How on earth can we be at the end of July? I'm ending this month on a happy note as I'm crossing one more thing off of my "bucket list." We're going to Niagara Falls today (returning tomorrow). It's only a six hour drive from our home, so I'm not sure what took us so long to do this, but today is the day! My younger daughter and her family are also going, along with our niece and one of her friends, plus my son-in-law's sister (we're taking two vehicles). Once again, we'll bring enough Medifast food so that we can keep going all day long, saving both time AND money :-).
I remember when I first started on this program and initially thought that I'd just use it for a month or so to "jump start" my weight loss and then switch back to the program I'd been trying to follow before (operative word is "trying"). Of course, once I realized how easy this program was and marveled at how good I felt, as well as experienced encouraging weight loss, I abandoned thoughts of going back to the other plan. One thing I did determine pretty early on was that I wanted to get off of the packaged food as soon as possible once I reached my goal. I viewed these products as a means to end, and I very much looked forward to the end of not only my weight loss journey but also the end to the foods.
So what happened? First of all, my taste buds changed and I found that I actually LIKED the food (who would have thought it possible?). Second, I liked the convenience of the Medifast products, and with the introduction of the crunch bars 18 months ago and the pretzels and cheese puffs a year ago, the convenience factor has gone up incredibly. (When I was on 5&;1, we only had the bars that are now renamed "maintenance bars," and we were limited to one per day. On-the-go days meant preparing oatmeal muffins and cookies or soup bread and soup chips so that I'd have portable food throughout the day.) I also embraced the principle of eating six small meals a day, and I'm frankly not interested in planning, shopping and preparing six mini meals a day. Having 2-3 Medifast meals a day enables me to continue to eat small meals throughout the day with a minimal amount of effort.
When I'm home all day, I tend to eat less Medifast meals because it's easy to have Greek yogurt and fruit or other nutritious small meals. But on my busy days, and always when we travel (which is quite a bit), I pretty much eat Medifast meals all day, then enjoy a healthy (but not necessarily lean and green) meal at night.
My food plan in Maintenance might not work for everyone, but it's been over two years and counting, so it's working for me! I still have a fully-developed set of fat-girl tastebuds that think food can only be improved by frying :-), so I have to choose every day to either continue my pursuit of optimal health or not. It's not always easy, and I certainly don't always make the best choices. But I do keep what I want - a long, optimally healthy life - in focus, and knowing what I want makes the choices easier.
Day in and day out, whether you're new to this program or a veteran in maintenance, we all have choices to make. Choose wisely :-)
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
When It's One of "Those" Days
There were days when I was happy and hopeful while on Take Shape for Life/Medifast's 5&1 plan, feeling energetic and just plain loving the feeling of finally not being controlled by my appetite. On those kind of days, I felt like I could do 5&1 forever. Life was good and I was loving every minute of it.
Then there were those . . . other . . . days. If you've been on program for very long, I'm guessing you know what I'm talking about - maybe this is even one of "those" days. Days when I woke up and groaned at the thought of facing one more Medifast meal, let alone an entire day of them. Days when I felt deprived as I thought about the list, the very LONG list, of favorite foods that I wasn't eating and wouldn't be eating for a very long time. Days when I was madder than mad at myself for getting myself to the point where I needed this stupid program to begin with. Days when I resented anybody and everybody who was walking around, perhaps bigger than I was, happily eating whatever they wanted while I opened up one more packet of space food.
If the last paragraph pretty much sums up how you're feeling today, or how you've felt recently, take heart :-). Thankfully those days of feeling miserable and deprived were few and far between. They weren't fun, but they were an important part of my journey.
Staying on plan was easy when I was in the groove, really loving the program and feeling motivated to change. Staying on plan when I felt like staying on plan was easy, but it didn't challenge me to grow and change, because I've always found it easy to do what came easy :-).
The real challenge, and the real growth, came when I wanted to do anything else and eat anything else - but chose not to. Not wanting to stay on plan but doing it anyway only happened because I was focused on something other than immediate gratification. Once I had a vision in my mind of what living at my goal weight might look like, and once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, whether or not I felt particularly motivated on any given day was irrelevant.
Of course, I had to give myself a good talking to when I had one of "those" days :-). My conversation with myself usually included some of the following thoughts: "It doesn't matter if you're bored with the program or not; boredom won't kill you, but obesity might." "So what if you don't feel like being on program today? You didn't feel like going to work, either, but you still hauled yourself out of bed and showed up because it's what you had to do. Same thing goes with staying on plan - it's what you have to do." I didn't cut myself any slack on this because I had become an expert in cutting myself slack and it had gotten me all the way up to being diabetic and 268 pounds.
Instead of being focused on moving away from being obese and diabetic, my eyes were fixed on a goal: being healthy and thin. It was a lot more exciting (on most days!) than looking backward and moving away from what I didn't want.
Staying on plan isn't always easy, and if you're anticipating being on plan for a while, you will definitely have one or more of those kinds of days. When you do, you will have a choice to make. Choose wisely :-)
Then there were those . . . other . . . days. If you've been on program for very long, I'm guessing you know what I'm talking about - maybe this is even one of "those" days. Days when I woke up and groaned at the thought of facing one more Medifast meal, let alone an entire day of them. Days when I felt deprived as I thought about the list, the very LONG list, of favorite foods that I wasn't eating and wouldn't be eating for a very long time. Days when I was madder than mad at myself for getting myself to the point where I needed this stupid program to begin with. Days when I resented anybody and everybody who was walking around, perhaps bigger than I was, happily eating whatever they wanted while I opened up one more packet of space food.
If the last paragraph pretty much sums up how you're feeling today, or how you've felt recently, take heart :-). Thankfully those days of feeling miserable and deprived were few and far between. They weren't fun, but they were an important part of my journey.
Staying on plan was easy when I was in the groove, really loving the program and feeling motivated to change. Staying on plan when I felt like staying on plan was easy, but it didn't challenge me to grow and change, because I've always found it easy to do what came easy :-).
The real challenge, and the real growth, came when I wanted to do anything else and eat anything else - but chose not to. Not wanting to stay on plan but doing it anyway only happened because I was focused on something other than immediate gratification. Once I had a vision in my mind of what living at my goal weight might look like, and once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, whether or not I felt particularly motivated on any given day was irrelevant.
Of course, I had to give myself a good talking to when I had one of "those" days :-). My conversation with myself usually included some of the following thoughts: "It doesn't matter if you're bored with the program or not; boredom won't kill you, but obesity might." "So what if you don't feel like being on program today? You didn't feel like going to work, either, but you still hauled yourself out of bed and showed up because it's what you had to do. Same thing goes with staying on plan - it's what you have to do." I didn't cut myself any slack on this because I had become an expert in cutting myself slack and it had gotten me all the way up to being diabetic and 268 pounds.
Instead of being focused on moving away from being obese and diabetic, my eyes were fixed on a goal: being healthy and thin. It was a lot more exciting (on most days!) than looking backward and moving away from what I didn't want.
Staying on plan isn't always easy, and if you're anticipating being on plan for a while, you will definitely have one or more of those kinds of days. When you do, you will have a choice to make. Choose wisely :-)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Time to Stretch
I constantly refer to this program as a journey because there is so much growing and stretching that happens along the way. Stretching isn't always fun, and sometimes it's downright painful!
Stiff muscles are always resistant to stretching, and I know that if I stop where it feels comfortable, my range of motion can be pretty limited sometimes. Even now, when I first bend over to touch my toes, sometimes my fingers reach the toes and sometimes they don't. What's really interesting, however, is that if I stretch as far as I can and hold it for a minute or so, even though it hurts a bit, the muscles relax and I can go down just a bit more. If I hold that for another minute or so, I can stretch farther yet. In fact, by stretching in increments I am able to touch my forehead to my knees and place my palms flat on the floor. I can never do that the very first time I bend over in the morning, but continuing to stretch and warming up those stiff muscles gets me where I want to go.
For many of you (and formerly me!) on 5&1, you are stretching some muscles you haven't used in a while. I used to say that every time I turned down a food temptation, I was strengthening my "no thank you" muscle :-). Whenever we stretch those muscles, it's initially not comfortable and sometimes even a bit painful. But if we hold the position for a moment or two, the pain leaves and we find we can make a little more progress. We won't get there all at once, but if we're persistent and refuse to give ground, and if we're willing to keep stretching, we WILL get there!
In the past, if I bent over and couldn't touch my toes, I'd give up, figuring that I just couldn't do it. I stopped where it was comfortable and wasn't willing to risk being a bit uncomfortable temporarily in order to get all the way down. Now I can reach way past my toes - much farther than I would have thought possible.
If you're feeling some tight muscles today as this program stretches you, hold your position and don't back off, because you will soon be reaching further than you can imagine - all the way to your goal. So decide to stretch today, then choose wisely :-)
Stiff muscles are always resistant to stretching, and I know that if I stop where it feels comfortable, my range of motion can be pretty limited sometimes. Even now, when I first bend over to touch my toes, sometimes my fingers reach the toes and sometimes they don't. What's really interesting, however, is that if I stretch as far as I can and hold it for a minute or so, even though it hurts a bit, the muscles relax and I can go down just a bit more. If I hold that for another minute or so, I can stretch farther yet. In fact, by stretching in increments I am able to touch my forehead to my knees and place my palms flat on the floor. I can never do that the very first time I bend over in the morning, but continuing to stretch and warming up those stiff muscles gets me where I want to go.
For many of you (and formerly me!) on 5&1, you are stretching some muscles you haven't used in a while. I used to say that every time I turned down a food temptation, I was strengthening my "no thank you" muscle :-). Whenever we stretch those muscles, it's initially not comfortable and sometimes even a bit painful. But if we hold the position for a moment or two, the pain leaves and we find we can make a little more progress. We won't get there all at once, but if we're persistent and refuse to give ground, and if we're willing to keep stretching, we WILL get there!
