My husband and I have been working on a “debt snowball” for some time trying to reduce our debt and live without the stranglehold of financial bondage. Some days it’s so overwhelming to look and see how far we still have to go. But on the other hand, it’s rewarding to look and see how far we’ve come and the progress we’ve made with regards to reducing our debt.

That started me thinking about how nice it would be if we could somehow do a “weight loss snowball.” And no before your mind wanders, I don’t mean those chocolate cupcakes covered in that weird pink foamy sugary coconut coating. Don’t let your mind think about those!

While we can’t apply weight loss to the same “snowball” principle, we can make it easier on ourselves if we don’t focus on the overall number of pounds we wish to lose.

Suppose for example, you weigh 200 pounds to start (no I’m not referring to myself or anyone in particular, it’s just a nice round number). If your desired goal weight is somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 pounds (hmm, I’d like to live in that neighborhood), if you start dwelling on the 70 pounds you need to lose, the urge to give up along the way may be overwhelming. It seems unattainable.

Seventy pounds is a significant amount of weight to lose. Rather than focusing on the 70, think rather on 10 pounds. Concentrate on getting just below that 190 mark. Then once you’ve crossed over into the 180s, don’t think about the 60 you want to lose – think only about the next 10 pounds.

The same way the debt snowball helps you to knock out your little bills first, concentrating on smaller weight loss goals helps you to stay focused and not become overwhelmed by the much larger goal. Once you’ve lost 30 or 40 pounds, you will find yourself pushing yourself harder to achieve your goal weight. Perhaps you’ll increase your walking distance or even feel strong enough to run. Or maybe you’ll find yourself cutting out some little treat you’ve been enjoying just so you can keep your calories down.

As previously mentioned in an earlier blog post, a weight loss journey is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. If you jump out ahead and set unrealistic goals without looking at the finish line, you’ll wear yourself out and quit long before you reach the finish line. It is possible to achieve lifelong success if you pace yourself and focus on one step – one pound at a time.

All the so-called “secrets of success” will not work unless you do. ~ Author Unknown

“7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

PRAYER FOR TODAY: Lord, help me not to focus on how far I have to go to lose weight, but focus on the progress I’ve made so far. My clothes are getting looser and that equals success to me. Give me the tenacity to go the distance and see this journey through to the end. I pray for success regardless of how long it may take me. I ask these things in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.