Motivation for Permanent Change

In Dr. A's Habits of Health (a fabulous book written by Take Shape for Life's co-founder and Medifast's medical director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen), Dr. Andersen writes "Change motivated by conflict will always be temporary; change motivated by desired outcomes can lead to permanent change."  His point is that to make change permanent, we need to move from solving a problem to creating something in our lives.

When I started my weight loss plan, I was trying to solve a couple of problems - my obesity and my diabetes.  My blood sugar returned to normal within one week of starting the program, so that "problem" began to improve almost immediately.  Week by week, as I saw the pounds melt off and I dropped size after size, the pain of obesity began to ease.  Had my focus remained on solving my problems, I'm not sure I would have ever reached my goal.  By the time I'd lost 60 pounds and was 200 pounds, I looked and felt a LOT better.  I was out of women's sizes and my blood sugar remained normal.  I was pretty tired of being on plan and I remember toying with the idea of quitting.  I remember walking through the grocery store, loading my cart with lean protein and my greens while smelling great things from the bakery.  I took note of all of the people pushing carts loaded with very Medifast-unfriendly food, and many of these people were quite a bit heavier than I was.  I remember being mad that I was still on such a restrictive plan while other people were eating all of the "fun stuff," and I began to rationalize.  I was 55, I had 4 grandchildren, I was wearing size 16, and I momentarily thought that where I was at was good enough.

Thankfully, I came out of that thinking pretty quickly, before I allowed it to take me down a road I didn't want to take.  What brought me back and kept me moving forward was a vision I had in my mind of being at a healthy weight and wearing a small size.  I imagined the joy at finally reaching my goal, and I knew if I stopped short of my goal I would feel like I had settled for less than what I really wanted.

What I didn't realize at the time was that I had done exactly what Dr. A wrote about - I moved from solving a problem to creating something in my life.  My focus was on moving forward towards something I wanted rather than moving away from something I didn't want.  Ultimately, that made all of the difference for me.

It still makes a difference.  My focus now is on continuing on the path to optimal health.  Optimal health looks different for each of us, but I have a clear vision in my mind of what optimal health is for me.  As long as I stay focused on what I want to create in my life, I am motivated to make the choices necessary to continue moving forward.

Today we each have to choose if we're going to look back at what brought us to this program, or if we're going to look forward at what we want to create in our lives.  I'd rather create than problem solve - how about you?  Creating something new and wonderful in your life will happen one day, one meal and one choice at a time.  Choose wisely :-)

Why I Didn't Cheat

One question I get asked a lot is, "How did you manage to stay on plan without cheating for almost a year?" 

The answer really isn't easy, and sometimes I'm almost hesitant to admit that I didn't cheat, especially when I can just tell that the person asking me is hoping to hear that yes, I got off plan numerous times, then got back on and got to my goal. 

There are many, many people on program who did exactly that - found themselves off plan from time to time, but eventually they reached their goal.  They have nothing but my deep admiration and respect, and I applaud them for their gritty tenacity and never-give-up spirit.

But that wasn't me. 

First of all, I was scared to death to get off plan.  I'd finally found something that WORKED - I was losing weight and I felt GOOD, unheard of on every other diet I'd ever gone on.  I was faithfully logging my meals, involved with the on-line community here, and just plain had my head in the game.  Because I had failed miserably on every other weight loss plan I'd ever gone on (and I'd been on just about every plan, sane and crazy, that was out there), it seemed incredible to find something that actually worked.  I was afraid that if I got off plan and shifted my focus, I might never be able to get it going again.  I was researching weight loss surgery options on line (including lap band in Mexico because it was cheaper . . . ) when I found information about Take Shape for Life/Medifast.  I was pretty desperate and felt that if this plan didn't work, I didn't know what I'd do.

