I'm thinking of a space...

Wheels are just turning wildly in my head today.

I was in my aqua class this morning & I couldn’t stop thinking about this. I was thinking about how I would love to find a person or two that could use someone to help pull them up NOW & start walking w/ them, maybe introduce them to water walking & simple water exercises…it’s so good for your joints & so do-able at any size, even for the extremely obese. I want to start talking w/ them, encouraging them… helping them see that better health & weight-loss doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I want them to see, through my example, that this IS possible & can even be simple… all about making small, simple changes… & PATIENCE!

I was thinking about maybe putting a small ad in our suburban newspaper or even calling them to tell my story. I don’t know if that sounds obnoxious, I mean, what makes ME so special?? I’m not even at goal yet… in alot of peoples’ eyes, I’d be far from it (43 lbs yet)... but to me, my goal has never been closer. And at this point, for them to see me continue to lose weight as I get closer to my goal might make more of an impact than for me to just already be there & telling them about it.

Hmmmmmmm… thinking, thinking.

I think that if they were REALLY large… like maybe even over 300 lbs (although I’m thinking REALLY large as being 400, 500, 600+ lbs), that I would ask them to make a doctor’s appointment where we both could go talk to the doctor about being cleared for exercise…rather than just have them sign something for me that says I wouldn’t be responsible if anything happened to them. Okay… it’s not like I’m going to expect them to overexert themselves… just simple stuff like walking, etc.

Just thinking…

I’m thinking…

I WANT TO DO MORE…
I want to be able to personally touch people as individuals. I’m trying to work out the whats, wheres, hows, whys…but I know that I’m going to do SOMETHING. I’ve been told so many times that I was going to do something great w/ my life… I always thought it was something creative… something in the Interior Design world, or maybe something else, but something creative, Artsy. I realize now that this “SOMETHING” is much more personal. I believe in myself now… I believe I can help change lives, THAT is the “something” I’m going to set off to do.

I know all there is to know about losing weight… well, for myself, anyways. As of today, I’ve lost 82 lbs out of a total of 125 that will get me to my goal of 150 lbs.

This has been almost 4 years in the making.

1. Because I want to help others…to encourage, inspire, teach… offer hope.
2. Because I think it will be HUGE for me for accountability.
3. Because I think that really GOOD leaders are few & far between. I’ve been to meetings where the leader has NO personality & they don’t engage their members. How do you expect to inspire & motivate those that really REALLY need it if you have no way to really draw them in? I think that I have the right personality for this.

I know that WW will train me to be a leader… supply me w/ the proper tools to do the job… & I know that even w/out that, just my experience alone would bring alot to the table. BUT…I think that it would be really beneficial to learn all that I can about nutrition & obesity. I know there are many aspects of “weight issues” that I’ve not experienced that others will have. I would like to bring a higher level of credibility to the position.

Anyways… there’s more I’d like to do w/ it… probably more than what WW would allow… so who knows, maybe someday I’ll be on my own…as a nutritionist…a personal trainer…a life coach. I’d like to work w/ EXTREMELY Obese clients, diabetics, the deaf (will be learning sign language) & children.

So…

I’m thinking of a SPACE…
...a great space that we can just hang out & talk… one-on-one or a good sized group. Sofas, chairs, ottomans, etc… a great, comfortable space… group therapy… something more than what you can get from a typical 30 minute WW meeting.

...a space that has a professional kitchen that would allow me to cook w/ my clients… individually or in groups… teaching them different ways to cook awesome, healthy meals. I can imagine hanging out w/ a group of kids… teaching them about making FUN, healthy choices. (Maybe a “Breakfast Club”, my sister’s idea, where a small group of kids come before school & help put together a great, healthy breakfast to get their day going.)

...a space that I can pull a few treadmills out of a closet & “take a walk” w/ a client that would rather not do it in public. Wouldn’t that be awesome? Maybe some hand weights & a medicine ball or two… some resistance bands… a few yoga mats.

So… HERE is where I’m going to work it out. Figure out what I need to do. How far I need to go w/ “actual” education… what kind of certificates (or degrees?) I might need to do this kind of work.

Wondering if WW would go for something like this… or if this is too far beyond them.

Will figure that out.