Happy Memorial Day! Since this is a holiday, I'm going to make this short :-). I'm thankful to all of the brave men and women who have given our lives to protect our country and preserve our freedom, and also grateful for all those who are serving our country today. May we never forget, and may we never take for granted how precious our freedom is and the price that has been paid.
Have a great, on-plan day! Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
What a Difference!
I'm writing this morning while sitting in my sun room, the place I've spent most of my waking hours for almost two weeks. Since breaking a bone in my leg 12 days ago, I've been pretty much housebound, parked in one spot with my leg up. I have a tendency to be a bit of a control freak (perhaps I'm becoming a "recovering control freak"), so this experience requires ongoing attitude adjustment since I realize there's not a thing I can do to change the situation.
In my pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast life, when out-of-control events happened in my life, my first instinct was to resort to eating. As I type this, I realize how ironic that was, because I couldn't control my eating, either! However, food was the way I dealt with the frustration. My weight first began to go up 25 years ago when we were given four weeks notice that my husband was being transferred to another store (he was a retail jewelry store manager for a large chain) in another city. We had put down some pretty deep roots in the town where we lived and the transfer was not something we wanted, but it was either move or find a new job. We moved - and I ate. On the heels of that move, my knee (same one that's injured now) became painful to the point that I had to stop exercising and taking stairs in our house became difficult. I needed surgery, but didn't want a second surgery on that knee (the first surgery was 4 years earlier and I had a difficult recovery). I put off surgery for almost a year, waiting for my knee to improve, which it didn't. It was a time of tremendous frustration, so I ate. Since I had become very sedentary, it didn't take very long for me to pile on 30 extra pounds. I finally agreed to surgery with the intent that once I finished rehab I'd get back to exercising and "work off" the extra weight. Instead, while in rehab I discovered I was expecting our son. Pregnancy piled on another 70 pounds, and from that point on the weight just kept coming as I kept eating to deal with any and all of life's events (and there were many).
I've shared before how my Take Shape for Life/Medifast journey began a healing process that has forever changed how I related to food. What I've realized over the past few days is how true that is. My current situation is exactly the kind of thing that would have had me diving face-first into sugary carbs (my drug of choice) three years ago. What's different now is that I don't even want to - honest! It's not a matter of me fighting the urge to stuff food - the urge isn't even there. I can't describe how amazing that is - God has truly healed that place in my heart!
Instead of carb-loading right now, I'm actually temporarily back on 5&1. Because I usually wear a BodyBugg that tracks how many calories I burn each day, I know that on a given day, if I don't exercise, I burn between 1,500-1,700 calories a day. As a result, I try to keep my caloric intake for the day between 1,500 and 1,600. Right now I know I'm burning less calories, so I'm compensating by taking in fewer calories. Since it's hard to be on my feet, preparing food is a challenge, so voila! Medifast to the rescue :-). I'm able to keep to my 6 small meals a day (which is how I always eat) and don't have to worry about having to prepare anything. Once I'm back on my feet, I know I won't have extra pounds to deal with as a result of being so sedentary.
Those choices I began to make almost three years ago when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast are still making a difference in my life today. The choices you make today can and will make a difference for you one, two, or three years from now. Choose wisely :-)
In my pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast life, when out-of-control events happened in my life, my first instinct was to resort to eating. As I type this, I realize how ironic that was, because I couldn't control my eating, either! However, food was the way I dealt with the frustration. My weight first began to go up 25 years ago when we were given four weeks notice that my husband was being transferred to another store (he was a retail jewelry store manager for a large chain) in another city. We had put down some pretty deep roots in the town where we lived and the transfer was not something we wanted, but it was either move or find a new job. We moved - and I ate. On the heels of that move, my knee (same one that's injured now) became painful to the point that I had to stop exercising and taking stairs in our house became difficult. I needed surgery, but didn't want a second surgery on that knee (the first surgery was 4 years earlier and I had a difficult recovery). I put off surgery for almost a year, waiting for my knee to improve, which it didn't. It was a time of tremendous frustration, so I ate. Since I had become very sedentary, it didn't take very long for me to pile on 30 extra pounds. I finally agreed to surgery with the intent that once I finished rehab I'd get back to exercising and "work off" the extra weight. Instead, while in rehab I discovered I was expecting our son. Pregnancy piled on another 70 pounds, and from that point on the weight just kept coming as I kept eating to deal with any and all of life's events (and there were many).
I've shared before how my Take Shape for Life/Medifast journey began a healing process that has forever changed how I related to food. What I've realized over the past few days is how true that is. My current situation is exactly the kind of thing that would have had me diving face-first into sugary carbs (my drug of choice) three years ago. What's different now is that I don't even want to - honest! It's not a matter of me fighting the urge to stuff food - the urge isn't even there. I can't describe how amazing that is - God has truly healed that place in my heart!
Instead of carb-loading right now, I'm actually temporarily back on 5&1. Because I usually wear a BodyBugg that tracks how many calories I burn each day, I know that on a given day, if I don't exercise, I burn between 1,500-1,700 calories a day. As a result, I try to keep my caloric intake for the day between 1,500 and 1,600. Right now I know I'm burning less calories, so I'm compensating by taking in fewer calories. Since it's hard to be on my feet, preparing food is a challenge, so voila! Medifast to the rescue :-). I'm able to keep to my 6 small meals a day (which is how I always eat) and don't have to worry about having to prepare anything. Once I'm back on my feet, I know I won't have extra pounds to deal with as a result of being so sedentary.
Those choices I began to make almost three years ago when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast are still making a difference in my life today. The choices you make today can and will make a difference for you one, two, or three years from now. Choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Holiday Weekend - Survive and Thrive
It is just me, or is anyone else in denial that this is Memorial Day weekend, the official kick-off of the summer? It seems like it was only a short time ago that we were ringing in the New Year and making all of those New Year’s resolutions. Remember those? How many of you made solemn resolutions on January 2 that, with the holidays finally behind you, you were going to finally get focused and get to your weight loss goal. How many of you vowed that you were going to be at your goal by the time shorts and swimsuit weather rolled around again? How have those resolutions worked out?
I know that a number of you made that resolution and stuck to it, and you’ve reached your goal (congratulations!!). Without exception, when someone reaches their goal they readily admit two things: 1) it wasn’t always easy and 2) it was worth it! No one has yet reached goal and decided that giving up some of their favorite food for a short period of time wasn’t worth the thrill of seeing their goal weight on the bathroom scale. Even more than the thrill of seeing that number on the scale, a number of you have seen real improvement in your health – with medical conditions improved or completely resolved and prescription medications reduced or eliminated.
Others of you aren’t at goal yet, but you’re continuing to make great progress. Some of you have had the joy of finding yourselves as much as 100 pounds lighter in a matter of months. You know that the sacrifice and the struggle is worth it and that as long as you keep focused on where you want to go, you will soon be at your goal weight.
If you aren't in one of the two categories listed above - either at your goal or making good progress toward your goal, would you like to be? You can be, and that reality can begin today, even on a holiday weekend!
Regardless of where we are on our journey, this holiday weekend will find many of us attending BBQs, picnics and parties with family members and friends. Most likely, most of the food at these events won’t be even remotely on plan, so what’s a person to do? Here’s my suggestion: plan ahead, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to do what you need to do to stay on plan. If you’re going to a cookout, find out what will be on the grill. If it’s hot dogs and brats, ask your host/hostess if it’s OK if you bring along a chicken breast to throw on the grill (I'm almost 100% certain they won’t mind!). Offer to bring a large garden salad or a vegetable tray. If the protein option is burgers on the grill, you can have 5 oz. of beef, but skip the bun and watch the condiments as they will add unwanted calories and carbs. If you’ll have trouble resisting the chips and dip, bring a bag of soy crisps or a bag of Medifast pretzels or cheese puffs. While everyone is having dessert, make sure you have a crunch bar with you. NOTE: you may have to adjust the timing of your 5 Medifast meals, so take the time to plan your day accordingly.
One of the things I learned while on 5&1 is that nobody really cared what I was eating. As long as I was OK with it, so were they. I attended a lot of food-focused events and either ate what I could or brought along something I COULD eat and it was never an issue. Nobody cares if you eat chicken while they eat a brat, and even if they DO care (which they don’t!), this is your program and your health.
Don’t let a holiday weekend get in the way of getting what you really want! Focus on what you want, then choose wisely :-)
I know that a number of you made that resolution and stuck to it, and you’ve reached your goal (congratulations!!). Without exception, when someone reaches their goal they readily admit two things: 1) it wasn’t always easy and 2) it was worth it! No one has yet reached goal and decided that giving up some of their favorite food for a short period of time wasn’t worth the thrill of seeing their goal weight on the bathroom scale. Even more than the thrill of seeing that number on the scale, a number of you have seen real improvement in your health – with medical conditions improved or completely resolved and prescription medications reduced or eliminated.
Others of you aren’t at goal yet, but you’re continuing to make great progress. Some of you have had the joy of finding yourselves as much as 100 pounds lighter in a matter of months. You know that the sacrifice and the struggle is worth it and that as long as you keep focused on where you want to go, you will soon be at your goal weight.
If you aren't in one of the two categories listed above - either at your goal or making good progress toward your goal, would you like to be? You can be, and that reality can begin today, even on a holiday weekend!
Regardless of where we are on our journey, this holiday weekend will find many of us attending BBQs, picnics and parties with family members and friends. Most likely, most of the food at these events won’t be even remotely on plan, so what’s a person to do? Here’s my suggestion: plan ahead, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to do what you need to do to stay on plan. If you’re going to a cookout, find out what will be on the grill. If it’s hot dogs and brats, ask your host/hostess if it’s OK if you bring along a chicken breast to throw on the grill (I'm almost 100% certain they won’t mind!). Offer to bring a large garden salad or a vegetable tray. If the protein option is burgers on the grill, you can have 5 oz. of beef, but skip the bun and watch the condiments as they will add unwanted calories and carbs. If you’ll have trouble resisting the chips and dip, bring a bag of soy crisps or a bag of Medifast pretzels or cheese puffs. While everyone is having dessert, make sure you have a crunch bar with you. NOTE: you may have to adjust the timing of your 5 Medifast meals, so take the time to plan your day accordingly.
One of the things I learned while on 5&1 is that nobody really cared what I was eating. As long as I was OK with it, so were they. I attended a lot of food-focused events and either ate what I could or brought along something I COULD eat and it was never an issue. Nobody cares if you eat chicken while they eat a brat, and even if they DO care (which they don’t!), this is your program and your health.
Don’t let a holiday weekend get in the way of getting what you really want! Focus on what you want, then choose wisely :-)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Tomorrow
A week or so ago, I talked a little about about our experience of eating at a buffet on our way home from a weekend conference in Chicago. I want to share another story from that buffet stop.
Seated at the table just behind us were a couple of men, both quite overweight. During a lull in the conversation with my husband, I overheard one of the men, who had just refilled his plate, comment, "This is it. I'm going to start eating better tomorrow." He laughed as he continued, "Oh, wait . . . that's what I said yesterday."
I smiled when I heard that, because that sounded like something I would have said three years ago. I had good intentions, really I did. I certainly understood that I was significantly overweight, although I avoided thinking of myself as being morbidly obese (but with a BMI of 44.6, that's exactly what I was!). I also was aware of the health risks associated with my obesity and recognized that my own diabetes was probably a result (since my mom and sister are both diabetic, I also wondered if I'd be diabetic regardless of how much I weighed). In those days, I was always a day away from finally starting on the diet to end all diets - the one that would finally help me lose weight. I say I was always a day away because the diet was always going to start "tomorrow." My "tomorrows" usually were a Monday, as that seemed like a good day to start a diet. I'd reason that I would enjoy "one more weekend" and then really buckle down and just do it. The problem was that Mondays at work were usually very busy and often stressful, and if things were busy and stressful, well, that wasn't a good day to deprive myself of my favorite food. Never mind that I'd just had another "last supper", eating all of my favorite foods "one last time" in preparation for my new diet . . . it would just have to wait until "tomorrow."
The fact that the man at the table behind me joked about eating better "tomorrow" told me that, on some level, he recognized the need to do just that, and his size certainly shouted that he needed to do something for his health. He was just going to wait until "tomorrow."
Tomorrows have a sneaky way of always being just one day away, and those days turn into weeks, which turn into months. There really is no better day than today to make the choices we need to make to put us on (or keep us on) a path that will lead to a healthier tomorrow. I know this is the start of a holiday weekend and I understand that some of you may be thinking that your "tomorrow" is next Tuesday, after you get through a weekend of holiday activities. I would encourage you to not put off until tomorrow the healthy choices you can make today. With a little planning, it IS possible to have a great holiday weekend and still stay on plan. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Seated at the table just behind us were a couple of men, both quite overweight. During a lull in the conversation with my husband, I overheard one of the men, who had just refilled his plate, comment, "This is it. I'm going to start eating better tomorrow." He laughed as he continued, "Oh, wait . . . that's what I said yesterday."
I smiled when I heard that, because that sounded like something I would have said three years ago. I had good intentions, really I did. I certainly understood that I was significantly overweight, although I avoided thinking of myself as being morbidly obese (but with a BMI of 44.6, that's exactly what I was!). I also was aware of the health risks associated with my obesity and recognized that my own diabetes was probably a result (since my mom and sister are both diabetic, I also wondered if I'd be diabetic regardless of how much I weighed). In those days, I was always a day away from finally starting on the diet to end all diets - the one that would finally help me lose weight. I say I was always a day away because the diet was always going to start "tomorrow." My "tomorrows" usually were a Monday, as that seemed like a good day to start a diet. I'd reason that I would enjoy "one more weekend" and then really buckle down and just do it. The problem was that Mondays at work were usually very busy and often stressful, and if things were busy and stressful, well, that wasn't a good day to deprive myself of my favorite food. Never mind that I'd just had another "last supper", eating all of my favorite foods "one last time" in preparation for my new diet . . . it would just have to wait until "tomorrow."
The fact that the man at the table behind me joked about eating better "tomorrow" told me that, on some level, he recognized the need to do just that, and his size certainly shouted that he needed to do something for his health. He was just going to wait until "tomorrow."