So fear kept me motivated :-).  I was also sick to death of dieting, having done so for the majority of two solid decades.  I was tired of always either being on a diet or feeling guilty because I wasn't on a diet and needed to be, or researching the NEXT sure thing diet.  This time, I was ready to just get it done.  I took the mindset that this wasn't going to be for the rest of my life, that this was a season in my life I'd set aside to get healthy.  I told myself that all the things I wasn't eating while on 5&1 would eventually come back and I'd be able to enjoy them at a healthy weight.

I was tired of feeling guilty about what I ate.  Almost every time I ate something "bad", I'd feel guilty, knowing that I "shouldn't" be eating it.  That guilt was magnified many times over when I'd eat the forbidden food while on a diet.  When I started on 5&1, I decided that I wanted to really enjoy what I was eating, and I wanted to be able to eat it without feeling guilty about it.  The wonderful thing is that now I CAN eat pretty much what I want, in moderation, and I don't feel guilty anymore.  That is an amazing feeling of freedom!  Also, because I no longer feel guilty, I don't have guilt that ends up fueling a binge.

So that's WHY I stayed on plan.  Now let me share with you how I did it.

I planned, planned, planned - every meal every day.  I faithfully logged my meals and my water intake every day so I kept myself accountable.  I would generally sit down in the evening and log everything I planned for the next day, right down to the lean & green (if I knew ahead of time what we were going to have).  I'd get my shake ready, mix up my soup, and put my oatmeal packet and a bar in my purse, ready for work the next morning.  Because I logged everything ahead of time, I knew every day how many calories and carbs I had allotted myself, which made it easier to turn down tempting treats.  And I mean I logged everything - weighed my meat, measured my veggies, and made sure that if it went in my mouth, it was logged on my meal plan for the day.  If I had a day when I was going to be on the go all day, I made oatmeal muffins and cream soup bread and made sure that I had packets of shakes or cappuccino with me (I lost my weight before the crunch bars, pretzels, cheese puffs and bites which make on-the-go days SO much easier now!).  I had extra meals in my purse, at my desk, and in my car, and I kept an extra shaker bottle in my desk drawer.  I left no room for failure, and I wanted to make sure that I never was in a position where I needed to eat and didn't have anything with me.  That said, I also came to realize that I would NOT die if I didn't eat immediately, that I really COULD wait to eat, if need be :-).

Lastly, I finally admitted that I was incapable of losing weight on my own.  I asked God every day to give me the strength I needed for that day, and I found Him to be faithful to my very earnest prayer.  Because I couldn't run to food for comfort, I realized all over again that He really IS my true Source of comfort! 

So that's pretty much why I stayed on plan and how I did it.  It certainly wasn't easy, and there were many days I didn't wake up joyful that I was facing another day of 5&1 :-).  But I did, and I don't have any regrets.  I reached my goal over 3 years ago and am still maintaining a healthy weight.  It was definitely worth it!

So that's my story - how about you?  It doesn't matter if you're just starting the plan, or if you're restarting for the umpteenth time.  Today can be the first in a series of on-plan days that will ultimately lead you to your goal.  And you'll reach your goal one day, one meal, and one choice at a time . . . choose wisely :-)

Oh Really??????

On our way home from Chicago last Wednesday night, we passed a billboard for a bariatric surgeon.  The billboard has been up for a couple of years but it still riles me every time I see it.  The billboard's message: "Obesity is a Disease, Not a Decision."  Every time I see that sign, all I can think is, "Oh really????"

The billboard really frustrates me (actually makes me angry, if the truth be told).  It gives the impression that obesity is something that can't be helped - it's a disease that apparently you "catch."  The billboard gives the distinct impression that an individual's decisions have nothing to do with their obesity. Again, I can only ask, "Oh really????"

As long as people think that they are somehow helpless victims of this epidemic, somehow caught in the throes of a disease called "obesity," they will view themselves as powerless to escape.  Disease is viewed as something to be treated externally by someone else, whether the treatment is in the form of medication or, in the case of the physician on this billboard, through surgery.  Disease somehow implies that there is little to no personal responsibility involved.  After all, it's not a decision.

