How many of you have ever seen a glider plane soaring through the air? They are amazing feats of engineering when you think about the fact that they can fly high above the earth using simply the power of the wind and the skill of the pilot. Now, have you ever thought about what it takes to get that glider plane into the air? They can’t get up there by themselves can they? No, they can’t, they require the power of a tow plane to help get them off the ground. If not for the tow plane, the glider would just sit there, not making any headway, never moving and the pilot would never experiencing the thrill of flying.
It’s pretty common for us to have people ask how long they need to see one of our physicians or how long they have to be signed up for the online program. So, let’s consider the analogy of the glider plane as it relates to your personal weight loss journey. (This was actually a really cool one to use one day when seeing a mother and daughter who asked this very question. Both of them had been coming in for about a year and they were concerned that they might not be able to keep coming as neither of them had attained their goal yet. Turns out mom actually has her glider pilot license so she knew exactly where I was going with this whole thing!)
I asked them if they knew what a glider plane was. Of course, they both did. Then I asked if a glider plane can get into the air of its own accord. They both said “no”. So I then asked, what is required for the glider plane to get into the sky and they both answered “a tow plane”. My next question was “who gets to decide when to detach the tow rope and let the glider soar on its own?” The answer to that question is NOT the tow plane. The glider pilot assesses the situation and makes the determination as to whether the conditions are right and then the glider plane pilot makes the call to detach that tow rope.
Are you seeing where we are going with this? MDWL and our team of physicians are like the tow plane, you are piloting the glider plane. We don’t make the determination of when to cut you loose. We don’t tell you that you have to sign up for our program for the next 6 weeks and then be left to try to fend for yourself. YOU get to make that decision. YOU decide when you have learned the skills you need to soar on your own into an amazing adventure where your health is in your control! If you come in for a landing, and you need a boost to get back into the air, we will be there for you! We are honoured to have the privilege of being your tow pilot!
Remember, it’s OK to need help. It’s OK to ask for help. Some day, you just might find yourself in a position to help someone else with the knowledge you have learned!
So, the next time you see a glider plane, think about how amazing it must be for them to be up there in the sky and consider that your life has the ability to be just as amazing with you as the pilot!