In the past, if I bent over and couldn't touch my toes, I'd give up, figuring that I just couldn't do it. I stopped where it was comfortable and wasn't willing to risk being a bit uncomfortable temporarily in order to get all the way down. Now I can reach way past my toes - much farther than I would have thought possible.
If you're feeling some tight muscles today as this program stretches you, hold your position and don't back off, because you will soon be reaching further than you can imagine - all the way to your goal. So decide to stretch today, then choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Remembering What We Want
"Discipline is remembering what you want." ~ David Campbell. I read this quote a couple of days ago and really liked it!
So how can we forget what it is that we want? I mean, if we want it, how can we lose sight of it? I remember watching a very (VERY!) funny video of Bill Cosby several years ago entitled "Cosby at 49." In one of the segments in this comedy video, he talked about how our mind plays tricks on us and he wondered how our brain can tell our body to do something without us knowing it.
When it comes to remembering, or not remembering, what it is that we want, I don't think the issue is that our brain is playing tricks on us. I think we just get distracted.
Sometimes we get distracted by the tyranny of the urgent and forget what it is that we really want. Life is busy and often stressful, and it's easy to get into a mode where we are just reacting to what's around us instead of creating what we want. If we're reacting, it's hard to take a long view to remember, and focus, on what we want.
Sometimes the pull of immediate gratification shifts our attention. If we aren't intentionally fixing our eyes on what it is that we really want, we will readily go for the next thing that comes our way.
Remembering what we want means we first have to be clear about what that is. A vague desire to "drop some weight" probably won't be a compelling reason to keep us going over the long run, but remembering that we want to live an optimally healthy life and having a vision of what that will look like is something to remember, then act on.
Once we remember what it is that we want, we will make the choices necessary to move us in that direction. We make those secondary choices, things we might not want to do (exercise, stay on 5&1, etc.), because they are the means to help us get what we really want. The key is to remember, then choose wisely :-)
So how can we forget what it is that we want? I mean, if we want it, how can we lose sight of it? I remember watching a very (VERY!) funny video of Bill Cosby several years ago entitled "Cosby at 49." In one of the segments in this comedy video, he talked about how our mind plays tricks on us and he wondered how our brain can tell our body to do something without us knowing it.
When it comes to remembering, or not remembering, what it is that we want, I don't think the issue is that our brain is playing tricks on us. I think we just get distracted.
Sometimes we get distracted by the tyranny of the urgent and forget what it is that we really want. Life is busy and often stressful, and it's easy to get into a mode where we are just reacting to what's around us instead of creating what we want. If we're reacting, it's hard to take a long view to remember, and focus, on what we want.
Sometimes the pull of immediate gratification shifts our attention. If we aren't intentionally fixing our eyes on what it is that we really want, we will readily go for the next thing that comes our way.
Remembering what we want means we first have to be clear about what that is. A vague desire to "drop some weight" probably won't be a compelling reason to keep us going over the long run, but remembering that we want to live an optimally healthy life and having a vision of what that will look like is something to remember, then act on.
Once we remember what it is that we want, we will make the choices necessary to move us in that direction. We make those secondary choices, things we might not want to do (exercise, stay on 5&1, etc.), because they are the means to help us get what we really want. The key is to remember, then choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Beginning of Change
After more than two years at goal, it's sometimes easy to forget those first few days on Take Shape for Life/Medifast more than three years ago. Like many or most of you, I started this program with a lot of trepidation and a thimble-full of hope that just maybe this time would be different. As I re-read some of my earliest blogs last night, I was amazed to see how quickly hope began to blossom. Here's what I wrote just six days into my journey:
*****
*****
I couldn't have imagined then where I would be today, but I know a couple of things for sure. First of all, an integral part of my transformation was from the inside out - a renewing of my mind and heart. I recognized the need for that at the very beginning of this program, and I am so thankful that over the course of the months that followed, that's exactly what happened!
Secondly, God alone gets the glory for all that has happened to me since I first wrote that blog. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving and praise that He used this program to not only help me get healthy, but to also have the privilege of helping others do the same.
Are you ready to change your life, really change your life? That change begins with the choices you make today . . . choose wisely :-)
*****
I'm so excited to be coming close to the end of Day 6 - still 100% on plan and feeling great! I'm amazed at how good I feel. It must be because I'm not over-stuffing myself AND I'm eating nutrient-dense food. And, I have real hope and a realistic expectation that this is IT and that, in time, I will finally reach a healthy weight for me.
It's hard to imagine right now what it will feel like when I reach my goal. Not "if" I meet my goal, but "when" I meet my goal. What a difference six days can make! This is the first time (as far as I can remember) that I have EVER stayed on any plan for six days in a row. I remember being 25 and weighing 119, and I remember thinking at 119 lbs. and 5 ft. 5 in. that I was still too heavy, that my 35" hips were too big. Groan! I remember, several years later, postponing my annual exam by several months because I was embarrassed to get on the scale at 139 pounds. I remember having a 21 in. waist after having my first child and still feeling fat. How sad! I can't help but wonder if the fact that I had such a bad self image back then somehow contributed to my horrible weight gain leading up to today. Since I never felt good about my body, gaining weight didn't really change my body image that much, just confirmed it. Does that make sense?
I'm trying to make sure my thinking/body image doesn't inadvertently sabotage my dieting efforts. The truth is, back then, when I was thin (by anybody's standards), I thought I was heavier than I was, and now, at a size 22/24, I think I look smaller than I really do (I'm often surprised when I see a candid photo of myself and see how large I really am, and I usually think it was just taken at a "bad angle"). Part of the challenge I'm facing right now is finding my way to a realistic body image - facing the reality of my body today, and mentally (and emotionally) preparing for the day when the scale, my BMI, and the size of my clothes declare me "normal" once again.
In the Bible, Romans 12:1 says, " . . . in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Verse 2 says, in part, " . . . be transformed by the renewing of your mind." This are two really good verses for me to focus on right now. First of all, it's a radical thought that committing to taking better care of my body can be an act of worship. Without being encumbered by my too-large body, I know I will be more free and open to serving my Heavenly Father, instead of making excuses or not having enough energy. Secondly, verse 2 tells me that part of transformation comes through a renewing of my mind. I need God's help for that! I cannot do this in my own strength, but as I allow the Lord to work in and through me, His strength will be made perfect in my own weakness. In the end, He alone will get the glory for any success I realize.
*****
I couldn't have imagined then where I would be today, but I know a couple of things for sure. First of all, an integral part of my transformation was from the inside out - a renewing of my mind and heart. I recognized the need for that at the very beginning of this program, and I am so thankful that over the course of the months that followed, that's exactly what happened!
Secondly, God alone gets the glory for all that has happened to me since I first wrote that blog. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving and praise that He used this program to not only help me get healthy, but to also have the privilege of helping others do the same.
Are you ready to change your life, really change your life? That change begins with the choices you make today . . . choose wisely :-)
Monday, July 26, 2010
A Journey to Wholeness
Yesterday morning I heard a woman share her story of her journey to wholeness and healing. I don't remember her name, but I want to share a couple of things she said that got me to thinking.
First of all, this woman struggled for years with anorexia and eventually added bulimia to the mix. Her eating disorder almost killed her, but she shared that even during the time she was medically fragile due to her disorder, people would comment on how thin she was and asked for her secret. Thinness is so admired and desired in our culture that she found people envious of her even as she was in a battle for her life. This was a poignant reminder to me that this program, and my own weight loss journey, wasn't about getting thin - it was about getting healthy.
This program isn't about getting into an impossibly small size (although getting into a size 6 pant size and a size 4 dress seemed an impossible thing to me at the time I started) - it is about getting to and maintaining a healthy BMI. Especially for women, we have a tendency to get hung up on what size we wear and getting into a certain size can become our focus. If you are in the weight loss phase of this program right now (and I'm guessing that that applies to the vast majority of you), I really encourage you to get out a BMI chart and figure out where you need to be. In fact, I encourage you to go even further and figure out how healthy you are right now. One great assessment was put together by Medifast's medical director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, and you can take this comprehensive assessment on line at his website, drwayneandersen.com (put in the www. before his name). If your score isn't exactly where you want it to be, that's OK because it will improve over time - your initial score is your starting point.
I said that the woman mentioned a couple of things that particularly impressed me. I've already shared the first, but here's the second. She shared that as she began to deal with her eating disorder addiction, other addictions soon took its place. She likened it to a carnival game where you hit one thing and something else pops up. I totally related to this!
For years I struggled with two huge issues: my compulsive, emotional eating was one issue. The other issue was compulsive shopping and spending. It would seem that when I was trying to bring one under control, the other would get even worse. If I was trying to curb my eating on the latest diet, my credit card took a hit. When I swore off going to the mall, my eating spun out of control. I knew both were issues for me, but I didn't realize at the time that they both had the same root. Until I was willing to deal with what was REALLY the issue, I turned to food or shopping, or sometimes food AND shopping, as a means of stuffing emotions I didn't want to deal with. The end result was obesity and debt, and a very unhappy and stressed-out woman who knew better but seemed incapable of permanently finding a solution to either issue.
I'm sharing this because this might resonate with some of you, too. Many of us with eating disorders have compulsive personalities and if we don't deal with the core issues, our compulsive behaviors will crop up in another area while we're on this program. (I've heard of more than one person who, post gastric bypass surgery, became an alcoholic - they could no longer compulsively eat, but they could drink.) This may not apply to individuals who went on Medifast to lose 20 or 30 pounds, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that if you have lots and lots of weight to lose (I needed to lose 126 pounds), you didn't get to your weight just because you enjoy a good meal. To get to a healthy weight and stay there, and to make sure that you don't end up dealing with another area of compulsion, it's important to do the hard work of figuring out and dealing with the issues that brought you here to begin with.
