Friday, March 6, 2009

Continued Personal Growth

I have been dissatisfied with my weight for a very long time..... I have been thinking about this lately, since the challenge came out on kwoon talk, and I think that I may have myself figured out.

I am a very healthy person. I have very few health problems and the ones that I have are manageable. I am a very active person, my body allows me to do the many things that I enjoy. I can do Kung Fu for hours, I can run a half marathon, I can bike, roller blade, swim, and power walk without any physical consequences. I eat a healthy diet that focuses on fresh fruits and veggies with healthy carbs and protein for energy and muscle building. I sometimes wonder why I am not satisfied?

No one I know identifies with me based on my weight. Friends, family and colleagues comment on my dedication, commitment, leadership skills, and positive impact on my community. People who care about me say, 'Hey, you're amazing, sometimes I wish I had your dedication.' So why do I focus/obsess on how I look? No one else seems to care. My most recent A-ha moment is.... It only matters WHO I am. The size I am is the size I am, accept it. I am going to continue to focus on my life goals and my black belt goals. One of them is to learn, read and research about diet and nutrition. I have read quite a bit in the past 7 months and have learned a lot about how to fuel my body to meet the training demands that I place on it. I am shifting gears slightly and I am beginning to focus on how to fuel my body before, after and during a physically taxing day such as a half-marathon, a tournament and black belt grading. I am no longer thinking about losing weight, I am focusing on eating healthy, getting stronger, and improving my personal fitness.

I believe that I can stop obsessing by focusing on the important things(to me right now). What really matters is who I am, and part of who I am is someone who is able to push themselves to the limit and sometimes even beyond. I am again learning what is important and what is really a minor issue. I really do like the continued growth, so if you are facing a problem hang in there, keep trying, aim high, try to focus on what is important, what is the goal, what fuels your passion, what can you learn, how can you help, how can you grow away from your problem so it is very small.

3 comments:

linda shipalesky said...

My grandmother had a saying"If we all had the makings of ourselves we'd all be perfect", but would we? I don't believe anyone is ever totally happy with themselves. so I think you're on the right track. Excepting who we are as we are. Good Luck with this.

Linda

Darnell McKinley said...

My girlfriend for many years hit the scales around 350 lb. and use to laugh at me when I refused to put on a bathing suit because of cellulite on my butt. She said if cellulite was all she had to worry about she'd run naked through the streets with pride. Now thats he has lost over a hundred pounds, she is complaining that her breasts are too small and their skin too loose... We are an odd species...

I have never talked to a woman who is completely content with they look like... it's like we are all trying to capture a rainbow or the wind. Beauty, like money and power is not a reality but a human projection; a symbol of an ideal. Health on the other hand is real... especially if you haven't got it.

Cheers.. to your continued good health!
Sifu McKinley

Sifu Beckett Sr. said...

I am not a fan of weight loss programs, some people say that is because I have never had to worry about it as I was for many years a size 8. Well those days are over but the fact is that I want my body to be fit. Size 8 or size 11 (my current size), fitness is the key ... I don't see you struggling to keep up in class and running marathons tells me your cardiovascular fitness is good as well. So I say, the shape we are is secondary, the shape we are in is important. Go for the good health and fitness.

Sifu T Beckett