Oprah’s Weight Gain: Girl, Learn from it and Move On!

In the latest edition of ‘O’ magazine, Oprah wrote that she has regained weight and is now back up to 200 pounds. She stated in the article that she was “mad” at herself and felt “embarrassed” about it. She also mentioned that she had an interview with Tina Turner and Cher and when she compared herself to those women, she felt like “a fat cow.” I felt sad just reading that because I understood those emotions. Back in my dieting days, I would beat myself up terribly for what I saw as my lack of discipline. I would call myself names I wouldn’t dare call my worst enemy. Oprah said that the reason for her weight regain was taking herself off her own priority list. Isn’t that what happens to most of us? Everything and every one gets taken care of…except us. We forget that we can only give the best of ourselves when we are strong and healthy. If I could sit down with Oprah right now, I’d give her the following advice to get back on track. It may help you too: 1. Accept what happened. It’s true that you fell asleep at the wheel, but so what? Praise God that He woke you up! You cannot do anything about the past, but you can do something about your present and future. Each day is a new opportunity to start fresh and to try again. And never call yourself anything that you don’t want to answer to. 2. Acknowledge where you went wrong. Retrace your steps and discern your vulnerable points. Remember, whenever you make a decision to get healthy, you WILL be tested on it over and over again. Count on it and be prepared for it. Two of the most vulnerable times for temptation are when you are tired and when you are alone. The good news is eating healthy, exercising, and getting adequate rest will increase your physical energy and make you less vulnerable to temptation. But you must stick with your plan at all times. If you allow yourself to become run-down again, those old habits are ready to come calling. Be especially on guard for temptations when you are alone. Pray, praise, study, call a friend during these times. Many times we indulge in temptations when we are alone, thinking “nobody is going to know”. But the bible says that what is done in secret comes to light. Keep that in mind and strive to walk in the light at all times by being honest with yourself about your weaknesses, and develop plans to deal with them. 3. Accountability is critical. You need support from someone who can help you stay on track. It is too easy to dismiss your goals when you keep them to yourself. Work with a wellness coach who can help you create a life/health plan so you can navigate around blind spots and check in with you to help you handle problems as they occur. And start keeping a health journal to monitor your diet and exercise for a while. This will keep you honest about what you are doing. Set healthy reminders on your cell phone to remind you at various times during the day to drink your water, exercise, or record your activity in your journal. All you need to do is set it up once and set each reminder to recur. I set my reminders for 6 am, 9am, 12n, 3p, and 5p. This works wonders! I know it doesn’t feel good to be back in this spot. But God loves you no matter what size you are. Keep this setback in perspective. Girl, this is not a tragedy. A tragedy is a child in Africa or in our own country who will go to bed hungry tonight. Praise God that you have more than enough food to sustain you. It is blessing and a privilege. Praise God that you live in a country that allows you to use your talents and gifts to make a difference in the lives of others and not just live for yourself. I hope and pray that you will learn from this opportunity and allow God to work it for his good and glory. Now let’s get moving!