What Palomar Airport Road Can Teach You About Weight Loss

The other day, I was driving down Palomar Airport Road and this guy pulls up next to me at the light in a brand new convertible Infiniti (I think). I looked over and smiled. I just knew what would happen next. He was just one of those really slick, flashy looking type of guys. And, sure enough, as the light turned green, he was off! Dang, that car sure was fast!

I have a convertible, too, but I tend not too drive fast (for multiple reasons). Anyway, I was on my merry way driving the speed limit, enjoying the sunshine, fresh air, nice music, and the day.

The funniest thing almost always happens in these situations (you can tell I have been in this situation many times).  About a half mile down the road, as I approached a major intersection, I see the guy in the Infiniti at the red light waiting. As I approach the red light, it turns green.  I do not even have to use my brakes. I just cruise on by Mr. Flashy Pants without even slowing down.

I am no civil engineer, but I have learned from 30 years of driving (and paying attention) that traffic lights are normalizing.  Meaning, if you are trying to get somewhere in a hurry and you have to drive through a series of traffic lights, it rarely matters how fast you drive between lights.  At the end of the day, you are going to get to your destination in generally the same amount of time.  I have actually learned this through lots of little tests and experiments.

You are probably wondering what in the world this has to do with weight loss. That is a great question.  Looking back on my weight loss journey, it was not a fast-track to my ultimate goal.  I went through a series of plateaus with my weight.  It was not a straight down shot and it did not happen overnight.

I think when we start a weight loss program, we tend to be like Mr. Flashy Pants. We want to get there now!  We are in a hurry and do what we can to get to the finish line.  Many times, we get so frustrated with the pace of our progress, we tend to give up and never even reach our goal.  I see this every January 1. So many people start the year out great, then they fizzle come February 1.

The bottom line is this.  Your weight gain probably did not occur overnight, it happened over time.  The weight is not going to come off overnight either.  You need to give your body time to adjust on the way down, just as it did on the way up.  Plateaus are part of the process.  You can reach your goal either way, whether you choose to be the hare or the tortoise.  The slow consistent approach is often boo-hooed, but many times in the end, when we try to fast track it, we end up just giving up and never even finishing the race at all.

Bottomline: Take your time and do it right. You will get to your destination as long as you keep driving. No need to speed, to put yourself in danger, or to show off. Use those plateaus (traffic lights) in your favor. They are there for a reason.

Are you ready to finish the race once and for all?  I would be happy to help you with your journey, you can read more about my journey and how I can help you here.