Let’s get into our Lamborghini, turn on the flux capacitor, rev it up to 88 mph and go back 40-50 years or so. These were the days when people read newspapers, waited until the nightly news to learn about any breaking stories, went to libraries to research topics, communicated by phone/speaking in person and wrote letters that were put into a mailbox and arrived several days later. This was essentially a time when we all had to have lots more patience in receiving information and providing information to others.
Now, back to the future, the current time. How many houses in your neighborhood have a paper delivered? We receive news as it is breaking by cell phone notification, research is basically a 5 second trip to Google and we communicate with people via text and e-mail on an immediate basis.
Oh, by the way, the obesity rate 40-50 years ago was 1/3 of what exists now in our country. These great technology advancements that allow us to have immediacy in how we receive news and communicate with others has most certainly not been of any help in our population health. Actually, it is my belief that this has actually been part of the problem.
Effective long term weight control requires “patience” on a number of levels. High caloric carb containing foods are immediate in their gratification. Waiting for the positive impact of weight control (coming off of medications, feeling more energy, looking younger, fitting into the stylish clothes again) requires patience as they do not occur immediately. Taking time to prepare meals, shop for the right foods spending time exercising…all of these require patience.
As our society has morphed into more immediacy and instantaneous in nature, we would be incredibly frustrated by having to wait for a newspaper, receive a letter in our mailbox or try to reach someone by phone instead of texting. This has translated over to our lack of patience in the weight control arena. We want the weight off NOW and have no time to waste on counting exchanges/calories, logging our food intake, making a shopping list etc.
During your weight control journey, try to rediscover “patience”. If you do, your chances of long-term success will markedly improve.