Tomorrows have a sneaky way of always being just one day away, and those days turn into weeks, which turn into months. There really is no better day than today to make the choices we need to make to put us on (or keep us on) a path that will lead to a healthier tomorrow. I know this is the start of a holiday weekend and I understand that some of you may be thinking that your "tomorrow" is next Tuesday, after you get through a weekend of holiday activities. I would encourage you to not put off until tomorrow the healthy choices you can make today. With a little planning, it IS possible to have a great holiday weekend and still stay on plan. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Patience
Some people seem to be born with a patient disposition. I am not one of those people. Patience is one of those virtues that still needs some work in my life, and unfortunately it only comes as I have opportunity to practice it. Like now.
The first few days after I injured my leg last week, I had a pretty good attitude about the whole thing. Even in the emergency room, I was thankful that I was there for a workout-related injury instead of an obesity-related health crisis. I was thankful that it was a fracture and not torn ligaments. I was thankful that I didn't need surgery or a cast - just an immobilizer.
The thankful attitude has been harder to come by the past couple of days because, frankly, I'm ready to be done with this. I'm tired of sitting with my leg up, I'm tired of not being able to drive, I'm tired of it hurting, I'm tired of wearing the immobilizer, which is hot and heavy and sometimes uncomfortable. Blah blah blah . . . the whining could go on and on.
I realized this morning that the reason I'm feeling more whiney is because I want this to be over. The doctor told me it would be 4-6 weeks, so my expectation that somehow things would be all better now are quite unrealistic. My unrealistic expectations are fueling my discontent and frustration . . . time to adjust my expectations and take a deep breath, I guess!
My guess is that unrealistic expectations and a lack of patience have tripped up more than a few of us at one point or another in our lives, and they may be threatening to trip us up on our weight loss journey. Even though we know we didn't gain the weight overnight, and even though we've seen good progress so far, we may reach the point where we just want to be done, and we want to be done NOW. All of the excitement we had when we started the program has dissipated and we may feel really bogged down in the sameness of it all. Instead of taking a look back to see (and celebrate) how far we've come, we look ahead and it feels like it will be an eternity before we're at goal.
We get frustrated because we've only lost one or two pounds in the past week and we think we should be losing four or five. We compare ourselves to others who seem to be making faster progress and that comparison fuels our own impatience with the process. We're just ready to be done so we can get on with the rest of our lives.
So what do we do? One thing I realize this morning is that wishing things to be different doesn't make them so, but that attitude will make me miserable (and miserable to be around) in the process. I have to choose to either embrace this time and learn from it, or not. I can either choose to be patient and look for things to be thankful for, or not.
In a few weeks, I know that things WILL be back to normal for me. I also know that in a few weeks, or a few months, you'll be at your goal. Our challenge is to choose our attitude for the time between now and then. No matter what is going on in our lives today, there are things to be thankful for - we just have to look for them! Choosing our attitude will determine whether we experience joy on our journey or not. The choice is ours . . . let's choose wisely :-)
The first few days after I injured my leg last week, I had a pretty good attitude about the whole thing. Even in the emergency room, I was thankful that I was there for a workout-related injury instead of an obesity-related health crisis. I was thankful that it was a fracture and not torn ligaments. I was thankful that I didn't need surgery or a cast - just an immobilizer.
The thankful attitude has been harder to come by the past couple of days because, frankly, I'm ready to be done with this. I'm tired of sitting with my leg up, I'm tired of not being able to drive, I'm tired of it hurting, I'm tired of wearing the immobilizer, which is hot and heavy and sometimes uncomfortable. Blah blah blah . . . the whining could go on and on.
I realized this morning that the reason I'm feeling more whiney is because I want this to be over. The doctor told me it would be 4-6 weeks, so my expectation that somehow things would be all better now are quite unrealistic. My unrealistic expectations are fueling my discontent and frustration . . . time to adjust my expectations and take a deep breath, I guess!
My guess is that unrealistic expectations and a lack of patience have tripped up more than a few of us at one point or another in our lives, and they may be threatening to trip us up on our weight loss journey. Even though we know we didn't gain the weight overnight, and even though we've seen good progress so far, we may reach the point where we just want to be done, and we want to be done NOW. All of the excitement we had when we started the program has dissipated and we may feel really bogged down in the sameness of it all. Instead of taking a look back to see (and celebrate) how far we've come, we look ahead and it feels like it will be an eternity before we're at goal.
We get frustrated because we've only lost one or two pounds in the past week and we think we should be losing four or five. We compare ourselves to others who seem to be making faster progress and that comparison fuels our own impatience with the process. We're just ready to be done so we can get on with the rest of our lives.
So what do we do? One thing I realize this morning is that wishing things to be different doesn't make them so, but that attitude will make me miserable (and miserable to be around) in the process. I have to choose to either embrace this time and learn from it, or not. I can either choose to be patient and look for things to be thankful for, or not.
In a few weeks, I know that things WILL be back to normal for me. I also know that in a few weeks, or a few months, you'll be at your goal. Our challenge is to choose our attitude for the time between now and then. No matter what is going on in our lives today, there are things to be thankful for - we just have to look for them! Choosing our attitude will determine whether we experience joy on our journey or not. The choice is ours . . . let's choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Breaking Free
Happy Wednesday! We're halfway through another work week and coming up on a holiday weekend, so there are lots of reasons to be thankful today :-).
Right now I'm working my way through Beth Moore's newest Bible study, "Breaking Free." I really enjoy her studies and this one is no exception - lots of good stuff! In the video I watched yesterday, Beth made the statement that "To the the degree that I'm in captivity, I'm believing lies. To the degree that I'm walking in liberty, I am believing the truth."
That statement caused me to reflect on my journey from 260 pounds to goal, a time when I was finally able to walk away from over two decades of emotional eating. For years, I was caught in what was truly captivity, unable to break free from a miserable cycle of emotional eating and yo-yo dieting. I believed for a long time that I couldn't get out of it, that this was my "lot in life", and that led to feeling pretty hopeless. There were times when I was in the midst of binge eating and realized how sad and destructive it was, but dismissed it as "well, I have an eating disorder," dismissing my actions because I believed I couldn't help it. I tried over and over again to lose weight and my repeated failures led me to believe that I couldn't lose weight. I was over 50 and believed that women my age couldn't lose weight. I believed a lot of things that weren't true and, as a result, those lies kept me captive.
As I've shared before, I didn't believe that Take Shape for Life/Medifast would work, but decided it was worth giving it a try. The first untruth that was exposed was my belief that I couldn't lose weight, that women my age couldn't lose weight. I saw 9 pounds come off the first week and my long-held belief about my ability to lose weight began to crack in light of the truth. Because of the cost of the program, I made a commitment to stay on plan for one month (I couldn't justify the cost unless I was actually doing the program). When the stuff of life bubbled up that would have plunged me into an emotional eating binge, I found that, with God's help, I WAS able to stay on plan and deal with the emotions instead of stuffing them. As that happened time and time again, I realized that although I was certainly an emotional eater, I had the ability to walk away from it - I was not a helpless victim. I finally began to embrace the truth that I was only held captive as long as I chose to be held captive.
I've shared this story before, but since it fits so well here, I'm going to share it again:
The lies we believe are the puny stakes in the ground that hold us captive. We have the ability to walk away the minute we choose to believe the truth, and the truth is that we CAN walk away. It's not easy, but it's possible. The choice is ours today . . . choose wisely :-)
Right now I'm working my way through Beth Moore's newest Bible study, "Breaking Free." I really enjoy her studies and this one is no exception - lots of good stuff! In the video I watched yesterday, Beth made the statement that "To the the degree that I'm in captivity, I'm believing lies. To the degree that I'm walking in liberty, I am believing the truth."
That statement caused me to reflect on my journey from 260 pounds to goal, a time when I was finally able to walk away from over two decades of emotional eating. For years, I was caught in what was truly captivity, unable to break free from a miserable cycle of emotional eating and yo-yo dieting. I believed for a long time that I couldn't get out of it, that this was my "lot in life", and that led to feeling pretty hopeless. There were times when I was in the midst of binge eating and realized how sad and destructive it was, but dismissed it as "well, I have an eating disorder," dismissing my actions because I believed I couldn't help it. I tried over and over again to lose weight and my repeated failures led me to believe that I couldn't lose weight. I was over 50 and believed that women my age couldn't lose weight. I believed a lot of things that weren't true and, as a result, those lies kept me captive.
As I've shared before, I didn't believe that Take Shape for Life/Medifast would work, but decided it was worth giving it a try. The first untruth that was exposed was my belief that I couldn't lose weight, that women my age couldn't lose weight. I saw 9 pounds come off the first week and my long-held belief about my ability to lose weight began to crack in light of the truth. Because of the cost of the program, I made a commitment to stay on plan for one month (I couldn't justify the cost unless I was actually doing the program). When the stuff of life bubbled up that would have plunged me into an emotional eating binge, I found that, with God's help, I WAS able to stay on plan and deal with the emotions instead of stuffing them. As that happened time and time again, I realized that although I was certainly an emotional eater, I had the ability to walk away from it - I was not a helpless victim. I finally began to embrace the truth that I was only held captive as long as I chose to be held captive.
I've shared this story before, but since it fits so well here, I'm going to share it again:
Have you ever seen an elephant at the circus? I don't know if they still do this, but years ago circus elephants could be seen standing next to a small wooden stake in the ground with a chain around one ankle. In the story I read, the writer became rather curious as to how one small wooden stake could hold a large elephant captive, so he did some investigating. As it turns out, the trainer begins using the chain and stake when the elephant is just a baby. The baby elephant is unable to pull free and, over time, gradually accepts the chain and the restriction it provides. What the elephant never realizes is that as it grows stronger, it could easily pull the stake out of the ground and be free. You see, the elephant adapts itself so completely to the chain that it loses sight of the fact that it could free itself in a moment, if it only realized that the chain no longer had any power over it.
The lies we believe are the puny stakes in the ground that hold us captive. We have the ability to walk away the minute we choose to believe the truth, and the truth is that we CAN walk away. It's not easy, but it's possible. The choice is ours today . . . choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Choosing to Not Settle
I've been reminded again of how often we can become so accustomed to the way things are that we're willing to settle for what we've got. What got me thinking about this is my injured knee.
My knee has been a bad knee since my mid-20's, when I was young and thin. I've had two surgeries on it, one at age 30 and a second when I was almost 34, and it's never been great. Over the years things have gradually deteriorated and I've adjusted my activity in response.
When I injured my knee last week on the treadmill, they did both an x-ray and an MRI in the emergency room and those results were sent to the orthopedic physician I've seen for several years. He showed me the injury, but also pointed out all of the arthritis, bone spurs, meniscus tear and an area that's bone on bone. Like I said, it's a bad knee :-). As he reviewed the x-ray and MRI with me, I asked him how far out I was from a total knee replacement. His response was that it was my life and my body and at whatever point the pain and/or restricted activity was unacceptable, he would replace the knee.
My first response was that the pain wasn't that bad most of the time. Of course I take a prescription-strength dose of ibuprofen every day, but once I do that, the pain really isn't that bad. And I can do almost everything I want to do, except I can't run, can't ride a bike, can't rollerblade, can't sit cross-legged (due to limited range of motion).
As I started reviewing the things I could no longer do because of my knee, it dawned on me that my activity really has become pretty restricted. I hadn't realized it because it happened over time, but slowly but surely I've modified my life and my activity level and accepted these modifications as normal.
This reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot of water. If you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump right out, but if you put it in a pot of cold water and gradually heat it, the frog will cook and not even realize it because its body will continue to adjust to the changing temperature until it's too late.
For many of us, our weight came on gradually and we adjusted as we went along, accepting this as the new normal. We stopped doing some of the things we used to do and made all kinds of mental excuses, perhaps even telling ourselves that we didn't want to do those things anymore anyway. We eventually settled into life as an overweight or, in my case, morbidly obese person.
For others, perhaps you've been overweight your entire life and assume that this is just how it is and it's hard to imagine living a life different than what it is.
It's exciting to see how much this program changes us! As we begin to lose weight, normal begins to be defined in an entirely new - and wonderful - way. Things we thought impossible become possible. Individuals who avoid flying because they could barely fit into an airline seat are now free to travel; people who had trouble walking to the end of their driveway are participating in 5K races; women who only shopped for their clothes online because they needed such large sizes are now going on shopping weekends with friends - the list goes on and on.
Those changes happen as we make the choice to redefine normal in our lives. We can't do that until we take an honest look at our current reality and determine that it's not acceptable. That's the first step. The second step is to allow ourselves to dream and believe that our normal really CAN be redefined in a new and wonderful way. Once we get a vision of how different a new normal can be, all we have to do is make the choices we need to make to bridge the gap from our current reality to what we want.
Those choices include the choices we'll make today. Choose wisely :-)
My knee has been a bad knee since my mid-20's, when I was young and thin. I've had two surgeries on it, one at age 30 and a second when I was almost 34, and it's never been great. Over the years things have gradually deteriorated and I've adjusted my activity in response.
When I injured my knee last week on the treadmill, they did both an x-ray and an MRI in the emergency room and those results were sent to the orthopedic physician I've seen for several years. He showed me the injury, but also pointed out all of the arthritis, bone spurs, meniscus tear and an area that's bone on bone. Like I said, it's a bad knee :-). As he reviewed the x-ray and MRI with me, I asked him how far out I was from a total knee replacement. His response was that it was my life and my body and at whatever point the pain and/or restricted activity was unacceptable, he would replace the knee.
My first response was that the pain wasn't that bad most of the time. Of course I take a prescription-strength dose of ibuprofen every day, but once I do that, the pain really isn't that bad. And I can do almost everything I want to do, except I can't run, can't ride a bike, can't rollerblade, can't sit cross-legged (due to limited range of motion).
As I started reviewing the things I could no longer do because of my knee, it dawned on me that my activity really has become pretty restricted. I hadn't realized it because it happened over time, but slowly but surely I've modified my life and my activity level and accepted these modifications as normal.
This reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot of water. If you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump right out, but if you put it in a pot of cold water and gradually heat it, the frog will cook and not even realize it because its body will continue to adjust to the changing temperature until it's too late.
For many of us, our weight came on gradually and we adjusted as we went along, accepting this as the new normal. We stopped doing some of the things we used to do and made all kinds of mental excuses, perhaps even telling ourselves that we didn't want to do those things anymore anyway. We eventually settled into life as an overweight or, in my case, morbidly obese person.
