There is a sign at my health club that says, "Pain is the sign of weakness leaving the body." If that's the case, there is a lot of weakness on its way out the door right now!
After a several-month hiatus from regular strength-training workouts, I started in again this week and wow, do I ever feel it. All of the muscles that have been under used and under challenged for a while are now making me painfully aware of their presence. A little reminder about "no pain, no gain" plus a dose of ibuprofen is keeping me going at the moment, and I do mean going, because I'm back at it this morning. Having done this before, I know that the pain is temporary and I will soon be able to increase both the weights and the repetitions as I increase my strength.
My sore muscles are a reminder that there really is no such thing as status quo. We are either progressing or regressing. For those three or so months that went by without me darkening the door of my health club, my muscles didn't remain where they were when I last worked them. Now the work has begun to get them back where they were for starters, then move forward from there.
What's true for my muscles is true of our health. When we aren't taking action to improve it, we are actually taking a step back. I wish that weren't the case, but it is. The choices we make every day either move us forward or backward, towards a healthier body or in the other direction. My aching muscles tell me that I have been heading in the wrong direction for a while. The good news is that as soon we decide to head in a a more positive direction, we begin to make a positive impact on our health. There may be some initial pain or discomfort as we begin flexing muscles that haven't been taxed in a while (or perhaps never), but the discomfort will soon be replaced by a new level of strength. We just have to hang in there and keep making those choices every day!
Yep, it always comes back to choices, doesn't it? Choose wisely :-)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Holding On, Letting Go
What are you holding on to today? I'm asking this question because I've realized that sometimes we desperately hold on to things that are no longer serving our best interest - sometimes they never did.
When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, many of us struggle to release old patterns of eating. We struggle and want to hold on to our favorite foods, even when those foods and our relationship to them landed us in an unhealthy BMI range, perhaps even contributing to illness and disease. When we struggle to let go of what is no longer working for us, we may end up going off plan repeatedly. We hang on to those old things and look at them as forbidden fruit; we feel deprived because we can't have the very things that got us here in the first place.
I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study, "Breaking Free," and yesterday morning I watched the first video of this new series. One of the things she said that really resonated with me is that "whatever we give up is only to free our hands so we can receive all God has for us." We can't receive something new if our hands are full of old stuff.
I have a picture in mind right now of hands that are tightly gripped around something old and rotting, fingertips white because the grip is so tight. Within reach is something new and beautiful, but to take that new thing into the hand, the old will first have to be released. The problem is that the old, while rotting, is familiar - it fits in the hand and the hand is warm from holding it for so long. Letting go of the old thing means that, for a split second, the hand will be empty and cold. It's uncertain how the new thing will fit and feel in the hand, so even though it looks beautiful and most desirable, the idea of actually having that in hand is pretty scary.
Some of us have struggled with being overweight or obese for a long time. We hate how we look and feel, and part of us really wants to reach out and claim the healthy body and new life that is within our reach. Before we can do that, we have to let go of the old, rotting habits. Letting go of them isn't deprivation - it's freedom. It doesn't feel like that at first because those habits have become so comfortable and warm in our hands. But once we're willing to recognize them for what they are, things that are keeping us in a place we don't want to be, and once we're willing to loosen our grip and let them go, we are able to receive something far better.
It's not easy! I wish it was, but it's not. But it's worth it. Shift your eyes from what you're hanging on to and really focus on what is is that you want. Shift your focus, then choose wisely :-)
When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, many of us struggle to release old patterns of eating. We struggle and want to hold on to our favorite foods, even when those foods and our relationship to them landed us in an unhealthy BMI range, perhaps even contributing to illness and disease. When we struggle to let go of what is no longer working for us, we may end up going off plan repeatedly. We hang on to those old things and look at them as forbidden fruit; we feel deprived because we can't have the very things that got us here in the first place.
I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study, "Breaking Free," and yesterday morning I watched the first video of this new series. One of the things she said that really resonated with me is that "whatever we give up is only to free our hands so we can receive all God has for us." We can't receive something new if our hands are full of old stuff.
