First of all, I want to start today's blog by wishing my mom and dad a happy 58th wedding anniversary!! They are still sweethearts and each other's best friends and their marriage has been a wonderful example for their four children as they have modeled love, mutual respect, and what it means to serve each other in love. I am so blessed to have them as my parents and I'm so thankful that they live five miles down the road from me and that I see them often.
Now on to today's musings :-)
They are out to get us. They're everywhere, and the mixed messages they send are enough to make us crazy! Who's the "they" I'm referring to? The media and the fast food industry - talk about a deadly pair!
What got me going on this were two internet ads, one above the other, on a local news home page yesterday. There was a large ad touting a program promising to remove 15 pounds in two weeks with some "secret" program, and directly above that ad was - unbelievably - an icon of the infamous golden arches. A simple "click" on the icon would bring you straight to a website with products that will most definitely NOT help people lose weight.
You and I see it every day - ads for every kind of fattening and unhealthy food you can imagine, often right next to the latest "lose weight quick" ad, next to a recipe for a high-calorie, high-fat dish, next to the latest warning from the medical community about the growing danger of obesity and obesity-related disease. Does this dichotomy make you as crazy at it makes me? What's a person to do? The information out there is confusing and contradictory! On the one hand, we're being repeatedly warned about the health risks of obesity, while on the other hand we are bombarded with ads for things that will make the obesity epidemic even worse - yikes!
Here's my suggestion (you just KNEW I'd have one, didn't you?!): Take a deep breath, read the medical community articles if you must, and then just ignore the recipes, the fast food ads, and particularly ignore the latest fad diet ads.
What most of us have figured out by now is that there is no magic diet that will melt away our excess weight while we sleep, or while we continue in our old and unhealthy patterns. Many of us have wasted way too much time and way too much money in a futile pursuit of something that doesn't exist.
Now for the good news!
You already have in your hands THE most clinically proven way to lose weight quickly and safely. You may or may not know that Medifast has been around for almost 30 years, that it is the program that Johns Hopkins uses for their own weight loss clinic, and that the safety and efficacy of this program is proven by multiple published studies by both Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health. There is NO faster way to lose weight safely than the program you're on, but it goes way beyond losing the weight, because this program will also help you stay at your healthy weight.
Now that you have THE program in your hands, all you have to do is open 5 little packets today - how simple is that? The question is, will you open those 5 little packets today? Will you also commit to eating nothing else, except for your lean & green? If you do so, you'll be one day closer to your goal, and that's a promise that's supported with solid research! With the support of a Take Shape for Life health coach, you have a program and a product that will bring you safely and quickly to your goal, AND help you to stay there!
Feel better now?
Have a great, on-plan day!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Change Seats
Happy Monday! I hope your work week is off to a great start!
Because I write a daily blog, I am always on the lookout for stories and ideas to help me say "stay on plan" in a new way :-). My dad e-mailed this story to me, and I think it has great application for us, and since I grew up in Chicago, I especially liked the setting. Here's the story:
“I love Wrigley Field in Chicago. But like most old ballparks, it has the necessary but aggravating problem of support posts that obscure the view of the game. Unfortunately, I got stuck behind one of those posts at a game once, and, needless to say, it was disappointing. Without a clear view, I became easily distracted. As I sat distractedly behind the post, I often wondered why everyone was cheering. What had I missed? "
Are you feeling a bit distracted these days? Do you read about the excitement and success that others are having on this program and feel like you are missing out on the game?
Sometime we get distracted by the obstacles that are right in front of us, obstacles that threaten to block our ability to see the big picture. When we start to focus on the obstacle and not on the game, it doesn't take long before we're distracted and then bored - and we may think about leaving the game early because it's not fun any more.
What obstacles are blocking your view of goal right now? For each of us, the obstacle may be different. What matters, however, is that the game IS going on, and it's an exciting game and we don't want to miss it!
Unlike a ball game where we have an assigned seat and if we're stuck behind an obstacle, we're stuck - we can CHANGE SEATS in this game! The obstacles that threaten to distract us can be eliminated, if we choose to get them out of the way. It may mean changing our pattern - instead of getting home from work and crashing on the sofa and eating, we may need to keep a pair of walking shoes by the front door so we take a walk the minute we get home. It may mean changing our route to work so we don't go by the favorite donut shot. It may mean clearing our cabinets of any contraband food.