For others, perhaps you've been overweight your entire life and assume that this is just how it is and it's hard to imagine living a life different than what it is.
It's exciting to see how much this program changes us! As we begin to lose weight, normal begins to be defined in an entirely new - and wonderful - way. Things we thought impossible become possible. Individuals who avoid flying because they could barely fit into an airline seat are now free to travel; people who had trouble walking to the end of their driveway are participating in 5K races; women who only shopped for their clothes online because they needed such large sizes are now going on shopping weekends with friends - the list goes on and on.
Those changes happen as we make the choice to redefine normal in our lives. We can't do that until we take an honest look at our current reality and determine that it's not acceptable. That's the first step. The second step is to allow ourselves to dream and believe that our normal really CAN be redefined in a new and wonderful way. Once we get a vision of how different a new normal can be, all we have to do is make the choices we need to make to bridge the gap from our current reality to what we want.
Those choices include the choices we'll make today. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 24, 2010
No Quick Fix
Last night I was watching a program on TLC about an almost 800-lb. man in England. The story chronicled his struggle to eventually have gastric bypass surgery which was believed to be the key to saving his life. It's always sad - and very sobering - for me to watch someone who has become totally bed-bound due to their obesity, because I understand how that could happen. Even at my highest weight of 268, I was fairly active, but one of my fears was that, as I continued to gain weight, I would reach a point where I just gave up and completely gave in to my eating. I knew if that happened, if I gave up all hope of ever getting to a healthy weight, my weight could skyrocket. All it would take would be some kind of injury to immobilize me and I knew I could end up like one of the individuals featured on these programs. It was a scary thought for me, and it's still sobering. I never watch these programs and think "how could they do that to themselves?" My heart breaks for them and I also realize that, but for the grace of God, that could have been me.
One of the things that hit me last night was a comment by the bariatric surgeon who said, just prior to the surgery, "This surgery will forever change his relationship with food." If only it was that easy! I wish there was a way, in an instant, to forever change our relationship with food. The surgery this individual underwent forever changed the way his body would metabolize food, it changed forever the amount of food he would be able to eat at any given time, but I know that the surgery in and of itself didn't change his emotional relationship with food, and that's where the real battle lies.
We all are emotionally tied, on one level or another, to food. For some of us, the attachment is deeper than others, but it's there. If it wasn't, the vast majority of us wouldn't need to lose weight (the only exception are those RARE individuals with a true metabolic disorder). If we didn't relate emotionally to food, we would use food strictly for nourishment, stop when we're satisfied, and maintain a consistent healthy weight forever. But that's not the case. Somewhere in our lives, usually beginning in childhood, we began to connect food with comfort or reward. If we had a bad day at school, Mom may have comforted us with milk and cookies. If we brought home a good report card, we celebrated with a trip to the ice cream parlor. If we didn't eat our broccoli, we were threatened with no dessert. All of those experiences slowly but surely formed our own emotional attachment to food, and that attachment will never be completely severed.
In Maintenance, I am continuing to learn about my own emotional attachment to food. For one, I know that while many of my food issues were addressed while I was on 5&1 and are no longer driving me, there is still the tendency to reach for food when I'm not hungry. There is still the inclination to ignore the "satisfied" signal from my body and just keep eating because it tastes good. There are still times when, once the plate is empty, I recognize that I've eaten too much and regret it. I recognize that it will be an ongoing challenge for me.
I am also learning that my emotional attachment to food doesn't have to rule over me. I recognize that it is still there, weaker than before, but there, but I understand that I have the ability to choose. Sometimes those choices are really easy and sometimes they aren't. For me, it is a daily choice as to whether I'm going to focus on pursuing optimal health in my life or allow old patterns to get a foothold. Just as I recognized early on that I could not lose the weight on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed, I recognize that I cannot maintain on my own, in my own strength. I need God's strength on a daily basis to help me make the choices I need to make - it's still a day by day, meal by meal choice.
Staying on plan isn't always an easy choice, and relearning old, ingrained habits and changing how we relate to food aren't easy choices, either. But they ARE choices, and we have the opportunity today to take another step in a new, healthier direction. The choice is ours . . . choose wisely :-)
One of the things that hit me last night was a comment by the bariatric surgeon who said, just prior to the surgery, "This surgery will forever change his relationship with food." If only it was that easy! I wish there was a way, in an instant, to forever change our relationship with food. The surgery this individual underwent forever changed the way his body would metabolize food, it changed forever the amount of food he would be able to eat at any given time, but I know that the surgery in and of itself didn't change his emotional relationship with food, and that's where the real battle lies.
We all are emotionally tied, on one level or another, to food. For some of us, the attachment is deeper than others, but it's there. If it wasn't, the vast majority of us wouldn't need to lose weight (the only exception are those RARE individuals with a true metabolic disorder). If we didn't relate emotionally to food, we would use food strictly for nourishment, stop when we're satisfied, and maintain a consistent healthy weight forever. But that's not the case. Somewhere in our lives, usually beginning in childhood, we began to connect food with comfort or reward. If we had a bad day at school, Mom may have comforted us with milk and cookies. If we brought home a good report card, we celebrated with a trip to the ice cream parlor. If we didn't eat our broccoli, we were threatened with no dessert. All of those experiences slowly but surely formed our own emotional attachment to food, and that attachment will never be completely severed.
In Maintenance, I am continuing to learn about my own emotional attachment to food. For one, I know that while many of my food issues were addressed while I was on 5&1 and are no longer driving me, there is still the tendency to reach for food when I'm not hungry. There is still the inclination to ignore the "satisfied" signal from my body and just keep eating because it tastes good. There are still times when, once the plate is empty, I recognize that I've eaten too much and regret it. I recognize that it will be an ongoing challenge for me.
I am also learning that my emotional attachment to food doesn't have to rule over me. I recognize that it is still there, weaker than before, but there, but I understand that I have the ability to choose. Sometimes those choices are really easy and sometimes they aren't. For me, it is a daily choice as to whether I'm going to focus on pursuing optimal health in my life or allow old patterns to get a foothold. Just as I recognized early on that I could not lose the weight on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed, I recognize that I cannot maintain on my own, in my own strength. I need God's strength on a daily basis to help me make the choices I need to make - it's still a day by day, meal by meal choice.
Staying on plan isn't always an easy choice, and relearning old, ingrained habits and changing how we relate to food aren't easy choices, either. But they ARE choices, and we have the opportunity today to take another step in a new, healthier direction. The choice is ours . . . choose wisely :-)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Dying Before Our Time
My dad is a constant source of inspiration to me. He faithfully reads my blogs (I also post this blog on blogspot every day) and often sends me articles that he thinks I can use. A recent conversation with a family friend triggered some pondering for my dad, which prompted an e-mail from him yesterday. When I read it, I told him that he had just inspired another blog :-). Here's part of what he wrote:
Like my dad, I believe that God has ordained our days (you may or may not believe that). The question is, do you believe that your life can be shortened by unhealthy habits? I don't know about you, but I want to live as long as possible, and I want those days to be healthy and active. I want to watch my four grandchildren grow up - I want to celebrate their high school and college graduations and I want to dance at their weddings and hold their babies. Lord willing, there is a lot of joy in the future and I don't want to miss out on any of it due to choices that I make (or don't make) today.
There have been too many studies that directly link obesity to a host of diseases, diseases that may well shorten our lives and most certainly will diminish the quality of our lives. It can be hard to think about the distant future when we're faced with the immediate temptation of our favorite off-plan food, especially when we have the choice between immediate gratification or something that will not be fully realized for decades. It's hard to think long term, but it's a good idea to think about how we want our lives to be years from now. If we keep doing what we're doing, where will be in five years? What about ten years? How will the habits we're developing and refining now play out in our lives ten or twenty years from now?
The choices we make today matter - they really do. Choose wisely :-)
Last week, when we were in Illinois, [our friend] asked us what we thought about Ecclesiastes 7:17 “why die before your time.” She thinks her husband (a life time smoker) died prematurely because he smoked. I had never considered this verse before, but this morning I started studying and I think [she] made a good point!
I have always held strong to the thought that God has ordained my number of days: Psalm 139:16 (NIV) “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Does that mean that no matter how I live, my time to die is set in stone? I don’t think so!
Take a look at Ecclesiastes 7:17-18 (NIV). “Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time?...the man who fears God will avoid all extremes.”
Can our “extremes” shorten our time on earth? Job 14:5 states: “Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” We can’t exceed our time; but, can we shorten our life time by excessive eating, drinking, drugs, etc?
Like my dad, I believe that God has ordained our days (you may or may not believe that). The question is, do you believe that your life can be shortened by unhealthy habits? I don't know about you, but I want to live as long as possible, and I want those days to be healthy and active. I want to watch my four grandchildren grow up - I want to celebrate their high school and college graduations and I want to dance at their weddings and hold their babies. Lord willing, there is a lot of joy in the future and I don't want to miss out on any of it due to choices that I make (or don't make) today.
There have been too many studies that directly link obesity to a host of diseases, diseases that may well shorten our lives and most certainly will diminish the quality of our lives. It can be hard to think about the distant future when we're faced with the immediate temptation of our favorite off-plan food, especially when we have the choice between immediate gratification or something that will not be fully realized for decades. It's hard to think long term, but it's a good idea to think about how we want our lives to be years from now. If we keep doing what we're doing, where will be in five years? What about ten years? How will the habits we're developing and refining now play out in our lives ten or twenty years from now?
The choices we make today matter - they really do. Choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Happy Two Year Annniversary - to Me!
Two years ago today I reached my weight loss goal, losing 120 pounds in two days short of 11 months. I am celebrating this milestone today and am especially thankful because, with God's help, I've beaten the odds!
Statistics show that 85% of people who lose weight gain it all back, plus additional weight, within two years. I have never been so happy to be outside the norm in my life!
When I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast in June of 2007, I had very low expectations. Every attempt I'd ever made to lose weight had met with only minimal weight loss (the most I ever lost was 36 pounds and that took me 9 months to lose). Every attempt at losing weight resulted in rapid rebound weight gain as soon as I stopped counting the carbs, calories, fat grams or points for the program I was on. I was so incredibly desperate when I placed my first order that I had actually been contemplating weight loss surgery, but I didn't believe this program would work. I honestly thought it would fail and that I could move forward with surgery knowing in my heart that I'd truly tried everything.
One of the things that attracted me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast was the Transition & Maintenance program. I liked the thought that if I could somehow lose some weight, this program might actually help me to keep it off. After losing 36 pounds on another program, giving away all of my largest size clothes (24W/3X) and then regaining the weight and having to repurchase a wardrobe in that largest size, I knew I couldn't continue to yo-yo any more.
This program was truly an answer to my very desperate prayers for help! If someone would have told me three years ago that I would be celebrating two full years at a healthy weight and in a size 6, I wouldn't have believed them. If someone would have told me three years ago that I would be working full-time helping others lose weight and get healthy, that many of my family members would be at a healthy weight (including my husband), I wouldn't have believed them. If someone would have told me that I would be able to do all of the things I am now able to do, including traveling all over the country, I wouldn't have believed them. I had no idea when I ordered that 4-week variety pack that that decision would alter the course of my life. I am so incredibly humbled and thankful for all that has happened.
There were many days when staying on plan was difficult. There were many days when I honest to goodness did NOT want to eat another Medifast meal for the rest of my life. There were times when I felt deprived as I turned down off-plan food, and there were times when I was angry at myself for what I had done to my body that cause me to be on such a restrictive program to begin with. What was different this time was that I made the decision that, regardless of how I felt or what was happening in my life, I would stay on plan. Taking it one day at a time, and often one meal at a time - and choosing to draw on God's strength for the many times my own was failing or non-existent - I finally reached that long-elusive goal two years ago today.
Those choices weren't always easy, but as I look back today, they sure were worth it! You're facing your own set of choices today - how I hope and pray that you will choose wisely :-)
Statistics show that 85% of people who lose weight gain it all back, plus additional weight, within two years. I have never been so happy to be outside the norm in my life!
When I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast in June of 2007, I had very low expectations. Every attempt I'd ever made to lose weight had met with only minimal weight loss (the most I ever lost was 36 pounds and that took me 9 months to lose). Every attempt at losing weight resulted in rapid rebound weight gain as soon as I stopped counting the carbs, calories, fat grams or points for the program I was on. I was so incredibly desperate when I placed my first order that I had actually been contemplating weight loss surgery, but I didn't believe this program would work. I honestly thought it would fail and that I could move forward with surgery knowing in my heart that I'd truly tried everything.
One of the things that attracted me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast was the Transition & Maintenance program. I liked the thought that if I could somehow lose some weight, this program might actually help me to keep it off. After losing 36 pounds on another program, giving away all of my largest size clothes (24W/3X) and then regaining the weight and having to repurchase a wardrobe in that largest size, I knew I couldn't continue to yo-yo any more.
This program was truly an answer to my very desperate prayers for help! If someone would have told me three years ago that I would be celebrating two full years at a healthy weight and in a size 6, I wouldn't have believed them. If someone would have told me three years ago that I would be working full-time helping others lose weight and get healthy, that many of my family members would be at a healthy weight (including my husband), I wouldn't have believed them. If someone would have told me that I would be able to do all of the things I am now able to do, including traveling all over the country, I wouldn't have believed them. I had no idea when I ordered that 4-week variety pack that that decision would alter the course of my life. I am so incredibly humbled and thankful for all that has happened.
There were many days when staying on plan was difficult. There were many days when I honest to goodness did NOT want to eat another Medifast meal for the rest of my life. There were times when I felt deprived as I turned down off-plan food, and there were times when I was angry at myself for what I had done to my body that cause me to be on such a restrictive program to begin with. What was different this time was that I made the decision that, regardless of how I felt or what was happening in my life, I would stay on plan. Taking it one day at a time, and often one meal at a time - and choosing to draw on God's strength for the many times my own was failing or non-existent - I finally reached that long-elusive goal two years ago today.
Those choices weren't always easy, but as I look back today, they sure were worth it! You're facing your own set of choices today - how I hope and pray that you will choose wisely :-)
Friday, May 21, 2010
A Little Soul Food
Today's blog is a reprint of something I posted almost a year ago. Since I know there are a lot of individuals reading my blog now who weren't around then, I thought I'd share this again.