I have a picture in mind right now of hands that are tightly gripped around something old and rotting, fingertips white because the grip is so tight. Within reach is something new and beautiful, but to take that new thing into the hand, the old will first have to be released. The problem is that the old, while rotting, is familiar - it fits in the hand and the hand is warm from holding it for so long. Letting go of the old thing means that, for a split second, the hand will be empty and cold. It's uncertain how the new thing will fit and feel in the hand, so even though it looks beautiful and most desirable, the idea of actually having that in hand is pretty scary.
Some of us have struggled with being overweight or obese for a long time. We hate how we look and feel, and part of us really wants to reach out and claim the healthy body and new life that is within our reach. Before we can do that, we have to let go of the old, rotting habits. Letting go of them isn't deprivation - it's freedom. It doesn't feel like that at first because those habits have become so comfortable and warm in our hands. But once we're willing to recognize them for what they are, things that are keeping us in a place we don't want to be, and once we're willing to loosen our grip and let them go, we are able to receive something far better.
It's not easy! I wish it was, but it's not. But it's worth it. Shift your eyes from what you're hanging on to and really focus on what is is that you want. Shift your focus, then choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New Habits on the Way - We Hope!
Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having a great (and on-plan) week!
My husband and I went to the health club together for the first time yesterday. We just added him to my club membership, so yesterday was his orientation for all of the cardio equipment, plus a lecture on nutrition and weight loss (he could have skipped that part, as he has maintained his 50 pound Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss for over two years). While he had his orientation, I did 45 minutes of cardio. Even though we weren't working out together, it was great just being there with him. This morning we're heading back for his orientation to the weight machines and free weights, where the trainer will help my husband set up a routine. While he's having his orientation, I'm going to do my own strength training. After today's orientation, my husband will be ready to start working out on his own.
This is something he has never done before, and at age 59, he will be working to develop a new healthy habit - exercise! He's used our treadmill on occasion (hates it!) and has also gotten on our elliptical from time time to time. I have some workout videos at home that I use, and I also like to workout using our Wii (I use both Wii Fit and EA Sports Active for Wii), but he has no interest in them.
While I have been challenged, as most of you know, to make exercise a regular part of my life, that really hasn't even been on my husband's radar until recently. He lost 50 pounds, is doing great keeping it off, and was happy with that. However, as he continues on his own journey towards optimal health, he has recognized that being healthy involves a lot more than just being in a good BMI range. Regular exercise, both cardio and strength training, are important if we are truly to be as healthy and as active as we want to be for the rest of our lives.
So, another chapter in my husband's journey is unfolding, and this step in his journey will also help me make exercise a higher priority. One of the things I want to share - and hopefully this will encourage someone reading this - is that this is a journey. We don't always get everything in place at the same time, and we certainly don't always do this perfectly. The point is that we continue to make progress, that we be willing to change.
Change isn't easy for any of us, and the older we get, the more challenging it is to incorporate new habits. The key word is "challenging," not "impossible." The more we focus on what we want, and what we want is optimal health, the more we are willing to make the changes needed to keep ourselves on that path.
Those changes happen one day and one choice at a time for us, and they happen one day and one choice at a time for you, too. Choose wisely :-)
My husband and I went to the health club together for the first time yesterday. We just added him to my club membership, so yesterday was his orientation for all of the cardio equipment, plus a lecture on nutrition and weight loss (he could have skipped that part, as he has maintained his 50 pound Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss for over two years). While he had his orientation, I did 45 minutes of cardio. Even though we weren't working out together, it was great just being there with him. This morning we're heading back for his orientation to the weight machines and free weights, where the trainer will help my husband set up a routine. While he's having his orientation, I'm going to do my own strength training. After today's orientation, my husband will be ready to start working out on his own.
