The Why

I’ve never really been on a diet before this, so I don’t know for sure, but I suspect one of the biggest differentiators between the Colorado Diet and others is not the quick weight loss, the combination of foods, the phases, and maybe not even the exercise – it is the therapy.

More than anything, the Colorado Diet implores us to deeply question our habits, thought processes, perspectives and motivations in a way many have never done before. I often leave class feeling like I’ve just attended group therapy and when I read the book it feels like an exercise in behavior change.

For example, a couple weeks ago, Dr. Wyatt had us figure out our “why.”

“Why do you want to lose weight?” she posed rhetorically to the class. She brought up the example of the person who wants to lose weight for their high school reunion. “That’s not the real the reason.” Then she turned to us. “And the reason you think you’re here might not be your ‘why.’”

She explained that most people in their interviews said they wanted to lose weight for their health, but at the heart of it, each person has a deeper, more unique motivation. Although there’s nothing wrong with a surface-level motivation (fit into that wedding dress, win a weight loss contest), Dr. Wyatt explains, lasting weight loss comes when we connect our motivation to our life’s purpose.

The following week, some Colorado Dieters shared with the class their “why’s” they had spent the week discovering:

“Show my grandchildren that our culture does not have to be about fried food.”

“So I can get back to being the person I was when my wedding rings still fit.”

“To be a role model for my girls.”

And here is what Courtney had to say:

“Happiness is a choice. The decisions that I make can affect my health, emotions and state of being. For many years, I have been comfortable with the victim mentality of believing that I was just born to be short and chubby. It is time for me to believe that I am not the victim, that I can be self-confidence and that I am able to influence others in their health decisions. My ultimate reason for wanting to lose weight is to increase my self-esteem. When you peel the onion of my life, you will find a person who appears very confident on the outside; however, deep down is not. The ability to change my appearance into something that I actually like, or love, would be a first for me…Not only do I plan to be an influence, but, I believe I have an obligation to promote a healthy lifestyle for my boys and my patients as I practice as a nurse.”

Here’s to Courtney finding her self-esteem and becoming an influence, and to the others on this diet brave enough to dig into who they really are and why they are here. As the docs say in the book, “They’re what will motivate you after people have stopped complimenting you on your success.”