Making the Right Moves with TOPS: Sacrifice

As I struggled with my weight imbalance during my pre-TOPS POSITION, I often felt that words like exercise and diet were harsh. I was not willing to give something up or make changes.

My refractions on 64 years on this marble (I am 69, but I do not remember much of my first five years) have changed as much as the weights on my chart. Truly, not everything is red or black.

To make a SACRIFICE in the game of chess calls on one to deliberately give up a piece to gain a potential ADVANTAGE. This is also true on any journey to a healthier life.

In the earlier days of my TOPS-now POSITION, I had the thought that if I made smarter decisions, there would be no need to SACRIFICE. It worked for a while. However, there are many quotes that refract on the fact that nothing good comes easily. It does take effort.

President Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” TOPS has helped my STRATEGY in accepting the need to make the necessary SACRIFICE for the better.

Being obese is always painful, difficult and takes effort to survive one more day. TOPS has taught me to accept effort, some pain and to realize it may be difficult to lose weight. TOPS is always there to provide accountability and support when I make a HOWLER.

Yes, SACRIFICE sounds bad. However, it is worth the challenge. Not being willing to put in the effort to make changes will not help. One cannot give up on giving up that one piece that will give you progress.

Losing weight will never be easy. There are no shortcuts. Having a better mindset in realizing that my current behavior is what is driving my recent struggles will help to readjust my efforts to make the right SACRIFICE.

The right SACRIFICE does not always involve food; it may be SACRIFICING some time to allow for more physical ACTIVITY. Full disclosure, this has been the major reason for my recent struggles. I need to make more time for myself. I cannot explain it, but I just stopped walking…time to get back to the basics.

Again, a SACRIFICE is to deliberately give up something to gain an ADVANTAGE. In this game, the ADVANTAGE is a better quality of life and having more time to enjoy it. Well worth the SACRIFICE.