Happy Friday (and Happy Labor Day weekend)!
One of the first things I did after starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast in June of 2007 was put together a playlist of songs on my iPod that would inspire me and keep me focused. I named this playlist "Soul Food" :-). I knew that the most challenging part of this plan would be the heart and mind part - once I was in the fat-burning state, the food part was easy.
The songs on this playlist were mostly contemporary Christian songs, because the words of those songs reminded me to turn to the Lord, not chocolate, to meet my soul hunger. The songs included songs with titles like, "Lord, I Thirst for You," "All I Want is You, Lord," "I Surrender", and "More of You, Less of Me" (I thought the title of this particular song pretty much said it all!).
I put this playlist together and listened to it every day for a long time (there are 169 songs on this particular playlist), because I wanted to continually remind myself of the need to reshape my heart and my mind about how I related to food. I still listen to this playlist on a regular basis!
I really tried to put myself in an environment that supported what I wanted, which was to lose weight and get healthy. That not only meant clearing my house of any food that could possibly be a temptation and avoiding trigger restaurants (just about any ethnic restaurant), but also surrounding myself with things that encouraged me and kept me focused. I stayed tightly connected to the plan's on-line community, listened to my "Soul Food" playlist, and each day looked to God for the strength I needed to get through that day.
As you begin this Labor Day weekend, I really encourage you to get creative and find as many ways as possible to stay encouraged and focused. There are lots and lots of distractions out there, so being intentional about what you allow into your life (and what you temporarily exclude) can make a tremendous difference. Set yourself up for success and you'll get there, one on-plan day at a time. And if you can find some music to help along the way, so much the better!
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