***
"The soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on." ~ Josiah Gilbert Holland
I read that quote yesterday as part of my morning devotions and it rattled around in my thoughts all day. I think it's a great quote and worth writing about :-)
First of all, this quote is certainly true when it comes to our bodies and how we're feeding them. Most, if not all, of us started on this program because we hadn't been properly feeding our bodies in years (for me, that would be a couple of decades . . . ) and our bodies were showing the effects of our neglect. Obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, gastric reflux were all physical evidences of two decades of my own neglect. There were other consequences of my neglect that were hidden to others - things like low self-esteem, embarrassment, frustration at not being able to find clothes to fit, worry about not fitting into spaces, etc.
As I began to properly nourish my body using the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program, it was amazing how quickly my body began to respond. I not only saw the weight begin to come off, but my blood sugar returned to normal in the first week, and my gastric reflux disappeared almost immediately. Within a short time, my cholesterol also returned to normal without medication. Over and over again, people are amazed at how quickly things turn around with their lab work, because this program is about getting people healthy, not just thin. It's as if our bodies are just waiting for us to make better choices :-).
Our souls also live on what we feed them, so it's worth asking ourselves what we're feeding our souls. Are we feeding our souls negativity? When we've had nothing but years of failure, it's easy to tell ourselves that we can't lose weight and believe that, in the end, this program is bound to fail, too. If are looking in the mirror every morning and telling ourselves that we're weak and not able to do this, I can promise you that eventually this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whether it's the food we're putting into our bodies or the things we're putting into our heads and our hearts, it's definitely garbage in/garbage out.
This program is about so much more than just losing weight, it's about getting healthy - physically, emotionally, and for many of us, spiritually. Moving from obesity to a healthy weight, moving from being defeated to experiencing victory, and learning how to relate to food in a positive, healthy way are all part of getting healthy. As you are learning to put healthy things into your body, I would also encourage you to put healthy things into your mind and your heart. Find ways to nourish your soul!
***
What we put into our bodies - and our hearts, minds and souls - makes a difference not only today, but tomorrow. The choices are ours . . . choose wisely :-)
***
"The soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on." ~ Josiah Gilbert Holland
I read that quote yesterday as part of my morning devotions and it rattled around in my thoughts all day. I think it's a great quote and worth writing about :-)
First of all, this quote is certainly true when it comes to our bodies and how we're feeding them. Most, if not all, of us started on this program because we hadn't been properly feeding our bodies in years (for me, that would be a couple of decades . . . ) and our bodies were showing the effects of our neglect. Obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, gastric reflux were all physical evidences of two decades of my own neglect. There were other consequences of my neglect that were hidden to others - things like low self-esteem, embarrassment, frustration at not being able to find clothes to fit, worry about not fitting into spaces, etc.
As I began to properly nourish my body using the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program, it was amazing how quickly my body began to respond. I not only saw the weight begin to come off, but my blood sugar returned to normal in the first week, and my gastric reflux disappeared almost immediately. Within a short time, my cholesterol also returned to normal without medication. Over and over again, people are amazed at how quickly things turn around with their lab work, because this program is about getting people healthy, not just thin. It's as if our bodies are just waiting for us to make better choices :-).
Our souls also live on what we feed them, so it's worth asking ourselves what we're feeding our souls. Are we feeding our souls negativity? When we've had nothing but years of failure, it's easy to tell ourselves that we can't lose weight and believe that, in the end, this program is bound to fail, too. If are looking in the mirror every morning and telling ourselves that we're weak and not able to do this, I can promise you that eventually this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whether it's the food we're putting into our bodies or the things we're putting into our heads and our hearts, it's definitely garbage in/garbage out.
This program is about so much more than just losing weight, it's about getting healthy - physically, emotionally, and for many of us, spiritually. Moving from obesity to a healthy weight, moving from being defeated to experiencing victory, and learning how to relate to food in a positive, healthy way are all part of getting healthy. As you are learning to put healthy things into your body, I would also encourage you to put healthy things into your mind and your heart. Find ways to nourish your soul!
***
What we put into our bodies - and our hearts, minds and souls - makes a difference not only today, but tomorrow. The choices are ours . . . choose wisely :-)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
"Interesting" Day
Yesterday was a pretty interesting day . . . I guess "interesting" would be as good a word as any to describe it. Because of my knee injury, I was faithfully taking pain meds which then left me too dizzy to sit up for much of the day. I am on the go most of the time, and up until my injury on Tuesday, I had a very packed schedule on Wednesday. (It's funny how all of the things you think you just HAVE to do can become not so important.) Anyway, my Wednesday schedule was cleared and I spent much of the day dozing in bed, as the pain meds also made me drowsy.
In the past, this would have pushed me right into an eating frenzy as I would have rationalized that I "deserved" to eat this or that. In the past, any time I wasn't feeling well, I immediately reached for some comfort food. I will be honest and tell you that I had some of those thoughts yesterday. However, there wasn't any "comfort food" in my house (I know, because I actually looked . . . ). Because my house has been purged of all junk food, there was nothing for me to grab when I was feeling that old familiar urge to eat something. As a result, I had a Medifast maintenance bar (caramel nut, which is my favorite) and a bottle of water.
So what's the lesson here? First of all, I realized - again - that I am certainly not immune to the old temptations. Most of the time, thankfully, they don't rear their ugly heads and I do just fine. But there are those other times, although they are few and far between, and yesterday was one of those times. So I learned all over again that I cannot ever think that all of the old struggles are over forever. Forewarned is forearmed.
Secondly, because there WAS no junk food in my house, I couldn't have given in to the craving even if I wanted to (and I think I DID want to, for a moment). Had there been something in my house, I honestly don't know if I would have followed my own Stop - Challenge - Choose advice or not (I hope I would, but I can't say that for sure). However, my house was purged of junk food a long time ago, and my husband and I are committed to creating and maintaining an environment that supports what we really want - thin and healthy bodies.
Because we've made those choices and maintain a "clean house", it helped me make the choice I needed to make yesterday. I'm so thankful I did! I know that if there had been contraband food in the house and I'd eaten it to "make myself feel better," I would have regretted it as soon as it was gone. It's not that I can't have some of that food on occasion, because I can, but I never want to slip back into old patterns of stuffing my emotions with food. That is a very dangerous and very slippery slope!
I really encourage you today to create an environment that supports what you really want. If you have to have junk food in the house for other family members (you might want to ask why anybody in your house is eating that stuff!), put it in a place that's not convenient for you - get it out of sight and keep it there. That will make it easier to resist the temptation when it comes - and I do mean "when", not "if". Making certain choices now will make it easier to make the right choices later. Choose wisely :-)
In the past, this would have pushed me right into an eating frenzy as I would have rationalized that I "deserved" to eat this or that. In the past, any time I wasn't feeling well, I immediately reached for some comfort food. I will be honest and tell you that I had some of those thoughts yesterday. However, there wasn't any "comfort food" in my house (I know, because I actually looked . . . ). Because my house has been purged of all junk food, there was nothing for me to grab when I was feeling that old familiar urge to eat something. As a result, I had a Medifast maintenance bar (caramel nut, which is my favorite) and a bottle of water.
So what's the lesson here? First of all, I realized - again - that I am certainly not immune to the old temptations. Most of the time, thankfully, they don't rear their ugly heads and I do just fine. But there are those other times, although they are few and far between, and yesterday was one of those times. So I learned all over again that I cannot ever think that all of the old struggles are over forever. Forewarned is forearmed.
Secondly, because there WAS no junk food in my house, I couldn't have given in to the craving even if I wanted to (and I think I DID want to, for a moment). Had there been something in my house, I honestly don't know if I would have followed my own Stop - Challenge - Choose advice or not (I hope I would, but I can't say that for sure). However, my house was purged of junk food a long time ago, and my husband and I are committed to creating and maintaining an environment that supports what we really want - thin and healthy bodies.
Because we've made those choices and maintain a "clean house", it helped me make the choice I needed to make yesterday. I'm so thankful I did! I know that if there had been contraband food in the house and I'd eaten it to "make myself feel better," I would have regretted it as soon as it was gone. It's not that I can't have some of that food on occasion, because I can, but I never want to slip back into old patterns of stuffing my emotions with food. That is a very dangerous and very slippery slope!
I really encourage you today to create an environment that supports what you really want. If you have to have junk food in the house for other family members (you might want to ask why anybody in your house is eating that stuff!), put it in a place that's not convenient for you - get it out of sight and keep it there. That will make it easier to resist the temptation when it comes - and I do mean "when", not "if". Making certain choices now will make it easier to make the right choices later. Choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Still Thankful
I'm writing this under the influence of Vicodin, so bear with me if my writing is a little less coherent today, OK? I'm on Vicodin because yesterday afternoon I somehow managed to slip on the treadmill at the health club where I work out and ended up with a tibial plateau fracture on my right knee. The good news is that I didn't tear any ligaments, but the break will take some time to heal.
My 7 year old granddaughter was quite distraught when she found out I was in the emergency room and it took a call from me assuring her that I was fine before she calmed down. As I reassured Amanda that I was OK, I couldn't help but be thankful that I was in the ER due to an injury while working out. Had I not lost 126 pounds and reversed my diabetes, I could have been in the ER due to a heart attack, stroke, or blood sugar issues. Instead, I was there due to an accident on a treadmill. I could tell Amanda that I was going to be just fine because in time I WILL be just fine, and as soon as I can, I'll be back at the health club working out.
I was thankful that the immobilizer they put on my leg easily fit, because the one they brought to me would never have fit around my pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast-size leg. I don't know if they have other, larger sizes, but I'm so glad I didn't have to find out. Because I lost weight, there weren't any issues getting me into the MRI machine.
It's kind of funny, but even as I lay in a bed in the ER last night, I was filled with thankfulness on how different the experience was because I am at a healthy weight. It's been almost two years since I reached my goal, but the NSVs continue to come, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways. I even had a chance to talk to the emergency room physician about Take Shape for Life/Medifast and he asked for more information :-).
For at least a little while, getting around is going to be a challenge and I won't be able to drive. However, I'm choosing to focus on all of the things I'm thankful for, even in the midst of a not very fun experience.
Have a great, on-plan day, and don't forget to choose wisely :-)
My 7 year old granddaughter was quite distraught when she found out I was in the emergency room and it took a call from me assuring her that I was fine before she calmed down. As I reassured Amanda that I was OK, I couldn't help but be thankful that I was in the ER due to an injury while working out. Had I not lost 126 pounds and reversed my diabetes, I could have been in the ER due to a heart attack, stroke, or blood sugar issues. Instead, I was there due to an accident on a treadmill. I could tell Amanda that I was going to be just fine because in time I WILL be just fine, and as soon as I can, I'll be back at the health club working out.
I was thankful that the immobilizer they put on my leg easily fit, because the one they brought to me would never have fit around my pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast-size leg. I don't know if they have other, larger sizes, but I'm so glad I didn't have to find out. Because I lost weight, there weren't any issues getting me into the MRI machine.
It's kind of funny, but even as I lay in a bed in the ER last night, I was filled with thankfulness on how different the experience was because I am at a healthy weight. It's been almost two years since I reached my goal, but the NSVs continue to come, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways. I even had a chance to talk to the emergency room physician about Take Shape for Life/Medifast and he asked for more information :-).
For at least a little while, getting around is going to be a challenge and I won't be able to drive. However, I'm choosing to focus on all of the things I'm thankful for, even in the midst of a not very fun experience.
Have a great, on-plan day, and don't forget to choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
It's Not Genetics
I've got bad news, my friends. It's not genetics. Never has been, never will be. How do I know this? Yesterday CNBC.com published a report from America's Health Rankings that listed the states in order of health. According to the article, "America`s Health RankingsTM has tracked the health of the nation for the past 20 years, providing a unique, comprehensive perspective on how the nation - and each state - measures up. The 20th anniversary edition of the Rankings suggests our nation is extremely adept at treating illness and disease. However, Americans are struggling to change unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and obesity, which cause these diseases in the first place."
In my own state, Michigan, the obesity rate grew from 14.1% in 1990 to 29.5% in 2009. In Mississippi, which ranked 50th, from 1990 to 2009 the obesity rate grew from 15.0% to 33.3%. The fact that obesity more than doubled in twenty years in not only these two states, but many others as well, has ZERO to do with genetics and everything to do with lifestyle. There simply could not be enough change in the genetic makeup of the U.S. population in a short twenty years to account for this growing - and I do mean growing - epidemic.
I'm saying this fully aware that obesity often seems to "run" in families, but unless there is an underlying endocrine problem, which is rare, familial obesity is all about lifestyle. That's good news - really it is! This means that even if every other person in your family is obese, you are NOT destined to be obese, too. Our obesity is tied directly to our lifestyle and the choices we make.
My husband and I stopped at a buffet Sunday evening on our way home from Chicago. I'm not a fan of buffets, as there are way too many temptations and limited healthy options, plus the food is generally only OK, not great. At a table sitting near us were three generations of obese females - a woman who looked to be in her 70's, two women in their 30's, and two little girls, one about 10 and the other about 5. The 10 year old was already morbidly obese and her little sister was chubby and most certainly heading down the same path. As I watched all of these gals make trip after trip to the buffet lines and as I saw what they had on their plates, it was clear that the obesity they shared was because of what they were doing with their forks, not what was in their DNA.
It's easy to find other reasons for our struggle with weight, and blaming our genes is an often-used excuse. We may have learned bad habits from our family of origin, but those bad habits aren't hard-wired into our genes. If we are willing to make some fundamental changes, we can not only rewrite our own health future, but we can also help our children and grandchildren to rewrite theirs. We can start a new family pattern, beginning with the choices we make today. Choose wisely :-)
In my own state, Michigan, the obesity rate grew from 14.1% in 1990 to 29.5% in 2009. In Mississippi, which ranked 50th, from 1990 to 2009 the obesity rate grew from 15.0% to 33.3%. The fact that obesity more than doubled in twenty years in not only these two states, but many others as well, has ZERO to do with genetics and everything to do with lifestyle. There simply could not be enough change in the genetic makeup of the U.S. population in a short twenty years to account for this growing - and I do mean growing - epidemic.
I'm saying this fully aware that obesity often seems to "run" in families, but unless there is an underlying endocrine problem, which is rare, familial obesity is all about lifestyle. That's good news - really it is! This means that even if every other person in your family is obese, you are NOT destined to be obese, too. Our obesity is tied directly to our lifestyle and the choices we make.
