You want to lose weight? Then stop your own Groundhog Day loop!
My favorite film? Hands down Groundhog Day. It’s the closest thing to a perfect movie. What’s not to love? Bill Murray plays pompous TV weatherman Phil Connors sent to Pennsylvania to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast, but gets caught up in an endless time loop living Groundhog Day over and over again. It’s anyone’s guess how many times he lived that day repeatedly (I say decades!), but after indulging in further destructive behavior, he final starts to re-examine his life and figure out what’s really important.
Besides being an awesomely funny movie, it hits home with me because I saw a little of myself in Phil Connors’ situation.
I was caught in my own seemingly endless Groundhog Day loop:
- Eat less
- Exercise
- Give in to hunger or hit plateau
- Beat self up as failure
- Start cycle again after a binge
And just like Murray’s character, there were times I felt despondent, angry, frustrated, or hedonistic.
I shuffled through my miserable 300+ pound life thinking there was little I could change. But that wasn’t true. Like Phil Connors, once I realized the only thing I had power over was my attitude, that changed how I approached life.
I stopped thinking about losing weight. Instead, I re-examined my life.
- What do I really want?
- Why do I want it?
- What do I need to do?
That’s how I broke my Groundhog Day loop and started really living. I raised my standards for myself and had purpose behind my actions. Losing 145 pounds was a great side benefit.
We’re not powerless to break the loop and create something special within ourselves.
If I can do it, anyone can.