I encourage you this morning to figure out what the obstacles are that are keeping you from seeing the big picture, then change seats! Put yourself in a position where you have an unobstructed view of what you want, and don't allow anything to get in the way.
Because I write a daily blog, I am always on the lookout for stories and ideas to help me say "stay on plan" in a new way :-). My dad e-mailed this story to me, and I think it has great application for us, and since I grew up in Chicago, I especially liked the setting. Here's the story:
“I love Wrigley Field in Chicago. But like most old ballparks, it has the necessary but aggravating problem of support posts that obscure the view of the game. Unfortunately, I got stuck behind one of those posts at a game once, and, needless to say, it was disappointing. Without a clear view, I became easily distracted. As I sat distractedly behind the post, I often wondered why everyone was cheering. What had I missed? "
Are you feeling a bit distracted these days? Do you read about the excitement and success that others are having on this program and feel like you are missing out on the game?
Sometime we get distracted by the obstacles that are right in front of us, obstacles that threaten to block our ability to see the big picture. When we start to focus on the obstacle and not on the game, it doesn't take long before we're distracted and then bored - and we may think about leaving the game early because it's not fun any more.
What obstacles are blocking your view of goal right now? For each of us, the obstacle may be different. What matters, however, is that the game IS going on, and it's an exciting game and we don't want to miss it!
Unlike a ball game where we have an assigned seat and if we're stuck behind an obstacle, we're stuck - we can CHANGE SEATS in this game! The obstacles that threaten to distract us can be eliminated, if we choose to get them out of the way. It may mean changing our pattern - instead of getting home from work and crashing on the sofa and eating, we may need to keep a pair of walking shoes by the front door so we take a walk the minute we get home. It may mean changing our route to work so we don't go by the favorite donut shot. It may mean clearing our cabinets of any contraband food.
I encourage you this morning to figure out what the obstacles are that are keeping you from seeing the big picture, then change seats! Put yourself in a position where you have an unobstructed view of what you want, and don't allow anything to get in the way.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Two Year Anniversary
Happy Sunday morning! I just realized that this past week was an anniversary of sorts for me, because it was two years ago on June 24, 2007, that I began Take Shape for Life/Medifast and the journey that would finally bring me to my weight loss goal.
I just went back and re-read the very first blog I'd ever written in my entire life, written on my first day on plan. I thought I'd share it with you, because it reveals where I was two years ago - hopeful and desperate. I couldn't have imagined all that would happen from that day forward to today, and re-reading it made me incredibly thankful all over again that God led me to this program. I tell people all the time that God led me to just the right program at just the right time, and I really believe it!
Here's that first blog, written June 24, 2007:
"Today is the first day of the rest of my new, healthy life. My first shipment came a few days ago, but I waited until today to start because I was out of town (in Chicago) Friday thru last night to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday. Now that the celebration is over, I am more than ready to start.
My first meal was the Dutch chocolate shake. I mixed it up last night (used my Magic Bullet for the first time), refrigerated it overnight and re-blended it this morning with 3 ice cubes. I found this suggestion on the message board and thought it was worth trying, and it was a great suggestion! The shake was pretty good and, at least temporarily, filled me up. I'm anxious to try the other foods and figure out what I do and don't like so that my next shipment will be tailored to my taste.
I've been on so many weight loss programs over the past 20 years, which is how long I've been struggling with a major weight problem. Weight Watchers, Atkins, Fit for Life, Herbalife, Weigh Down, Slimfast, South Beach -- all worked for a while, but the weight has always come back, plus some. Last year I lost almost 40 pounds on South Beach and really, REALLY thought I had finally "gotten it." I was thrilled to buy clothes two sizes smaller last summer and, convinced that I'd never see "that" weight again, I gave away all of my larger sizes. It was devastating to have to go out this spring and purchase clothes in that larger size again, and I reached a turning point.
