Each day of the week has a set of pre-defined hashtags associated with it on Twitter, Instagram and other social networks. For example, every Monday is #MotivationMonday and people post motivational finds or other helpful motivational things. It adds a touch of routine to social media and ultimately helps more people find your social media presence.
Every Tuesday, one standard hashtag is #TransformationTuesday. People use this hashtag to post a variety of before & after pictures from contractors, salons and other such things. One of the big uses of #TransformationTuesday is to show weight loss pictures.
On this transformation Tuesday, I posted the following picture. The before picture was from last May in our hotel room when we went to Florida for Liz to swim with manatees. This was about a month before I started my Operation Melt weight loss journey. So, I was easily at my heaviest in this picture. The after picture was taken this weekend in an attempt to recreate the pose pretty much exactly one year later.
The picture shows a pretty clear difference and a big transformation.
What is transformation anyway?
After posting this I really started thinking about the nature of transformation. Since I spent the last 4 years in a retail business transformation team, I have had lots of opportunities to consider the transformation process.
Ponder for a second the definition of transformation… we will use the root word of “transform”…
The pieces of the definition include changing composition, outward appearance and character or condition. I think each of these pieces are really relevant for the transformation I have undertaken over the past 11 months.
Changed Composition: Check!
First I have absolutely changed my composition. I was 325 pounds when I started this journey and had 45% or more body fat. As a result, I had high blood pressure and a high resting heart rate. I am now down 114 pounds with a body fat percentage of 24% or so and a resting heart rate in the low 50s… which is in the range of “athlete” by the way!
Change Appearance: Check!
Second I have certainly changed my outward appearance as evident in the picture above. I have decreased from a size 52 waist to a size 38 and I am still going. I have shrunk from a 3XL to an XL and almost large. My feet have gotten smaller, my ring finger has gotten smaller and I have more defined muscles than ever.
Changed Character: Check, Check, Check!!!
But the third piece of the definition is even more compelling – change in character. Let me start by saying that I am still me at my very core and have not changed the fundamental definition of who I am. But at the same time there are some big differences in how I live my life versus where I started.
- I make more conscious decisions about how I treat my health including what I eat and what I drink.
- I enjoy exercise and I enjoy pushing myself to perform better than I did last time and care about physical performance.
- I have reinforced some of my core values that I only passively believed in before but am now 100% convinced about. For example the power of choices and that our choices are what shape our future is something I believe in now more than ever.
- I am more in tune with my body and understand more about how it works, when something isn’t right and what I need to do to care for myself.
- I no longer shy away from looking at myself in a mirror or appearing on camera, I know I look good and I am happy with my body and getting happier.
- I am proud of myself. I have had many accomplishments in my life and have a great story. I know that I have value, I know that I have been successful, I know what I am worth and won’t let anybody undervalue me!
- I have discovered my passion and want to help other people be successful in their own journey and have the feeling of success that I have experienced. I love talking about fitness, I love helping people figure out how to improve their fitness and I love love love love when I hear that my advice or story has inspired somebody else and led to success.
I guess the part of my character that has changed the most is that I really like myself. I like both what I have become and what I am becoming. I like it so much that it inspired me to write a book and to explore starting a business. That is a lot of liking!
Becoming a Butterfly
As a final thought on this “yeah me” rant, I want to talk for a second about another example of transformation. This is an example often cited by one of my best friends for over a decade now, Beth Rick. Beth was the leader of transformation at the same retail company I worked for and often had to explain it to people.
Think about a caterpillar and a butterfly.
The caterpillar is born with a mission, to become a butterfly. When he is born he probably has no idea that this is his calling in life. He deals with people thinking less of him and thinking he is ugly just because he looks different. Then one day the caterpillar goes into a cocoon and emerges as a butterfly.
The caterpillar is still the same inside but he has now realized his potential and people love him.
Yes, you can argue that some of the love is superficial based on looks, but a good portion is more than that. Maybe a portion of the newly fund fans of the butterfly are fans because of what the butterfly represents. The fulfillment of potential and becoming what you are meant to be all along and never knew it.
Like the butterfly I am sure that people find me more beautiful than ever. This is not because I look better but because I have become what I was meant to be all along while still being me on the inside.
Plus, like the caterpillar to butterfly transformation, this is the new me forever and I will never go back to being the caterpillar.
I am not sure what compelled me to write this long dissertation… my treatise on transformation if you will. But they were the thoughts in my head and I wanted to write them down. As I have learned through this journey, my thoughts and ideas are inspirational and beneficial to others so I would be remiss if I didn’t share with the world.
So…. Here’s to you!
Here’s to you being able to successfully get through whatever transformation you are trying to get through to become your butterfly. And if you need help along the way, please reach out and I will help in whatever way I can.
After all, I am a new member of caterpillars anonymous!
