This past weekend marked the official kickoff for the 2014 “Lighten-Up Weight Loss Challenge”, co-sponsored by The St. Louis Jewish Light and the JCC. I was invited to be the motivational speaker for this event, taking the podium after each participant had been weighed, measured and duly calibrated. Looking out at the assembled group of unique individuals, the first thing I did after welcoming them was to congratulate them…because they had just made a positive choice to change the direction of their lives.

We have a choice as to how we view every event and situation that plays out in our lives.  Our perception of these events is what will ultimately dictate how productive our lifestyle is. Thoughts create behaviors, and behaviors, in turn, create results. This weight loss challenge then becomes less about the numbers and more about brain power.

Here are some tips which I shared with the assembled participants on how to lead a PRODUCTIVE life:

• Surround yourself with positive people, those who also have the courage to move forward in life
• Focus on the future – visualize the outcome of your goals
• Plan ahead – making efficient use of time helps maintain a positive attitude
• Be persistent – positive habits require development of new pathways within the brain, and this may take up to 3 weeks
• Give support to others – encouraging others in their positive quest actually boosts your own optimism
• Take ownership – be accountable for each action you take, making sure it is in the direction of your goal
• Write down your goal – putting the vision in writing gives life to that goal
• Reward your small successes along the way
• Accept setbacks, but do not allow them to affect your emotions or your path to success
• Become action-oriented – always ask, “What is my next step?”

        Whereas most traditional weight-loss motivators might have discussed the most effective ways to reduce body fat, lower a number on the scale, or shrink a tape measure, I  chose instead to encourage focus from the inside first, as this can create much more empowerment. Every individual at Sunday’s talk had a dream to cultivate; my goal was to offer up the realization that their dream is much more potent than weight loss…and that it begins with properly feeding the brain.  Tell yourself something positive every day upon waking; I can virtually guarantee you will start the day motivated to follow your dream.