Guest Blogger: David from “Keep It Up David”

A few months ago I put a call out on twitter for people to put some words down to guest blog here on a Life Changing Journey. I love the idea of people jumping ship for a day and putting their thoughts over on someone else’s “home”. It’s about leaving your comfort zone. It’s about finding new readers. It’s about reaching out to someone that might just need to hear your words that wouldn’t have the opportunity.

I got a pretty good response. I have a file full of guest blogs ranging from people who have been on this journey for a long time and can throw back some wisdom for those coming behind them to those just taking their first few steps in the direction they deserve to travel and are a good reminder of where we can never return.

This is David’s post!

 David is one of those guys that when you start reading his blog you quickly want to know everything about him. From his long ass weight loss chart on his wall to his beautiful vegetables he uses when he cooks and let’s not forget his “What’s in the RediSetGo” Installation (which is up to 18 if you’re not following).

Here are some things you should know about David:

• His highest weight was 402 pounds.
• He doesn’t weigh that anymore!
• He was once a contestant on a game show!
• He’s appeared on the Ellen Show!
• He’s got mad veggie chopping skills.
• He’s not afraid to try any fruit/veggie (no seriously he’s not)
• His weight loss Mentor is uber awesome (keep reading)
• He’s lost the equivalent of 123 ipad2(s) or one Venus Williams
• He’s amazing…

Hello, lovely readers of A Life Changing Journey!  I’m David, and my blog is Keep It Up David, where I write about my own weight loss journey – I’ve lost over 160 pounds and counting, and I share everything: struggles, successes, recipes, workouts… I’m just tryin’ to keep myself going.  As Tara’s blog title says, getting healthy is a life changing journey, and I don’t wanna quit!

I’ve been reading A Life Changing Journey for months now, and I’m continually amazed at how Tara shares her life with such honesty and bravery.  This blog has, on multiple occasions, stopped me in my tracks and forced me to pick my jaw back up off the floor.  And it’s not just here, either – Tara has left a couple comments on my own blog that give me pause, make me think, and, on one occasion, given me a headache.

No joke.

Look, I just formatted that sentence Tara-style!  Sorry, Tara, I couldn’t resist.  Anyhoo – I thought I’d use this opportunity to talk about one of the things I get asked most about: motivation.  Just recently, I got a note from a reader that said, “How? I have no idea how you do it…I have a lot of will power, but can’t seem to keep myself motivated…Always struggled with my weight and still do…How do you stay so motivated?”

I’ll be the first to admit that my weight-loss journey, so far, has been extraordinary.  Losing the 160+ pounds that I’ve lost has been, without a doubt, the toughest thing I’ve ever done, and an incredible source of pride.  I think some people assume that one day I woke up, decided I was gonna lose a shit-ton of weight, and then did it.  But that’s not how it happened.

When I started making changes in my diet and exercise, I was terrified of failure.  I already thought of myself as a failure for being the size that I was (I got up to 402 pounds), and slimming down seemed so horribly daunting.  I used to think: What if I try to lose weight and I can’t do it?  It’s just another failure to add to the list.  I didn’t expect to be as successful as I’ve been – in fact, a part of me was certain that I was destined to be obese my whole life, and I was resigned to that.  I didn’t even set a goal until about 2 or 3 months in, because I was afraid I’d be setting myself up for failure.  But I started making changes anyway – small ones at first, like cutting back and eventually eliminating Diet Coke, trying to curb excessive snacking, trying to not to eat after 8pm, and then built on them, and soon, the weight starting coming off.  I also had (and still have) a kick-ass celebrity mentor (see who it is, and learn more about my relationship with him, here).

Those first few weeks were some of the toughest weeks, by far.  I kept myself motivated by focusing on the day-to-day steps I could take to be healthier, and not the whole huge big picture.  I didn’t wake up every morning and think about the hundreds of pounds that I needed to lose.  I woke up and thought about what I could do that day (like pack a healthy lunch and bring gym clothes so I can exercise after work) to make some progress.

Reprogramming your brain to focus on the little things and not the entirety of your weight problem is tough, but it can be done.  And that’s how I recommend anyone that wants to lose weight get started: pinpoint a few small things that you can do today (like taking a flight of stairs instead of an elevator, or drinking a glass of water before a meal so you don’t eat as much) and DO THEM.  DO THEM EVERY DAY.  After a couple days, add a few more things, and a few days after that, add a few more things, and so on.  Little things add up.  They really do.

Lately, I’ve been struggling with motivation.  I’ve lost and gained the same 3 or 4 pounds over and over again for the past 5 months, and it’s frustrating.  When I was regularly losing weight, I could use last week’s loss as a motivator for the next week, but that’s not an option when you’re plateauing.  So now, despite the 160+ pounds that I’ve lost, I’ve found myself reverting to the same thought cycles I had when I started all this:  What can I do today that pushes me a little further, a little harder?  Can I find or create a new healthy recipe to liven up a food that’s starting to bore me?  Can I go for 5 minutes longer than I was planning at the gym?  Thinking along these lines works for me, because they’re creating tiny little goals that are achievable, and the sense of satisfaction that comes with having a successful day ends up being a huge motivator.  Even if I don’t lose weight one week, I can celebrate that I lasted 3 more minutes than I expected to on the StairMaster, or resisted junk food at a party.  Those things matter.

I’m gonna end this guest post the same way I end every post on my own blog: with a simple message to myself that sums up everything I’ve accomplished so far, and everything I’ll accomplish in the future:

Keep it up, David.