My husband and I stopped at a buffet Sunday evening on our way home from Chicago. I'm not a fan of buffets, as there are way too many temptations and limited healthy options, plus the food is generally only OK, not great. At a table sitting near us were three generations of obese females - a woman who looked to be in her 70's, two women in their 30's, and two little girls, one about 10 and the other about 5. The 10 year old was already morbidly obese and her little sister was chubby and most certainly heading down the same path. As I watched all of these gals make trip after trip to the buffet lines and as I saw what they had on their plates, it was clear that the obesity they shared was because of what they were doing with their forks, not what was in their DNA.
It's easy to find other reasons for our struggle with weight, and blaming our genes is an often-used excuse. We may have learned bad habits from our family of origin, but those bad habits aren't hard-wired into our genes. If we are willing to make some fundamental changes, we can not only rewrite our own health future, but we can also help our children and grandchildren to rewrite theirs. We can start a new family pattern, beginning with the choices we make today. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Change Isn't Easy
Happy Monday! After a good but very busy weekend in Chicago, it's good to be home again.
Mark Twain was known for his wry and witty quotes, and one that struck a chord with me was this one: "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."
Do you ever feel like that? That the only way to get to a healthy weight is to live in a state of total deprivation, with your day revolving around a bunch of things you don't want to do? It can be incredibly hard to make radical changes in the way we've already done things, and it's easy to feel like we have entered into a world where all of the fun has been sucked out. For reasons we don't always understand, we cling tenaciously to habits that are taking us down a path towards disease.
Changing our focus isn't easy, but it begins with a clear understanding of where we are right now. I've written before about a book that I highly recommend, Dr. A's Habits of Health, which was written by Take Shape for Life/Medifast's medical director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen. Chapter 5 of his book is entitled, "Where Are You Now?" The entire chapter is an in-depth assessment of our current state of health, and it is rather sobering to take the assessment because, frankly, many of us aren't as healthy as we think we are. (If you don't have this book but are interested in taking the assessment, it's available for download from Dr. Andersen's website: http://drwayneandersen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/dra_assessment.pdf).
If we aren't where we want to be, and if we take the time to create a vision of where we want to be, then we will begin putting into action the steps necessary to get to our goal. Sometimes these steps aren't the things we would necessarily choose to do on our own (hence Mark Twain's statement!), but if we view them as steps that bring us closer to what we really want, we will do them anyway.
When I was on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, on any given day I would have preferred pizza and brownies to any Medifast meal - eating five Medifast meals day after day for almost a year wasn't necessarily what I wanted to do. But I did it, one day after another, because they were a tool that helped me get to something far more important that the immediate gratification I would have received from the pizza and brownies. Thankfully, I really enjoyed the meals, so I didn't approach each fueling with dread, but they still weren't always my first choice in what I wanted to eat. There were times when I felt deprived, but those times were few and far between, because I was focused on reaching my goal. Each Medifast meal brought me a step closer to what I really wanted, and keeping that mindset was key to staying on plan for the almost 11 months it took me to lose the 120 pounds.
How we view the choices we need to make will influence how we feel about this program, and our attitude can also directly impact whether or not we'll be successful over the long term. If we approach this day after day with a feeling of dread and deprivation, if our focus is on what we're giving up and can't have, this may end up being another short-lived and unsuccessful diet. If we view each day as another day that bring us closer to our goal and if we embrace the healthy habits this program is designed to teach us, we will eventually not only reach our goal but we'll have the habits and mindset needed to maintain for the rest of our lives.
Each day we get to choose whether or not we're going to stay on plan, and each day we get to choose the attitude we'll have. Those choices are important . . . choose wisely :-)
Mark Twain was known for his wry and witty quotes, and one that struck a chord with me was this one: "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."
Do you ever feel like that? That the only way to get to a healthy weight is to live in a state of total deprivation, with your day revolving around a bunch of things you don't want to do? It can be incredibly hard to make radical changes in the way we've already done things, and it's easy to feel like we have entered into a world where all of the fun has been sucked out. For reasons we don't always understand, we cling tenaciously to habits that are taking us down a path towards disease.
Changing our focus isn't easy, but it begins with a clear understanding of where we are right now. I've written before about a book that I highly recommend, Dr. A's Habits of Health, which was written by Take Shape for Life/Medifast's medical director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen. Chapter 5 of his book is entitled, "Where Are You Now?" The entire chapter is an in-depth assessment of our current state of health, and it is rather sobering to take the assessment because, frankly, many of us aren't as healthy as we think we are. (If you don't have this book but are interested in taking the assessment, it's available for download from Dr. Andersen's website: http://drwayneandersen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/dra_assessment.pdf).
If we aren't where we want to be, and if we take the time to create a vision of where we want to be, then we will begin putting into action the steps necessary to get to our goal. Sometimes these steps aren't the things we would necessarily choose to do on our own (hence Mark Twain's statement!), but if we view them as steps that bring us closer to what we really want, we will do them anyway.
When I was on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, on any given day I would have preferred pizza and brownies to any Medifast meal - eating five Medifast meals day after day for almost a year wasn't necessarily what I wanted to do. But I did it, one day after another, because they were a tool that helped me get to something far more important that the immediate gratification I would have received from the pizza and brownies. Thankfully, I really enjoyed the meals, so I didn't approach each fueling with dread, but they still weren't always my first choice in what I wanted to eat. There were times when I felt deprived, but those times were few and far between, because I was focused on reaching my goal. Each Medifast meal brought me a step closer to what I really wanted, and keeping that mindset was key to staying on plan for the almost 11 months it took me to lose the 120 pounds.
How we view the choices we need to make will influence how we feel about this program, and our attitude can also directly impact whether or not we'll be successful over the long term. If we approach this day after day with a feeling of dread and deprivation, if our focus is on what we're giving up and can't have, this may end up being another short-lived and unsuccessful diet. If we view each day as another day that bring us closer to our goal and if we embrace the healthy habits this program is designed to teach us, we will eventually not only reach our goal but we'll have the habits and mindset needed to maintain for the rest of our lives.
Each day we get to choose whether or not we're going to stay on plan, and each day we get to choose the attitude we'll have. Those choices are important . . . choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Weekend
Happy Saturday! I'm attending a conference in Chicago this weekend (home tomorrow night), so I'm going to just wish everyone a great and on-plan weekend. Y'all know what to do . . . stay on plan and choose wisely :-). Back to blogging on Monday!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Food for Thought
We all have our own reasons for wanting to lose weight and get healthy. For some of us, the compelling reason is to look good. Beach weather is just around the corner and that reality is the chief motivation for some. For others, the motivation came following a doctor's visit or some lab work that served as our wake-up call.
I read an article this morning that gives all of us another reason to get to a healthy weight and stay there. The article, posted in the Health & Fitness section of MSN.com, was entitled, "Trim Down to Smarten Up." Here's part of what the article said:
So, whether you're losing weight to look better when you hit the beach in a few weeks, or whether you are hoping to improve your health, staying on plan and getting to a healthy weight will help to protect your brain, too. Some of the choices we make have immediate results, good or bad, while other results take a bit more time. This is one of the NSVs(non-scale victories) that won't be apparent for years - perhaps decades - but what we're doing today could very well impact how well we function cognitively in our later years. It's something to think about!
As you make your choices today, understand that they are impacting your future, one way or another. Choose wisely :-)
I read an article this morning that gives all of us another reason to get to a healthy weight and stay there. The article, posted in the Health & Fitness section of MSN.com, was entitled, "Trim Down to Smarten Up." Here's part of what the article said:
" . . . did you know that losing excess body fat might protect your brain, too?
That’s what the science seems to say. For starters, flab triggers other unhealthy conditions that can spell trouble for brain health. We know, for example, that gaining weight makes a person more likely to develop high blood pressure, or hypertension. We have also known for more than a decade that people with hypertension have an increased risk of cognitive problems as they age. A 2004 study in China found that people with high blood pressure double their chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Hypertension has also been linked to vascular dementia—the kind caused by clogged arteries that reduce blood flow to the brain.
Packing on too many pounds also makes a person more vulnerable to diabetes—another condition that can damage blood vessels, causing them to clog.
That may explain why a 2004 Swedish study found that people who develop diabetes are two and a half times more likely to develop vascular dementia."
So, whether you're losing weight to look better when you hit the beach in a few weeks, or whether you are hoping to improve your health, staying on plan and getting to a healthy weight will help to protect your brain, too. Some of the choices we make have immediate results, good or bad, while other results take a bit more time. This is one of the NSVs(non-scale victories) that won't be apparent for years - perhaps decades - but what we're doing today could very well impact how well we function cognitively in our later years. It's something to think about!
As you make your choices today, understand that they are impacting your future, one way or another. Choose wisely :-)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Hard Part
After referencing Oprah's struggles with her weight in yesterday's blog, her program yesterday discussed weight loss and food issues. I almost never watch Oprah, but decided to tune in when I saw what the topic would be.
The segment started with a video of women who had taped themselves talking about their own struggle with weight. I saw myself in their stories over and over again as these women were in tears, even as they ate. They hated how they looked and felt, and they hated the fact that food held so much power over them. I remember feeling trapped in that same sad cycle.
Oprah's guest wasn't there to talk about a new weight loss plan (and I wouldn't be interested in hearing about that, because I already know we have the best one on the planet!). She talked about the need to break the emotional relationship we have with food, believing that once that emotional relationship is severed, we will be able to make the choices needed to get healthy. When we turn to food to help us deal with, or cover up, emotional pain, Oprah's guest said "what food does at that point is it doubles your pain, rather than make it go away. You're still in pain about what you were in pain about before you ate, but now you've added a whole level of more discomfort which is: 'Oh, I can't believe I ate this. What's wrong with me? Am I ever going to get my life together? Is it ever going to get better?' Then you're feeling like a failure on top of the discomfort you were feeling before."
Does anybody else identify with this? Part of my own journey was finally realizing that food didn't fix anything. Turning to food to deal with my stress, anger, boredom, etc. only left me feeling worse, and the stress, etc. was still there. I feel bad, so I'd eat, which would make me feel worse, so I'd eat some more.
Amazingly, what started the process of ending this cycle was the cost of this program. When I placed my first order, it was a definite financial stretch for me. I knew I could only justify the expense if I was actually following the program, so I made a commitment to stay on plan and not cheat. I reasoned that if I wanted to cheat on a diet, I had an entire bookshelf full of different diet books and could just pull one of my books off the shelf and cheat away. Because I had invested almost $300 in a four week order, I decided to just follow the program for four weeks. Since it takes a minimum of three days to get into the fat-burning state, I also understood that if I ate off plan and kicked myself out of the fat-burning state, it would take another three days to get back in. Doing the math and figuring that each meal costs about $2, I figured that a cheat would cost me about $30 ($2/meal x 5 meals x 3 days).
When I committed to staying on plan for four weeks in order to justify the cost of the program, I really hadn't factored in the amount of emotional eating I did - I had never connected the dots. When negative emotions cropped up early in my program, I had a choice to make. I recognized that I wasn't physically hungry (thanks to the fat-burning state!), and I recognized that it was a different kind of hunger that had me longing for something - anything - off plan. Because I didn't want to mess up what was finally working for me, it was then that I finally did what I wish I would have done years ago. I turned to the true Source of the comfort I needed - my Heavenly Father. I brought my need to Him and look to Him to meet those needs - and He did :-).
Two things happened: first, I recognized that the hunger wasn't physical, but emotional and I acknowledged the feeling instead of burying it. Second, instead of turning to food, I turned to the Lord. As I did that over and over again, I began to realize that food had never solved anything for me and never would. I realized that every time I turned to the Lord instead of reaching for chocolate, there was always a huge sense of relief when the temptation passed and I had once again resisted the pull. Over time, the temptation to turn to food lessened and my ability to discern physical hunger from emotional hunger sharpened. Eventually, the emotional bondage to food was severed. I cannot describe the joy and the freedom that comes from knowing that it's gone for good.
The food part of this program is the easy part. Understanding what drives our emotional eating and then addressing those issues is the hard part, but it is SO worth the effort! Addressing those issues means different things to each of us, and sometimes it involves working with a professional counselor (I've spent time in counseling, too).
Work this program - both the food part and the head/heart part. It's not always easy, but it's worth it! The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
The segment started with a video of women who had taped themselves talking about their own struggle with weight. I saw myself in their stories over and over again as these women were in tears, even as they ate. They hated how they looked and felt, and they hated the fact that food held so much power over them. I remember feeling trapped in that same sad cycle.
Oprah's guest wasn't there to talk about a new weight loss plan (and I wouldn't be interested in hearing about that, because I already know we have the best one on the planet!). She talked about the need to break the emotional relationship we have with food, believing that once that emotional relationship is severed, we will be able to make the choices needed to get healthy. When we turn to food to help us deal with, or cover up, emotional pain, Oprah's guest said "what food does at that point is it doubles your pain, rather than make it go away. You're still in pain about what you were in pain about before you ate, but now you've added a whole level of more discomfort which is: 'Oh, I can't believe I ate this. What's wrong with me? Am I ever going to get my life together? Is it ever going to get better?' Then you're feeling like a failure on top of the discomfort you were feeling before."
Does anybody else identify with this? Part of my own journey was finally realizing that food didn't fix anything. Turning to food to deal with my stress, anger, boredom, etc. only left me feeling worse, and the stress, etc. was still there. I feel bad, so I'd eat, which would make me feel worse, so I'd eat some more.
Amazingly, what started the process of ending this cycle was the cost of this program. When I placed my first order, it was a definite financial stretch for me. I knew I could only justify the expense if I was actually following the program, so I made a commitment to stay on plan and not cheat. I reasoned that if I wanted to cheat on a diet, I had an entire bookshelf full of different diet books and could just pull one of my books off the shelf and cheat away. Because I had invested almost $300 in a four week order, I decided to just follow the program for four weeks. Since it takes a minimum of three days to get into the fat-burning state, I also understood that if I ate off plan and kicked myself out of the fat-burning state, it would take another three days to get back in. Doing the math and figuring that each meal costs about $2, I figured that a cheat would cost me about $30 ($2/meal x 5 meals x 3 days).
