Name Change and Weight loss

I have come to the conclusion that changing your name is much the same process as losing weight. Both you’d love to accomplish in a day but can’t. Both require much patience and going through the proper steps. Both at times may make you want to quit. Let me share my experience with you so can decide for yourself! As a new wife, I decided to take my husband’s last name. My given last name I liked, but after years of spelling it, pronouncing it and explaining what and how to add the accent  … I was ok with changing! Little did I know what a process this would be.

I think it’s much the same when we decide to lose weight. We are tired of the tight clothes, feeling sluggish and other issues that go with being overweight and decide that tomorrow all carbs are out! It’s never that easy. We see the end goal and it looks good. We have no idea how much work it is going to take to get there – and that is probably a good thing as we may not start if we knew!

With the name change, I soon learned the first step is a new social security card. I will venture to say most waiting at the social security office are not there for a simple name change. The gentleman in front of me was quite miffed when he was told he could not bring his coffee or switchblade in with him. I believe the fellows behind me may still have been high from last night’s party. It’s crowded and there is a decent amount of waiting. Anyone been to a gym after New Years? While switchblades may not be the issue there, you will run into crowds, loud grunters, sweaty people who don’t wipe off equipment, waiting for machines and a few cheesy folks you’d rather not get stuck talking to!

Next step – waiting for the new social security card. You’d done the work and now you wait. Some times that is how it goes with the scale! You are working out and the needle is not budging! Both processes require patience.

Now the card arrives and it’s off to the clerks office for a new driver’s license. And more waiting. Waiting in lines and again waiting for your license to arrive in the mail. Just like losing weight – you’ll have some victories, you’ll get on a roll and then you hit a plateau. Did I mention I was trying to change my name during the holidays? Places are closed, processes take longer and there are less people working. Have you tried to loss weight during the holidays? Parties, family gatherings, and closed gyms can all wreck havoc with your plans!

Finally, the new drivers license arrives!!! But wait… what is that?? Your name is wrong! Hello holiday weight gain! So you’ve hit a set back and will have to redo some of your steps or in weight loss – re -lose some of those pounds. So it’s back to the clerks office and more lines and waiting.

Then the process begins of changing credit cards, insurance, brokerage accounts, bank accounts and so on. It seems never ending the amount of things that need changing. When you think you’ve done it all … something else pops up. Much like in weight loss, it’s going to be a constant process. You can’t go back to your bad habits and you will be tested time and time again. Does this one happy hour really count? Should you have a cheat day? (in my opinion – just say no to cheat days) In the end, it is more work than you ever expected but also more satisfaction, too! It is worth it and maybe the difficulties of the process are there to make you think twice about changing your name again or letting those pounds creep back on!