Tuesday, May 19, 2009

weight loss and role models

Several months ago I saw a ridiculous, but funny picture called "Role Models". Two men, who live less-than-stellar lives get into legal trouble and their punishment, court ordered is having to mentor 2 boys in a sort of "Big Brother" program.

Yesterday I had a girl, 12 years old, brought in by her mother for a consultation concerning our program. The mother started the program several days ago, and her child is about 30 pounds overweight. There is a family history of cardiac disease, but most certainly, a 12 year old is mostly interested in losing weight for the aesthetic/social ramifications.

I started thinking about the added pressure that is now on the mother to be very successful in losing weight. There is enough pressure on one's self to commit to a changing life-style, but knowing that you have someone who looks up to you monitoring your progress and mimicking your behavior patterns can add stress.

The fact is that whether it be a child, a spouse, a sibling, a co-worker---your efforts and fortitude in achieving a healthier lifestyle will be an inspiration for others to follow. This should not add pressure to your efforts, but rather serve as a motivational tool for you to show all the people whose lives you touch that it is possible to lose weight and keep it off. Be a role model...you will not only make your own life better but may also influence positively many others to do the same.

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