Recently I was thumbing through an issue of People magazine. The front cover had a story about celebrities and other people losing tremendous amounts of weight. As I read each account of the effort that went into their weight loss from 33lbs to over 200lbs, I began to notice the “thread of truth” that was woven throughout the stories.

Each story related a little about the individual, their background and how they got that way. One section that caught my eye was the “Turning point” or “AH HA” moment – this section recounted the issue that made the individual get to the point in their life where they had had enough and needed to change.

The reasons were varied and interesting – from fathers wanting to live to see their children grow, wives and husbands wanting to spend their golden years with their loved ones, and to individuals who were “scared straight” about facing early death due to their poor health.

All of the weight loss stories started with the simplest of plans. Some included: cleaning up their diets from empty calories, beginning a walking routine, including a salad for snacks, etc.; however, they all had a great thing woven into their successes – a terrific REWARD system. Case after case told of how the people rewarded themselves when they hit certain weight goals. These rewards were not to go out to eat. Rewards were to go shopping for new clothes, learn ballroom dancing, or to do something exciting that they never did before because they were too unhealthy.

My questions to you this week are: What will it take for you to get to your “Ah ha” moment where you have had enough? And, how are you going to celebrate after losing 10, 20 , 30 or 50lbs?

I look forward to reading your responses.

Until next week, be well.

Dion