Just say YUP!

If you are going to be "skinny"  here are seven lucky truths about what it will take.

1.  You will have to exercise - pretty much everyday.
2.  You will not be able to eat out as often as you would like.
3.  You will have to pay attention to everything that goes into your mouth.
4.  You will have to read labels.
5.  You will have to refuse to eat and drink some things that taste good.
6.  You will need to watch what you eat for the rest of your life.
7.  You might, at one time or another, long to just give up.

To some of you this list brings emotions.  If this is the case, study this list for a few days and ponder it until you can identify what emotions you are feeling and why.  You don't have to change a thing but when you understand "I am afraid to read labels because I don't want the guilt that comes with knowing" or "I am afraid of committing to exercise because I am afraid of missing and feeling like a failure".  When you understand what is really stopping you, you can begin to make a plan that works with those emotions.  This is not supposed to be punishment or torture. 

I look at this list and say... "yup".  I am not afraid of doing what it takes to be thin.  It is not as horrible as it sounds.  The payoff outweighs the cost without question.  The real trick is not to eat less and to exercise more but to get to the place where the list only gets a "yup" out of you.  This is hard work.  It takes time and a lot of meditation but it is possible for all.  Every diet and exercise machine has success stories but there is not one success story without an aha moment.  That is what I am trying to produce for you here.

To help you along I wanted to illustrate how things sound a lot worse than they really are.  I had this picture in my mind.  A young girl  has been sat down and she is being told what it will take to be an attractive adult women.  It sounds daunting yet we have just made these tasks part of our lives.  We say "yup, that is about what it is like!"

1.  You will have to shower on a regular basis, brush your teeth everyday, comb your hair and look half decent at least half of the time. Getting rid of unwanted hair will seem like a full time job.
2.  You will have to plan and shop for every meal.  Gone are the days when you hear "dinner's ready".
3.  You will have certain household duties that will have to be done everyday - again and again and again.
4.  You will spend a large amount of the money you earn on make-up, haircare products, trips to the salon, jewelry, underclothing, purses, shoes, tampons, skin care products, nail polish and perfume.  
You will only get to spend a small portion of your hard earned money on things that you just want.
5.  You will not feel comfortable in your clothing and shoes the majority of each day.
6. You will be sucking in your stomach for the better part of your life.
7. You will feel like a truck hit you and you have had an accident in your pants for a few days every single month like clockwork and will still be expected to continue with life as if nothing is wrong.

 On paper we look crazy for signing on to this lifestyle.  Living a thin life is much easier - believe me.  Do the real work and get to the aha!