Because this blog is long, I'm not going to go into all that I learned on my journey, but I've blogged about it in the past if you want to dig through old blogs to read about it. Bottom line was that I DID address those issues and, more importantly, I finally understood in an entirely new way that stuff - food, shopping, etc. - couldn't meet the deep needs of my heart. An integral part of my own journey was significant spiritual growth as I learned to look to my Heavenly Father for those needs. He was faithful, as He promises He will be, and He brought healing and wholeness to me. I pray that you will allow healing and wholeness to flood through you, too!
So do you view this program as a diet or as the journey to wellness and health it's meant to be? If you embrace this as a journey to true health, you may well end up in a better place than you could have imagined. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
First of all, this woman struggled for years with anorexia and eventually added bulimia to the mix. Her eating disorder almost killed her, but she shared that even during the time she was medically fragile due to her disorder, people would comment on how thin she was and asked for her secret. Thinness is so admired and desired in our culture that she found people envious of her even as she was in a battle for her life. This was a poignant reminder to me that this program, and my own weight loss journey, wasn't about getting thin - it was about getting healthy.
This program isn't about getting into an impossibly small size (although getting into a size 6 pant size and a size 4 dress seemed an impossible thing to me at the time I started) - it is about getting to and maintaining a healthy BMI. Especially for women, we have a tendency to get hung up on what size we wear and getting into a certain size can become our focus. If you are in the weight loss phase of this program right now (and I'm guessing that that applies to the vast majority of you), I really encourage you to get out a BMI chart and figure out where you need to be. In fact, I encourage you to go even further and figure out how healthy you are right now. One great assessment was put together by Medifast's medical director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, and you can take this comprehensive assessment on line at his website, drwayneandersen.com (put in the www. before his name). If your score isn't exactly where you want it to be, that's OK because it will improve over time - your initial score is your starting point.
I said that the woman mentioned a couple of things that particularly impressed me. I've already shared the first, but here's the second. She shared that as she began to deal with her eating disorder addiction, other addictions soon took its place. She likened it to a carnival game where you hit one thing and something else pops up. I totally related to this!
For years I struggled with two huge issues: my compulsive, emotional eating was one issue. The other issue was compulsive shopping and spending. It would seem that when I was trying to bring one under control, the other would get even worse. If I was trying to curb my eating on the latest diet, my credit card took a hit. When I swore off going to the mall, my eating spun out of control. I knew both were issues for me, but I didn't realize at the time that they both had the same root. Until I was willing to deal with what was REALLY the issue, I turned to food or shopping, or sometimes food AND shopping, as a means of stuffing emotions I didn't want to deal with. The end result was obesity and debt, and a very unhappy and stressed-out woman who knew better but seemed incapable of permanently finding a solution to either issue.
I'm sharing this because this might resonate with some of you, too. Many of us with eating disorders have compulsive personalities and if we don't deal with the core issues, our compulsive behaviors will crop up in another area while we're on this program. (I've heard of more than one person who, post gastric bypass surgery, became an alcoholic - they could no longer compulsively eat, but they could drink.) This may not apply to individuals who went on Medifast to lose 20 or 30 pounds, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that if you have lots and lots of weight to lose (I needed to lose 126 pounds), you didn't get to your weight just because you enjoy a good meal. To get to a healthy weight and stay there, and to make sure that you don't end up dealing with another area of compulsion, it's important to do the hard work of figuring out and dealing with the issues that brought you here to begin with.
Because this blog is long, I'm not going to go into all that I learned on my journey, but I've blogged about it in the past if you want to dig through old blogs to read about it. Bottom line was that I DID address those issues and, more importantly, I finally understood in an entirely new way that stuff - food, shopping, etc. - couldn't meet the deep needs of my heart. An integral part of my own journey was significant spiritual growth as I learned to look to my Heavenly Father for those needs. He was faithful, as He promises He will be, and He brought healing and wholeness to me. I pray that you will allow healing and wholeness to flood through you, too!
So do you view this program as a diet or as the journey to wellness and health it's meant to be? If you embrace this as a journey to true health, you may well end up in a better place than you could have imagined. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
A Real Treasure
A few months ago a commercial for a vitamin supplement caught my attention. It wasn't the product that caught my eye, rather, it was the slogan, "Your health is your true wealth." Now I don't take any slogan at face value, especially one touting a product on TV, so I had to think about this a while. The first question I had to ask is, "is this a true statement?"
I stop short of saying that my health is my TRUE wealth, because I believe in laying up my treasure in heaven, where nothing can damage or destroy it, but my health is certainly incredibly valuable to me - it's one of the most valuable earthy things I have. Without a certain measure of good health, a lot of other things I have this side of heaven don't really mean much. At the very least, my ability to enjoy life would be greatly diminished if my health was compromised.
Think about it! Would it really matter how much money we had if we were sick? Would it be more difficult to enjoy time with family and friends if we were struggling with health issues? I know I'm having a lot more fun with my grandchildren now that I can easily get on the floor with them or chase them around in circles - things that were difficult to do when I carried around an extra 126 pounds. Taking a long walk with my husband is much easier and more enjoyable now because my knees don't hurt all the time, and neither does my back.
So many medications have side-effects, including making people feel more tired, so imagine what a difference it would make to be off of those meds because your weight loss has reversed the condition that warranted going on them in the first place. How much would that be worth?
This plan is about so much more than just losing weight and getting into a fun, small size (not that I'm diminishing this, because it's wonderful!). This is about getting healthy and staying healthy. This about reversing some health concerns and preventing others, not only increasing the length of our lives but also greatly increasing the quality of our lives.
None of this happens overnight, of course, but it DOES happen over time, one Medifast meal at a time :-). You are worth the effort, and your health, both now and in the future, may well depend on it. Your health is one of your most important treasures, so treat it as a treasure. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
I stop short of saying that my health is my TRUE wealth, because I believe in laying up my treasure in heaven, where nothing can damage or destroy it, but my health is certainly incredibly valuable to me - it's one of the most valuable earthy things I have. Without a certain measure of good health, a lot of other things I have this side of heaven don't really mean much. At the very least, my ability to enjoy life would be greatly diminished if my health was compromised.
Think about it! Would it really matter how much money we had if we were sick? Would it be more difficult to enjoy time with family and friends if we were struggling with health issues? I know I'm having a lot more fun with my grandchildren now that I can easily get on the floor with them or chase them around in circles - things that were difficult to do when I carried around an extra 126 pounds. Taking a long walk with my husband is much easier and more enjoyable now because my knees don't hurt all the time, and neither does my back.
So many medications have side-effects, including making people feel more tired, so imagine what a difference it would make to be off of those meds because your weight loss has reversed the condition that warranted going on them in the first place. How much would that be worth?
This plan is about so much more than just losing weight and getting into a fun, small size (not that I'm diminishing this, because it's wonderful!). This is about getting healthy and staying healthy. This about reversing some health concerns and preventing others, not only increasing the length of our lives but also greatly increasing the quality of our lives.
None of this happens overnight, of course, but it DOES happen over time, one Medifast meal at a time :-). You are worth the effort, and your health, both now and in the future, may well depend on it. Your health is one of your most important treasures, so treat it as a treasure. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Another Plan
Did you know that 5&1 isn't the only way to do this program? The 5&1 plan is the plan that you hear about the most - 5 Medifast meals and 1 lean and green - and it's the most simple way to do this program. But there IS another way!
This other way is not as simple, and frankly the results are a less predictable. It's what a friend of mine calls the Frank Sinatra plan. (For those of you who are a bit younger and may be a little fuzzy on who Frank Sinatra was, do a Google search :-) ). Frank Sinatra's signature song was "I Did It My Way."
Doing it "my way" is another very popular approach to doing the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program. I've seen it over and over again. People read the Quick Start Guide that clearly details the protocols of the program, and most will follow the guide initially. However, sooner or later some people decide to opt out of the 5&1 and adopt the Frank Sinatra plan. They decide that this program is really about calories or carbs and they begin to substitute something they want for something on plan. They'll figure out what the calories and carbs are for what they want and have that instead of one of their 5 Medifast meals. Or they'll decide that they can take a day off on the weekends, or they'll do 5&1 and "only" have one off plan thing in addition.
Because the Frank Sinatra plan is all about doing it "your way," there are endless variations to this plan. Basically it becomes whatever you want it to be, because you're doing it YOUR way!
I said earlier that the results of the Frank Sinatra plan were less predictable, but now that I think about it, I need to correct that statement. The results are pretty predictable - weight loss stalls and people get discouraged. The Frank Sinatra plan usually leads to a lot of starts and restarts on 5&1 and it's usually accompanied by a lot of frustration.
I used the Frank Sinatra approach to every other weight loss plan I ever tried. I'd read about the plan, buy the book, etc., but before long I was making one modification after another. My Frank Sinatra dieting got me all the way up to 268 pounds, diabetic and on several different medications, because each attempt at doing it my way always resulted in rapid weight gain as any pounds I lost quickly returned, bringing with them additional weight.
It's so interesting to note how determined we often are to do our own thing and go our own way, even when it hasn't worked in the past. We are so reluctant to follow the rules, even when they're clearly spelled out for us because we somehow think that we know better. The guidebook may be clear and there may be lots of evidence that the instructions work, but our human nature tends to think that we can somehow blaze a new and more successful path on our own.
By the time I made the decision to give Take Shape for Life/Medifast a try (and it was a "try" because I didn't think it would work), I had decided to actually follow the program as written for 4 weeks. The compelling reason to do that was the cost, because I couldn't justify the cost unless I was actually doing what the program told me to do. No surprise, by following the program and doing what it told me to do, I actually lost weight and reached my goal!