When I found myself trolling the internet for information on gastric bypass surgery (which my insurance doesn't cover), I realized that I had reached the point of desperation . . . then I came across the Medifast website. I remember hearing about Medifast years ago, when it was strictly a liquid diet and available only through a physician. I remember hearing (don't know if was true or not) that Medifast was very expensive. For those reasons, I never seriously considered it. This time, however, the testimonials and the fact that the program includes a variety of food options caught my attention. With the full support of my husband, I placed my order.
And today it begins. I am hopeful, and I am refusing to listen to the voices in my head that tell me I will fail at this like I've failed at everything else.
God is my refuge and my strength, and I want to honor Him with the way I care for this temple He has given me."
Two years later, all I can say is "to God belongs all the praise and the glory!" He heard my desperate cry for help and He gave me the strength I needed, one day and one meal at a time. He is a faithful God and will answer that same prayer for you!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
I just went back and re-read the very first blog I'd ever written in my entire life, written on my first day on plan. I thought I'd share it with you, because it reveals where I was two years ago - hopeful and desperate. I couldn't have imagined all that would happen from that day forward to today, and re-reading it made me incredibly thankful all over again that God led me to this program. I tell people all the time that God led me to just the right program at just the right time, and I really believe it!
Here's that first blog, written June 24, 2007:
"Today is the first day of the rest of my new, healthy life. My first shipment came a few days ago, but I waited until today to start because I was out of town (in Chicago) Friday thru last night to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday. Now that the celebration is over, I am more than ready to start.
My first meal was the Dutch chocolate shake. I mixed it up last night (used my Magic Bullet for the first time), refrigerated it overnight and re-blended it this morning with 3 ice cubes. I found this suggestion on the message board and thought it was worth trying, and it was a great suggestion! The shake was pretty good and, at least temporarily, filled me up. I'm anxious to try the other foods and figure out what I do and don't like so that my next shipment will be tailored to my taste.
I've been on so many weight loss programs over the past 20 years, which is how long I've been struggling with a major weight problem. Weight Watchers, Atkins, Fit for Life, Herbalife, Weigh Down, Slimfast, South Beach -- all worked for a while, but the weight has always come back, plus some. Last year I lost almost 40 pounds on South Beach and really, REALLY thought I had finally "gotten it." I was thrilled to buy clothes two sizes smaller last summer and, convinced that I'd never see "that" weight again, I gave away all of my larger sizes. It was devastating to have to go out this spring and purchase clothes in that larger size again, and I reached a turning point.
When I found myself trolling the internet for information on gastric bypass surgery (which my insurance doesn't cover), I realized that I had reached the point of desperation . . . then I came across the Medifast website. I remember hearing about Medifast years ago, when it was strictly a liquid diet and available only through a physician. I remember hearing (don't know if was true or not) that Medifast was very expensive. For those reasons, I never seriously considered it. This time, however, the testimonials and the fact that the program includes a variety of food options caught my attention. With the full support of my husband, I placed my order.
And today it begins. I am hopeful, and I am refusing to listen to the voices in my head that tell me I will fail at this like I've failed at everything else.
God is my refuge and my strength, and I want to honor Him with the way I care for this temple He has given me."
Two years later, all I can say is "to God belongs all the praise and the glory!" He heard my desperate cry for help and He gave me the strength I needed, one day and one meal at a time. He is a faithful God and will answer that same prayer for you!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Happy Saturday!
Happy Saturday morning! I'm going to our local farmer's market with a friend this morning and then heading over to a new local restaurant for brunch. Since memories of last winter's brutal weather are still fresh in my mind, I am making a point of getting out there and enjoying as much of summer activities as I can, and almost nothing says "summer" more than strolling through a farmer's market!
Yesterday was a wonderful reminder to me of how different my life is now because of Take Shape for Life/Medifast. My husband and I spent the morning at a great indoor children's pool/mini-water park with our oldest daughter and our two-year old twin grandchildren. Yes, I was actually in public in a swimsuit, and I had a great time! What's even more amazing to me was that I was wearing a swimsuit in public and I was completely comfortable - not at all self-conscious. Not being self-conscious meant I could just focus on having fun with the twins.
Since it's been over a year since I reached my goal, I've pretty much stopped looking for NSV's, so yesterday's was an unexpected treat! It's fun to realize that I am still finding new reasons to celebrate and appreciate being at a healthy weight.
