It's so easy to put your life on hold until you lose weight. It's easy to say "I'll do that once I've lost a few pounds" or "I couldn't do that I'm too fat".

But you only have one life - there are no second helpings. So you owe it to yourself to live your life in the present and to live it to the full.

Going for whatever you want now, rather than waiting until you are slim, can even help you lose weight.

How so?

1. It distracts you from eating

If you're busy working to achieve something, it keeps your mind occupied with activities other than food.

Have you ever been engaged in an activity where you were so absorbed you forgot to eat? People who live their lives following their passions and going for their goals have a lot more of those moments. It's called "being in the flow state" and in flow your thoughts are on anything but food!

You know how it is when you're trying to lose weight - you feel hungry just because you're thinking about food all the time - what you can and can't eat, what you should and shouldn't have eaten at your last mealtime. If you have other things to keep your mind occupied, things you're 100% involved in, you'll be able to stick to your weight loss program more easily.

2. It prevents self-sabotage

If you're just a tiny bit scared that you're not cut out to achieve what you want to achieve in life, you may be using your weight as a form of protection. And you'll sabotage your weight loss efforts at every turn to keep those pounds so that you don't put yourself in the position of trying and failing. Your weight is an excuse to keep yourself within your comfort zone. It helps you justify sticking with what you know and are used to.

If you recognise this in yourself, take just tiny steps towards your goal every day, tiny steps that don't seem difficult at all. You'll build your success little by little and gradually lose your fear and your weight.

Start going for your goals and what could be more satisfying? You'll be losing weight and having a great time too. Life is not all about the number on the scales and your attempts to shift that dial don't have to be all consuming.

You only have one life, so go for whatever it is you want!

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small