cartoon by Craig Rohlfing BACK TO THE DOCTOR
We all need feedback, an accountability partner. You might have felt inspired as you read about Bob, who lost over 50 pounds and is still at it. Bob moved his BMI from 35 to 25. In other words from obese to normal. Bob was motivated.
His doctor warned him that he was going to get diabetes. How did the doctor know? Numbers – Bob’s weight and his blood sugar’s upward creep.
Fear is a short-term motivator. For success we need intention. When Bob left the doctor’s office, he was determined to try, though he wasn’t convinced that his weight wasn’t just his inherited body type.
To recap, in case you haven’t read his interview in earlier blogs, Bob’s a therapist, and because he understands behavior, he knew he needed feedback – some reality check outside himself. Change needs a plan. His was to go to Weight Watchers.
He was willing, but he wasn’t drawn to it. He’s a busy guy, and he’d rather spend his free time golfing than going to meetings. Then, he happened upon a product, a Nike Band, which gave him feedback on how much he was taking in and how much he was burning. It was as if he was wearing his accountability partner on his wrist.
Another thing in Bob’s favor is that he’s computer savvy, so he utilized the Nike site to compare his progress to others his age. He could have succeeded by using other means, but the fact is he found something that worked, and he’s still doing it. He’s still on course more than six months later.
I’m not someone who pushes products or programs. You can burn calories dancing alone in your kitchen or walking your dogs, just as you can at a gym. But, if you find something that motivates you, helps you stick with your goal and the principles behind it are legitimate, embrace it.
Don’t misunderstand. I am not endorsing the latest miracle product. Ads for coffee beans, berries, grapefruit, WHATEVER, put me in a bad mood. I hate seeing people shell out hard-earned money for quick fixes. Anything that strains your budget while offering to turn your life around in 28 days is suspect in my penny-wise world. Losing weight is like getting out of debt. Just as you can’t borrow your way out of debt, you can’t buy your way out of excess inches.
One part of Bob’s journey, not covered in the interview, involved his 6-month follow-up visit with his doctor – the one who threatened him with diabetes. Here’s what happened.
His doctor looked at Bob’s lab results and read the numbers, which were now normal. His doc didn’t jump up and congratulate him. He didn’t seem amazed. He didn’t even ask Bob how he did it. Strange! Bob looks like a different person. Maybe the doctor needs glasses.
Or here’s another possible explanation – Physicians are numbers people. Just like a financial planner, they watch figures go up and down. Doctors aren’t behavioral change specialists. What most of them want to know is where you are in terms of your numbers.
Bob has another theory. “My doctor’s seen this before in other patients. He doesn’t believe it’s going to last.”
Could be. And Bob thinks it will be fun to prove him wrong.
We all need feedback, an accountability partner. You might have felt inspired as you read about Bob, who lost over 50 pounds and is still at it. Bob moved his BMI from 35 to 25. In other words from obese to normal. Bob was motivated.
His doctor warned him that he was going to get diabetes. How did the doctor know? Numbers – Bob’s weight and his blood sugar’s upward creep.
Fear is a short-term motivator. For success we need intention. When Bob left the doctor’s office, he was determined to try, though he wasn’t convinced that his weight wasn’t just his inherited body type.
To recap, in case you haven’t read his interview in earlier blogs, Bob’s a therapist, and because he understands behavior, he knew he needed feedback – some reality check outside himself. Change needs a plan. His was to go to Weight Watchers.
He was willing, but he wasn’t drawn to it. He’s a busy guy, and he’d rather spend his free time golfing than going to meetings. Then, he happened upon a product, a Nike Band, which gave him feedback on how much he was taking in and how much he was burning. It was as if he was wearing his accountability partner on his wrist.
Another thing in Bob’s favor is that he’s computer savvy, so he utilized the Nike site to compare his progress to others his age. He could have succeeded by using other means, but the fact is he found something that worked, and he’s still doing it. He’s still on course more than six months later.
I’m not someone who pushes products or programs. You can burn calories dancing alone in your kitchen or walking your dogs, just as you can at a gym. But, if you find something that motivates you, helps you stick with your goal and the principles behind it are legitimate, embrace it.
Don’t misunderstand. I am not endorsing the latest miracle product. Ads for coffee beans, berries, grapefruit, WHATEVER, put me in a bad mood. I hate seeing people shell out hard-earned money for quick fixes. Anything that strains your budget while offering to turn your life around in 28 days is suspect in my penny-wise world. Losing weight is like getting out of debt. Just as you can’t borrow your way out of debt, you can’t buy your way out of excess inches.
One part of Bob’s journey, not covered in the interview, involved his 6-month follow-up visit with his doctor – the one who threatened him with diabetes. Here’s what happened.
His doctor looked at Bob’s lab results and read the numbers, which were now normal. His doc didn’t jump up and congratulate him. He didn’t seem amazed. He didn’t even ask Bob how he did it. Strange! Bob looks like a different person. Maybe the doctor needs glasses.
Or here’s another possible explanation – Physicians are numbers people. Just like a financial planner, they watch figures go up and down. Doctors aren’t behavioral change specialists. What most of them want to know is where you are in terms of your numbers.
Bob has another theory. “My doctor’s seen this before in other patients. He doesn’t believe it’s going to last.”
Could be. And Bob thinks it will be fun to prove him wrong.
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