Easy come, easy go

Let me tell you, battling obesity is a hard gig. 170 pounds gone forever and I'm still 60 pounds away from my goal. I'm proud to say, during these last seven years on and off,  I've never regained any of the lost pounds. I've maintained my weight. That's a big accomplishment. Part of the reason I believe I've been able to not back track is because

a.  I know how hard it was to get the pounds off and I never want to go there again
b.  Losing the weight through making conscious food choices and exercise teaches me
     lessons
c.  Repeat x5:  It was too hard to get the pounds off and I never want to go there again

I've been propositioned many times to take supplements such as: Advocare, Medifast, etc. I've declined because I like food, real food and any program that tells me I can't eat fruit - forget about it. Seriously, I just feel like any diet is just that a diet. Sure, someone gives you a plan with some pre-packaged food and you follow it. Then one day you don't eat the pre-packaged food anymore... Losing weight through conscious food choices helps you to learn how to manage food. You have to learn to make better choices. Eating out of packages is just that. There's no control. No creativity. You're boxed in. And, exercising  burns calories while keeping your heart healthy. It just seems like the most logically approach. I'll admit, making conscious food choices and learning how to eat correctly is challenging. Creating a workout regimen and staying with it takes discipline. But, for me it's worth it.

I don't want to back track. I want lasting results. The way I see it -- lasting results come from hard work. Staying in the trenches has taught me all sorts of lessons about food, exercise, my body, and my fortitude. I've tried the Drive-thru and ATM approach before -- it's fleeting. Easy come, easy go.  No lessons are learned with the quick-fix approach. I stay at it, the hard way because I never, ever want to do this again. I'm changing my life for good. The hard way. I know within myself once I hit my goal I will stay there.

**Of course everyone must follow their own path so if supplements work for you then hey go for it. I just want us all to be healthy, fit, and happy.