This is something he has never done before, and at age 59, he will be working to develop a new healthy habit - exercise! He's used our treadmill on occasion (hates it!) and has also gotten on our elliptical from time time to time. I have some workout videos at home that I use, and I also like to workout using our Wii (I use both Wii Fit and EA Sports Active for Wii), but he has no interest in them.
While I have been challenged, as most of you know, to make exercise a regular part of my life, that really hasn't even been on my husband's radar until recently. He lost 50 pounds, is doing great keeping it off, and was happy with that. However, as he continues on his own journey towards optimal health, he has recognized that being healthy involves a lot more than just being in a good BMI range. Regular exercise, both cardio and strength training, are important if we are truly to be as healthy and as active as we want to be for the rest of our lives.
So, another chapter in my husband's journey is unfolding, and this step in his journey will also help me make exercise a higher priority. One of the things I want to share - and hopefully this will encourage someone reading this - is that this is a journey. We don't always get everything in place at the same time, and we certainly don't always do this perfectly. The point is that we continue to make progress, that we be willing to change.
Change isn't easy for any of us, and the older we get, the more challenging it is to incorporate new habits. The key word is "challenging," not "impossible." The more we focus on what we want, and what we want is optimal health, the more we are willing to make the changes needed to keep ourselves on that path.
Those changes happen one day and one choice at a time for us, and they happen one day and one choice at a time for you, too. Choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Power of Choices
The power of the daily choices we make was brought home to me yesterday as I talked with two friends of mine, both of whom have been on Take Shape for Life/Medifast for several months. They started the plan within a couple weeks of each other last fall, they are the same age and each had about the same amount of weight they wanted to lose. However, despite the many similarities when they started, they are in very different places today. One friend has lost over 100 pounds and is closing in on her goal and the other friend has lost around 30 pounds.
Same program, but different results. What's the difference? The daily choices that have been made. I share this not to in any way be critical - please hear my heart on this! I share this because it points out the difference that small choices made over time will make.
The friend who lost over 100 pounds went on a cruise, worked her job, dealt with family situations, celebrated the holidays, etc. and stayed on plan. It wasn't easy, but she began to see results, fixed her eyes on what she really wanted and decided to go for it. It's a day by day journey, to be sure, but she made the fundamental choice to get healthy. Once she made that choice, she figured out how to make this program work. When I talk to her and hear the joy in her voice as she shares her latest victory, she always affirms that any sacrifice she's made is more than worth it. She is now in a place she never thought she'd be, and she's gotten there one day and one choice at a time.
My other friend has had a lot going on in her life, including a fair amount of traveling, and these events and trips have often resulted in her going off plan. She's had a number of stops and restarts, and she's getting ready to restart once again.
Because I struggled with morbid obesity for over 20 years and was on and off (mostly off) a lot of different weight loss plans, I completely understand where my friend is at. For me, life kept getting in the way. There was always an event or other reason why it just wasn't a good time to "diet." My starts and stops kept me in a cycle of frustration and defeat, and I was filled with a lot of regrets and "should have, could have" thoughts. Underneath it all, the reality was that I hadn't yet made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight. I was interested in losing weight, but I wanted to do it on my own terms, and I wanted it to be easy and most certainly painless.
Once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, life didn't come to a screeching halt so that I could do it in a protective bubble. Life just kept happening - celebrations, vacations, stress, holidays, grief - but because I had a clear vision in my mind of what it was that I really wanted, I was able to make the daily choices needed to reach my goal. I committed to following this program and figured out what I needed to do every day to stay on plan. As I've shared in the past, I didn't suddenly sprout a new iron will that enabled me to do this, quite the contrary. I finally acknowledged my inability to do this on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed. And He was faithful to provide that strength.
Where do you want to be in 3, 6, 9 months? Where do you want to be a year from now? The choices you make today will either move you a step closer to where you want to be, or they will move you away from your goal. Choose wisely :-)
Same program, but different results. What's the difference? The daily choices that have been made. I share this not to in any way be critical - please hear my heart on this! I share this because it points out the difference that small choices made over time will make.