Last night my husband and I went out for dinner, and as is now our custom, we focused on the healthier options for our meal (he had a grilled shrimp and grilled veggies on skewers, plus a salad and I had grilled salmon and grilled veggie skewers). I saw one waitress carrying a huge platter of nachos to another table and had to admit that they looked pretty good :-). At this point in my life, I could order and eat that if I wanted to, but I'm really picky about what I'm willing to spend my calories, carbs and fat grams on. Remembering how great I felt wearing my swimsuit reinforced my decision to order a healthy (and delicious!) meal, because I never want to go back to where I was. When we got home from dinner, we put on our tennis shoes and went for a long walk. It was great to leave the restaurant feeling satisfied, not stuffed, with enough energy to hit the pavement when we got home- a great way to end a good day!
When I think back to my life two years ago, before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, it continues to amaze me to realize how much has changed - and the change is ALL for the better! There has not been a single negative repercussion to me losing weight - not one!
I write a morning commitment blog every day because I really, REALLY want each of you to reach your goal and enjoy all of the rich rewards that are waiting for you at the other side of goal. This morning's blog doesn't have anything particularly insightful, but I hope it encourages you to stay on plan and to keep moving towards your goal. It's not always easy, especially on weekends, but making the choice to do that today will make such a difference in your life a few months from now. Go for it!!
Yesterday was a wonderful reminder to me of how different my life is now because of Take Shape for Life/Medifast. My husband and I spent the morning at a great indoor children's pool/mini-water park with our oldest daughter and our two-year old twin grandchildren. Yes, I was actually in public in a swimsuit, and I had a great time! What's even more amazing to me was that I was wearing a swimsuit in public and I was completely comfortable - not at all self-conscious. Not being self-conscious meant I could just focus on having fun with the twins.
Since it's been over a year since I reached my goal, I've pretty much stopped looking for NSV's, so yesterday's was an unexpected treat! It's fun to realize that I am still finding new reasons to celebrate and appreciate being at a healthy weight.
Last night my husband and I went out for dinner, and as is now our custom, we focused on the healthier options for our meal (he had a grilled shrimp and grilled veggies on skewers, plus a salad and I had grilled salmon and grilled veggie skewers). I saw one waitress carrying a huge platter of nachos to another table and had to admit that they looked pretty good :-). At this point in my life, I could order and eat that if I wanted to, but I'm really picky about what I'm willing to spend my calories, carbs and fat grams on. Remembering how great I felt wearing my swimsuit reinforced my decision to order a healthy (and delicious!) meal, because I never want to go back to where I was. When we got home from dinner, we put on our tennis shoes and went for a long walk. It was great to leave the restaurant feeling satisfied, not stuffed, with enough energy to hit the pavement when we got home- a great way to end a good day!
When I think back to my life two years ago, before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, it continues to amaze me to realize how much has changed - and the change is ALL for the better! There has not been a single negative repercussion to me losing weight - not one!
I write a morning commitment blog every day because I really, REALLY want each of you to reach your goal and enjoy all of the rich rewards that are waiting for you at the other side of goal. This morning's blog doesn't have anything particularly insightful, but I hope it encourages you to stay on plan and to keep moving towards your goal. It's not always easy, especially on weekends, but making the choice to do that today will make such a difference in your life a few months from now. Go for it!!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Feeling a Bit Caged In?
Does the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program feel a bit restrictive to you? Do you sometimes feel like you've put yourself in a very small cage, with all of your favorite foods just outside your reach (even when you stretch and reach between the bars)? When we've been on other plans that had us counting calories or carbs or points, most of us had more food options than we have while we're on 5&1. I've encountered a couple of people who ended up leaving this plan and opting to go back to the "points" program because they wanted more options in their daily menu.
I read a story today that made me think about our self-imposed Take Shape for Life/Medifast "cage" and it gave me an entirely new perspective on this. The story told about an individual who rescues chimpanzees. These chimps were orphaned by those in the business of bush-meat trade and taken from the jungle; many of the chimps have lived their entire lives confined in a space smaller than a prison cell. When the man who rescues them arrives to take them to the game reserve he calls "Chimp Eden," he finds that many of the chimps are hostile and untrusting, not understanding that he is trying to help them. When he tried to put them into a smaller crate for the trip to their new home, the chimps put up quite a fight - they don't realize that the crate is temporary and that its purpose is to bring them to a much better place.
