I sat down to watch a little of the late Today Show while I ate lunch. They were promoting a new diet book called "Never Say Diet." Since my mind is on shaping up, I listened to the pitch. But instead of feeling inspired, it ticked me off. Aside from the clever title, this book doesn't say anything different from the thousands of other weight-loss books. But the pitch tries to make you think, "This is the one that's going to change my life. I must buy!"
As I listened, the author talked about eating fresh instead of processed foods. Duh! And getting off your butt and moving 30 minutes a day. Haven't we heard all this somewhere before? Like in the 10 other motivational, lose-weight-without-dieting books that sit on our bookshelves collecting dust. The only motivation they provide is to get out the Pledge every now and then.
The pastor at our church recently gave a sermon entitled, "Just Do It." It was about doing the things you need to do to be a better Christian. I love to apply that sermon to all areas of my life that need improvement. We know what we need to do, but we're paralyzed by good intentions. And we're distracted by the preparation. Buying that book (preparation!) is not going to make you lose weight. Neither is reading it. The only way you're going to succeed is to DO what it says. And you already know what it says -- it's right there in the diet book you bought last year.
Just do it! I can't think of a better motivational phrase than that. Unless of course you're thinking about fudge.
