The Pinnacle Moment
Determination Follows the Realization
Some decide like a bolt of lightning. Some wake up and declare “Enough!” Some are struck by a sudden health condition. Some just come to a subtle conclusion.
There seems to be a common theme among people who change their ways and start living healthier. I call it the “pinnacle moment.” There seems to be some moment that transforms a person into dedicating themselves to losing weight once and for all. The pinnacle moment varies from person to person, but at its root, something reaches deep into your psyche and causes you to say, ‘enough already.’
Maybe you’re inspired by people close to you. Perhaps a loved one has made significant changes and you’re inspired by them. A college friend recently decided to run the Boston marathon. It’s one thing to run a marathon, it’s quite another to do it with MS! I suddenly felt freakishly lazy next to him! On the flip side, however, watching my family face health and weight issues has inspired me to change my ways before I find myself in the same boat.
Maybe you’re scared into it. I know a man who changed his life after his neighbor died at a young age of heart attack. This man realized that he was working a desk job, had gained weight, lived under a lot of stress and had very little exercise in his life. A light came on. He became an avid cyclist and lost a lot of weight. Personally, just the thought of menopause looming in my future is enough to keep my weight down. (Studies show that excess weight contributes to hot flashes… egads get running girls!)
You have an important event and you’re suddenly mortified by the image in the mirror. A close friend looked in the mirror one day and was mortified by what she saw. She had looked in the mirror everyday with no consequence. But this time was different. She saw herself differently. She had more weight than she wanted and was disgusted by it. She had some important events coming up where she wanted to look her best. On that day she committed herself to changing it and has! She started by just doing 5 situps a day and gradually built her strength. She’s dropped several clothing sizes and is very athletic.
Memories of the “Glory Days” Surface. Sometimes reuniting with childhood friends can trigger a change. You see your friend and are embarassed by what you’ve become, or you’re surprised by how they’ve changed (for better or worse). One way or another something reaches in deep and determination sets in.
You Hit A Tipping Point. I had a series of experiences that kept piling up until I hit a ‘tipping point.’ In talking with my friend who looked in the mirror that day, we discovered that she too had experienced a series of poignant moments over the course of a year or two that suddenly added up.
The pinnacle moment is that point where you decide it’s time to seek diet and exercise strategies. But the question is always, where do you begin? I’ve come to believe that the pinnacle moment is necessary for long-term success. Understanding why you started on this journey is your key to longevity and persistence. It’s worth taking the time to understand your pinnacle moment.
Exercise - Define your Pinnacle Moment
What? Did you actually think you’re health would improve by reading? Please. Grab a notebook or sheet of paper and something to write with. Go on, get that pen and burn a few extra calories while you’re at it!
Take a moment and jot down your pinnacle moment. Try to be as descriptive as possible. Below is a list of questions to help guide you. These are just guidelines to help you think about what brought you here to seek advice on losing weight.
- Did it feel like a haze lifted and suddenly you saw yourself differently?
- Did you recently visit childhood friends that inspired you (either what you want to be, or what you do not want to be)
- Are you seeing family members struggle with health?
- Are you getting married or have some other time-driven need to get in shape fast?
- Are you recovering from some ‘event’ such as having a baby? A depression? A divorce? A stressful time period?
- Maybe you have a series of events and have hit a tipping point. Take some time to think about that one because you might be surprised.
- You might also be able to identify the events that drove you gain the weight in the first place…
It’s important that you remember your pinnacle moment. There will be times when you need to remember that moment to muster strength! So take some more time to polish your words and make your pinnacle moment shine.
Consider sharing your pinnacle moment in the comments section. You might help inspire someone. And the act of publishing it might help emblazon it in your psyche.
October 29th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I have to agree with this concept. Here is my short story…
The mere idea of losing weight and exercising never entered my consciousness, as I wasn’t particularly heavy…just “healthy-looking”. But then I went on vacation, over-indulged, and got tubby. That coupled with lots of new scientific data being published linking being even slightly overweight with increased breast cancer risk, made me have a “pinnacle moment”. When I got home from vacation I began a walking program of about 1-2 miles a day. Then I got a gift for my birthday of a two week gym membership, and mildly modified my diet. I did not do anything major. During the following two weeks my mental and physical outlook completely changed for the better. For the first time in my life I did not feel like I was on a “diet”, but rather that I was doing something to stay healthy and try to lower risk of cancer and other bad diseases.
Fast forward…It has been a year now and I lost and kept off 15 pounds of fat and now actually have muscle tone and better energy level. have had some challenges staying with my program. But I always go back to my “pinnacle moment” and get back on track if I overindulge eating or slack off on exercise. I have learned it doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” perspective. I don’t do anything extreme, and still eat fun things in moderation.
This is a great website blog! I hope others will get the inspiration to find in themselves what they need to start the journey to better health and self-love.
October 30th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
I can certainly relate to “pinnacle moments”. I had gone through life never ever having a weight problem (in fact in my late teens and early twenties I thought I was too skinny and I would drink this God awful stuff called “Wate On”) but, all of a sudden, I hit middle age. Boy, how I hate that term. Pounds were’t coming off like they used to. My clothes felt a little tighter and I didn’t have as much stamina. I had done Jane Fonda workouts for years but I had fallen off the wagon. I didn’t feel like working out when I got home and I couldn’t seem to drag myself out of bed in the morning to work out then.
Luckily for me my office is in a short term residential apartment building and there’s a small work out room next door and it’s free! I took me awhile to decide that working out at lunch was better than patrolling Filene’s Basement but I’m now lifting weights, doing sit ups and working out on the elliptical machine 3 and 4 times a week. And what a difference it makes. My upper body strength has improved and so has my stamina. I want to be like one of those old ladies who people say “Doesn’t show look fabulous for her age?”
October 30th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
My pinnacle moment came in 1987 when I decided to give up dating and take up triathlons. I began working out daily, alternating time in the pool with bicycling and running. What a rush to complete my very first triathlon! The accomplishment and confidence kept me going. Now I may not race as often, but I still don’t feel complete without some training in nearly every day. It definitely became a life habit for me. Now I am reading and learning more about nutrition and seeking to make better food choices. Again, nothing too radical but small changes consistently make it a way of life and not a sacrifice.
November 1st, 2006 at 10:17 am
I couldn’t agree more with each of you! It’s the little stuff that makes a difference! You’ve inspired the next post … which will be titled “A Habit a Day Keeps the Heart Attack Away.” It’s coming soon!