So which plan are you going to follow today? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
This other way is not as simple, and frankly the results are a less predictable. It's what a friend of mine calls the Frank Sinatra plan. (For those of you who are a bit younger and may be a little fuzzy on who Frank Sinatra was, do a Google search :-) ). Frank Sinatra's signature song was "I Did It My Way."
Doing it "my way" is another very popular approach to doing the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program. I've seen it over and over again. People read the Quick Start Guide that clearly details the protocols of the program, and most will follow the guide initially. However, sooner or later some people decide to opt out of the 5&1 and adopt the Frank Sinatra plan. They decide that this program is really about calories or carbs and they begin to substitute something they want for something on plan. They'll figure out what the calories and carbs are for what they want and have that instead of one of their 5 Medifast meals. Or they'll decide that they can take a day off on the weekends, or they'll do 5&1 and "only" have one off plan thing in addition.
Because the Frank Sinatra plan is all about doing it "your way," there are endless variations to this plan. Basically it becomes whatever you want it to be, because you're doing it YOUR way!
I said earlier that the results of the Frank Sinatra plan were less predictable, but now that I think about it, I need to correct that statement. The results are pretty predictable - weight loss stalls and people get discouraged. The Frank Sinatra plan usually leads to a lot of starts and restarts on 5&1 and it's usually accompanied by a lot of frustration.
I used the Frank Sinatra approach to every other weight loss plan I ever tried. I'd read about the plan, buy the book, etc., but before long I was making one modification after another. My Frank Sinatra dieting got me all the way up to 268 pounds, diabetic and on several different medications, because each attempt at doing it my way always resulted in rapid weight gain as any pounds I lost quickly returned, bringing with them additional weight.
It's so interesting to note how determined we often are to do our own thing and go our own way, even when it hasn't worked in the past. We are so reluctant to follow the rules, even when they're clearly spelled out for us because we somehow think that we know better. The guidebook may be clear and there may be lots of evidence that the instructions work, but our human nature tends to think that we can somehow blaze a new and more successful path on our own.
By the time I made the decision to give Take Shape for Life/Medifast a try (and it was a "try" because I didn't think it would work), I had decided to actually follow the program as written for 4 weeks. The compelling reason to do that was the cost, because I couldn't justify the cost unless I was actually doing what the program told me to do. No surprise, by following the program and doing what it told me to do, I actually lost weight and reached my goal!
So which plan are you going to follow today? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Breaking the 11th Commandment
People are SO interesting! The more I'm out and about talking to people, the more interesting they get. Yesterday was a good example.
I met a friend at Panera Bread for coffee, and while I waited in line to order my coffee (black!), a couple of girls (both very thin teenagers) two ahead of me in line ordered a huge cinnamon roll. The lady in line just ahead of me and just behind the two girls groaned when she saw the cinnamon roll and asked the girls how on earth they could eat that and stay so thin, then turned to me and said that she'd gain five pounds just looking at it. I told her that I avoided those things like the plague because I didn't want to regain the 126 pounds I lost, and that started a conversation. The woman was quite heavy and went on to tell me that she had lost about 30 pounds a few years ago but subsequently gained it all back, then talked about how frustrated she was and how much she wanted to lose weight. Of course I told her about our program and how wonderful it was, and her response was to tell me to not listen to what she was going to order . . . then she proceeded to order a variety of baked goods and smoothies, all while holding a bag of potato chips in her hand. I smiled and told her that there was no judgment on my part, then I wished her a good day and she left.
Here's what's interesting about this: this was an individual who clearly needed to lose weight and who was willing to talk about it with me, a total stranger, yet she was taking actions that would take her in the exact opposite direction.
Last night I attended a meeting that concluded with an ice cream social. I stayed for the social so I could talk to some long-time friends, but opted to just have a cup of coffee and wait until I got home to have some of the new Medifast peanut butter soft serve ice cream :-). One of the women I talked to there spent several minutes talking to me about how frustrated she was about her weight gain and how much she wanted to lose weight, eating an ice cream cone the entire time she talked to me.
Again, this woman (whom I didn't know very well) was willing to talk about her frustration with her weight while, at the same time, doing something that was counterproductive to what she claimed to want.
Why do we do this to ourselves? I say "we" because we've all done this. We give lip service to something while our actions are the exact opposite. When we do this, we are violating the 11th Commandment, which is "Thou shalt not kid thyself."
One of the things I've come to believe is that ultimately we end up doing what we really want to do. Many of us know we should want different things, better things - like getting healthy - but if getting healthy falls into the "we know we should" category rather than us making the fundamental choice to get healthy, it won't happen. We can spend a lot of time feeling guilty because we know that we SHOULD, but if we haven't decided in our heart of hearts that this is what we REALLY want, we'll end up in line buying an assortment of baked goods while we complain to a total stranger that we need to lose weight.
Once we make the fundamental decision to get to a healthy weight, we will begin to make the secondary choices that will move us in the direction we want to go. That's not to say that there might not be a misstep or two along the way, but once we determine that this is what we want, we will figure out what we need to do to make it happen.
So what do you want today? Not "what SHOULD you want?" but "What do you REALLY want?" If you really, truly want to get to a healthy weight, then this program is the fastest and safest way to get you there! More than that, this program will teach you the healthy habits you need to stay at a healthy weight for the rest of your life - if that's what you want.
My challenge today is to be honest with yourself about what you want, then make the choices you need that will support that choice. First, be honest, then choose wisely :-)
I met a friend at Panera Bread for coffee, and while I waited in line to order my coffee (black!), a couple of girls (both very thin teenagers) two ahead of me in line ordered a huge cinnamon roll. The lady in line just ahead of me and just behind the two girls groaned when she saw the cinnamon roll and asked the girls how on earth they could eat that and stay so thin, then turned to me and said that she'd gain five pounds just looking at it. I told her that I avoided those things like the plague because I didn't want to regain the 126 pounds I lost, and that started a conversation. The woman was quite heavy and went on to tell me that she had lost about 30 pounds a few years ago but subsequently gained it all back, then talked about how frustrated she was and how much she wanted to lose weight. Of course I told her about our program and how wonderful it was, and her response was to tell me to not listen to what she was going to order . . . then she proceeded to order a variety of baked goods and smoothies, all while holding a bag of potato chips in her hand. I smiled and told her that there was no judgment on my part, then I wished her a good day and she left.
Here's what's interesting about this: this was an individual who clearly needed to lose weight and who was willing to talk about it with me, a total stranger, yet she was taking actions that would take her in the exact opposite direction.
Last night I attended a meeting that concluded with an ice cream social. I stayed for the social so I could talk to some long-time friends, but opted to just have a cup of coffee and wait until I got home to have some of the new Medifast peanut butter soft serve ice cream :-). One of the women I talked to there spent several minutes talking to me about how frustrated she was about her weight gain and how much she wanted to lose weight, eating an ice cream cone the entire time she talked to me.
Again, this woman (whom I didn't know very well) was willing to talk about her frustration with her weight while, at the same time, doing something that was counterproductive to what she claimed to want.
Why do we do this to ourselves? I say "we" because we've all done this. We give lip service to something while our actions are the exact opposite. When we do this, we are violating the 11th Commandment, which is "Thou shalt not kid thyself."
One of the things I've come to believe is that ultimately we end up doing what we really want to do. Many of us know we should want different things, better things - like getting healthy - but if getting healthy falls into the "we know we should" category rather than us making the fundamental choice to get healthy, it won't happen. We can spend a lot of time feeling guilty because we know that we SHOULD, but if we haven't decided in our heart of hearts that this is what we REALLY want, we'll end up in line buying an assortment of baked goods while we complain to a total stranger that we need to lose weight.
Once we make the fundamental decision to get to a healthy weight, we will begin to make the secondary choices that will move us in the direction we want to go. That's not to say that there might not be a misstep or two along the way, but once we determine that this is what we want, we will figure out what we need to do to make it happen.
So what do you want today? Not "what SHOULD you want?" but "What do you REALLY want?" If you really, truly want to get to a healthy weight, then this program is the fastest and safest way to get you there! More than that, this program will teach you the healthy habits you need to stay at a healthy weight for the rest of your life - if that's what you want.
My challenge today is to be honest with yourself about what you want, then make the choices you need that will support that choice. First, be honest, then choose wisely :-)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Easy or Better?
Every now and then I hear a statement that makes me say "ouch." I heard such a statement a couple of weeks ago and I'm still wincing a bit because it really hit home. Here's the statement, "Don't wish it were easier. Wish you were better." The statement wasn't said to me personally (thankfully!) - it was made in a workshop I attended. Even though it wasn't personally directed at me, it did hit me directly because I have often wished this or that was easier. That's certainly true when it came to being on 5&1, and is most definitely true in Maintenance. I have often wished this "rest of my life" phase was easier!
What I have often overlooked in the midst of things that aren't easy is that these situations are the perfect opportunity for me to grow. Growing isn't usually easy, and often it's not even fun! I prefer things easy because easy things don't stretch and challenge us; unfortunately, easy things also rarely result in growth. When things are easy, I tend to get pretty comfortable and, to be honest, downright lazy. Life is good and I can just stretch out on an inflatable raft and float down the stream - easy. And I like it like that (and I'm guessing that you do, too!)!
The reality is that changing ingrained habits, especially unhealthy habits, isn't easy - never has been, never will be. As much as we wish we could just wave a magic wand and poof! be at our goal weight with a full assortment of healthy habits, that will never happen. It's pretty easy to lose weight on 5&1, but if we are going to move beyond viewing this as a diet and really embrace this as a healthy new lifestyle, it's going to be hard work. In the process of making the permanent changes we need to make, however, we will become better. We will do that as we learn to focus on what we want and not allow immediate gratification to get in the way. We will become better as we learn to prioritize and reprioritize things in our lives so that taking care of ourselves - in every way - becomes a healthy habit.
