Living with Passion

Yesterday's Food:You have used 1556 out of your net daily budget of 1500 calories and have -56 calories remaining. 12% of the calories are from fat, 43% from protein, 45% from carbs
Exercise: Upper body and treadmill

I have always been a person who was motivated by the desire to move away from the thing I didn't like (excess fat) rather than towards the thing I wanted (being lean) and I thought this was a flawed approach. The problem is that as I get leaner, my motivation diminishes as the fat melts away.

I discovered that most successful people have both "away from" and "towards" motivation. So it is time to rethink my motivational strategy.

My "away from" motivation is not how I look today, or last week, or in 2005, but how I will look and feel if I were to give in to my disordered eating behaviours for the next 5 or 10 years. How would my future look? Do I want to be a heavy, overweight, tired, depressed, sick person who has no joy or energy for life? Would Mr Katie want to stay with someone who is full of sadness and disappointment? Would my days be filled with a career that is challenging and stimulating or with slogging away at a boring safe job that I am too frightened to leave? Would other people look at me with pity as the person who used to be fit but has "let herself go"?

My "towards" motivation is also about my future. Every day that I fill my body with healthy food, my mind with positive thoughts and train my heart and my muscles, I am building a future where I am strong, energetic and well. I am making sure that I have a life that is filled with love, excitement and challenges. I will continue to be an inspiration to others who are building a healthy lifestyle.

This is the "Scrooge" story - I have seen the ghost of Christmas future and I have woken up to discover that it hasn't happened yet. I can not only change today, but by making every single moment count I can ensure my future is a bright and wonderful place. This is far more motivating than just focusing on the number on the scale, or whether my skinny jeans fit.

Although it is extraordinarily painful to honestly imagine the very worst thing you could do to your body and your health by continuing your own particular destructive behaviour, fully facing a detailed projection of how you could end up physically, emotionally, your relationships, your career and the type of example you give to others is a potent wake up call. Picture that person next time you reach for the packet of chocolate biscuits.

What future are you creating for yourself today?