According to studies nearly 95 percent of people fail to achieve their weight loss goal and 95 percent of the 5 percent who lost weight, will regain it. This means that out of 400 people 380 will drop their weight loss program. Left are 20 people who completed some weight loss. Out of these 20 people 19 will regain the weight lost. That leaves only one successful person out of the original 400 people. What does this one person have that the other 499 don’t have? It’s the accumulation of many factors. However, people like this have a burning desire to lose weight. They are willing to sacrifice everything, except positive human relationships, their health and integrity. They exercise and eat on the last day of their program with the same passion they had when they started, and with the feeling that time is running out.

Let me tell you a story that I heard:

It was about a youngster who wanted to be successful and in his town was a guru who knew how to achieve anything in life. He was a successful man in all areas of his life. The youngster went over to the guru’s house and asked him to teach him how to succeed in life. The guru replied, “Meet me by the beach tomorrow and be ready to get wet.”

The youngster met the guru the next day at the beach, and he told the guru that he was ready. The guru told him to get in the water until the water covered his ankles, and the youngster did so. The guru told him to go in deeper until the water covered his knees, then his hips and then his chest. Once the water covered the youngster’s neck, the youngster said, “I’m here to learn how to be successful, not how to swim.” The guru got close to the youngster and pushed him just ahead to where the water was deeper. The youngster started desperately to swing his hands and feet to get to the safe spot. He managed to make it to a safe spot.

Once the youngster was calm, the guru explained, “When you are in your comfort zone, you don’t give the best of you, but when you get out of it, you do your best to survive. This is how people succeed.”

The story reminds me of when I was drowning in a river. I’m not a good swimmer. In fact, I don’t know how to float. On one of my vacations in Chiapas, Mexico, I was swimming in a river and did not take into consideration that rivers have deep spots. I got tired and wanted to stop; I tried to touch the ground and couldn’t. I panicked when I realized I was drowning. In five seconds, my past and my future came into my mind. I couldn’t believe I was about to die in just the blink of an eye. The human being gets resources from his inner self when he is in danger. I decided not to die there; I did my best to catch my breath, and get enough energy to swim back. I made it, and I could touch the ground!

These one-out-of-400-people who succeed live their life like it’s their last day. They do not leave things pending for the next day, next month or next year. They understand that what counts is what they are doing right now in the moment, and to give the same effort to every moment. The only thing that matters to them is what they are doing right now. They are committed to their desire to lose weight and get in shape; no excuses are big enough to stop them. When was the last time you wanted something and really fought for it? Did you make excuses, or did you give it your best? Are you living your life to succeed or just going with the flow? You want to get rid of that “muffin top” or “love handle” and get a flat stomach? Achieve your ideal weight loss? Exercise like it was your last opportunity, eat like you had a deadly disease caused from bad foods, meditate like it was your last day of life, and love yourself like you never have before.

Sandro Torres is a fitness professional and owner of Custom Body Fitness in Carbondale. His column appears on the second Tuesday of the month in Body & More.