Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Never Let Anyone Tell You What You Can't Do
Yo, yo, yo, what's going on everyone?! You've reached Teeeeeerrific Tuesday here at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge and I'm so happy to be here today. People all around us are losing weight and changing their lives for the better. Isn't that what it's all about? YOU BET IT IS and I'm thrilled just to be a part of it.
I want to share a personal story with you today from my life to illustrate an important point as it relates to your quest to lose weight and keep it off forever. I've never written about this before, but I think it will encourage anyone who has been told they can't do something.
Here's the story:
When I was in the 8th grade, I was finally getting serious about my studies. My 7th grade year was fabulous--I excelled academically like I had never done before scoring all A's and B's. I realized my potential at the time was good enough to get me to college someday, so I applied myself to every subject I enjoyed.
One of those subjects was English. Because of my accomplishments in the 7th grade, I was placed in an advanced English class in the 8th grade. It was further affirmation that I was on the right track in school and I excitedly embraced the challenge of the more difficult assignments. BRING IT ON! :D
I remember the day my 8th grade English teacher, an elderly lady who looked liked she could keel over at any moment and whose name totally escapes me now, announced the school-wide poetry contest. She encouraged anyone who enjoys writing poetry to submit their entry within a week.
So, instead of listening to her lecture that day, I wrote a poem right there in class. Letting my imagination go wild in the unpredictable mind of a 13-year old kid, I wrote the following in about a half-hour:
Nature is a special thing
that sometimes make you want to sing.
The birds flying across the sky
to you make you even want to sigh.
How beautiful nature can be
the sight and sounds you can hear and see.
The birds, the trees, the squirrels around
every move makes a sound.
Nature is hard to say "goodbye"
and even makes you want to cry.
But don't let tears come out your eyes
cause nature is never going to die.
I called the poem "Nature" and submitted it to my English teacher after class. She raised her eyebrows as if to say, "You can't possibly expect to have a poem for me already!" But I did and I felt good about it, too.
Thinking nothing more of my little poem, I went on about life until one day an announcement came on over the P.A. with the winners of the poetry contest. "And in third place..." they started, it wasn't my name. "And our runner-up winner..." the announcement continued, again it was not me. So I stopped listening.
The next thing I know, they played a drum roll and with an enthusiastic voice exclaimed, "And our first place winner for the best poem in the entire school is Jimmy Moore." What?! Me? REALLY?! Cool!
I remember sitting in my 8th grade English class with all my classmates looking at me like I was a superhero or something. It was thrilling, a bit embarrassing (I was a LOT more shy then than I am now), but incredibly magical. I was the top poetry writer in my school and nobody could ever take that away from me!
Or, at least I thought.
While the accolades for having the best poem in the school entitled me to a dinner for two at the district contest (I didn't win there, but I got to take my mom out for filet mignon for the first time--I'd never seen bacon wrapped around a steak before!), little did I know my 8th grade English teacher wasn't impressed.
At the end of the year, the teachers were required to make recommendations about which high school classes the students should be placed in. Imagine my horror when I saw I was placed in a regular English class--NOT in advanced English--for my freshman year in high school. I was devastated and steaming mad!
I confronted her about it and she said, "Jimmy, I just don't think you are gifted enough to be in an advanced English class in high school. You'll never be that good at English." I pleaded and begged, but she wouldn't budge from her opinion.
WHY? Who is this decrepit old lady telling me I don't belong in advanced English in high school? How dare she judge me and put me in a box like that. Did she conveniently forget I won the poetry contest in the whole school? ARGH!
But you know what? This only motivated me that much more to prove just how wrong she was if it was the last thing I do.
When I got to high school, I sat in Mrs. Huhn's regular English class for a couple of weeks with classmates who obviously did not want to be there. That's one good thing about the advanced classes--most are college-bound and the behavior problems were virtually nonexistent.
