.

    Is this hard? Hell, yes! Is it 100% without-a-doubt worth it? Absolutely.

    I need to think of a name for my lionesse!

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  38. What a brilliant post. This really resonates with me as I joined the gym yesterday. I put it off for literally years - no more excuses, right? So what if I'm the fattest chick there? If I gave a rats about what people thought of my body I wouldn't have let myself get fat in the first place.

    I'm going to add you to my reading list.

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  39. Fantastic! Bravo! This post is completely true. It's not that heavy people are weaker than "normal" people. It just may be we have to work harder. Sucks, but that's life.

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  40. Been out-of-pocket for a bit but came back to THIS great missive. GOOD CHALLENGES and great post. Thanks, Jack!

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  41. this is an awesome empowering post and oh so true...thank you

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  42. I'm definitely de-railed right now. And if this post can't get me back on track, well...

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  43. This was exactly what I needed to hear today. My inner lioness was taking a cat nap, but she's up and baring her teeth now.

    RAWR!!!!

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  44. I must be the world's biggest narcisscist because it always seems like you are writing these serious inspirational posts just for me.

    (And I love ya for it!)

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  45. you know..that post you wrote about everyone has their ah-ha moment? i've read about it before and just shrugged it off cuz i never had mine.

    i think i just did.

    thank you Jack.
    xo

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  46. Holy crap, that was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I have been half-assing WW for months now, bitching and moaning about the fact that "oh boohoo, I gained." WELL DUH, of course I gained- I haven't been exercising at all!

    Thank you for being so damn honest. ROOOOOOOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! :)

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  47. blooming brilliant !! Oh how bl@@dy true !! Thanks for that....its just what I need x

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  48. All these wonderful comments are going to make me have to do more serious posts. Don't you realize farting out stupid posts is so much easier (and fun)?

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  49. um.. wow. did you read mine before this?? I don't think so. My blog is Amos the Lion Heart (the quest for a lion heart..) and I just whined pitifully and pukily all over my blog yesterday.

    I SOOO needed this response. Thanks to Lisa for pointing it out to me.

    wow.

    keep up with the stupid farts.. it makes these serious ones so much more a good slap in the face when we don't expect them. :D

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  50. rawr.

    man i definitely came late to this one!

    i do have to be stronger. something i AM actually working on this week actually...

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  51. Excellent post, especially the 2nd point. Building mental and emotional strength was a key for my success. The good news is that once you get out of your own way, momentum will do a lot of the work for you.

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  52. Any post with a picture of a kitty gets my attention.

    Thanks for the kick in the pants :)

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  53. RRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  54. I love when you make me laugh but I love the serious posts even more. You are brilliant. I'm trying to roar but all I can manage is "meow." I'm working on it though.

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  55. Wow that was inspiring and motivating. Bra-vo! *claps*

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