Episode 16 Transcript
The Powerful Reason Weight Loss Success is Like an AirBnb Experience
June 8, 2023 by Lucy Laramie
Lucy: Have you ever gotten stuck in an endless loop of weight loss attempts that get nowhere? If so, you'll want to know what weight loss culture has in common with Airbnbs! You heard right, Airbnbs and losing weight have something in common! Understanding this tip can make the difference between a manageable journey and one that goes nowhere! Here's the little-known secret that makes a big difference in your results!
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Lucy: Welcome to the Weight Loss Made Possible! I’m your host Lucy Laramie! When a semi-truck crashed into my car and flat-lined my life as I knew it, the recovery heaped an additional 60 pounds onto my lifelong battle with my weight. Do you know how kids get a little too heavy to be carried? The extra weight I lugged around was equal to constantly carrying 3 small children. My weight loss journey empowered me to lose 100 pounds and keep it off over 5 years! Yet, it wasn’t all that long ago that I lacked confidence about who I was and what I could do. Fast forward past many failed attempts and the lessons learned, and you will see the version of me today that looks better, feels better, is healthier, and has more freedom. I created the Weight Loss Made Possible podcast to share stories and the lessons learned from my journey and to give you simple strategies to help you forge your own path to success. If you want to become the champion in your weight loss story, you’re in the right place! Let’s get to it!
Lucy: If you're anything like me, you've probably lost quite a bit of weight over the years. But, the real problem isn't how to lose weight, it's how to make it last and not feel miserable in the process, right? For me, following diet culture allowed me to lose 1200 pounds or 500 kilograms over the years, but the problem was: it always came back! Everything changed when the weight came off and stayed off for over five years. And you're here not just because you want to lose weight, but because you want to lose the weight and keep the weight off! Weight loss is something so many people are talking about, right? Most people don't understand how to make their efforts last in a way that is meaningful and makes a positive difference in their lives. Ideally, you would like your weight loss journey to lead to meaningful changes that last, don't you? If that is what you want, then we must talk about how a weight loss journey is a lot like renting an AirBnB. Have you ever had the experience of renting an AirBnb? Or have you ever fantasized about finding an amazing AirBnb with a unique experience? Renting one of those AirBnB treehouses is something on my bucket list. And, actually when I lived in Atlanta, one of the most popular ones was only a few miles from my home! But, I couldn't justify dropping $400 a night to travel only a few miles from my condo at the time. Can you guess where I went on one of my first AirBnB stays? Here's a hint: I love the change of seasons in the fall. Moderate temperatures make being outside enjoyable, the warm colors of the trees are breathtaking, and there's something cozy about sipping a hot drink. Do you know what place consistently ranks as one of the top fall foliage destinations in the US? The upper peninsula of Michigan has always been voted the best place to view the fall colors! 7 million acres of fall colors cover mountains, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and more. It is an incredible place to see sunrises and sunsets, as well as the northern lights in October and November. That sounds amazing, doesn't it? It's for this very reason that the upper peninsula of Michigan was on my bucket list, and I had planned a trip for myself for my birthday in the first few days of October. My home at the time of the trip was Atlanta, Georgia. However, having family in Michigan's lower part, I hopped on a plane to meet up with them near Detroit before heading further north. My parents were caring for my German Shepherd while I switched residences back in Atlanta. For me, scouting an AirBnB was a priority so I could take my dog with me and spend quality time with him. My parents had a white F-350 Diesel truck, and you could hear the hum of the diesel engine as we drove north to start our adventure for my birthday. The dog sat on the back seat as tall as a human looking out all the windows curious about everything passing by and where we might be headed. One of the most notable things about the upper peninsula of Michigan is that you must pass the Mackinaw Bridge to get there. The bridge spans about 5 miles or 8 kilometers, and for the 10 minutes it takes to cross it, the overwhelming beauty of the view offsets the unsettling feeling of crossing such a long suspension bridge. Compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Mackinaw Bridge is two and a half times larger. The bridge must be crossed to reach the upper peninsula, unless you travel by boat or drive through Wisconsin. In the left hand window, we could see the sun setting westward as we crossed the bridge. The setting sun projected colorful sunbeams across the white truck and a sense of vacation settled in. The first exit after crossing the bridge led us into a quaint town nestled at the north end of the bridge, facing Lake Huron and Mackinac Island. As we drove along the waterside road in town, our excitement grew as we searched for the cozy bungalow we had rented on top of a hill overlooking the bay. Our excitement for the adventure ahead grew as we settled into the bungalow for the night. Before my weight loss journey, this trip would not have been the same. My aspiration was to visit Tahquamenon Falls State Park. It makes sense to expect gorgeous scenery when a park is located in a town called Paradise, doesn't it? Among