My teacher almost IMMEDIATELY noticed I was in the wrong class and she came up to me after class early on in the school year asking, "Why aren't you in advanced English class?" When she said that, I bet I had the biggest grin on my face you'd ever see. Mrs. Huhn asked if I'd like to transfer to her advanced English class and I jubilantly accepted.
All of my friends from the 8th grade English class were there and I finally knew I was where I belonged. I remained in advanced English classes every single year until I graduated high school. But I wasn't satisfied with that.
Because of that 8th grade English teacher telling me I wasn't good enough, I decided to do something challenging--not only would I pursue a Bachelor's degree, but I would pull a double major. Can you guess what one of the subjects I chose was? :D
I graduated from college in just three years at the age of 20 (I took a full course load, including summers, and worked full-time jobs to pay for my education) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and ENGLISH! HA! How ya like them apples, Ms. 8th Grade Teacher?!
Not only that, my GPA in English was 3.9 (I made my only B in the last English class I took because I made a D on the final exam. I woke up with the stomach flu that day and the teacher would not let me reschedule the test. I'm surprised I got a D on the all-essay test, but I think he felt sorry for me.). WOO HOO!
After college, I took a year off and then went to graduate school to get a Master's degree--something that required a culminating thesis to get your degree. Did that!
Then, after I lost my weight in 2004, I embarked on a journey to write a book about my low-carb weight loss experience which culminated with the release of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year. Add to that my highly-successful "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog along with all the other sites I write for and I'd say my writing skills and talents have been fully validated.
Now, I am working on a second edition of my book, my blog is still breaking traffic records, and a sequel to my first book is imminent. Writing has now become my full-time career--a dream since high school--and the best I believe is still yet to come!
I know she's long gone by now because she was about ten years older than God when I knew her, but I'd love to look at that 8th grade teacher in the eyes just one more time and say, "Na na na na na na!" while giving her a raspberry or two. LOL!
Why did I share this story with you? Because there will always be people who will readily tell you what you CAN'T do. I don't know if these people are just natural pessimists and don't even realize they're dragging you down. But they can have a devastating impact on your life. Or, as my story shows, you can let it motivate you to be that much more determined to do what you've been told you can't do.
Applying this to your low-carb weight loss efforts, the moral of the story is to NEVER let ANYONE tell you what you CAN'T do! People will always have their opinions like that 8th grade teacher of mine (God rest her ignorant soul!), but that doesn't mean they are right.
Respond the way I did and you can't help but be successful at weight loss and in life. It's a lesson I'll never forget!
How do you handle negative comments about your diet from people who say it can't be done? Do you let them get to you and agree with them or do you suck it up and move forward? Share your comments below. Don't forget to let us know how your weight loss progress is going.
Currently, I'm down to 214 pounds--my lowest weight EVER as an adult! It's incredible to have the weight pouring off so fast right now, but I'm LOVIN' it!
How about you? Share your progress in the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge.
I want to share a personal story with you today from my life to illustrate an important point as it relates to your quest to lose weight and keep it off forever. I've never written about this before, but I think it will encourage anyone who has been told they can't do something.
Here's the story:
When I was in the 8th grade, I was finally getting serious about my studies. My 7th grade year was fabulous--I excelled academically like I had never done before scoring all A's and B's. I realized my potential at the time was good enough to get me to college someday, so I applied myself to every subject I enjoyed.
One of those subjects was English. Because of my accomplishments in the 7th grade, I was placed in an advanced English class in the 8th grade. It was further affirmation that I was on the right track in school and I excitedly embraced the challenge of the more difficult assignments. BRING IT ON! :D
I remember the day my 8th grade English teacher, an elderly lady who looked liked she could keel over at any moment and whose name totally escapes me now, announced the school-wide poetry contest. She encouraged anyone who enjoys writing poetry to submit their entry within a week.
So, instead of listening to her lecture that day, I wrote a poem right there in class. Letting my imagination go wild in the unpredictable mind of a 13-year old kid, I wrote the following in about a half-hour:
Nature is a special thing
that sometimes make you want to sing.