The friend who lost over 100 pounds went on a cruise, worked her job, dealt with family situations, celebrated the holidays, etc. and stayed on plan. It wasn't easy, but she began to see results, fixed her eyes on what she really wanted and decided to go for it. It's a day by day journey, to be sure, but she made the fundamental choice to get healthy. Once she made that choice, she figured out how to make this program work. When I talk to her and hear the joy in her voice as she shares her latest victory, she always affirms that any sacrifice she's made is more than worth it. She is now in a place she never thought she'd be, and she's gotten there one day and one choice at a time.
My other friend has had a lot going on in her life, including a fair amount of traveling, and these events and trips have often resulted in her going off plan. She's had a number of stops and restarts, and she's getting ready to restart once again.
Because I struggled with morbid obesity for over 20 years and was on and off (mostly off) a lot of different weight loss plans, I completely understand where my friend is at. For me, life kept getting in the way. There was always an event or other reason why it just wasn't a good time to "diet." My starts and stops kept me in a cycle of frustration and defeat, and I was filled with a lot of regrets and "should have, could have" thoughts. Underneath it all, the reality was that I hadn't yet made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight. I was interested in losing weight, but I wanted to do it on my own terms, and I wanted it to be easy and most certainly painless.
Once I made the fundamental choice to get to a healthy weight, life didn't come to a screeching halt so that I could do it in a protective bubble. Life just kept happening - celebrations, vacations, stress, holidays, grief - but because I had a clear vision in my mind of what it was that I really wanted, I was able to make the daily choices needed to reach my goal. I committed to following this program and figured out what I needed to do every day to stay on plan. As I've shared in the past, I didn't suddenly sprout a new iron will that enabled me to do this, quite the contrary. I finally acknowledged my inability to do this on my own and looked to my Heavenly Father for the strength I needed. And He was faithful to provide that strength.
Where do you want to be in 3, 6, 9 months? Where do you want to be a year from now? The choices you make today will either move you a step closer to where you want to be, or they will move you away from your goal. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, May 3, 2010
More Choices
I end every blog with the words "choose wisely", because I am learning (not there yet!) that by making mindful choices, things change. Very early this morning (too early, in fact), I had an opportunity to practice what I preach.
I was awakened by the sound of birds - loud birds - a little after 6 AM. Now I like birds, don't get me wrong, but I'm not particularly fond of them at 6 AM. My very first conscious thought this morning was "darn birds," and this was accompanied by a lot of mental grumbling (I kept it from being verbal because I didn't want to wake up my husband). I didn't get to bed until after midnight last night and wasn't happy that a bunch of stupid birds was now waking me up early. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, allowing a host of negativity to wash over me - not a good way to start a day or a week!
Then the phrase "choose wisely" came to mind and I realized that bright and very early on this Monday morning, I had a choice to make. I needed to choose the attitude I was going to have for the day, and I knew I didn't want to drag the one I had throughout the rest of the day. At that point, I shifted my focus. One Scripture verse came immediately to mind, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." The "will" in this verse reminded me that my attitude is a conscious choice. At that point, I rolled over and began to pray, and my prayer was one of praise and thanksgiving. Guess what? My attitude changed, and changed almost immediately :-)
I'm sharing this today because it's a Monday and I'm guessing that at least one person reading this was less than excited to get up (perhaps earlier than 6 AM!) and head to work. Monday is probably the least-favorite day of the week for many people, as it means the start of a new work week filled with stress. For me, Mondays were often the day I'd start a new diet, and my resolve to lose weight would quickly collide with the stress of a new work week.
What I am learning is that while I cannot always choose my circumstances, I can choose my attitude. Things may happen that are out of my control, but I can always choose how I'm going to respond. Even when my initial response is negative, I can turn it around if I choose to do so.
