ARE YOU A TORTOISE OR A HARE?

SLOW AND STEADY WON THE RACE

I’m sure you’ve all heard the story of the tortoise and the hare.  In case you don’t remember let me just remind you...  

Once upon a time there was a lightning fast hare who went around boasting about how fast he could run. The slow and steady tortoise, who was fed up of hearing him constantly boasting, challenged him to a race. 

It was a big occasion and all the animals in the forest came to watch.

The hare bolted off as fast as he could leaving the tortoise behind to eat his dust.  He ran for a while before stopping to have a rest. He looked back at the tortoise and shouted "How do you expect to win this race when you’re walking at such a slow pace?"

The hare stretched himself out on the side of the road and fell asleep, thinking, "There’s plenty of time to relax."

The tortoise kept his head down, stayed focused and never slowed down once.  He walked and walked and never stopped until he came to the finish line.

The forest animals were so happy to see the tortoise winning the race that their claps and cheers woke the hare up.

The hare stretched and yawned and started to run again but it was too late. The tortoise was over the line.

Think of this story in terms of weight loss for a minute.

If the story of the tortoise and the hare was about weight loss, the hare would have a weight problem!!!!  

If you find that you’re struggling to reach your goals but you’re consistent with your diet and exercise then I really hope that you get some motivation from this!

If you start your weight loss journey like the hare, going as hard as you can there’s a risk that you’ll reach a point where you say “I'm tired of this diet.  I know I’m not at my target yet but, I’m doing so well that I’m going to take a little break for a while.”

Can you relate to this?

Have you been there before? 

I know I have, many times.  

Your mindset shifts and you start to say things like 
“it’s just one chocolate bar, I deserve it after all my hard work”

“one fry up can’t make a difference” 

“I’ll have seconds today but I’ll start back tomorrow.”  

Every little slip adds up and you may not even notice any difference for a few weeks until one day you step back up on the scales or you go to close the zip on your favorite jeans and you notice that things are not how you want them to be and instead of progressing you’re actually moving backwards. 

I can tell you from personal experience that this feels awful. 

This is when the internal chatter starts… 

• It’s a new week I’m starting my diet today.
• I know I shouldn’t have this but I’ve been good all day. 
• I just ate too much food for lunch so I’m having no more for the rest of the day.
• I’ll start my diet tomorrow.
• I’ll just have a desert because I’m starting my diet tomorrow.
• Why do I have no willpower? 
• I‘m so full, I’m never eating that much food again.  I feel horrible.
• I shouldn't have eaten that.  I feel so guilty.

Queue the yo-yo diet...

You end up judging your self worth and if you’re anything like me, hating your body.  There will be lots of negative self talk, internal bashing, self criticism and self hate.

Sound familiar?

The tortoise on the other hand has it so right.  

He just keeps plugging away.  He makes healthy choices every single day.  He may be making slow progress but he’s making progress and that’s all that matters.  You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other every day.  

The tortoise has something that the hare doesn’t have.  He’s got determination, commitment and grit. 

He sees the goal and he’s going to get to it. He has a 
“no matter what it takes” mentality.  He’s going to keep putting one foot in front of the other and he won’t stop until he reaches that goal. He doesn’t need to take a break because he’s moving at a pace he’s comfortable with.  

He knows he can handle it and what’s more important he can maintain it. 


After years of being the hare in the race I’m now happy to finally be the tortoise.

I’ve found a way of exercising and eating healthy that I don’t need to take a break from.

To me this is key. 

I’d love your feedback.  Do you find yourself having these internal battles?

If you’re struggling to reach your goals why not get some help from a nutrition adviser or a health and wellness coach like me.