The birds flying across the sky
to you make you even want to sigh.
How beautiful nature can be
the sight and sounds you can hear and see.
The birds, the trees, the squirrels around
every move makes a sound.
Nature is hard to say "goodbye"
and even makes you want to cry.
But don't let tears come out your eyes
cause nature is never going to die.
I called the poem "Nature" and submitted it to my English teacher after class. She raised her eyebrows as if to say, "You can't possibly expect to have a poem for me already!" But I did and I felt good about it, too.
Thinking nothing more of my little poem, I went on about life until one day an announcement came on over the P.A. with the winners of the poetry contest. "And in third place..." they started, it wasn't my name. "And our runner-up winner..." the announcement continued, again it was not me. So I stopped listening.
The next thing I know, they played a drum roll and with an enthusiastic voice exclaimed, "And our first place winner for the best poem in the entire school is Jimmy Moore." What?! Me? REALLY?! Cool!
I remember sitting in my 8th grade English class with all my classmates looking at me like I was a superhero or something. It was thrilling, a bit embarrassing (I was a LOT more shy then than I am now), but incredibly magical. I was the top poetry writer in my school and nobody could ever take that away from me!
Or, at least I thought.
While the accolades for having the best poem in the school entitled me to a dinner for two at the district contest (I didn't win there, but I got to take my mom out for filet mignon for the first time--I'd never seen bacon wrapped around a steak before!), little did I know my 8th grade English teacher wasn't impressed.
At the end of the year, the teachers were required to make recommendations about which high school classes the students should be placed in. Imagine my horror when I saw I was placed in a regular English class--NOT in advanced English--for my freshman year in high school. I was devastated and steaming mad!
I confronted her about it and she said, "Jimmy, I just don't think you are gifted enough to be in an advanced English class in high school. You'll never be that good at English." I pleaded and begged, but she wouldn't budge from her opinion.
WHY? Who is this decrepit old lady telling me I don't belong in advanced English in high school? How dare she judge me and put me in a box like that. Did she conveniently forget I won the poetry contest in the whole school? ARGH!
But you know what? This only motivated me that much more to prove just how wrong she was if it was the last thing I do.
When I got to high school, I sat in Mrs. Huhn's regular English class for a couple of weeks with classmates who obviously did not want to be there. That's one good thing about the advanced classes--most are college-bound and the behavior problems were virtually nonexistent.
My teacher almost IMMEDIATELY noticed I was in the wrong class and she came up to me after class early on in the school year asking, "Why aren't you in advanced English class?" When she said that, I bet I had the biggest grin on my face you'd ever see. Mrs. Huhn asked if I'd like to transfer to her advanced English class and I jubilantly accepted.
All of my friends from the 8th grade English class were there and I finally knew I was where I belonged. I remained in advanced English classes every single year until I graduated high school. But I wasn't satisfied with that.
Because of that 8th grade English teacher telling me I wasn't good enough, I decided to do something challenging--not only would I pursue a Bachelor's degree, but I would pull a double major. Can you guess what one of the subjects I chose was? :D
I graduated from college in just three years at the age of 20 (I took a full course load, including summers, and worked full-time jobs to pay for my education) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and ENGLISH! HA! How ya like them apples, Ms. 8th Grade Teacher?!
Not only that, my GPA in English was 3.9 (I made my only B in the last English class I took because I made a D on the final exam. I woke up with the stomach flu that day and the teacher would not let me reschedule the test. I'm surprised I got a D on the all-essay test, but I think he felt sorry for me.). WOO HOO!
After college, I took a year off and then went to graduate school to get a Master's degree--something that required a culminating thesis to get your degree. Did that!
Then, after I lost my weight in 2004, I embarked on a journey to write a book about my low-carb weight loss experience which culminated with the release of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year. Add to that my highly-successful "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog along with all the other sites I write for and I'd say my writing skills and talents have been fully validated.