the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi river, the Tahquamenon falls are about 200 feet or 60 meters wide. For a true experience of the falls, you must navigate an unpaved foot trail for several miles. After losing enough weight, I was physically able to complete the task and enjoy it. It was probably the first time in my life that I could trek that far to experience something like that. The next morning, I loaded the dog into the car and set off on a journey that would offer breathtaking views and a new experience. Yet, a few minutes into the drive, it quickly became apparent that something was off. Looking out the front windshield of the truck, the only color I could see was the brown ground. The truck was surrounded by miles of bare tree trunks with empty branches reaching into the sky. Unbeknownst to me, the fall color change had come early that year. Even finding an open restaurant was difficult, and we had to trek to a small casino with a year-round restaurant. A lack of tourist traffic also led to a limited menu, and the hot meal served consisted of a lackluster hamburger and french fries. As a result, our vacation shifted to spending time entertaining ourselves in the bungalow, so we packed up early to go home. Such a disappointment! I mentioned that weight loss success and AirBnBs have something in common, right? If you rent an AirBnB, you find a place that looks great in appearance, and you just want to unlock the door and turn on the light and be transported to a magical experience. It's also how so many people approach their weight loss journey. Ideally, you'd find the right exercise or diet program, right? That strategy mostly works until life happens. And, then you find yourself missing the comforts of home and the things you love. Here's my promise to you: when you choose to renovate rather than rent, you'll create results that last. When you choose to renovate, you can design something you love and create a powerful foundation for yourself. The currency is effort. And, you want to keep the fruits of your labor rather than hand your effort over to a landlord, right? When we go searching for a better experience outside of ourselves, it's a form of escapism that can signal a struggle with our self worth. There's a problem at hand when you feel more comfortable in someone else's house than your own. And, just like searching for an AirBnb experience, we risk losing a piece of ourselves when we go searching for a cookie cutter diet or exercise program. And, if you want to renovate rather than rent a cookie cutter solution on your weight loss journey, there are 2 critical mistakes that can jeopardize your success. The first is that it is essential to stop following diets and programs that you approach with a short term mindset, but know that long term you don't want to live that lifestyle. The second is that you must become comfortable with the process of trial and error as making mistakes are the building blocks to shaping your journey. Before getting upset about something that has failed or gone wrong in your weight loss journey, make sure you aim your frustration at the correct place. If you want to renovate rather than rent, there are 4 steps to that will help you step into your power and design a strategy that is effective for your personality and lifestyle. First: You must define and clarify the problem. What exactly is the problem and why is it a problem? You can’t start to solve this until you have this understanding. Even two people facing the same problem may have different perspectives due to differences in personality, lifestyle, and other factors. The second thing you must ask yourself is: What is the root cause of the problem you are facing? You must identify the root cause. Einstein put it this way: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” So, although this step seems very basic, you’re making more headway than you realize by taking this step. For every effect, there is a root cause. If you find and address the root cause rather than trying to fix the effect, the result will be progress. Otherwise, you risk endlessly chasing the effect rather than getting to core issue. Once you know the root cause of the problem, then you can develop an action plan. What actions do you need to take to address the root cause and prevent the problem from reoccurring? The third thing is this: You must map out the best course of action to address it. There is no cookie cutter approach to this as the best course of action will vary for each person. The building blocks of your system are created when you take the missteps and the lessons learned, place them under your feet, and use them as stepping stones to rise above them. The misconception is that success is something you go searching for and find or simply get lucky at. What success really is, is plugging your nose and taking the rotting pile of crap from your past and turning it into fertilizer. Gives a new meaning to “stop and smell the roses”, doesn’t it? And the fourth and final step is that as you execute the plan, you pause to evaluate the results. When you rinse and repeat this 4-step cycle, it’s the building block of creating our own system. My hope is that utilizing these 4 basic steps will help you simply problems that appear complex while navigating your journey. When navigating challenges that pop up on your journey, remember this: the solutions that appear too easy are usually a trap, but when we can break down complex problems into simple solutions, that is where we find the gold and can create a lasting shift for ourselves. As we wrap up this episode, if you’re new here, you liked my vibe and want to be part of the tribe, don’t forget to hit subscribe! I don’t want you to miss out on anything that could help you find success on your weight loss journey! Until next time, don’t give up on the journey! It’s challenging, but it’s worth it! See you next time!