" Dear Future Me"

It's all about the motivation! Motive; the inner drive that causes one to act.
We spend way too much time thinking about food when we are trying to lose weight...and way too little time thinking about why we want to lose weight; our motive for losing weight.

Our weight loss goals MUST inspire us. Motivation is SO important to being successful at weight loss and weight maintenance that I have spent the last 5 weeks on Motivation! One week at a time, I've been focusing on one tool to add to your motivation tool box. Today I'll give you your 6th tool and an effective one at that!

6. Write a letter to your future self.

This is a powerful exercise that can be life changing! What would your letter look like if you sat down today, at the weight you are at, at the health level you are experiencing, and wrote to your future self? Your future self who is living at goal weight, healthy, and has made permanent changes. What do you want him or her to know about how you are feeling today? How compelling could your letter be? How desperate are you to tell your future self that this life is painful and you don't want to EVER live here again!?

Below, you'll find a letter that a client wrote and gave me permission to use. I hope it touches you like it did me. Take the time to write a letter to your future self this weekend. Motivation is in the doing...this tool will make a difference, I promise!


Dear Future Self,
**You are at the Clark County fair with your kids. It is warm and the sun is just disappearing. One of the kids, I think it was your daughter, wants to go on a ride together with you. You give the toothsome "carnie" your tickets, find your seats, and wait in anticipation. He comes around to lower the bar and yours won't go down. The safety bar can't click into place because you are too big. You are so embarrassed you want to fade into the seat so no one can see you. But you can't. You look at your daughter, and see the disappointment in her face. She won't go on the ride without you. You slowly get out of your seat, take her by the hand, and walk towards the midway. You apologize to her trying to keep your voice steady, and she squeezes your hand three times very quickly... your secret way of saying I love you to each other when you are in public. It is all you can do to not burst into tears for the rest of the night.**

Please remember this moment. As painful as the memory is, it is important for you to keep it fresh in your mind. You never want to go back to this place and all the other ones just like it. You want to be able to go shopping and try on clothes without breaking a sweat. You want to run up a flight of stairs without losing your breath. You want to actually WANT to look in a full length mirror. You don't want to be the girl that hides behind her layers of fat to keep herself safe from all the men in the world. You want to be healthy, and to be able to get on a bike without instantly worrying that you've flattened the tires. You want to be able to lie on the beach and feel completely relaxed without wondering if people are looking at you and feeling disgusted.

Most of all, you want to set a good example for your son. You want to show him that eating right and taking care of your body is important. You DON'T want him to go through any of the embarrassing moments that you have lived through. The time is now. The opportunity is here. There is no tomorrow. There is only TODAY.

Always encouraging you,
Letha