Success Stories
Kevin Maher, writer, performer, producer and devoted family man—got healthier this year. When we asked him how he did it, and how he might tackle staying on track for the holidays with his family, he said something about portion control, and mentioned not having too much pecan pie. It was true, but it felt really thin… Of course that’s always a part of it, for sure, but we felt like there was probably more to the story. In our experience, people who make a big change and stick to it don’t wake up one day and decide to “just do portion control.” Indeed, it turns out there was a lot more. And he shared it with us, to share with all of you. It inspired us and we hope it inspires you as well if you are looking to get resolution ready and make a change in the New Year.
What follows is from Kevin:
SPOILER: I lost some weight—a lot in fact—because I followed my own advice. To explain… I wrote a new children’s book. It’s called SANTA DOESN’T NEED YOUR HELP, and in it, Kris Kringle gets annoyed that every year some character comes to the North Pole to “save” Christmas. So, our grumpy hero tells a K-Pop Boy Band that he doesn’t need their help, he can do it on his own. Santa was going to ruin Christmas because he was too stubborn to accept help. The story sounds familiar. Santa is like my Dad. And maybe your Dad. And maybe me.
On my weight loss journey, I was like an angry Dad, lost on vacation and refusing to ask for directions. I was repeating an awful pattern with my health: I pretended nothing was wrong – but I was having trouble with food, trouble with exercise—and trouble with fitting into my pants.
Finally, the message of my book hit me: “it’s okay to get help.”
I had to admit that I was ignorant about weight loss. I was illiterate about nutrition. I didn’t have a plan for my abstract goal of “becoming healthier.” What I was doing wasn’t working.
I admitted I needed help. That was hard for me, but it got me started. Over the course of five months, I worked with a trainer, a nutritionist, a physical therapist, an app to track my food and I also stepped on the scale regularly. I lost 68 pounds. I never would’ve improved my health if I hadn’t admitted that I was struggling on my own.
Previously, I hadn’t asked for help because I didn’t want to spend the money. Meanwhile, if my toilet was broken, I’d spend money on a plumber. If my car wouldn’t start, I’d spend money on a mechanic. I needed to invest in my body.
Also, I hadn’t sought help because I was scared that I couldn’t lose weight. But my helpers (human and in-app) showed me ways to improve my meals, drink more water, increase movement, break some old habits and replace them with new ones.
I might gain some weight back over the holidays—it’s a holiday tradition! But after I take down the lights and tree, I can get the help I need to lose a few pounds. I don’t have to do it alone—and neither do you. One of the best things a helper can do is provide encouragement. So I’ll tell you right now: you deserve to feel better, you deserve to spend money on your well-being. This season you can give yourself the gift of health because you are worth it.
Thanks to Kevin for sharing his story. Find out more about his live shows, videos, and books on his site: lovekevin.com
