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When Mary and I were on a catch-up Zoom call with our Wellness Teams from Leicestershire Police recently, Sally, who heads up their support team, suddenly came out with a wonderful phrase about losing weight. I wrote it down because I thought it was so profound:
In 2 weeks, I feel it!
In 4 weeks, I see it!
In 8 weeks, I hear it!
When we start on a weight loss journey our motivation is high and our willpower is strong. ‘This is it!’ we say to ourselves as we stop snacking, eat healthily and exercise much more, and over those first two weeks we are saintly. At the end of those 14 days, we really do feel slimmer. Clothes are a little looser and it feels good.
As we continue to stick at it, we really begin to see a difference when we look in the mirror. A few lumpy bits have smoothed out, waistbands are significantly looser, belts have had to move up a notch or two and hemlines begin to drop as we are not ‘padding out’ our skirts, dresses or trousers so much. Our progress is without question clear to see.
By the time we get to eight weeks of determined effort, our weight loss and improved shape is noticeable to everyone around us and suddenly we hear those lovely comments, ‘Wow! You’ve lost weight! Well done!’ When we hear the compliments, we know it is really working!
The key of course is keeping the weight off and the only way we can achieve this is if we maintain some of those new lifestyle habits that we have learned on our weight loss and fitness journey. If we keep them up, our chances of staying fitter and slimmer are dramatically higher – so that has to be our ultimate goal!
When Mary and I wrote The 28-Day Immunity Plan it was designed to kickstart followers on a journey to lose weight, develop some healthy eating habits and to exercise more. We also wanted to show how everyone could create some simple lifestyle changes that would boost their immune system. The results have been extraordinary and lives have been changed significantly for the better.
How has this happened? Because the 28-day Plan simply suggested eating healthy foods and no snacking, walking for 30 minutes every day and doing some strength exercises three or four times a week, the Plan was very achievable. But the key was that when folks witnessed how great they felt at the end of their four weeks, they were self-motivated to carry on.
What they found after another 28 days was that this new way of eating and exercise had become a lifestyle habit. By then they had learned to shop differently, avoiding the snack aisle and buying fresh food to cook themselves instead of buying take-aways or ready meals. They were automatically cutting back on coffee and alcohol. They found they enjoyed going for their daily walk and doing some strength exercises. And the benefits just kept on coming! The massive bonus and what turned out to be the key to their long-term success was that their get-up-and-go had come back and they enjoyed feeling healthier and more confident. They couldn’t believe how good they felt in themselves – so they carried on!
Because it wasn't a diet, it was more a healthy lifestyle, the greatest news for me was that they didn't have to be a slave to the Plan. If they went on holiday or had a celebration, they could enjoy partying along with their friends, then they just went back on the Plan strictly for a week and swiftly lost any gained weight. Their new 'healthy lifestyle' was now an ‘automatic lifestyle’ and that’s what you call success!
So, my fourth quote to complete the statement is:
In 2 weeks, I feel it!
In 4 weeks, I see it!
In 8 weeks, I hear it!
After 12 weeks, I LOVE IT!
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Some say it dates back to The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1392. Others suggest it originated because in the Middle Ages, prior to the switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day was celebrated on 25th March in most European towns, with a holiday that ended on 1st April. Those who switched to celebrating the New Year on 1st January made fun of those who celebrated it on 1st April by declaring it April Fool's Day.