Ugh! 

The truth is that while we may not have decided to become obese (in that sense, it's not a decision because most rational people don't one day decide that they want to be obese), the hundreds and thousands of decisions we made along the way brought us to the point of obesity.  If obesity is a disease, it is one that we inflicted on ourselves one decision at a time.

Owning up to that is an important step in reversing our obesity.  When I saw "268" on the scale, I knew I'd done it to myself, one forkful at a time.  Because I was able to accept responsibility for what I'd done to my body and acknowledged that the Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol I had was a direct result of my obesity and the choices I'd made, I was eventually able to make the decision to get healthy.  Just as I got obese one decision at a time, I got to a healthy weight that same way - one choice and one decision at a time.

It's not easy to turn things around, but it IS possible.  That's not just my own story, but it's the story of so many others I know who finally made the same decision I did.  We aren't helpless, and we aren't victims.  We have the ability to choose a different path that can lead us to being healthier than we ever thought possible.   With all due respect to the surgeon who posted that billboard, obesity IS a decision.  And we know it can be reversed in a matter of weeks or months, one choice at a time.  Choose wisely :-)

Waving My Magic Wand

I am the weight loss fairy and I am waving my magic wand, sprinkling fairy dust all around.  If you are blessed enough to catch the breeze of my wand or have a few bits of dust land on you - poof!  You will be at your goal!  Anybody interested?

Wouldn't it be GREAT if it was that simple?  How I wish I could wave a magic wand or sprinkle dust around and know that everyone touched would immediately be at their goal. 

Of course, it's not that easy, is it?  It's almost that simple, however.  Eat 5 Medifast meals a day and fix a lean and green (or order one at a restaurant).  Not much thinking required, and the program really DOES work like magic . . . it's just that the magic on this program takes a bit longer :-)

So are you ready to change your life today?  Even in the absence of a weight loss fairy, you CAN make all of your dreams come true, if you decide that's what you want to do.  Best of all, unlike magic that has an annoying way of disappearing, the changes you'll make on this program can last a lifetime.

The changes begin with the choices you'll make today, so choose wisely :-)

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I am leaving today for Chicago and will be flying to Salt Lake City tomorrow morning for a leadership conference at Sundance, Utah.  I'll be back on October 18 and will get to blogging when I get home.  In the meantime, you know what to do . . . keep making those wise choices!

Mood or Mindset?

                     
I've got a question for you today:  are your responses based on your mind-set or on your mood?

Up until I started on Take Shape for Life, my weight loss efforts were pretty much dictated by my mood.  When I was feeling motivated, I tried to lose weight.  When I didn't feel like it, I'd tell myself that it wasn't going to be a "good diet day" and I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted.  Needless to say, a mood-driven weight loss program got me absolutely no where!

It wasn't until I embraced a mind-set of getting healthy that I finally began my final weight loss journey.  Having the right tools - this program! - certainly made the difference, but what was also different this time was that I had a different mind-set.

When I started on this program, I wasn't trying to lose weight for a specific event, and I didn't set a date to reach my goal.  This time, my goal was to get healthy and stay healthy, and I didn't care how long it took (but naturally I hoped it would be fast!).  Once I embraced a mind-set of getting healthy, it was amazing to see the difference in my resolve.  

If you're in the habit of responding out of your mood, this journey is going to be a long and rocky one, because there will be times when I can guarantee that you won't be in the mood to stay on plan.  There are days when this isn't fun at all, and unless you have a mind-set that is fixed on getting to a healthy weight and continuing your pursuit of health, you're likely to succumb to the myriad of temptations that surround you.

Part of moving from mood to mind-set is taking the time to identify what it is that you really want.  If you want to be at a healthy weight, write it down.  Picture in your mind what your life will look like when you reach your goal - what kind of clothes will you wear?  How will you feel?  What will you be able to do?  If you can get a picture in your mind of what you want, that can help you keep moving forward on those days when this isn't fun.  Instead of moving away from what you don't want (being overweight, on medication, etc.), think about what you want to create in your life.  That's much more fun and will be a big step forward in giving you the mind-set you need to get to your goal.

