So I was just sitting and scrolling through Facebook killing a few minutes. I came across a video advertisement. I don't know what the advertisement was for but I'm sure that whatever the product is I'll see it a million more times because I watched this video.\
Anyway the video showed babies taking their first steps and their parents being super excited.
It was very cute.
The uninitiated non-parents will stop at it being cute. Those of us with kids know better.
We know that while it's super exciting for the baby to start walking, it comes with a whole new set of problems.
See when a baby starts walking everything 3 feet and below becomes fair game for the baby.
Keep cleaning supplies in a cabinet under the sink? Well now you can't.
Keep magazines neatly stacked on your coffee table? Not any more.
Keep the phone and computer chargers plugged into surge protector? Only if you want the baby to get electrocuted.
Life then revolves around keeping the baby safe. So now you're constantly worried about where the baby is and what's the baby getting into if the baby is not in your eye sight. So what was a super exciting moment (the baby walking) has become a super stressful one.
Not that you would change it.
So why am I telling you this? Just like when the baby starts walking, it's super exciting to reach your health and fitness goals (whatever they are). Also like when the baby starts walking, reaching your health and fitness goals can bring along their own set of problems and challenges.
For instance, if you lose a lot of weight you will need to buy new clothes. At best you love to shop and you have the means so all you're really losing is time. At worst you can't afford to buy a whole new wardrobe.
Maybe you meet friends every Monday night for 10¢ wings, beer and football. With your new weight loss this doesn't fit your lifestyle any more. What do you tell your friends?
Now I'm not trying to be a downer here. Like I said you wouldn't change the baby walking and shouldn't change achieving your goals.
That being said, you should be prepared for the challenges that reaching your goals will bring.
When parents have their second child they know what they're in for. They baby proof their homes in preparation.
You can prepare too.
Talk to people who've achieved what you're trying to achieve. Think about all the things you used to do/enjoy before you started making changes. Do these things fit your new life? Can they be adjusted to fit into your new life? Do they have to be eliminated? If eliminated, what will you replace them with?
Take some time to think about this so your super exciting moment doesn't become a super stressful one.