This program may not be easy, but it has the potential to help make us better. Our health will be better, our energy will be better, and our thinking will be better. As our bodies shrink, this program affords us the opportunity to grow in any number of ways. As I've often shared in my blogs, I placed my first 4-week order and hoped that I'd lose a little bit of weight. I had absolutely no idea that this program would be the catalyst for so much emotional and spiritual growth as well.
If this program isn't feeling particularly easy right now, that's GOOD! It means that you are primed for growth :-). Are you up for the challenge? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
What I have often overlooked in the midst of things that aren't easy is that these situations are the perfect opportunity for me to grow. Growing isn't usually easy, and often it's not even fun! I prefer things easy because easy things don't stretch and challenge us; unfortunately, easy things also rarely result in growth. When things are easy, I tend to get pretty comfortable and, to be honest, downright lazy. Life is good and I can just stretch out on an inflatable raft and float down the stream - easy. And I like it like that (and I'm guessing that you do, too!)!
The reality is that changing ingrained habits, especially unhealthy habits, isn't easy - never has been, never will be. As much as we wish we could just wave a magic wand and poof! be at our goal weight with a full assortment of healthy habits, that will never happen. It's pretty easy to lose weight on 5&1, but if we are going to move beyond viewing this as a diet and really embrace this as a healthy new lifestyle, it's going to be hard work. In the process of making the permanent changes we need to make, however, we will become better. We will do that as we learn to focus on what we want and not allow immediate gratification to get in the way. We will become better as we learn to prioritize and reprioritize things in our lives so that taking care of ourselves - in every way - becomes a healthy habit.
This program may not be easy, but it has the potential to help make us better. Our health will be better, our energy will be better, and our thinking will be better. As our bodies shrink, this program affords us the opportunity to grow in any number of ways. As I've often shared in my blogs, I placed my first 4-week order and hoped that I'd lose a little bit of weight. I had absolutely no idea that this program would be the catalyst for so much emotional and spiritual growth as well.
If this program isn't feeling particularly easy right now, that's GOOD! It means that you are primed for growth :-). Are you up for the challenge? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What Are You Building?
I heard a great story about the difference perspective makes. According to the story, a man walked by a construction site and talked to three workers. He asked the first worker what he was doing and the worker said, "I'm laying bricks." When the same question was posed to the second worker, the man replied, "I'm building a wall." The man then asked a third worker what he was doing and that person responded, "I'm building a cathedral."
Sometimes when we're in the throes of 5&1 (and sometimes it really feels like we're in the throes, which the dictionary defines as "intense or violent pain and struggle, esp. accompanying birth, death, or great change"), it's easy to see nothing but the brick in our hand. We may not yet have a vision of building a cathedral, or that vision may have gotten clouded along the way. Today may be a day when all you can see is the brick in your hand; the brick is heavy and dirty and you're aware of the mortar caked under your fingernails. I've never laid bricks, but I can only imagine that it gets pretty monotonous after a while, and probably downright miserable on a hot summer day. If a bricklayer can't see beyond the next brick going down, it must seem like a pointless and never-ending task.
Or perhaps you've moved beyond the brick and can see the wall you're building - you've been able to step back a bit and see that you've made some real progress. That's a good thing! The challenge is to not get content with a free-standing wall when what you are really building is a cathedral :-). I've seen far too many people make great progress but stop short of their goal because they got a little too comfortable with where they were. They were busy laying bricks for a while, then took a step back and realized that they'd put up an entire wall. Instead of pressing on to finish their task, they spent too much time admiring what they'd done instead of staying focused on where they needed to go and what they wanted to build, and before long they abandoned the program. It wasn't that they were unhappy with the progress they'd made, but they decided to settle.
You don't settle if you know you're building a cathedral. You may just be in the initial brick-laying stage, or perhaps you've given yourself a minute to reflect on the wall that's gone up, but cathedral builders don't stop with a wall because they have a cathedral to finish!
What are you building today? Do you have a vision of your finished product - a healthier you? Your body IS a temple, your own living, breathing cathedral, if you will. Don't stop before you make it as healthy and vibrant as it can possibly be. If necessary, put together a storyboard of what you want your life to look like when you reach your goal - cut out pictures of people wearing the clothes you want to wear and doing the kinds of activities you want to do. Put your storyboard someplace where you'll see it as a way of helping you to stay focused on what you're building, one day and one choice at a time.
Our perspective, like so many other things, is our choice. Choose wisely :-)
Sometimes when we're in the throes of 5&1 (and sometimes it really feels like we're in the throes, which the dictionary defines as "intense or violent pain and struggle, esp. accompanying birth, death, or great change"), it's easy to see nothing but the brick in our hand. We may not yet have a vision of building a cathedral, or that vision may have gotten clouded along the way. Today may be a day when all you can see is the brick in your hand; the brick is heavy and dirty and you're aware of the mortar caked under your fingernails. I've never laid bricks, but I can only imagine that it gets pretty monotonous after a while, and probably downright miserable on a hot summer day. If a bricklayer can't see beyond the next brick going down, it must seem like a pointless and never-ending task.
Or perhaps you've moved beyond the brick and can see the wall you're building - you've been able to step back a bit and see that you've made some real progress. That's a good thing! The challenge is to not get content with a free-standing wall when what you are really building is a cathedral :-). I've seen far too many people make great progress but stop short of their goal because they got a little too comfortable with where they were. They were busy laying bricks for a while, then took a step back and realized that they'd put up an entire wall. Instead of pressing on to finish their task, they spent too much time admiring what they'd done instead of staying focused on where they needed to go and what they wanted to build, and before long they abandoned the program. It wasn't that they were unhappy with the progress they'd made, but they decided to settle.
You don't settle if you know you're building a cathedral. You may just be in the initial brick-laying stage, or perhaps you've given yourself a minute to reflect on the wall that's gone up, but cathedral builders don't stop with a wall because they have a cathedral to finish!
What are you building today? Do you have a vision of your finished product - a healthier you? Your body IS a temple, your own living, breathing cathedral, if you will. Don't stop before you make it as healthy and vibrant as it can possibly be. If necessary, put together a storyboard of what you want your life to look like when you reach your goal - cut out pictures of people wearing the clothes you want to wear and doing the kinds of activities you want to do. Put your storyboard someplace where you'll see it as a way of helping you to stay focused on what you're building, one day and one choice at a time.
Our perspective, like so many other things, is our choice. Choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
How's Your Eager Meter?
I have a question for you today, one you've probably never been asked before. Ready? What's the current setting on your eager meter when it comes to being on this program?
I have to be honest and tell you that up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't even know I HAD an eager meter, let alone have a clue to what it was set on. The speakers at one of the workshops I attended at my conference posed that question, then he explained the difference between being willing and being eager. Back when I was still working at the hospital, "willing" is what I was about 7:00 AM every Monday morning when my alarm would go off announcing the start of a new work week. I was willing to head to the office, but I wouldn't have described my attitude as "eager." "Eager" would have described me as I locked my office door at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon when I was looking forward to a fun weekend :-).
The workshop speaker informed us that we have 100% control over our "eager meters" and have the ability to switch from "willing" to "eager" whenever we choose to do so. The difference between being willing to be on this program and being eager can make all the difference in whether this journey is drudgery and something to be endured or whether you find joy in the journey and wake up most days excited to be a day closer to your goal.
Please understand that I did NOT wake up every single morning excited to face another day of five Medifast meals and a simple lean and green. There were certainly days when I inwardly groaned at the very thought of opening another little white packet and had to focus on just taking it a meal at a time. However, I realized that I was going to be on the program for the better part of a year and I didn't want to spend that time living in a semi-miserable state, so I tried hard to adopt an attitude of gratitude and anticipation.
While I certainly celebrated each time the scale showed another drop, I also looked for and celebrated all of the non-scale victories along the way - things like dropping a size or being able to cross my legs or walk up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. Looking for these kinds of things helped me keep my "eager meter" running.
Choosing our attitude is one of the choices we get to make while we're on our weight loss journey, and we can choose to be willing to be on program or we can choose to be eager about getting healthy. The choices is always ours to make . . . choose wisely :-)
I have to be honest and tell you that up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't even know I HAD an eager meter, let alone have a clue to what it was set on. The speakers at one of the workshops I attended at my conference posed that question, then he explained the difference between being willing and being eager. Back when I was still working at the hospital, "willing" is what I was about 7:00 AM every Monday morning when my alarm would go off announcing the start of a new work week. I was willing to head to the office, but I wouldn't have described my attitude as "eager." "Eager" would have described me as I locked my office door at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon when I was looking forward to a fun weekend :-).
The workshop speaker informed us that we have 100% control over our "eager meters" and have the ability to switch from "willing" to "eager" whenever we choose to do so. The difference between being willing to be on this program and being eager can make all the difference in whether this journey is drudgery and something to be endured or whether you find joy in the journey and wake up most days excited to be a day closer to your goal.
Please understand that I did NOT wake up every single morning excited to face another day of five Medifast meals and a simple lean and green. There were certainly days when I inwardly groaned at the very thought of opening another little white packet and had to focus on just taking it a meal at a time. However, I realized that I was going to be on the program for the better part of a year and I didn't want to spend that time living in a semi-miserable state, so I tried hard to adopt an attitude of gratitude and anticipation.
While I certainly celebrated each time the scale showed another drop, I also looked for and celebrated all of the non-scale victories along the way - things like dropping a size or being able to cross my legs or walk up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. Looking for these kinds of things helped me keep my "eager meter" running.
Choosing our attitude is one of the choices we get to make while we're on our weight loss journey, and we can choose to be willing to be on program or we can choose to be eager about getting healthy. The choices is always ours to make . . . choose wisely :-)
Monday, July 19, 2010
Moving at a Snail's Pace?