The choice is yours - mood or mind-set?  Choose wisely :-)

Do You REALLY Want To?

                            
Do you want to get to a healthy weight?  Do you want to stay at a healthy weight for the rest of your life?

This seems like an obvious question, doesn't it?  And I hate it when people ask obvious questions (makes me wonder if they think I'm stupid or something . . . ).  But I'm asking this question today because I think it's an important question to ask.

One book I really like is, "At His Feet" by Chris Tiegreen.  One of the devotional readings in this book is based on the story of Jesus healing a man who had been an invalid for 38 years.  When Jesus approached the man, He asked the man, "Do you want to get well?"  Interestingly, the man didn't respond, "Well, of course!"  Instead, he offered an excuse (the entire story can be found in John 5:1-15 if you want to read the entire account).

The writer of the devotion noted that as much as we think we want to change, we're comfortable with the status quo.  The man may have been tired of being an invalid, but he also may have feared the changes in his life that being healed would bring.  So Jesus asked what seems to be an obvious question, "Do you want to get well?"

Our problem is that all too often we want change, but we don't want TO change.  At least that's true for me :-).  I want to keep doing what I've always done, but get better results!  Unfortunately, that happens to be the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results . . . ).

We know we SHOULD lose weight, and perhaps we even want to lose weight, sort of.  But things come up that are more important to us that getting to a healthy weight and we cheat.  Or perhaps losing weight makes people begin to notice us, and that makes us uncomfortable, so we start sabotaging ourselves.  Status quo can be a pretty comfortable and safe place to be sometimes, even if we know it's not healthy in the long run.

So the question needs to be asked, and I ask it respectfully:  Do you want to get to a healthy weight and stay there?  If you do, you are on the right program to get you there.  You have a lot of wonderful tools to help you each step of the way and there is an amazing amount of support available.  The program is a proven program - the only variable is you.  If you work the program, it works!  If you don't work the program, it doesn't work.

As I've shared before, for me the food part of this program was the easy part.  The really, really hard part was the head and the heart part, because I had to change in pretty fundamental ways how I thought and felt about food.  I had to end a long relationship with food, and that was not an easy task.  What made this time different than all of the other bazillion times I'd tried in the past was that this time I finally, really wanted to change.

I hope your answer to my question today is a resounding "YES!!!"  But be honest with yourself, and if it's not, spend some time figuring out why.  If you figure out what's holding you back and then take steps to deal with it, you'll eventually be able to answer "YES!", too.  And when you do, you'll reach your goal and stay there!  And you'll reach your goal one day, one meal, and one choice at a time . . . choose wisely :-)

Dispelling Another Myth

                          
There is a common misconception that somehow the individuals who stay on plan and reach their goal are stronger or more self-disciplined than everybody else.  Every time I hear that, I just have to smile, because I know how much I struggled, and still struggle, to have discipline in my life.  When individuals decide that they just don't have the discipline that others have and attribute the lack of discipline to the reason they aren't staying on plan, they've really set themselves up for failure. 

If you're telling yourself that you just aren't disciplined, that you aren't as strong as someone else, you've given yourself permission to fail, and you probably will.  If you are waiting for some day in the future when you will somehow get the discipline you need to stay on program, you'll be waiting a long, long time.

A quote I really like says, "Discipline is making the choice between what you want now and what you want most!"  Discipline isn't a matter of being stronger, it's a matter of deciding what it is that you want.

There are always things competing for our attention and if we aren't focused on what we want, we will grab whatever is closest, opting for immediate gratification.  The problem with that strategy is that there is often a difference between what we want now, in this instant, and what we want most.  If we are choosing what we want in this instant, that choice may be pushing us farther away from what we want most.

So what DO you want most today?  Fix your eyes on it, then choose wisely :-)