What Does Faith Have to Do With it?

One of my favorite moments in The Losing Coach weight loss process is after the client has been through the intensive, transformational, and powerful session, known as "The first coaching session" and is back for week two and is pumped and excited about their initial weight loss of 4 or 5 pounds the first week, and I get to ask a very poignant question.  We often lead our clients through role-plays and imaginary scenarios so they can find the answer within themselves, as this is more powerful than just telling them the answer. 

So I say, "Let me ask you something.  You have just lost 5 Lbs and that is great, but let's say you leave here today, and as you're pulling out into this dangerous intersection here at the corner, God forbid, you get hit by a truck and killed... What would this 5 Lb weight loss mean?  They sit there silent for a minute, and then answer "Nothing."  And I say, "Exactly."  I can sense they are somewhat stunned, that I, as their weight loss coach, would point out that their successful efforts would mean nothing.  And then I say, "THIS is your faith.  This is your faith that your life will continue.  You don't live like you will die today.  In essence, you live like there is a purpose to your life. You actually have faith that you will live to see tomorrow and your weight loss WILL mean something.  This is walking the walk and talking the talk, girlfriend.  This is faith and works, because one without the other is dead."

It's a very romantic idea to "live like you're dying" as the song says, but, in all reality, if we really lived like every day was our last, if we didn't have any faith that we would live to see tomorrow, then the consequences of our actions today(either beneficial or detrimental or both) would really be inconsequential.  Hence, there would be no reason to care about taking care of our bodies at all.  I say, if you really think today is your last day, then you might as well eat it up, drink it up and sex it up tonight, and forget about trying to lose weight, because it's not going to matter.  Your faith in believing that your life will continue and in the OUTCOME, in the MEANING, in the GREATER PURPOSE of your weight loss in your life is what matters.  That is what faith has to do with it.  EVERYTHING.