Inertia

To quote Wikipedia;

Every body perseveres in its state of being at rest or of moving uniformly straight ahead, except insofar as it is compelled to change its state by forces impressed. [Cohen & Whitman 1999 translation]

A post or two ago, Tonya made the comment that pushing past inertia is the thing she needs to focus on. It got me thinking about inertia, physics, Newton and how much our bodies are part of science and nature.

Losing weight, or for that matter changing any habit, is a lesson in inertia. Dieters often face a HUGE mountain of resistance. We wonder where it comes from; Is this part of my past? Is this just being lazy? Does my body really need (insert favorite food here)? Why is "tomorrow" so appealing? Inertia seems like a Great Wall of Blubber that we just can't scale, pass through or around. I imagine it is no different for smokers or drinkers or any number of other things people just can't seem to stop doing. Sometimes I think it is more about momentum than actually loving that thing you want to stop or control. It is just plain easier to keep going the way you are, keep the status quo. Like electricity following the "path of least resistance", so do our lives and habits very often. We don't want a fight unless it is thrust upon us, or unless something gets in the way and forces you to move in the other direction. Some "outside" force" is often needed for us to break inertia and get moving in a different direction.

Knowing this makes me feel better, believe it or not. It makes me realize that I am normal and that this habit of overeating I have is a function of physics and the natural world. I would not have this habit for decades if it did not serve some purpose in my life, fill some need. Bringing that to a halt and changing direction in a day is simply impossible.

Take for example the popular TV show, "The Biggest Loser". All those people got fat over months and years of overeating, and probably still would be today had not a massive force come in to push them in a different direction. The show, the support, the personal trainers the lack of food all converge on them like a hurricane.  They either take "shelter" and quit, or stick it out and weather the storm.

Most of  us do not have that kind of force coming to us. Some of us get bad news from the doctor, like a blocked artery, diabetes 2, hypertension or cancer, and we change our ways. Some take a look at their lives  and the impact it has on their family and want to change. But the vast majority have none of that, we simply are faced with trying to overcome inertia on our own. We must trade the option of the "outside force" for the "inside motivation".  A difficult task to be sure.

Only through the tinniest of motions, an hour... then two, then a day... then two, then a month... then two...can we build that kind of Big Mo. It takes us months, years, to get fat, yet we all want to take it off in days and weeks. Why don't we want to give ourselves at least as much time as it took to get where we are now. Think of it as a long, long walk. One day you realize you have followed a path that brings you nowhere, you are lost. If you want to get back home all you have to to is begin to walk back. It is going to take some time, but each day brings you closer not further. Of course at some point along the way you might even feel like jogging!

So I say to fellow fatties out there who struggle, don't despair. You no longer have to hate yourself for the slip, the fall or the slide. Blame it all on science. You are up against a seemingly immovable force, but one that is movable. 

Comments

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[Denise]

Amen and "what you said!"

[Margaret]

I know what you mean. It is easier to take the familiar and "safe" road, even if we know it is not the best path for us. We are comfortable with what we have done for years.That makes it devilishly hard to break those habits. I bite my cuticles and it is embarrassing. I feel like a teenager!

[Kelly]

Wow, this is exactly what I needed to hear today. Just this morning I was feeling all grumpy and frustrated at the miniscule amount of progree I feel that I've made. I had to remind myself that I've only been doing this for a few weeks, plus working a lot of hours, so I need to cut myself some slack. But reading your comments and hearing something similar from an external source helps. Maybe you can be my outside source of inertia today. :)

[Tonya]

Yup, I think I need a good swift kick in the pants. From an outside source. Lord knows the INSIDE source embraces that gull-derned inertia.

[Faith]

Aha...see, that's why I felt so great when I found out alcoholism is a DISEASE! I'm predisposed!! Whoo hooo!! Good to be back reading again, I hope all is well, I'll try to go back and do some catching up!