What kind of attitude are you going to have today? Hopefully you love what you do and were upbeat the minute your feet hit the floor, and hopefully you are overjoyed at the opportunity to spend another day on plan ;-), but what if you aren't? There are lots of choices to be made today, including our attitude. Choose wisely :-)
I was awakened by the sound of birds - loud birds - a little after 6 AM. Now I like birds, don't get me wrong, but I'm not particularly fond of them at 6 AM. My very first conscious thought this morning was "darn birds," and this was accompanied by a lot of mental grumbling (I kept it from being verbal because I didn't want to wake up my husband). I didn't get to bed until after midnight last night and wasn't happy that a bunch of stupid birds was now waking me up early. I stayed in bed for a few minutes, allowing a host of negativity to wash over me - not a good way to start a day or a week!
Then the phrase "choose wisely" came to mind and I realized that bright and very early on this Monday morning, I had a choice to make. I needed to choose the attitude I was going to have for the day, and I knew I didn't want to drag the one I had throughout the rest of the day. At that point, I shifted my focus. One Scripture verse came immediately to mind, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." The "will" in this verse reminded me that my attitude is a conscious choice. At that point, I rolled over and began to pray, and my prayer was one of praise and thanksgiving. Guess what? My attitude changed, and changed almost immediately :-)
I'm sharing this today because it's a Monday and I'm guessing that at least one person reading this was less than excited to get up (perhaps earlier than 6 AM!) and head to work. Monday is probably the least-favorite day of the week for many people, as it means the start of a new work week filled with stress. For me, Mondays were often the day I'd start a new diet, and my resolve to lose weight would quickly collide with the stress of a new work week.
What I am learning is that while I cannot always choose my circumstances, I can choose my attitude. Things may happen that are out of my control, but I can always choose how I'm going to respond. Even when my initial response is negative, I can turn it around if I choose to do so.
What kind of attitude are you going to have today? Hopefully you love what you do and were upbeat the minute your feet hit the floor, and hopefully you are overjoyed at the opportunity to spend another day on plan ;-), but what if you aren't? There are lots of choices to be made today, including our attitude. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saying Goodbye to Shame Eating
Before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I often engaged in what I would call "shame eating." I would see some food item at work that I'd feel almost compelled to eat, even though I wasn't hungry, then take it when no one was looking and sneak away to consume it as fast as I could. It could be a muffin left over from a morning meeting at work, pizza left over from a lunch meeting - it didn't matter. There was something about seeing the food just sitting there . . . I'd be afraid that someone would throw it away and "waste" it. So even though I wasn't hungry, I'd palm the food (I certainly didn't want anyone to SEE me with it) and either take it to my office or the bathroom, where I would shove it in my mouth as quickly as I could to make sure it was gone before anyone caught me. I rarely enjoyed it, and I was usually embarrassed that I felt such a compulsion to not waste it (you know, there are all those starving children in India . . . ). Never mind the fact that the food was STILL being wasted - inside me, no less. Looking back, I realize that my co-workers undoubtedly figured out that I was the cause of the last piece of whatever disappearing (there were only 4 of us in the office, and I was the only overweight person, so it didn't exactly take Sherlock Holmes to solve the crime).
When I remember back to those pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast days, it saddens me to realize how much control food had over me. What a difference this program has made in my life! While I was on 5&1, by God's grace, I was able to resist the temptations of off-plan food, and I found real freedom as I was set free from being a slave to food.
In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul talks about the struggle he had in not being able to do what he knew he should do. Verse 15 says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." A few verses later (verse 24), he cries out "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" I have always identified with these verses, feeling such anguish that I seemed to be incapable of doing what I knew I should do when it came to losing weight (among other things . . . ).
The apostle knew that ultimately his Rescuer was Jesus Christ (verse 25). I have the same Rescuer, and I know God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast almost three years ago. He used this plan as the tool to unlock the chains that bound me for a very long time. I am so thankful!