When I committed to staying on plan for four weeks in order to justify the cost of the program, I really hadn't factored in the amount of emotional eating I did - I had never connected the dots. When negative emotions cropped up early in my program, I had a choice to make. I recognized that I wasn't physically hungry (thanks to the fat-burning state!), and I recognized that it was a different kind of hunger that had me longing for something - anything - off plan. Because I didn't want to mess up what was finally working for me, it was then that I finally did what I wish I would have done years ago. I turned to the true Source of the comfort I needed - my Heavenly Father. I brought my need to Him and look to Him to meet those needs - and He did :-).
Two things happened: first, I recognized that the hunger wasn't physical, but emotional and I acknowledged the feeling instead of burying it. Second, instead of turning to food, I turned to the Lord. As I did that over and over again, I began to realize that food had never solved anything for me and never would. I realized that every time I turned to the Lord instead of reaching for chocolate, there was always a huge sense of relief when the temptation passed and I had once again resisted the pull. Over time, the temptation to turn to food lessened and my ability to discern physical hunger from emotional hunger sharpened. Eventually, the emotional bondage to food was severed. I cannot describe the joy and the freedom that comes from knowing that it's gone for good.
The food part of this program is the easy part. Understanding what drives our emotional eating and then addressing those issues is the hard part, but it is SO worth the effort! Addressing those issues means different things to each of us, and sometimes it involves working with a professional counselor (I've spent time in counseling, too).
Work this program - both the food part and the head/heart part. It's not always easy, but it's worth it! The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
What Irony!
Wow, do I ever have a bit of irony to share today! Ready?
The headline in our local newspaper yesterday morning read "We're No. 1!" and the story reported that "according to the 2009 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, this area 'led the nation in providing basic necessities - such as safe places to exercise and easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables - to its residents.'" (Honolulu was #9 on this survey!) Our town was also ranked first in the "Access to a safe place to exercise" category.
Here's the irony: in a community listed as #1 in a Gallup poll for our access to a safe place to exercise (which means that people feel safe to walk the streets after dark) and a place with easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables (thanks to the many local farms and our wonderful farmers' market), do you know where we ranked when compared to other communities in the survey when it comes to healthy behavior? Of the 187 communities listed in the survey, we ranked 63rd.
How on earth can a community that is recognized #1 for easy access to exercise and fresh fruits and vegetables rank so dismally when it comes to healthy behavior? What this article screams (at least to me) is that having all of the things needed for a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean a lot unless they are actually used.
I remember watching Oprah a few years ago after she'd lost a lot of weight (don't remember which time this was!). In the segment I watched, her personal trainer woke her up at 5 AM for a workout and her personal chef prepared only the food she could eat (and published a cookbook full of Oprah's favorite healthy recipes, which I purchased). As I watched the segment, I remember thinking, "I could lose weight, too, if I had a personal trainer that woke me up and worked out with me every morning and if I had a chef who cooked all of my food for me." Sadly, as we all know now, even having all of those advantages didn't help Oprah to keep her weight off and she continues to struggle to this day. At some point she simply stopped making the choices she needed to make.
Whether it's easy access to exercise and healthy food options, or access to personal trainer and chefs, the advantages are meaningless if we don't choose to use them. The good news is that with Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, we have the tools we need to reach our goal. The question is, are we going to use them? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
The headline in our local newspaper yesterday morning read "We're No. 1!" and the story reported that "according to the 2009 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, this area 'led the nation in providing basic necessities - such as safe places to exercise and easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables - to its residents.'" (Honolulu was #9 on this survey!) Our town was also ranked first in the "Access to a safe place to exercise" category.
Here's the irony: in a community listed as #1 in a Gallup poll for our access to a safe place to exercise (which means that people feel safe to walk the streets after dark) and a place with easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables (thanks to the many local farms and our wonderful farmers' market), do you know where we ranked when compared to other communities in the survey when it comes to healthy behavior? Of the 187 communities listed in the survey, we ranked 63rd.
How on earth can a community that is recognized #1 for easy access to exercise and fresh fruits and vegetables rank so dismally when it comes to healthy behavior? What this article screams (at least to me) is that having all of the things needed for a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean a lot unless they are actually used.
I remember watching Oprah a few years ago after she'd lost a lot of weight (don't remember which time this was!). In the segment I watched, her personal trainer woke her up at 5 AM for a workout and her personal chef prepared only the food she could eat (and published a cookbook full of Oprah's favorite healthy recipes, which I purchased). As I watched the segment, I remember thinking, "I could lose weight, too, if I had a personal trainer that woke me up and worked out with me every morning and if I had a chef who cooked all of my food for me." Sadly, as we all know now, even having all of those advantages didn't help Oprah to keep her weight off and she continues to struggle to this day. At some point she simply stopped making the choices she needed to make.
Whether it's easy access to exercise and healthy food options, or access to personal trainer and chefs, the advantages are meaningless if we don't choose to use them. The good news is that with Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, we have the tools we need to reach our goal. The question is, are we going to use them? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
What If You Couldn't Fail?
I heard someone recently ask the question, "What would you attempt to do if you knew that you couldn't fail?" I thought that was an intriguing question for a couple of reasons. It prompted me to do a little dreaming of my own, which is a good thing to do on a regular basis :-). Secondly, it made me wonder about the times when I've reigned in my dreaming because I restricted my dreams to those things that I "knew" were possible.
When we're children, we dream big dreams and everything seems possible to us. It's a time when children allow their dreams to expand and fill their day with wonder. Then we grow up and as we have one dream and then another not work out the way we'd hoped, we find ourselves as adults who not only stop dreaming, but who often stop trying to do anything that we fear we'll fail at.
I've run into a couple of people lately who desperately needed to lose weight but refused to even try because they were sure of two things: 1) they "knew" they couldn't lose weight and 2) they "knew" that even if they COULD lose weight, they'd only gain it all back. Because they expected nothing other than abject failure, they made the decision to not even try. They are pretty unhappy about where they are, but they reasoned that it's better to be unhappy where they are than risk dealing with the misery of yet another failure. It makes me sad to see people who have, at least for now, given up, because I know there IS hope. I know that it IS possible to lose weight, even a LOT of weight, and then KEEP it off. What I wanted to ask them was, "but what if you wouldn't fail - would you be willing to try again if you could be assured of success?"
Our success or lack thereof on this program isn't dependent upon the program working or not working, because the program works. Whether or not it works for US depends on whether we're willing to work the program. Your chance of reaching your goal is 100% if you make the fundamental choice to just do it. You'll not only reach it quickly, you'll reach it safely. I know you can do this! The question is, do YOU believe you can succeed?
Success comes one day and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
When we're children, we dream big dreams and everything seems possible to us. It's a time when children allow their dreams to expand and fill their day with wonder. Then we grow up and as we have one dream and then another not work out the way we'd hoped, we find ourselves as adults who not only stop dreaming, but who often stop trying to do anything that we fear we'll fail at.
I've run into a couple of people lately who desperately needed to lose weight but refused to even try because they were sure of two things: 1) they "knew" they couldn't lose weight and 2) they "knew" that even if they COULD lose weight, they'd only gain it all back. Because they expected nothing other than abject failure, they made the decision to not even try. They are pretty unhappy about where they are, but they reasoned that it's better to be unhappy where they are than risk dealing with the misery of yet another failure. It makes me sad to see people who have, at least for now, given up, because I know there IS hope. I know that it IS possible to lose weight, even a LOT of weight, and then KEEP it off. What I wanted to ask them was, "but what if you wouldn't fail - would you be willing to try again if you could be assured of success?"
Our success or lack thereof on this program isn't dependent upon the program working or not working, because the program works. Whether or not it works for US depends on whether we're willing to work the program. Your chance of reaching your goal is 100% if you make the fundamental choice to just do it. You'll not only reach it quickly, you'll reach it safely. I know you can do this! The question is, do YOU believe you can succeed?
Success comes one day and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Bridge Building
A friend of mine posted a quote on my Facebook page that I thought was good enough to share: "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." I like that! I'd like to make one slight edit, however, and reword this to say, "Choices are the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
Goals without actions steps are nothing more than wishes, and wishes seldom materialize. I can wish all day, but if all I ever do is wish something would happen, that wish will stay a fanciful dream in my mind - the likelihood that it will become a reality is very low. When we have a goal - when we have a clear picture in our mind and know what we want - then put into place the steps we need to get there, those action steps become the bridge that leads us over the chasm to accomplishment.
When it comes to reaching our weight loss goal, we can't get there in a single step, and we can't get there in one big leap, either. I stood at the edge of the cliff for a long time, looking longingly at a healthy weight in the foggy distance, but I wanted to get there in a step or two. I kept looking for shortcuts or some new, "secret" way to lose weight. I remember talking with a pharmaceutical rep four or five years ago who talked excitedly about a new drug that his company was producing that showed promising weight loss results in early clinical trials. He predicted that this new drug, which was already being used in Europe, would revolutionize the weight loss industry. I wrote the name down and did an internet search on it, then printed off several articles. I read those articles several times and anxiously waited for this new drug to be approved by the FDA, hoping that this would finally be THE answer I was looking for. I wasn't looking to change my behavior or lifestyle - I was looking for a pill that would somehow enable me to lose weight in a single step. The drug was never approved because adverse and life-threatening side-effects began to emerge, and my hopes were once again dashed.
I began building the bridge from my goal to accomplishment when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast and committed to doing this one day at a time. It was definitely a "one foot in front of the other" journey, one day and one meal at a time. With God's help, that bridge was finally completed and I crossed the chasm and reached my goal.
I revised my friend's quote because discipline is fleshed out in the choices we make. Some of us are more disciplined by nature than others, but our success isn't dependent on whether or not we view ourselves as disciplined. Our success is dependent on the choices we make on a daily basis, one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Goals without actions steps are nothing more than wishes, and wishes seldom materialize. I can wish all day, but if all I ever do is wish something would happen, that wish will stay a fanciful dream in my mind - the likelihood that it will become a reality is very low. When we have a goal - when we have a clear picture in our mind and know what we want - then put into place the steps we need to get there, those action steps become the bridge that leads us over the chasm to accomplishment.
When it comes to reaching our weight loss goal, we can't get there in a single step, and we can't get there in one big leap, either. I stood at the edge of the cliff for a long time, looking longingly at a healthy weight in the foggy distance, but I wanted to get there in a step or two. I kept looking for shortcuts or some new, "secret" way to lose weight. I remember talking with a pharmaceutical rep four or five years ago who talked excitedly about a new drug that his company was producing that showed promising weight loss results in early clinical trials. He predicted that this new drug, which was already being used in Europe, would revolutionize the weight loss industry. I wrote the name down and did an internet search on it, then printed off several articles. I read those articles several times and anxiously waited for this new drug to be approved by the FDA, hoping that this would finally be THE answer I was looking for. I wasn't looking to change my behavior or lifestyle - I was looking for a pill that would somehow enable me to lose weight in a single step. The drug was never approved because adverse and life-threatening side-effects began to emerge, and my hopes were once again dashed.
I began building the bridge from my goal to accomplishment when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast and committed to doing this one day at a time. It was definitely a "one foot in front of the other" journey, one day and one meal at a time. With God's help, that bridge was finally completed and I crossed the chasm and reached my goal.
I revised my friend's quote because discipline is fleshed out in the choices we make. Some of us are more disciplined by nature than others, but our success isn't dependent on whether or not we view ourselves as disciplined. Our success is dependent on the choices we make on a daily basis, one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mothers' Day
Happy Mothers' Day to all of the moms out there, including my own! I am incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate another Mothers' Day with my mom, who will be 81 later this month. We're going to church with my parents this morning, then the whole family is coming over for dinner this afternoon (whole family includes my brother and his family and both of my daughters and their families - 17 in all). Several of my friends have lost their mothers, so I am very aware of what a gift it is to have my mom still here, as well as have four generations gathered again around my dining room table for a meal.
Two years ago, my mom's health was obviously deteriorating and we wondered how much longer we'd have her with us. Her diabetes was not well managed and she was having wild swings with her blood sugar. On two different occasions, her blood sugar was so low that my dad had to call paramedics for help as Mom was unresponsive and, on one occasion, having seizures. She had lost part of her vision due to diabetic complications and had diminished kidney function due to her diabetes, and she just didn't feel well most of the time.
What a difference two years makes! Just about two years ago this month, my dad and mom both decided to get started on Medifast. They'd watched me lose over 100 pounds and reverse my own diabetes, and Mom knew she needed to do something. Because of her physical limitations, she couldn't exercise, so she was encouraged to know that it was possible to lose weight on this program without exercise. To our great joy, Mom began to improve almost immediately as her blood sugar stabilized and she was able to reduce, then pretty much eliminate, her daily insulin injections. Her A1c has come down significantly, amazing her physician, especially since her numbers are so much better without the need for multiple daily insulin injections. Mom lost about 40 pounds and is also delighted to be able to wear clothes in a much smaller size! Two years ago, my dad thought it wouldn't be long before my mom was pretty much wheelchair bound, which would have resulted in them having to move to assisted living. Today they are still in their home and my parents are involved with their church and also visit an area nursing home where my mom plays the piano for the residents and my dad gives a short devotional.
It would have been easy for my mom to have thought that it was too late to make any changes in her life. She was 79 and had been diabetic for over 20 years - there was every reason to believe that nothing could change at that point in her life. I don't think she really believed that anything would change, but she got started on the program anyway. The good thing is that you don't have to believe the program will work - you just have to do it and the results will happen whether you believe it or not!
It doesn't matter where you are right now, it doesn't matter what your past weight loss history has been, it doesn't matter if you are as skeptical as skeptical can be about this program. If you follow the protocols and stick to the program, you WILL lose weight. Your life can change in ways that you can't even imagine, and it begins (or continues) today with the choices you make.
Choose wisely :-)
Two years ago, my mom's health was obviously deteriorating and we wondered how much longer we'd have her with us. Her diabetes was not well managed and she was having wild swings with her blood sugar. On two different occasions, her blood sugar was so low that my dad had to call paramedics for help as Mom was unresponsive and, on one occasion, having seizures. She had lost part of her vision due to diabetic complications and had diminished kidney function due to her diabetes, and she just didn't feel well most of the time.