Hmmm . . . anybody see any application here? :-)
When we start on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, most of us are motivated because we've felt trapped in a body we don't want to be in. We don't feel well, we don't like what the scale says, we don't like the size label on our clothes. We're in a prison of obesity from which we're desperate to break free.
It's almost ironic, isn't it, that the vehicle that will eventually bring us to a freedom that we can't even imagine can, temporarily, feel like a yet another cage. Like the chimps that are being transported from their prison-like cell to "Chimp Eden", we may find ourselves fighting the very vehicle that is designed to bring us to a much better and happier place.
The Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 program is a tool - this is not the rest of your life! It is carefully designed to bring you from where you are to where you want to be, and to get you there as quickly and safely as possible. To do that, it takes all of the guesswork out and, to keep it as simple as possible, removes most of our food choices. The problem is that sometimes we stop viewing this as a vehicle that's taking us to our goal and we begin to resent the restrictions. If we don't take a deep breath and get back our perspective, our resentment and feelings of deprivation can ultimately be our undoing.
Today is Friday, which means the weekend looms, and with the weekend there are often unwelcome food temptations. If we're feeling frustrated and restricted by the limitations of 5&1, we may very well be vulnerable to those temptations. However, if we view 5&1 as a secure transport vehicle to get us to our goal, we will be in a much stronger position to stand firm and "just say no."
Have a great Friday! Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
I read a story today that made me think about our self-imposed Take Shape for Life/Medifast "cage" and it gave me an entirely new perspective on this. The story told about an individual who rescues chimpanzees. These chimps were orphaned by those in the business of bush-meat trade and taken from the jungle; many of the chimps have lived their entire lives confined in a space smaller than a prison cell. When the man who rescues them arrives to take them to the game reserve he calls "Chimp Eden," he finds that many of the chimps are hostile and untrusting, not understanding that he is trying to help them. When he tried to put them into a smaller crate for the trip to their new home, the chimps put up quite a fight - they don't realize that the crate is temporary and that its purpose is to bring them to a much better place.
Hmmm . . . anybody see any application here? :-)
When we start on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, most of us are motivated because we've felt trapped in a body we don't want to be in. We don't feel well, we don't like what the scale says, we don't like the size label on our clothes. We're in a prison of obesity from which we're desperate to break free.
It's almost ironic, isn't it, that the vehicle that will eventually bring us to a freedom that we can't even imagine can, temporarily, feel like a yet another cage. Like the chimps that are being transported from their prison-like cell to "Chimp Eden", we may find ourselves fighting the very vehicle that is designed to bring us to a much better and happier place.
The Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 program is a tool - this is not the rest of your life! It is carefully designed to bring you from where you are to where you want to be, and to get you there as quickly and safely as possible. To do that, it takes all of the guesswork out and, to keep it as simple as possible, removes most of our food choices. The problem is that sometimes we stop viewing this as a vehicle that's taking us to our goal and we begin to resent the restrictions. If we don't take a deep breath and get back our perspective, our resentment and feelings of deprivation can ultimately be our undoing.
Today is Friday, which means the weekend looms, and with the weekend there are often unwelcome food temptations. If we're feeling frustrated and restricted by the limitations of 5&1, we may very well be vulnerable to those temptations. However, if we view 5&1 as a secure transport vehicle to get us to our goal, we will be in a much stronger position to stand firm and "just say no."
Have a great Friday! Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Motivation - Part 2
Happy Thursday morning! Yesterday I started talking about motivation, and I'd like to share a bit more about motivation again today. Like yesterday, some of what I have to say has been said before, but I think it's worth repeating :-).