One thing that we all share in common is a desire to get to our goal weight as quickly as possible. When I started Take Shape for Life/Medifast three years ago, I paid special attention to individuals who lost their weight quickly, because I very much wanted to follow in their footsteps. By the time I started on this program, I'd been fighting a losing battle with obesity for over 20 years and I was ready to be done with it - as fast as possible. I tried to set realistic expectations because I was 55 and post-menopausal, so I understood that I probably wouldn't lose as fast as someone younger than I. But I hoped it would be a short journey from start to finish. I'm guessing that's what you want, too.
But what happens if your progress is at a snail's pace? How fast does a snail actually go? One study clocked a snail at 0.00758 miles per hour - or 40 feet in one hour. No wonder the phrase "at a snail's pace" means "slow!" The snail may move at, well, a snail's pace, but you have to admire its perseverance. One preacher noted that "By perseverance the snail reached the ark."
Our willingness to persevere is often tested when our progress slows down to a snail's pace. I had several weeks when I only lost one pound and I had three separate weeks when I didn't lose a thing - even though I stayed 100% on plan. I won't kid you - it was frustrating and a bit discouraging. At that point, I had a choice: I could either keep doing what I had been doing and trust that the scale would eventually catch up, or I could allow my seeming lack of progress to be my undoing.
Since most of you know that I DID reach my goal, there's no suspense in how this story ended :-). I realized that I had no control over how fast I lost the weight - I could only control whether or not I chose to stay on plan. Some weeks my efforts were rewarded with a several pound loss, but other weeks with equal effort brought little or no progress on the scale. I didn't realize it at the time, but those snail-paced weeks taught me the value of doing what I needed to do regardless of the outcome. Perseverance made the difference for me and it will make the difference for you, too. You WILL reach your goal, and ultimately it doesn't matter if you get there quickly or at a snail's pace. Once you're there, you'll have no regrets that you chose to make the journey.
We can't choose how fast our bodies release the weight, but we can choose to persevere. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
But what happens if your progress is at a snail's pace? How fast does a snail actually go? One study clocked a snail at 0.00758 miles per hour - or 40 feet in one hour. No wonder the phrase "at a snail's pace" means "slow!" The snail may move at, well, a snail's pace, but you have to admire its perseverance. One preacher noted that "By perseverance the snail reached the ark."
Our willingness to persevere is often tested when our progress slows down to a snail's pace. I had several weeks when I only lost one pound and I had three separate weeks when I didn't lose a thing - even though I stayed 100% on plan. I won't kid you - it was frustrating and a bit discouraging. At that point, I had a choice: I could either keep doing what I had been doing and trust that the scale would eventually catch up, or I could allow my seeming lack of progress to be my undoing.
Since most of you know that I DID reach my goal, there's no suspense in how this story ended :-). I realized that I had no control over how fast I lost the weight - I could only control whether or not I chose to stay on plan. Some weeks my efforts were rewarded with a several pound loss, but other weeks with equal effort brought little or no progress on the scale. I didn't realize it at the time, but those snail-paced weeks taught me the value of doing what I needed to do regardless of the outcome. Perseverance made the difference for me and it will make the difference for you, too. You WILL reach your goal, and ultimately it doesn't matter if you get there quickly or at a snail's pace. Once you're there, you'll have no regrets that you chose to make the journey.
We can't choose how fast our bodies release the weight, but we can choose to persevere. The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Breaking Through Concepts
Yesterday I talked about breaking through barriers that can get between us and our goal. One barrier that often gets in the way - perhaps the toughest barrier of all to overcome - is the collection of concepts we have that we allow to define what we can and can't do. These concepts may have developed over time, reinforced by past experience, until we believe that they are reality. But they aren't.
While I was at my conference, we had a special guest at one of our seminars. He wasn't scheduled to speak, but was a guest at the hotel where we stayed and agreed to stop by for five minutes to address our group. What a five minutes it was, and he blew any concepts about what we think we can or can't do right out of the water. His name is Nick Vujicic and he was born without arms or legs. He is 28 years old but has not allowed his profound physical disability to limit or define him; he is the President of an international non-profit organization; Life Without Limbs, and also has his own motivational speaking company; Attitude Is Altitude. Since his first speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people. As I listened to this young man, full of joy, enthusiasm and purpose, I couldn't help but think how easy it would have been for him to have withdrawn into a shell and dwell on the injustice of being born without limbs. However, instead of focusing on what he can't do, he is busy doing all of things he can do - and he does a lot! (Do a Google search for Nick Vujicic or "Life Without Limbs" for more information about this amazing man.)
It all comes down to what we choose to focus on. If we focus on our limitations - and we all have them - we may soon convince ourselves that we can't. If, however, we focus on what we CAN do, then the sky's the limit!
What are you going to focus on today? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
While I was at my conference, we had a special guest at one of our seminars. He wasn't scheduled to speak, but was a guest at the hotel where we stayed and agreed to stop by for five minutes to address our group. What a five minutes it was, and he blew any concepts about what we think we can or can't do right out of the water. His name is Nick Vujicic and he was born without arms or legs. He is 28 years old but has not allowed his profound physical disability to limit or define him; he is the President of an international non-profit organization; Life Without Limbs, and also has his own motivational speaking company; Attitude Is Altitude. Since his first speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people. As I listened to this young man, full of joy, enthusiasm and purpose, I couldn't help but think how easy it would have been for him to have withdrawn into a shell and dwell on the injustice of being born without limbs. However, instead of focusing on what he can't do, he is busy doing all of things he can do - and he does a lot! (Do a Google search for Nick Vujicic or "Life Without Limbs" for more information about this amazing man.)
It all comes down to what we choose to focus on. If we focus on our limitations - and we all have them - we may soon convince ourselves that we can't. If, however, we focus on what we CAN do, then the sky's the limit!
What are you going to focus on today? The choice is yours . . . choose wisely :-)
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Breaking Boards, Breaking Through Barriers
After a very busy and fun 11 days gone, and after driving 2,900 miles, it is great to be home again!
While I was at our conference, one of the training sessions I attended was taught by Brian Biro, a motivational speaker who challenged us to break through the things that were holding us back. At the end of the session, we each had an opportunity to break through a one-inch board with our hand. On the front of the board we wrote what was holding us back from getting where we wanted to go, then on the back of the board wrote what would be waiting for us if we could break through our self-imposed barriers. We did this same exercise last year, and last year it took many tries and failures before I was able to break my board. (I blogged about this last year, as it was a profound learning experience for me.) When I had the opportunity break a board again this year, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd run into the same challenges again this year. I approached the board with less trepidation than I'd done so a year ago, because I knew I'd finally broken the board and knew it could be done. There was still some doubt, however, because I remembered how many times I failed last year and I didn't know if I'd be able to be successful this time.
We were reminded of two key things that were required to break our boards: 1) don't look at the board, look beyond it and 2) keep our eyes locked on the trainer holding our board - stay focused. I remembered from last year how many times I would avert my eyes at the last second from the trainer to the board, and every time I did that I hit the board hard but was not able to break it. As I approached my board this year, I resolved to not look at it. I positioned myself, allowed the trainer to correct my form a bit, locked eyes with him, and broke my board on the very first try! I was elated! I really HAD learned from last year, and I was able to put what I learned into practice.
So what does this have to do with being on Take Shape for Life/Medifast? I think there are several applications! First of all, we need to stay focused on what we want, not on the barriers that stand in our way. There will always be barriers, and if we focus on them, we will tend to pull back just at the moment we need to push forward and through them. Every time I glanced at my board last year, I instinctively pulled back, and without the follow through required, I hit the board and my hand sprang back. If we stay focused on our problems and all of the barriers that stand in our way - and we all have barriers - most likely we'll hit the barriers every time. We have to look beyond the barriers and focus on what we want. When we do that, we will have the momentum we need to break through each and every barrier that stands between us and our goal.
Secondly, once we've broken through one barrier, it becomes a lot easier to break through others. We may approach the next one with the same trepidation I had as I prepared to break my board this year, but knowing we've done it before provides the confidence we need to know we can do it again. As we break through barriers, one at a time, we also gain knowledge about how to approach the next one and we may find that subsequent barriers are easier to overcome. The secret, of course, is to keep our eyes on the prize, our focus on what's waiting for us on the other side of the barrier.
What are the potential barriers you're facing right now? What are the things that could be standing between you and your goal of getting to a healthy weight? Breaking through the barriers requires a series of deliberate choices: choosing to focus on where you want to go, not on the barriers. Choosing to position yourself for success, choosing to be coachable and willing to make whatever adjustments are necessary to break through each and every barrier. Lots of choices to make if you want to break some boards and want to break through some barriers. Choose wisely :-)
While I was at our conference, one of the training sessions I attended was taught by Brian Biro, a motivational speaker who challenged us to break through the things that were holding us back. At the end of the session, we each had an opportunity to break through a one-inch board with our hand. On the front of the board we wrote what was holding us back from getting where we wanted to go, then on the back of the board wrote what would be waiting for us if we could break through our self-imposed barriers. We did this same exercise last year, and last year it took many tries and failures before I was able to break my board. (I blogged about this last year, as it was a profound learning experience for me.) When I had the opportunity break a board again this year, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd run into the same challenges again this year. I approached the board with less trepidation than I'd done so a year ago, because I knew I'd finally broken the board and knew it could be done. There was still some doubt, however, because I remembered how many times I failed last year and I didn't know if I'd be able to be successful this time.
We were reminded of two key things that were required to break our boards: 1) don't look at the board, look beyond it and 2) keep our eyes locked on the trainer holding our board - stay focused. I remembered from last year how many times I would avert my eyes at the last second from the trainer to the board, and every time I did that I hit the board hard but was not able to break it. As I approached my board this year, I resolved to not look at it. I positioned myself, allowed the trainer to correct my form a bit, locked eyes with him, and broke my board on the very first try! I was elated! I really HAD learned from last year, and I was able to put what I learned into practice.
