It's Not Easy Losing Weight...Or Climbing a Mountain

This weekend, for the first time, I had the experience of climbing one of Colorado’s famous “Fourteeners.” I ended up tagging along with a friend and a couple of people I didn’t know prior to the hike. While it was one of the “easier” mountains on the list, it sure wasn’t easy to finish. There was knee deep snow most of the way, and the trail was covered on the upper half of the mountain. The wind was blowing harder than I imagined it could, and I kept stepping on unstable rocks. Despite all the struggles during the hike, I was glad to get back to the car and know I had accomplished something I wanted to do that wasn’t easy.

It occurred to me this hike has many similarities to losing weight. The weight loss journey isn’t easy, although parts of it may be. The first difficult moment is making the commitment to yourself to set the goal. So you set out on your way, watching your diet and exercising and doing all the things you are supposed to. Things start off pretty simple and then you might hit a roadblock. It might be boredom, it might be a weight plateau, it might be winter, it might be your very favorite food in a very large quantity. Somehow, you need to get past that. It’s not the end of the world, if you keep going and not let the setback derail you from your goal. This is where other people are useful. These other people are your supporters, cheerleaders and teammates, if you will. They know you want to accomplish your goal, and can help you up that steep hill. They might be people that have similar goals to yours, so you push each other to the next level. They could be people you don’t know all that well, but provide the motivation you need at that point and time.

It’s not without some pain either. Forces around you will try to get you off track. The wind will blow, the snow will fall, but it’s up to you to keep moving forward.
The top of the mountain, or reaching your goal, is only a landmark in the journey. Once you have experienced your desired weight loss, it’s important to maintain it so you don’t end up where you started. If you are at the top of the mountain, you still have to get down. The good thing is that momentum is in your favor, helping you to be successful going forward. You have already been up, so you know where the pitfalls are and how to deal with them.

Yep, weight loss and Fourteener climbing aren’t all that different. Set a goal, make a path, deal with obstacles, stay on track, have a support system and enjoy the scenery.