What a difference two years makes! Just about two years ago this month, my dad and mom both decided to get started on Medifast. They'd watched me lose over 100 pounds and reverse my own diabetes, and Mom knew she needed to do something. Because of her physical limitations, she couldn't exercise, so she was encouraged to know that it was possible to lose weight on this program without exercise. To our great joy, Mom began to improve almost immediately as her blood sugar stabilized and she was able to reduce, then pretty much eliminate, her daily insulin injections. Her A1c has come down significantly, amazing her physician, especially since her numbers are so much better without the need for multiple daily insulin injections. Mom lost about 40 pounds and is also delighted to be able to wear clothes in a much smaller size! Two years ago, my dad thought it wouldn't be long before my mom was pretty much wheelchair bound, which would have resulted in them having to move to assisted living. Today they are still in their home and my parents are involved with their church and also visit an area nursing home where my mom plays the piano for the residents and my dad gives a short devotional.
It would have been easy for my mom to have thought that it was too late to make any changes in her life. She was 79 and had been diabetic for over 20 years - there was every reason to believe that nothing could change at that point in her life. I don't think she really believed that anything would change, but she got started on the program anyway. The good thing is that you don't have to believe the program will work - you just have to do it and the results will happen whether you believe it or not!
It doesn't matter where you are right now, it doesn't matter what your past weight loss history has been, it doesn't matter if you are as skeptical as skeptical can be about this program. If you follow the protocols and stick to the program, you WILL lose weight. Your life can change in ways that you can't even imagine, and it begins (or continues) today with the choices you make.
Choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Race Day
My younger daughter, Melissa, is running the Fifth Third River Bank 25K this morning. She has trained for months for this race and today is her day. Despite this being May, a cold front moved in and dropped the temperature into the upper 30's, and the wind chill has the air temperature at freezing. The weather and a sore throat kept me home today, so I won't be there to watch her cross the finish line (I'm going to watch the live video feed so I can hopefully see her finish), but the weather didn't deter her or the thousands of other participants in this race. It's likely to be a miserable race due to the weather, but these runners, including my daughter, have their eyes on a goal.
I'm not a runner (I have a bad knee), but I've watched bits and pieces of a few marathons over the years. As I think back to the marathons, one thing I remember is that most of the runners aren't smiling while they're running. Some of them look like they're concentrating, and others are actually grimacing. The exhilaration of taking off at the starting line eventually fades and the marathoner is faced with the task of just putting one foot in front of the other. At some point along the way, it's not particularly fun any more. But running a marathon isn't necessarily about having fun along the way (although some runners really do enjoy the journey). Running in a marathon is about finishing it and having the satisfaction of knowing that the runner accomplished something difficult. There might not be a lot of smiling going on during the marathon, but there are lots of smiles and lots of celebrations at the finish line.
Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations about the weight loss marathon we're on and we expect it to be fun and exciting the entire time. That might be true if it was a 50 yard dash, but it's not a dash - this is the marathon of our lives. The reality is that we will alternate between exhilaration and exhaustion, between feeling like this is the best thing we've ever done to hating the thought of doing this one more day. In the end, we will experience a full spectrum of emotions on this journey, but as long as we keep putting one foot in front of another, we will cross the finish line. And when we cross the finish line and reach goal, there will be smiles and lots of celebration.
And after the celebration we'll begin the next marathon - maintenance :-).
So, are your running shoes laced up? It's another marathon day - are you committed to staying the course? The choice to run today is yours - choose wisely :-)
I'm not a runner (I have a bad knee), but I've watched bits and pieces of a few marathons over the years. As I think back to the marathons, one thing I remember is that most of the runners aren't smiling while they're running. Some of them look like they're concentrating, and others are actually grimacing. The exhilaration of taking off at the starting line eventually fades and the marathoner is faced with the task of just putting one foot in front of the other. At some point along the way, it's not particularly fun any more. But running a marathon isn't necessarily about having fun along the way (although some runners really do enjoy the journey). Running in a marathon is about finishing it and having the satisfaction of knowing that the runner accomplished something difficult. There might not be a lot of smiling going on during the marathon, but there are lots of smiles and lots of celebrations at the finish line.
Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations about the weight loss marathon we're on and we expect it to be fun and exciting the entire time. That might be true if it was a 50 yard dash, but it's not a dash - this is the marathon of our lives. The reality is that we will alternate between exhilaration and exhaustion, between feeling like this is the best thing we've ever done to hating the thought of doing this one more day. In the end, we will experience a full spectrum of emotions on this journey, but as long as we keep putting one foot in front of another, we will cross the finish line. And when we cross the finish line and reach goal, there will be smiles and lots of celebration.
And after the celebration we'll begin the next marathon - maintenance :-).
So, are your running shoes laced up? It's another marathon day - are you committed to staying the course? The choice to run today is yours - choose wisely :-)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Sore Muscles
There is a sign at my health club that says, "Pain is the sign of weakness leaving the body." If that's the case, there is a lot of weakness on its way out the door right now!
After a several-month hiatus from regular strength-training workouts, I started in again this week and wow, do I ever feel it. All of the muscles that have been under used and under challenged for a while are now making me painfully aware of their presence. A little reminder about "no pain, no gain" plus a dose of ibuprofen is keeping me going at the moment, and I do mean going, because I'm back at it this morning. Having done this before, I know that the pain is temporary and I will soon be able to increase both the weights and the repetitions as I increase my strength.
My sore muscles are a reminder that there really is no such thing as status quo. We are either progressing or regressing. For those three or so months that went by without me darkening the door of my health club, my muscles didn't remain where they were when I last worked them. Now the work has begun to get them back where they were for starters, then move forward from there.
What's true for my muscles is true of our health. When we aren't taking action to improve it, we are actually taking a step back. I wish that weren't the case, but it is. The choices we make every day either move us forward or backward, towards a healthier body or in the other direction. My aching muscles tell me that I have been heading in the wrong direction for a while. The good news is that as soon we decide to head in a a more positive direction, we begin to make a positive impact on our health. There may be some initial pain or discomfort as we begin flexing muscles that haven't been taxed in a while (or perhaps never), but the discomfort will soon be replaced by a new level of strength. We just have to hang in there and keep making those choices every day!
Yep, it always comes back to choices, doesn't it? Choose wisely :-)
After a several-month hiatus from regular strength-training workouts, I started in again this week and wow, do I ever feel it. All of the muscles that have been under used and under challenged for a while are now making me painfully aware of their presence. A little reminder about "no pain, no gain" plus a dose of ibuprofen is keeping me going at the moment, and I do mean going, because I'm back at it this morning. Having done this before, I know that the pain is temporary and I will soon be able to increase both the weights and the repetitions as I increase my strength.
My sore muscles are a reminder that there really is no such thing as status quo. We are either progressing or regressing. For those three or so months that went by without me darkening the door of my health club, my muscles didn't remain where they were when I last worked them. Now the work has begun to get them back where they were for starters, then move forward from there.
What's true for my muscles is true of our health. When we aren't taking action to improve it, we are actually taking a step back. I wish that weren't the case, but it is. The choices we make every day either move us forward or backward, towards a healthier body or in the other direction. My aching muscles tell me that I have been heading in the wrong direction for a while. The good news is that as soon we decide to head in a a more positive direction, we begin to make a positive impact on our health. There may be some initial pain or discomfort as we begin flexing muscles that haven't been taxed in a while (or perhaps never), but the discomfort will soon be replaced by a new level of strength. We just have to hang in there and keep making those choices every day!
Yep, it always comes back to choices, doesn't it? Choose wisely :-)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Holding On, Letting Go
What are you holding on to today? I'm asking this question because I've realized that sometimes we desperately hold on to things that are no longer serving our best interest - sometimes they never did.
When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, many of us struggle to release old patterns of eating. We struggle and want to hold on to our favorite foods, even when those foods and our relationship to them landed us in an unhealthy BMI range, perhaps even contributing to illness and disease. When we struggle to let go of what is no longer working for us, we may end up going off plan repeatedly. We hang on to those old things and look at them as forbidden fruit; we feel deprived because we can't have the very things that got us here in the first place.
I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study, "Breaking Free," and yesterday morning I watched the first video of this new series. One of the things she said that really resonated with me is that "whatever we give up is only to free our hands so we can receive all God has for us." We can't receive something new if our hands are full of old stuff.
I have a picture in mind right now of hands that are tightly gripped around something old and rotting, fingertips white because the grip is so tight. Within reach is something new and beautiful, but to take that new thing into the hand, the old will first have to be released. The problem is that the old, while rotting, is familiar - it fits in the hand and the hand is warm from holding it for so long. Letting go of the old thing means that, for a split second, the hand will be empty and cold. It's uncertain how the new thing will fit and feel in the hand, so even though it looks beautiful and most desirable, the idea of actually having that in hand is pretty scary.
Some of us have struggled with being overweight or obese for a long time. We hate how we look and feel, and part of us really wants to reach out and claim the healthy body and new life that is within our reach. Before we can do that, we have to let go of the old, rotting habits. Letting go of them isn't deprivation - it's freedom. It doesn't feel like that at first because those habits have become so comfortable and warm in our hands. But once we're willing to recognize them for what they are, things that are keeping us in a place we don't want to be, and once we're willing to loosen our grip and let them go, we are able to receive something far better.
It's not easy! I wish it was, but it's not. But it's worth it. Shift your eyes from what you're hanging on to and really focus on what is is that you want. Shift your focus, then choose wisely :-)
When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, many of us struggle to release old patterns of eating. We struggle and want to hold on to our favorite foods, even when those foods and our relationship to them landed us in an unhealthy BMI range, perhaps even contributing to illness and disease. When we struggle to let go of what is no longer working for us, we may end up going off plan repeatedly. We hang on to those old things and look at them as forbidden fruit; we feel deprived because we can't have the very things that got us here in the first place.
I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study, "Breaking Free," and yesterday morning I watched the first video of this new series. One of the things she said that really resonated with me is that "whatever we give up is only to free our hands so we can receive all God has for us." We can't receive something new if our hands are full of old stuff.
I have a picture in mind right now of hands that are tightly gripped around something old and rotting, fingertips white because the grip is so tight. Within reach is something new and beautiful, but to take that new thing into the hand, the old will first have to be released. The problem is that the old, while rotting, is familiar - it fits in the hand and the hand is warm from holding it for so long. Letting go of the old thing means that, for a split second, the hand will be empty and cold. It's uncertain how the new thing will fit and feel in the hand, so even though it looks beautiful and most desirable, the idea of actually having that in hand is pretty scary.
Some of us have struggled with being overweight or obese for a long time. We hate how we look and feel, and part of us really wants to reach out and claim the healthy body and new life that is within our reach. Before we can do that, we have to let go of the old, rotting habits. Letting go of them isn't deprivation - it's freedom. It doesn't feel like that at first because those habits have become so comfortable and warm in our hands. But once we're willing to recognize them for what they are, things that are keeping us in a place we don't want to be, and once we're willing to loosen our grip and let them go, we are able to receive something far better.
It's not easy! I wish it was, but it's not. But it's worth it. Shift your eyes from what you're hanging on to and really focus on what is is that you want. Shift your focus, then choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New Habits on the Way - We Hope!
Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having a great (and on-plan) week!
My husband and I went to the health club together for the first time yesterday. We just added him to my club membership, so yesterday was his orientation for all of the cardio equipment, plus a lecture on nutrition and weight loss (he could have skipped that part, as he has maintained his 50 pound Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss for over two years). While he had his orientation, I did 45 minutes of cardio. Even though we weren't working out together, it was great just being there with him. This morning we're heading back for his orientation to the weight machines and free weights, where the trainer will help my husband set up a routine. While he's having his orientation, I'm going to do my own strength training. After today's orientation, my husband will be ready to start working out on his own.
This is something he has never done before, and at age 59, he will be working to develop a new healthy habit - exercise! He's used our treadmill on occasion (hates it!) and has also gotten on our elliptical from time time to time. I have some workout videos at home that I use, and I also like to workout using our Wii (I use both Wii Fit and EA Sports Active for Wii), but he has no interest in them.
While I have been challenged, as most of you know, to make exercise a regular part of my life, that really hasn't even been on my husband's radar until recently. He lost 50 pounds, is doing great keeping it off, and was happy with that. However, as he continues on his own journey towards optimal health, he has recognized that being healthy involves a lot more than just being in a good BMI range. Regular exercise, both cardio and strength training, are important if we are truly to be as healthy and as active as we want to be for the rest of our lives.
So, another chapter in my husband's journey is unfolding, and this step in his journey will also help me make exercise a higher priority. One of the things I want to share - and hopefully this will encourage someone reading this - is that this is a journey. We don't always get everything in place at the same time, and we certainly don't always do this perfectly. The point is that we continue to make progress, that we be willing to change.
Change isn't easy for any of us, and the older we get, the more challenging it is to incorporate new habits. The key word is "challenging," not "impossible." The more we focus on what we want, and what we want is optimal health, the more we are willing to make the changes needed to keep ourselves on that path.
Those changes happen one day and one choice at a time for us, and they happen one day and one choice at a time for you, too. Choose wisely :-)
My husband and I went to the health club together for the first time yesterday. We just added him to my club membership, so yesterday was his orientation for all of the cardio equipment, plus a lecture on nutrition and weight loss (he could have skipped that part, as he has maintained his 50 pound Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss for over two years). While he had his orientation, I did 45 minutes of cardio. Even though we weren't working out together, it was great just being there with him. This morning we're heading back for his orientation to the weight machines and free weights, where the trainer will help my husband set up a routine. While he's having his orientation, I'm going to do my own strength training. After today's orientation, my husband will be ready to start working out on his own.
This is something he has never done before, and at age 59, he will be working to develop a new healthy habit - exercise! He's used our treadmill on occasion (hates it!) and has also gotten on our elliptical from time time to time. I have some workout videos at home that I use, and I also like to workout using our Wii (I use both Wii Fit and EA Sports Active for Wii), but he has no interest in them.
While I have been challenged, as most of you know, to make exercise a regular part of my life, that really hasn't even been on my husband's radar until recently. He lost 50 pounds, is doing great keeping it off, and was happy with that. However, as he continues on his own journey towards optimal health, he has recognized that being healthy involves a lot more than just being in a good BMI range. Regular exercise, both cardio and strength training, are important if we are truly to be as healthy and as active as we want to be for the rest of our lives.
So, another chapter in my husband's journey is unfolding, and this step in his journey will also help me make exercise a higher priority. One of the things I want to share - and hopefully this will encourage someone reading this - is that this is a journey. We don't always get everything in place at the same time, and we certainly don't always do this perfectly. The point is that we continue to make progress, that we be willing to change.