My journey was (and is!) one day and one choice at a time, and so is yours. One day, one choice . . . choose wisely :-)
When I remember back to those pre-Take Shape for Life/Medifast days, it saddens me to realize how much control food had over me. What a difference this program has made in my life! While I was on 5&1, by God's grace, I was able to resist the temptations of off-plan food, and I found real freedom as I was set free from being a slave to food.
In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul talks about the struggle he had in not being able to do what he knew he should do. Verse 15 says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do." A few verses later (verse 24), he cries out "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" I have always identified with these verses, feeling such anguish that I seemed to be incapable of doing what I knew I should do when it came to losing weight (among other things . . . ).
The apostle knew that ultimately his Rescuer was Jesus Christ (verse 25). I have the same Rescuer, and I know God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast almost three years ago. He used this plan as the tool to unlock the chains that bound me for a very long time. I am so thankful!
My journey was (and is!) one day and one choice at a time, and so is yours. One day, one choice . . . choose wisely :-)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Leaves are Falling
Happy Saturday and Happy May Day! May is one of my favorite months of the year because all of the spring flowers and flowering trees are in full bloom and the trees have a wonderful, lacy look as they leaf out. After a long, cold, gray Michigan winter, May is awash with color and life - I absolutely love it!
One of the things that's interesting to see this time of year are a few scattered leaves on the ground. Every fall, some trees seem almost relieved to release their leaves and are barren early, while others hang on to their leaves until late fall and then dump them in one fell swoop.
And then there are the other trees, those few stubborn ones who tenaciously hang on to many of their dead leaves all the way through the winter. They hang on to their leaves through bitter wind, snow, and even ice. The dead leaves seem to be destined to stay forever. But then spring comes and those long-dead leaves finally drop. What happens in the spring? The emergence of new leaves force the tree to finally release its hold on those long dead and worthless leaves.
Kind of like habits, like, say . . . compulsive eating and emotional eating. Many of us have held on to these worthless habits for way too long. Until recently, nothing was able to shake these food habits loose - embarrassment, shame, disgust, even compromised health, nothing displaced those old habits UNTIL new habits began to emerge.
New habits that we are learning day by day are slowly but surely forcing the release of old habits. We are learning that it IS possible to deal with stress, celebrate events, have a busy schedule, be bored, be tired, be happy, eat out, or even cook a big meal for my family and STILL stay on plan. We are learning that our emotions and impulses do NOT have to drive our eating choices. By carefully planning, by learning to anticipate potential pitfalls, we are sprouting new, healthy habits, and they are replacing old and harmful ones.
Those new, healthy habits replace our old habits one day and one choice at a time. One this lovely May Day, the choice is yours. Choose wisely :-)
One of the things that's interesting to see this time of year are a few scattered leaves on the ground. Every fall, some trees seem almost relieved to release their leaves and are barren early, while others hang on to their leaves until late fall and then dump them in one fell swoop.
And then there are the other trees, those few stubborn ones who tenaciously hang on to many of their dead leaves all the way through the winter. They hang on to their leaves through bitter wind, snow, and even ice. The dead leaves seem to be destined to stay forever. But then spring comes and those long-dead leaves finally drop. What happens in the spring? The emergence of new leaves force the tree to finally release its hold on those long dead and worthless leaves.
Kind of like habits, like, say . . . compulsive eating and emotional eating. Many of us have held on to these worthless habits for way too long. Until recently, nothing was able to shake these food habits loose - embarrassment, shame, disgust, even compromised health, nothing displaced those old habits UNTIL new habits began to emerge.
New habits that we are learning day by day are slowly but surely forcing the release of old habits. We are learning that it IS possible to deal with stress, celebrate events, have a busy schedule, be bored, be tired, be happy, eat out, or even cook a big meal for my family and STILL stay on plan. We are learning that our emotions and impulses do NOT have to drive our eating choices. By carefully planning, by learning to anticipate potential pitfalls, we are sprouting new, healthy habits, and they are replacing old and harmful ones.
Those new, healthy habits replace our old habits one day and one choice at a time. One this lovely May Day, the choice is yours. Choose wisely :-)
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