When it comes to losing weight or making other positive changes in our lives, we often allow ourselves to be dependent upon our level of motivation. If we wake up and the sun is shining and we feel motivated, wow, we do so well! We are focused and on plan and nothing can stop us! But if it's raining and the dog threw up and we don't feel particularly motivated, then all bets are off. Sound familiar? I just described my old pattern of behavior :-). I would literally tell myself some mornings that "this isn't going to be a good diet day today." Maybe I'd awakened with a headache (probably from the late-night snacking I did before going to bed), maybe the kids were running late, maybe I didn't have time to iron the blouse I planned to wear - it didn't take much for me to decide that it wasn't going to be a good diet day. The funny thing about this is that I actually thought it was OK to do that! I thought it was OK to give myself permission to not make healthy choices - what WAS I thinking? My commitment fluctuated from day to day, and sometimes from moment to moment, depending on whether or not I "felt" motivated.
We would never tolerate this kind of wishy-washy thinking in other areas of our lives, so why are we so willing to tolerate it in an area as important as our health? We obviously don't make a decision every morning about whether or not we're going to show up to work, depending on how motivated we feel! We get dressed and show up because it's what we have to do. We've made a commitment to our employer, so we pull ourselves together and just do it. We take care of our families whether we feel like it or not. You probably have your own list of things that you do on a regular basis because you have a responsibility, and your motivation level never really enters into the equation.
Today I'm encouraging you to make a commitment to your health and stay on plan, whether you feel like it or not. Even if you aren't feeling the least bit motivated to stay on plan today, do it anyway :-). There is something very powerful and very empowering about pushing through and doing the right thing when you don't feel like it. The really amazing thing is that when we push through and do it whether we feel like it or not, the motivation oftens shows up - it may be late, but it shows up and we feel a renewed desire to keep making the right choice.
So just do it! If you do, I can guarantee you that you'll be glad you did at the end of today.
When it comes to losing weight or making other positive changes in our lives, we often allow ourselves to be dependent upon our level of motivation. If we wake up and the sun is shining and we feel motivated, wow, we do so well! We are focused and on plan and nothing can stop us! But if it's raining and the dog threw up and we don't feel particularly motivated, then all bets are off. Sound familiar? I just described my old pattern of behavior :-). I would literally tell myself some mornings that "this isn't going to be a good diet day today." Maybe I'd awakened with a headache (probably from the late-night snacking I did before going to bed), maybe the kids were running late, maybe I didn't have time to iron the blouse I planned to wear - it didn't take much for me to decide that it wasn't going to be a good diet day. The funny thing about this is that I actually thought it was OK to do that! I thought it was OK to give myself permission to not make healthy choices - what WAS I thinking? My commitment fluctuated from day to day, and sometimes from moment to moment, depending on whether or not I "felt" motivated.
We would never tolerate this kind of wishy-washy thinking in other areas of our lives, so why are we so willing to tolerate it in an area as important as our health? We obviously don't make a decision every morning about whether or not we're going to show up to work, depending on how motivated we feel! We get dressed and show up because it's what we have to do. We've made a commitment to our employer, so we pull ourselves together and just do it. We take care of our families whether we feel like it or not. You probably have your own list of things that you do on a regular basis because you have a responsibility, and your motivation level never really enters into the equation.
Today I'm encouraging you to make a commitment to your health and stay on plan, whether you feel like it or not. Even if you aren't feeling the least bit motivated to stay on plan today, do it anyway :-). There is something very powerful and very empowering about pushing through and doing the right thing when you don't feel like it. The really amazing thing is that when we push through and do it whether we feel like it or not, the motivation oftens shows up - it may be late, but it shows up and we feel a renewed desire to keep making the right choice.
So just do it! If you do, I can guarantee you that you'll be glad you did at the end of today.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Motivation
Motivation, or the lack of motivation, seems to be a recurring theme lately. I hear the frustration and the regret, and all I want to do is help!
I've blogged about this before, but because this is such an on-going challenge for so many, I decided it was worth writing about again. Some of what I have to say may be repetitive for some of you who read my blogs on a daily basis, but I hope that something I say will be helpful to one or more of you out there :-)
Dr. Andersen, in his fabulous book Dr. A's Habits of Health, writes about motivation in Chapter 3. He says that most of us try to make changes because we're wanting to solve a problem or trying to get rid of an unwanted situation (being overweight, having health issues related to obesity, etc.). Dr. Andersen calls this "conflict-driven motivation" and states that is one of the major reasons people yo-yo.