Change isn't easy for any of us, and the older we get, the more challenging it is to incorporate new habits. The key word is "challenging," not "impossible." The more we focus on what we want, and what we want is optimal health, the more we are willing to make the changes needed to keep ourselves on that path.
Those changes happen one day and one choice at a time for us, and they happen one day and one choice at a time for you, too. Choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Power of Choices
The power of the daily choices we make was brought home to me yesterday as I talked with two friends of mine, both of whom have been on Take Shape for Life/Medifast for several months. They started the plan within a couple weeks of each other last fall, they are the same age and each had about the same amount of weight they wanted to lose. However, despite the many similarities when they started, they are in very different places today. One friend has lost over 100 pounds and is closing in on her goal and the other friend has lost around 30 pounds.
Same program, but different results. What's the difference? The daily choices that have been made. I share this not to in any way be critical - please hear my heart on this! I share this because it points out the difference that small choices made over time will make.
The friend who lost over 100 pounds went on a cruise, worked her job, dealt with family situations, celebrated the holidays, etc. and stayed on plan. It wasn't easy, but she began to see results, fixed her eyes on what she really wanted and decided to go for it. It's a day by day journey, to be sure, but she made the fundamental choice to get healthy. Once she made that choice, she figured out how to make this program work. When I talk to her and hear the joy in her voice as she shares her latest victory, she always affirms that any sacrifice she's made is more than worth it. She is now in a place she never thought she'd be, and she's gotten there one day and one choice at a time.
My other friend has had a lot going on in her life, including a fair amount of traveling, and these events and trips have often resulted in her going off plan. She's had a number of stops and restarts, and she's getting ready to restart once again.
Because I struggled with morbid obesity for over 20 years and was on and off (mostly off) a lot of different weight loss plans, I completely understand where my friend is at. For me, life kept getting in the way. There was always an event or other reason why it just wasn't a good time to "diet." My starts and stops kept me in a cycle of frustration and defeat, and I was filled with a lot of regrets and "should have, could have" thoughts. Underneath it all, the reality was that I hadn't yet made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight. I was interested in losing weight, but I wanted to do it on my own terms, and I wanted it to be easy and most certainly painless.
Once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, life didn't come to a screeching halt so that I could do it in a protective bubble. Life just kept happening - celebrations, vacations, stress, holidays, grief - but because I had a clear vision in my mind of what it was that I really wanted, I was able to make the daily choices needed to reach my goal. I committed to following this program and figured out what I needed to do every day to stay on plan. As I've shared in the past, I didn't suddenly sprout a new iron will that enabled me to do this, quite the contrary. I finally acknowledged my inability to do this on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed. And He was faithful to provide that strength.
Where do you want to be in 3, 6, 9 months? Where do you want to be a year from now? The choices you make today will either move you a step closer to where you want to be, or they will move you away from your goal. Choose wisely :-)
Same program, but different results. What's the difference? The daily choices that have been made. I share this not to in any way be critical - please hear my heart on this! I share this because it points out the difference that small choices made over time will make.
The friend who lost over 100 pounds went on a cruise, worked her job, dealt with family situations, celebrated the holidays, etc. and stayed on plan. It wasn't easy, but she began to see results, fixed her eyes on what she really wanted and decided to go for it. It's a day by day journey, to be sure, but she made the fundamental choice to get healthy. Once she made that choice, she figured out how to make this program work. When I talk to her and hear the joy in her voice as she shares her latest victory, she always affirms that any sacrifice she's made is more than worth it. She is now in a place she never thought she'd be, and she's gotten there one day and one choice at a time.
My other friend has had a lot going on in her life, including a fair amount of traveling, and these events and trips have often resulted in her going off plan. She's had a number of stops and restarts, and she's getting ready to restart once again.
Because I struggled with morbid obesity for over 20 years and was on and off (mostly off) a lot of different weight loss plans, I completely understand where my friend is at. For me, life kept getting in the way. There was always an event or other reason why it just wasn't a good time to "diet." My starts and stops kept me in a cycle of frustration and defeat, and I was filled with a lot of regrets and "should have, could have" thoughts. Underneath it all, the reality was that I hadn't yet made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight. I was interested in losing weight, but I wanted to do it on my own terms, and I wanted it to be easy and most certainly painless.
Once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, life didn't come to a screeching halt so that I could do it in a protective bubble. Life just kept happening - celebrations, vacations, stress, holidays, grief - but because I had a clear vision in my mind of what it was that I really wanted, I was able to make the daily choices needed to reach my goal. I committed to following this program and figured out what I needed to do every day to stay on plan. As I've shared in the past, I didn't suddenly sprout a new iron will that enabled me to do this, quite the contrary. I finally acknowledged my inability to do this on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed. And He was faithful to provide that strength.
Where do you want to be in 3, 6, 9 months? Where do you want to be a year from now? The choices you make today will either move you a step closer to where you want to be, or they will move you away from your goal. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 3, 2010
More Choices
I end every blog with the words "choose wisely", because I am learning (not there yet!) that by making mindful choices, things change. Very early this morning (too early, in fact), I had an opportunity to practice what I preach.
I was awakened by the sound of birds - loud birds - a little after 6 AM. Now I like birds, don't get me wrong, but I'm not particularly fond of them at 6 AM. My very first conscious thought this morning was "darn birds," and this was accompanied by a lot of mental grumbling (I kept it from being verbal because I didn't want to wake up my husband). I didn't get to bed until after midnight last night and wasn't happy that a bunch of stupid birds was now waking me up early. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, allowing a host of negativity to wash over me - not a good way to start a day or a week!
Then the phrase "choose wisely" came to mind and I realized that bright and very early on this Monday morning, I had a choice to make. I needed to choose the attitude I was going to have for the day, and I knew I didn't want to drag the one I had throughout the rest of the day. At that point, I shifted my focus. One Scripture verse came immediately to mind, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." The "will" in this verse reminded me that my attitude is a conscious choice. At that point, I rolled over and began to pray, and my prayer was one of praise and thanksgiving. Guess what? My attitude changed, and changed almost immediately :-)
I'm sharing this today because it's a Monday and I'm guessing that at least one person reading this was less than excited to get up (perhaps earlier than 6 AM!) and head to work. Monday is probably the least-favorite day of the week for many people, as it means the start of a new work week filled with stress. For me, Mondays were often the day I'd start a new diet, and my resolve to lose weight would quickly collide with the stress of a new work week.
What I am learning is that while I cannot always choose my circumstances, I can choose my attitude. Things may happen that are out of my control, but I can always choose how I'm going to respond. Even when my initial response is negative, I can turn it around if I choose to do so.
What kind of attitude are you going to have today? Hopefully you love what you do and were upbeat the minute your feet hit the floor, and hopefully you are overjoyed at the opportunity to spend another day on plan ;-), but what if you aren't? There are lots of choices to be made today, including our attitude. Choose wisely :-)
I was awakened by the sound of birds - loud birds - a little after 6 AM. Now I like birds, don't get me wrong, but I'm not particularly fond of them at 6 AM. My very first conscious thought this morning was "darn birds," and this was accompanied by a lot of mental grumbling (I kept it from being verbal because I didn't want to wake up my husband). I didn't get to bed until after midnight last night and wasn't happy that a bunch of stupid birds was now waking me up early. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, allowing a host of negativity to wash over me - not a good way to start a day or a week!
Then the phrase "choose wisely" came to mind and I realized that bright and very early on this Monday morning, I had a choice to make. I needed to choose the attitude I was going to have for the day, and I knew I didn't want to drag the one I had throughout the rest of the day. At that point, I shifted my focus. One Scripture verse came immediately to mind, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." The "will" in this verse reminded me that my attitude is a conscious choice. At that point, I rolled over and began to pray, and my prayer was one of praise and thanksgiving. Guess what? My attitude changed, and changed almost immediately :-)
I'm sharing this today because it's a Monday and I'm guessing that at least one person reading this was less than excited to get up (perhaps earlier than 6 AM!) and head to work. Monday is probably the least-favorite day of the week for many people, as it means the start of a new work week filled with stress. For me, Mondays were often the day I'd start a new diet, and my resolve to lose weight would quickly collide with the stress of a new work week.
What I am learning is that while I cannot always choose my circumstances, I can choose my attitude. Things may happen that are out of my control, but I can always choose how I'm going to respond. Even when my initial response is negative, I can turn it around if I choose to do so.
What kind of attitude are you going to have today? Hopefully you love what you do and were upbeat the minute your feet hit the floor, and hopefully you are overjoyed at the opportunity to spend another day on plan ;-), but what if you aren't? There are lots of choices to be made today, including our attitude. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saying Goodbye to Shame Eating
Before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I often engaged in what I would call "shame eating." I would see some food item at work that I'd feel almost compelled to eat, even though I wasn't hungry, then take it when no one was looking and sneak away to consume it as fast as I could. It could be a muffin left over from a morning meeting at work, pizza left over from a lunch meeting - it didn't matter. There was something about seeing the food just sitting there . . . I'd be afraid that someone would throw it away and "waste" it. So even though I wasn't hungry, I'd palm the food (I certainly didn't want anyone to SEE me with it) and either take it to my office or the bathroom, where I would shove it in my mouth as quickly as I could to make sure it was gone before anyone caught me. I rarely enjoyed it, and I was usually embarrassed that I felt such a compulsion to not waste it (you know, there are all those starving children in India . . . ). Never mind the fact that the food was STILL being wasted - inside me, no less. Looking back, I realize that my co-workers undoubtedly figured out that I was the cause of the last piece of whatever disappearing (there were only 4 of us in the office, and I was the only overweight person, so it didn't exactly take Sherlock Holmes to solve the crime).
When I remember back to those pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast days, it saddens me to realize how much control food had over me. What a difference this program has made in my life! While I was on 5&1, by God's grace, I was able to resist the temptations of off-plan food, and I found real freedom as I was set free from being a slave to food.
In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul talks about the struggle he had in not being able to do what he knew he should do. Verse 15 says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." A few verses later (verse 24), he cries out "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" I have always identified with these verses, feeling such anguish that I seemed to be incapable of doing what I knew I should do when it came to losing weight (among other things . . . ).
The apostle knew that ultimately his Rescuer was Jesus Christ (verse 25). I have the same Rescuer, and I know God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast almost three years ago. He used this plan as the tool to unlock the chains that bound me for a very long time. I am so thankful!
My journey was (and is!) one day and one choice at a time, and so is yours. One day, one choice . . . choose wisely :-)
When I remember back to those pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast days, it saddens me to realize how much control food had over me. What a difference this program has made in my life! While I was on 5&1, by God's grace, I was able to resist the temptations of off-plan food, and I found real freedom as I was set free from being a slave to food.
In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul talks about the struggle he had in not being able to do what he knew he should do. Verse 15 says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." A few verses later (verse 24), he cries out "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" I have always identified with these verses, feeling such anguish that I seemed to be incapable of doing what I knew I should do when it came to losing weight (among other things . . . ).
The apostle knew that ultimately his Rescuer was Jesus Christ (verse 25). I have the same Rescuer, and I know God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast almost three years ago. He used this plan as the tool to unlock the chains that bound me for a very long time. I am so thankful!
My journey was (and is!) one day and one choice at a time, and so is yours. One day, one choice . . . choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Leaves are Falling
Happy Saturday and Happy May Day! May is one of my favorite months of the year because all of the spring flowers and flowering trees are in full bloom and the trees have a wonderful, lacy look as they leaf out. After a long, cold, gray Michigan winter, May is awash with color and life - I absolutely love it!
One of the things that's interesting to see this time of year are a few scattered leaves on the ground. Every fall, some trees seem almost relieved to release their leaves and are barren early, while others hang on to their leaves until late fall and then dump them in one fell swoop.
And then there are the other trees, those few stubborn ones who tenaciously hang on to many of their dead leaves all the way through the winter. They hang on to their leaves through bitter wind, snow, and even ice. The dead leaves seem to be destined to stay forever. But then spring comes and those long-dead leaves finally drop. What happens in the spring? The emergence of new leaves force the tree to finally release its hold on those long dead and worthless leaves.
Kind of like habits, like, say . . . compulsive eating and emotional eating. Many of us have held on to these worthless habits for way too long. Until recently, nothing was able to shake these food habits loose - embarrassment, shame, disgust, even compromised health, nothing displaced those old habits UNTIL new habits began to emerge.
New habits that we are learning day by day are slowly but surely forcing the release of old habits. We are learning that it IS possible to deal with stress, celebrate events, have a busy schedule, be bored, be tired, be happy, eat out, or even cook a big meal for my family and STILL stay on plan. We are learning that our emotions and impulses do NOT have to drive our eating choices. By carefully planning, by learning to anticipate potential pitfalls, we are sprouting new, healthy habits, and they are replacing old and harmful ones.
Those new, healthy habits replace our old habits one day and one choice at a time. One this lovely May Day, the choice is yours. Choose wisely :-)
One of the things that's interesting to see this time of year are a few scattered leaves on the ground. Every fall, some trees seem almost relieved to release their leaves and are barren early, while others hang on to their leaves until late fall and then dump them in one fell swoop.
And then there are the other trees, those few stubborn ones who tenaciously hang on to many of their dead leaves all the way through the winter. They hang on to their leaves through bitter wind, snow, and even ice. The dead leaves seem to be destined to stay forever. But then spring comes and those long-dead leaves finally drop. What happens in the spring? The emergence of new leaves force the tree to finally release its hold on those long dead and worthless leaves.
Kind of like habits, like, say . . . compulsive eating and emotional eating. Many of us have held on to these worthless habits for way too long. Until recently, nothing was able to shake these food habits loose - embarrassment, shame, disgust, even compromised health, nothing displaced those old habits UNTIL new habits began to emerge.
New habits that we are learning day by day are slowly but surely forcing the release of old habits. We are learning that it IS possible to deal with stress, celebrate events, have a busy schedule, be bored, be tired, be happy, eat out, or even cook a big meal for my family and STILL stay on plan. We are learning that our emotions and impulses do NOT have to drive our eating choices. By carefully planning, by learning to anticipate potential pitfalls, we are sprouting new, healthy habits, and they are replacing old and harmful ones.
Those new, healthy habits replace our old habits one day and one choice at a time. One this lovely May Day, the choice is yours. Choose wisely :-)
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