Health Story

Jeff’s Journey

After struggling with his own waistline for years, Jeff Nesbitt achieved his wellness goals by embracing change. In this six-part series, Jeff shares the highs and lows of his journey, as well as advice and insights he gained along the way, in hopes of inspiring other men to do the same.

by | Jul 6, 2018

Part 1 — Change from the Inside Out

After struggling with his waistline for years, Jeff achieved his wellness goals by embracing change.

Like so many of us, I always make New Year’s Resolutions. But until recently, one always went unfulfilled.

Man in the Mirror

I’ve tried to lose weight for as long as I can remember. I would drop a few pounds for a few months, then see the number on the scale climb steadily when patio season rolled around. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a cold one on a summer day? And if there are some nachos or chicken wings nearby, well, I’m only human.

I had been successful in checking nearly every other box in my life, but this little square remained empty. I was comfortable and happy in my own skin, but felt frustration and disappointment knowing I had tried and failed to lose weight so many times.

Why, I wondered, did I not feel motivated by an upcoming beach vacation, or by the occasional dig from friends and family? Didn’t I want to look fit in my board shorts?

That’s when it hit me: Because I’m ambitious, loved and happy — check, check and check — I didn’t see myself as overweight. So I took a good long look in my wardrobe mirror, and suddenly, everything changed. For the first time, I saw a fat guy staring back at me. That’s when I knew 2016 was going to be different.

New mindset sparks big change

“I’m better than this.” This change in perspective worked wonders. In a world where people tend to focus on the “hows” of
weight loss — diets, personal trainers, supplements and so on — I finally discovered the “why” that would help me lose
more than 60 pounds. All too often we want a quick fix, when what we really need is to demand more from ourselves and
shift our mindset to take ownership of our goals.

Working from the inside out

Many weight-loss journeys start with an extrinsic motivator or finish line: A class reunion, for instance, or a walk down the aisle. These are wonderful goals to set and complete, to be sure, but they are fleeting. Your big day comes and goes, and when it’s gone so is your motivation.

With intrinsic motivation, however, you’re constantly drawing strength from within because you are responsible for continuing down the path you have chosen each day. At first, my goal was to lose 35 pounds. It was challenging at times — to be honest, there were days when it seemed unachievable — but once I hit my target I realized I didn’t actually need a goal or moment of finality. I had tasted what my new body could do … and I liked it.

Since I started this journey I’ve learned a great deal about myself. Over the next few months, I’ll share the secrets and insights I discovered while taking a new route toward that seemingly uncrossable finish line. I’ll reveal how I started, how I stumbled, how I persevered, and where my path is taking me now. There were times when it felt like a marathon, and others when it was more of a sprint, but my journey was always about understanding, learning, and gaining a new appreciation for what can happen when our minds and bodies work together to accomplish a goal.


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