The problem is that once we start to feel better, even if the situation hasn't changed much, we feel less pressured to change. Once the pressure lessens, the original behavior inevitable returns. For example, my all-time high weight was 268, and it was at this weight that I was diagnosed with diabetes. I suddenly had motivation to change, because I wanted to get rid of an unwanted situation - diabetes. I went on a weight loss plan (not Take Shape for Life/Medifast) and over the next several months I managed to lose 36 pounds. I was now 232 pounds - still morbidly obese for my 5'5" small frame, but I felt better and I had dropped a couple of sizes. Because I lost some weight, my blood sugar stayed within acceptable limits without the need for medication. Guess what happened next? I lost focus and gained all of the weight back!
Because my focus was on moving away from my top weight and getting rid of my diabetes, once I had done both, I felt less pressure and ultimately became vulnerable to all of the temptations that surrounded me. I started congratulating myself (WAY prematurely, by the way) on all of my success, then felt I "deserved" a treat here and there. Before long, the treats were more "here" than "there" and the pounds piled back on; my blood sugar also started rising again.
Dr. Andersen's suggestion is that we motivate ourselves by focusing on what we want, not on what we don't want. That may sound simple, and it is, but is fundamentally different than being motivated by what we don't want. Instead of thinking about wanting to fix our bad health (a problem orientation), he encourages us to focus on creating health (an outcome orientation).
Shortly after starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I began to focus on earnest on what I wanted - being thin and healthy - instead of what I was trying to move away from. I did not post before pictures of me on the refrigerator as a way to motivate me to stay on plan, because I wasn't focusing on where I'd been - only on where I was going. Since creating health is an on-going journey, reaching my goal was an important point on the journey, but not the end. That has helped me to stay in my goal range for the past year (even with a couple of infamous fluctuations!).
There's a lot more I could say about motivation, but I think this is enough to "chew on" for today :-). I'd really encourage each of you to think about what you want - think about and envision where you want to go. Get a mental picture of what you will look like and what your life will look like when you reach goal, then head in that direction! Don't spend a lot of time looking back, because it's counter-productive and won't take you in the direction you want to go. When you drive, you don't focus on the rearview mirror, so don't do that on this journey, either!
I've blogged about this before, but because this is such an on-going challenge for so many, I decided it was worth writing about again. Some of what I have to say may be repetitive for some of you who read my blogs on a daily basis, but I hope that something I say will be helpful to one or more of you out there :-)
Dr. Andersen, in his fabulous book Dr. A's Habits of Health, writes about motivation in Chapter 3. He says that most of us try to make changes because we're wanting to solve a problem or trying to get rid of an unwanted situation (being overweight, having health issues related to obesity, etc.). Dr. Andersen calls this "conflict-driven motivation" and states that is one of the major reasons people yo-yo.
The problem is that once we start to feel better, even if the situation hasn't changed much, we feel less pressured to change. Once the pressure lessens, the original behavior inevitable returns. For example, my all-time high weight was 268, and it was at this weight that I was diagnosed with diabetes. I suddenly had motivation to change, because I wanted to get rid of an unwanted situation - diabetes. I went on a weight loss plan (not Take Shape for Life/Medifast) and over the next several months I managed to lose 36 pounds. I was now 232 pounds - still morbidly obese for my 5'5" small frame, but I felt better and I had dropped a couple of sizes. Because I lost some weight, my blood sugar stayed within acceptable limits without the need for medication. Guess what happened next? I lost focus and gained all of the weight back!
Because my focus was on moving away from my top weight and getting rid of my diabetes, once I had done both, I felt less pressure and ultimately became vulnerable to all of the temptations that surrounded me. I started congratulating myself (WAY prematurely, by the way) on all of my success, then felt I "deserved" a treat here and there. Before long, the treats were more "here" than "there" and the pounds piled back on; my blood sugar also started rising again.
Dr. Andersen's suggestion is that we motivate ourselves by focusing on what we want, not on what we don't want. That may sound simple, and it is, but is fundamentally different than being motivated by what we don't want. Instead of thinking about wanting to fix our bad health (a problem orientation), he encourages us to focus on creating health (an outcome orientation).