So what does this have to do with being on Take Shape for Life/Medifast? I think there are several applications! First of all, we need to stay focused on what we want, not on the barriers that stand in our way. There will always be barriers, and if we focus on them, we will tend to pull back just at the moment we need to push forward and through them. Every time I glanced at my board last year, I instinctively pulled back, and without the follow through required, I hit the board and my hand sprang back. If we stay focused on our problems and all of the barriers that stand in our way - and we all have barriers - most likely we'll hit the barriers every time. We have to look beyond the barriers and focus on what we want. When we do that, we will have the momentum we need to break through each and every barrier that stands between us and our goal.
Secondly, once we've broken through one barrier, it becomes a lot easier to break through others. We may approach the next one with the same trepidation I had as I prepared to break my board this year, but knowing we've done it before provides the confidence we need to know we can do it again. As we break through barriers, one at a time, we also gain knowledge about how to approach the next one and we may find that subsequent barriers are easier to overcome. The secret, of course, is to keep our eyes on the prize, our focus on what's waiting for us on the other side of the barrier.
What are the potential barriers you're facing right now? What are the things that could be standing between you and your goal of getting to a healthy weight? Breaking through the barriers requires a series of deliberate choices: choosing to focus on where you want to go, not on the barriers. Choosing to position yourself for success, choosing to be coachable and willing to make whatever adjustments are necessary to break through each and every barrier. Lots of choices to make if you want to break some boards and want to break through some barriers. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, July 12, 2010
What Are You Waiting For?
What are you waiting for? That question has been burning in my heart for the past several days. A friend of mine told me a story a few days ago and this question has been rattling around in my brain ever since.
She has an obese, diabetic friend who she's talked to several times about the Take Shape for Life program. She knows the program well and explained to him the difference it would make for his diabetes. She didn't press him to start because she understood that everyone has to be ready, and he wasn't ready. She shared with him how, after her own heart attack and stroke, she went on this program and not only lost weight but also improved her health to the point that she's no longer on any medications. But he wasn't ready. Just three months ago, in April, she ran into her friend and he told her that he thought he was thinking more about maybe starting the program, but wasn't quite ready. Unfortunately, just a few weeks later he went into a diabetic coma and died - at age 56.
I didn't know this individual and I have no idea why he wasn't ready to start the program, but I'm going to speculate, because I'm guessing one or more of his reasons are the same reasons I hear over and over again: too busy right now, or social event/vacation is around the corner, or I feel OK so I must be OK, or it's summer and I want to eat fruit, or I can't give up my {fill in the blank}, or or or or ????
I know that many of you reading this have made the decision to get healthy and you are refusing to allow anything to get in your way - good for you! Today's blog is lovingly for - and I do mean "lovingly" - those who think that "today's just not a good day to do this" and who assume that there will always be a more convenient tomorrow. So did this gentleman. He died WAY too early, and the tragic reality is that his death was 100% avoidable.
Why do we allow so many other things, so many less important things, keep us from doing something as important as taking care of ourselves? I've known individuals who desperately needed to lose weight who decided not to continue on the program because they eat out all the time and didn't want to limit their menu selections to lean and green options. Others who hesitate to start because they are convinced that their family "wouldn't like it" if they prepared lean and green meals instead of the family favorites. So many people want to lose weight, but they want to do it on their own terms, in their own way. The problem is that our way flat-out doesn't work - if it did, we wouldn't be here :-).
The reality is that tomorrow won't be more convenient. Tomorrow will have it's own list of excuses why we "can't" do this. Gambling on our health is high-stakes gambling - why risk it?
If you aren't on plan today, what are you waiting for? What on earth is more important in today's schedule than taking care of yourself? The choices we make today are important - to us and the people we love. Choose wisely :-)
She has an obese, diabetic friend who she's talked to several times about the Take Shape for Life program. She knows the program well and explained to him the difference it would make for his diabetes. She didn't press him to start because she understood that everyone has to be ready, and he wasn't ready. She shared with him how, after her own heart attack and stroke, she went on this program and not only lost weight but also improved her health to the point that she's no longer on any medications. But he wasn't ready. Just three months ago, in April, she ran into her friend and he told her that he thought he was thinking more about maybe starting the program, but wasn't quite ready. Unfortunately, just a few weeks later he went into a diabetic coma and died - at age 56.
I didn't know this individual and I have no idea why he wasn't ready to start the program, but I'm going to speculate, because I'm guessing one or more of his reasons are the same reasons I hear over and over again: too busy right now, or social event/vacation is around the corner, or I feel OK so I must be OK, or it's summer and I want to eat fruit, or I can't give up my {fill in the blank}, or or or or ????
I know that many of you reading this have made the decision to get healthy and you are refusing to allow anything to get in your way - good for you! Today's blog is lovingly for - and I do mean "lovingly" - those who think that "today's just not a good day to do this" and who assume that there will always be a more convenient tomorrow. So did this gentleman. He died WAY too early, and the tragic reality is that his death was 100% avoidable.
Why do we allow so many other things, so many less important things, keep us from doing something as important as taking care of ourselves? I've known individuals who desperately needed to lose weight who decided not to continue on the program because they eat out all the time and didn't want to limit their menu selections to lean and green options. Others who hesitate to start because they are convinced that their family "wouldn't like it" if they prepared lean and green meals instead of the family favorites. So many people want to lose weight, but they want to do it on their own terms, in their own way. The problem is that our way flat-out doesn't work - if it did, we wouldn't be here :-).
The reality is that tomorrow won't be more convenient. Tomorrow will have it's own list of excuses why we "can't" do this. Gambling on our health is high-stakes gambling - why risk it?
If you aren't on plan today, what are you waiting for? What on earth is more important in today's schedule than taking care of yourself? The choices we make today are important - to us and the people we love. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
Happy 4th of July! We're celebrating today by hitting the road early, as we're driving to Oklahoma City today (15+ hr. drive). We'll be there until Tuesday morning when we head to Dallas for the Take Shape for Life National Convention. Naturally, we have packed lots of Medifast meals, including several Ready to Drink shakes in our cooler, along with lots of water. We love the convenience of the meals, and we also love saving money since we don't pick up snacks at gas stations and we don't do fast-food stops.
I'm so thankful for the freedom that we enjoy and for all who have sacrificed so much to secure and protect our freedom. Happy birthday, USA!
I hope your 4th of July is fantastic - and I hope it's on plan! You have the freedom today to either make choices that move you a day closer towards your goal or to take a step back. Choose wisely :-)
***
Following next week's convention, we are going to take a few days to do some sightseeing through the Ozarks on our way home from Dallas. I will pretty much be off-line beginning tomorrow until the 15th of July. I look forward to catching up with everyone when I get back. Until then, you know what to do :-)
Blessings!
Cheryl
I'm so thankful for the freedom that we enjoy and for all who have sacrificed so much to secure and protect our freedom. Happy birthday, USA!
I hope your 4th of July is fantastic - and I hope it's on plan! You have the freedom today to either make choices that move you a day closer towards your goal or to take a step back. Choose wisely :-)
***
Following next week's convention, we are going to take a few days to do some sightseeing through the Ozarks on our way home from Dallas. I will pretty much be off-line beginning tomorrow until the 15th of July. I look forward to catching up with everyone when I get back. Until then, you know what to do :-)
Blessings!
Cheryl
Saturday, July 3, 2010
4th of July Weekend
The Fourth of July weekend is here! Many of us will be getting together with family members and friends for cookouts, so it's time to carefully plan what you're going to be eating this weekend.
It's OK to bring your own meat to grill, if needed, along with a great tossed salad to share. As a matter of fact, it's more than OK! So many of us are afraid of hurting someone's feelings or offending them if we don't eat their food, but the reality is that most people are VERY understanding when we explain that we're trying to eat healthy. If you're comfortable telling people that you're losing weight, let them know that as delicious as their food looks (and it probably will . . . ), you are focused on getting to a healthy weight right now. If anything, they will be impressed by your resolve! :-)
This is a time to be selfish - just a bit, anyway! This is a time to focus on what YOU need to be doing for yourself, not worrying about whether or not great aunt Lucy will be offended if you don't eat her special dish :-). She loves you and she'll be fine, and you can assure her that you look forward to enjoying her wonderful cooking again when you're at your goal (and you will be able to do just that!).
Long weekends and holidays are difficult to navigate when you're on plan and the rest of the world is eating with abandon, but hang tough now and you'll be SO glad you did on Monday morning! It's time to put on your armor and pick up your sword. The key to getting through unscathed is planning, planning, planning. Write down ahead of time everything you plan to eat, because writing it down will help to cement in your mind what you're going to eat. Writing it down will also give you a visual reminder of your plan, and this can be helpful in moments of temptation. Spend a little time thinking about what you REALLY want, and write that down, too! Write a paragraph about what life will be like for you when you're at goal - be descriptive! This will help you focus on what you REALLY want and may be helpful to you if food temptations arise. Plan, then commit, and don't let anything (or anyone, including great aunt Lucy) get between you and your goal this weekend.
This holiday is about so much more than what's on our plate, so take some time to reflect on the wonderful freedom we have and the price that was paid to secure it. That's what I'm going to do :-). We have the wonderful freedom to make choices; choose wisely :-)
It's OK to bring your own meat to grill, if needed, along with a great tossed salad to share. As a matter of fact, it's more than OK! So many of us are afraid of hurting someone's feelings or offending them if we don't eat their food, but the reality is that most people are VERY understanding when we explain that we're trying to eat healthy. If you're comfortable telling people that you're losing weight, let them know that as delicious as their food looks (and it probably will . . . ), you are focused on getting to a healthy weight right now. If anything, they will be impressed by your resolve! :-)
This is a time to be selfish - just a bit, anyway! This is a time to focus on what YOU need to be doing for yourself, not worrying about whether or not great aunt Lucy will be offended if you don't eat her special dish :-). She loves you and she'll be fine, and you can assure her that you look forward to enjoying her wonderful cooking again when you're at your goal (and you will be able to do just that!).
