The fact of the matter is, when you reach a certain weight and find yourself going in the upward direction on the obesity scale you are told over and over at that point, that the only way to lose the weight is by surgery.  You are shown countless numbers of statistics that iterate that morbidly obese people have a slim to none chance of losing the weight on their own.

So as you can see… it’s a tough world out there according to statistics.

I don’t need to imagine how it feels to be told that by losing weight I am going against the odds.  I live it.  The difference is, I don’t follow statistics.  I follow my own intuition and drive.  I believe that everyone else should do the same.

After watching Shay’s transformation video on NBC.com and reading an excerpt from Happy Fun Pants I feel inspired all over again. I feel like mojo has been put in my drive meter!   Because let me tell you… nothing motivates me more, than by hearing from people who have been there and back.  Their stories help more than they will ever know.

I can relate to Shay (from the Biggest Loser), because she dealt with a lot of emotions. You can tell that the extra weight she carried on her body were the result of years of emotional scarring and food addiction. She went through her issues and in doing that, she fought to overcome some tough demons.  She is now down 150 pounds and I for sure will be rooting for her when the finale comes!

Happy Fun Pants (because I don’t know her actual name), talks about her “moments” with food.  In her latest post entitled “My A-ha Moment this week“, she admits that food was her comfort and her way doing something for herself.  To my knowledge, no one has ever put it that way before.  No one has ever stepped back and said…. “I do things for myself… I eat.”  But when you put it in that context it makes SO much sense.  Because that is EXACTLY where I am at now.

The key to controlling this, is to recognize it and talk about it.  That is also why it has been proven that journaling works.  In your journal, you take an honest look at yourself and if you write everything down (and I mean everything… down to licking a spoon), then you will begin to recognize the honesty.  That recognition will bring about change.  And change is good.

So here and now… I am posting a challenge to myself and to all of you:

This week, vow to do one non-related-food thing for yourself each day.

Next Wednesday I will post my experience and I hope that you do the same.   Come back here and tell me about it in the comments.  If you blog about it, post a link to your blog so that I (and anyone who reads this blog) can read your post and comment as well.

Here’s to hoping everyone has a productive and wonderful week!