Now, I am working on a second edition of my book, my blog is still breaking traffic records, and a sequel to my first book is imminent. Writing has now become my full-time career--a dream since high school--and the best I believe is still yet to come!
I know she's long gone by now because she was about ten years older than God when I knew her, but I'd love to look at that 8th grade teacher in the eyes just one more time and say, "Na na na na na na!" while giving her a raspberry or two. LOL!
Why did I share this story with you? Because there will always be people who will readily tell you what you CAN'T do. I don't know if these people are just natural pessimists and don't even realize they're dragging you down. But they can have a devastating impact on your life. Or, as my story shows, you can let it motivate you to be that much more determined to do what you've been told you can't do.
Applying this to your low-carb weight loss efforts, the moral of the story is to NEVER let ANYONE tell you what you CAN'T do! People will always have their opinions like that 8th grade teacher of mine (God rest her ignorant soul!), but that doesn't mean they are right.
Respond the way I did and you can't help but be successful at weight loss and in life. It's a lesson I'll never forget!
How do you handle negative comments about your diet from people who say it can't be done? Do you let them get to you and agree with them or do you suck it up and move forward? Share your comments below. Don't forget to let us know how your weight loss progress is going.
Currently, I'm down to 214 pounds--my lowest weight EVER as an adult! It's incredible to have the weight pouring off so fast right now, but I'm LOVIN' it!
How about you? Share your progress in the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge.
Labels: criticism, diet, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, weight loss
# posted by Jimmy Moore @ 7/10/2007 10:05:00 AM 
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I believe you have told this story before, except you said it was called "Cheetah".
# posted by 
: 7/10/2007 4:10 PM
: 7/10/2007 4:10 PM
"Cheetah" was another poem I wrote I believe in the 7th grade, but that's a good memory. I pulled this poem out today from my baby book my mom sent me and typed it verbatim from the certificate that showed I was the first place winner.
Thanks for sharing your story, Jimmy and your poem. Is a Pulitzer in your future??
Congrastulations on your weight loss, too. You really encourage me to keep on trying. I am currently doing Kimkins also but not the KE version. Let you know how it goes.
Kay
Congrastulations on your weight loss, too. You really encourage me to keep on trying. I am currently doing Kimkins also but not the KE version. Let you know how it goes.
Kay
Congrats on showing her that you could Jimmy! It's really hard to understand why people seem to actually enjoy discouraging other people. I had something similar happen to me in high school. I won't get into the long story here.. but it may be something I talk about on my blog soon. I think it might be interesting to share it.
Ok.. on to my updates. I lost 2 lbs last week. I added a couple of things into my diet that didn't work so well for me, so those are gone again. Otherwise I think I would have lost even more. I'm now down a total of just under 37 lbs! :0)
Ok.. on to my updates. I lost 2 lbs last week. I added a couple of things into my diet that didn't work so well for me, so those are gone again. Otherwise I think I would have lost even more. I'm now down a total of just under 37 lbs! :0)
I lost just 0.2 this week for a weight of 139. At least I have officially been under 140 for two weeks straight now. Hopefully a better lost next week.
A loss is a loss, Victoria! YOU GO GIRL!!! My wife Christine is right at 140 pounds right now, too. :)
This week was the best one I had in a long time, I say I didn't lose any weight but I did in fact lose-the 5 pounds I gained while going down hill!!! LOL!
# posted by : 7/12/2007 3:39 PM
: 7/12/2007 3:39 PM
oops forgot to sign it-
Jimmy I always have trouble replying to your blog unless it lets me go anonymous. Have to refill out some type of account, maybe someday I will!!!LOL!
Wanda
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Jimmy I always have trouble replying to your blog unless it lets me go anonymous. Have to refill out some type of account, maybe someday I will!!!LOL!
Wanda
# posted by : 7/12/2007 3:40 PM
: 7/12/2007 3:40 PM Links to this post:
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