Long weekends and holidays are difficult to navigate when you're on plan and the rest of the world is eating with abandon, but hang tough now and you'll be SO glad you did on Monday morning! It's time to put on your armor and pick up your sword. The key to getting through unscathed is planning, planning, planning. Write down ahead of time everything you plan to eat, because writing it down will help to cement in your mind what you're going to eat. Writing it down will also give you a visual reminder of your plan, and this can be helpful in moments of temptation. Spend a little time thinking about what you REALLY want, and write that down, too! Write a paragraph about what life will be like for you when you're at goal - be descriptive! This will help you focus on what you REALLY want and may be helpful to you if food temptations arise. Plan, then commit, and don't let anything (or anyone, including great aunt Lucy) get between you and your goal this weekend.
This holiday is about so much more than what's on our plate, so take some time to reflect on the wonderful freedom we have and the price that was paid to secure it. That's what I'm going to do :-). We have the wonderful freedom to make choices; choose wisely :-)
Friday, July 2, 2010
It All Adds Up
Happy Friday - and welcome to the start of the 4th of July weekend! Many of us will be involved in a variety of celebrations and holiday activities this weekend, so plan carefully and have a great weekend!
Long holiday weekends can be tough, especially if you've been plan a while and are hitting "plan fatigue." Do you ever get tired of staying on plan? I know I did! Does it ever feel pointless to open up yet another Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal? Especially for those who have a lot of weight to lose, like I did, getting to goal will require months and months of opening a Medifast meal five times a day, weighing our lean, measuring out our veggies. There may be times when it becomes boring, or at least not very much fun anymore, and you may wonder if it's worth it, especially when faced with a weekend of holiday cookouts.
Several months ago I read a story about a freshman named Mike at the University of Illinois who, in 1987, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at one of the Chicago newspapers to ask his readers to "send in a penny for Mike." Mike just asked for a penney because he reasoned that a penny doesn't mean anything to anyone. He guessed that every reader would find loose pennies in their house, under couch cushions, in their car - forgotten and not valued.
To everyone's surprise, people began sending in their pennies, and in less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents, with donations coming in from all over the United States as well as Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000 - those pennies added up!
The little things we do today, each Medifast meal in and of itself may seem of little value - but put together, day after day, it adds up! It's hard for us to have the big picture sometimes when we face what feels like the monotony of yet another day on plan, but there IS a big picture - and it's you at goal :-).
And you'll get there, one meal, one day, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Long holiday weekends can be tough, especially if you've been plan a while and are hitting "plan fatigue." Do you ever get tired of staying on plan? I know I did! Does it ever feel pointless to open up yet another Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal? Especially for those who have a lot of weight to lose, like I did, getting to goal will require months and months of opening a Medifast meal five times a day, weighing our lean, measuring out our veggies. There may be times when it becomes boring, or at least not very much fun anymore, and you may wonder if it's worth it, especially when faced with a weekend of holiday cookouts.
Several months ago I read a story about a freshman named Mike at the University of Illinois who, in 1987, found a unique way to finance his education. He convinced a popular columnist at one of the Chicago newspapers to ask his readers to "send in a penny for Mike." Mike just asked for a penney because he reasoned that a penny doesn't mean anything to anyone. He guessed that every reader would find loose pennies in their house, under couch cushions, in their car - forgotten and not valued.
To everyone's surprise, people began sending in their pennies, and in less than a month the fund was up to 2.3 million cents, with donations coming in from all over the United States as well as Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas. Mike eventually ended up with $28,000 - those pennies added up!
The little things we do today, each Medifast meal in and of itself may seem of little value - but put together, day after day, it adds up! It's hard for us to have the big picture sometimes when we face what feels like the monotony of yet another day on plan, but there IS a big picture - and it's you at goal :-).
And you'll get there, one meal, one day, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pictures Tell the Story
Yesterday morning I was at my oldest daughter's house and she proudly showed me her latest digital photo album that she just received in the mail. The album was filled with pictures of her twins (now 3-1/2) and chronicled most of their activities and adventures in 2009. Because we're privileged to spend a fair amount of time with my daughter and her family, there were a number of pictures in the album of my husband and me with the children.
Two pictures of me that completely caught me off guard, however, were candid photos of me in a swimsuit! The pictures were taken last fall at our local aquatic center and I had NO idea she took any pictures of me until I saw them in the book. I was amazed as I looked at the pictures, because, first of all, I looked happy in the photos. I didn't know my picture was being taken, but there I was, in a public place in a swimsuit, having fun with my grandchildren! And she has a couple of pictures to prove it! That's so amazing to me because I avoided swimsuits in public like the plague for over two decades as I struggled with morbid obesity. I was miserable in my body and just refused to wear a swimsuit anyplace other than at the lake cottage we rent every summer (with a private beach). Three or four years ago, there is absolutely no way I would have been at a public place in a swimsuit. Perhaps it was false pride, and I'm not saying it was the right thing to do, but I was embarrassed about my body and so self-conscious that it would have been all but impossible for me to have been able to just have a good time while wearing a swimsuit in public. I missed out on a lot of things because of that - skipped going to water parks even though they looked like fun, didn't go to pool parties that friends invited us to - lots of missed opportunities because I was so embarrassed about my weight.
After losing 126 pounds, my body certainly isn't perfect (I'll get a perfect one in Heaven someday!), but it's healthy and I've been able to accept and embrace the body that I have. Going to the aquatic center with my grandchildren (and we've actually gone several times!) was a huge milestone for me. I know it was very freeing to go there for the first time and finally not feel self-conscious about how I looked in a swimsuit - I was able to just have fun and enjoy my grandchildren. Seeing the photos of myself at the aquatic center was just another reminder of how much my life has changed in the past three years. I'm so thankful!
In addition to being amazed at how relaxed and happy I looked in the pictures - wearing a swimsuit of all things!, I was also amazed to realize that I also looked pretty good in the swimsuit! I'll be 58 in a couple of weeks, so thankfully the photo wasn't a close-up of my, ahem, less-than-firm thighs, but from a distance, I looked pretty good in the pictures!
Even more than two years since reaching goal, it's still surprising for me to see a picture of myself and look at a thin person with my face. Seeing a thin person in a swimsuit with my face is something I'm still wrapping my brain around :-)
This is still a journey for me, not only to fine tune maintenance, but to also finish aligning my head with my body. I don't always "see" the new me when I look in the mirror. I don't see the old me anymore, but my vision is still a bit distorted at times. If it's true that pictures don't lie (and providing no one has gotten to them with Photoshop!), the pictures of me in my daughter's album show somebody with my face who's at a healthy weight and having a good time, completely unselfconscious, in a swimsuit. Amazing.
That realization makes all of the choices that I've had to make, and that I have to continue to make, worth it all. All kinds of things will flow out of the choices we make today. Choose wisely :-)
Two pictures of me that completely caught me off guard, however, were candid photos of me in a swimsuit! The pictures were taken last fall at our local aquatic center and I had NO idea she took any pictures of me until I saw them in the book. I was amazed as I looked at the pictures, because, first of all, I looked happy in the photos. I didn't know my picture was being taken, but there I was, in a public place in a swimsuit, having fun with my grandchildren! And she has a couple of pictures to prove it! That's so amazing to me because I avoided swimsuits in public like the plague for over two decades as I struggled with morbid obesity. I was miserable in my body and just refused to wear a swimsuit anyplace other than at the lake cottage we rent every summer (with a private beach). Three or four years ago, there is absolutely no way I would have been at a public place in a swimsuit. Perhaps it was false pride, and I'm not saying it was the right thing to do, but I was embarrassed about my body and so self-conscious that it would have been all but impossible for me to have been able to just have a good time while wearing a swimsuit in public. I missed out on a lot of things because of that - skipped going to water parks even though they looked like fun, didn't go to pool parties that friends invited us to - lots of missed opportunities because I was so embarrassed about my weight.
After losing 126 pounds, my body certainly isn't perfect (I'll get a perfect one in Heaven someday!), but it's healthy and I've been able to accept and embrace the body that I have. Going to the aquatic center with my grandchildren (and we've actually gone several times!) was a huge milestone for me. I know it was very freeing to go there for the first time and finally not feel self-conscious about how I looked in a swimsuit - I was able to just have fun and enjoy my grandchildren. Seeing the photos of myself at the aquatic center was just another reminder of how much my life has changed in the past three years. I'm so thankful!
In addition to being amazed at how relaxed and happy I looked in the pictures - wearing a swimsuit of all things!, I was also amazed to realize that I also looked pretty good in the swimsuit! I'll be 58 in a couple of weeks, so thankfully the photo wasn't a close-up of my, ahem, less-than-firm thighs, but from a distance, I looked pretty good in the pictures!
Even more than two years since reaching goal, it's still surprising for me to see a picture of myself and look at a thin person with my face. Seeing a thin person in a swimsuit with my face is something I'm still wrapping my brain around :-)
This is still a journey for me, not only to fine tune maintenance, but to also finish aligning my head with my body. I don't always "see" the new me when I look in the mirror. I don't see the old me anymore, but my vision is still a bit distorted at times. If it's true that pictures don't lie (and providing no one has gotten to them with Photoshop!), the pictures of me in my daughter's album show somebody with my face who's at a healthy weight and having a good time, completely unselfconscious, in a swimsuit. Amazing.
That realization makes all of the choices that I've had to make, and that I have to continue to make, worth it all. All kinds of things will flow out of the choices we make today. Choose wisely :-)
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