December 22. “Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.” (C. W. Ceram)

(Note- I found an error in the graphic below, and have updated the post as a result. It is now correct.)

I don’t fancy myself to be a genius. I just think that there are quite a large number of people who are far smarter than I am, and far more capable in life. I have come across a few things in life, though, that fit this description. There are some things in life that people tend to over complicate, or that are complicated by their nature, but which can be reduced to simple terms. In my experience, weight loss is one of those things.

I have been saying for most of this year, to anyone who asks, that weight loss is simple, but it isn’t easy. Allow me to explain.

The formula for weight loss isn’t very complicated. It basically looks like this:

That is really all there is to the formula. If you eat more than you burn, you gain weight. If you burn more than you eat, you lose weight.

So many times I will bring this up and I hear the endless chorus of buts:

• But my metabolism is low – then you have to work harder to burn more, and you have to eat less
• But I don’t like exercise – Then eat less
• But I just LOVE certain foods that make me fat – Then eat smaller portions of them and compensate elsewhere

And the list goes on and on.

All of this points to the fact that the formula for weight loss is simple. But, it isn’t easy to lose weight.

Anyone who has struggled with their weight, as I have for my entire adult life, knows that it is monumentally difficult to lose weight. It takes sacrifice, hard work, discipline and inspiration. It takes a lot of patience too, because the process of burning more than you eat, and doing so in a healthy way, will mean that your weight loss will take time.

I don’t know if this concept is the product of genius, or just how life is. What I do know is that for me, it is quite simple to lose weight, but God knows it’s not easy.

Today my reflection is on the difference between simple and easy in life.