Shortly after starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I began to focus on earnest on what I wanted - being thin and healthy - instead of what I was trying to move away from. I did not post before pictures of me on the refrigerator as a way to motivate me to stay on plan, because I wasn't focusing on where I'd been - only on where I was going. Since creating health is an on-going journey, reaching my goal was an important point on the journey, but not the end. That has helped me to stay in my goal range for the past year (even with a couple of infamous fluctuations!).
There's a lot more I could say about motivation, but I think this is enough to "chew on" for today :-). I'd really encourage each of you to think about what you want - think about and envision where you want to go. Get a mental picture of what you will look like and what your life will look like when you reach goal, then head in that direction! Don't spend a lot of time looking back, because it's counter-productive and won't take you in the direction you want to go. When you drive, you don't focus on the rearview mirror, so don't do that on this journey, either!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
It Adds Up!
Happy Tuesday morning, everyone!
Do you ever get tired of staying on plan? I know I did! Does it ever feel pointless to open up yet another 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.
I recently 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 and one day at a time.
Do you ever get tired of staying on plan? I know I did! Does it ever feel pointless to open up yet another 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.
I recently 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 and one day at a time.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Monday!
Happy Monday morning, everyone! I know Monday isn't the favorite day of the week for some of you, but this is the first Monday of the SUMMER, so I hope it will be a great one for you! Since I work at home now, summer means I can pull on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and call it good :-)
I had a great blog ready to post this morning, then my computer froze up and I lost the whole thing - ugh! I guess I wasn't supposed to post it today :-)
So, I'm going to make this short and to the point this morning and just encourage you to commit to an on-plan day. You're here because you want to reach your goal, so don't let anything get in the way. Your day may be stressful, it may be busy, you may not feel like staying on plan today, you may encounter unexpected circumstances - there are a hundred and one roadblocks, physical, mental or emotional, that may pop up and threaten to keep you from doing what you really want to do. My encouragement to you today is to commit to staying on plan, regardless of what comes your way. Food won't fix it, that much I know for sure, so don't allow yourself to fall into that miserable trap. Hang in there and just do it, one Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal at a time :-)
I had a great blog ready to post this morning, then my computer froze up and I lost the whole thing - ugh! I guess I wasn't supposed to post it today :-)
So, I'm going to make this short and to the point this morning and just encourage you to commit to an on-plan day. You're here because you want to reach your goal, so don't let anything get in the way. Your day may be stressful, it may be busy, you may not feel like staying on plan today, you may encounter unexpected circumstances - there are a hundred and one roadblocks, physical, mental or emotional, that may pop up and threaten to keep you from doing what you really want to do. My encouragement to you today is to commit to staying on plan, regardless of what comes your way. Food won't fix it, that much I know for sure, so don't allow yourself to fall into that miserable trap. Hang in there and just do it, one Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal at a time :-)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there - especially my dad and my husband! Both my dad and my husband are much healthier than they were just over a year ago thanks to Take Shape for Life/Medifast, and I'm SO thankful! They not only got healthy themselves, but they were (and continue to be) incredibly supportive of my mom and I as we were on our own weight loss journeys. I may be a bit prejudiced, and I'm sure that there are people out there who will disagree with me, but I think I have been blessed to have in my life two of the most wonderful men you'll find anywhere :-). It's such a joy for me to see both of them healthy, too!
This afternoon my husband and I are driving to Chicago (2-1/2 hr. trip) to pick up our daughter at the airport. She's flying back from Washington state today so she can start her new job as an neonatal nurse tomorrow morning. She passed her nursing boards last week and is now an RN (which she says stands for "Real Nurse" - lol). This is such an exciting time for her, and for us, too!
Whatever your plans are for today, I hope you're planning on and committed to an on-plan day :-).
This afternoon my husband and I are driving to Chicago (2-1/2 hr. trip) to pick up our daughter at the airport. She's flying back from Washington state today so she can start her new job as an neonatal nurse tomorrow morning. She passed her nursing boards last week and is now an RN (which she says stands for "Real Nurse" - lol). This is such an exciting time for her, and for us, too!
Whatever your plans are for today, I hope you're planning on and committed to an on-plan day :-).
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Yesterday our day with my Facebook friends ended on a very scary note, and I learned once again not to take anything for granted.
We went to a local restaurant on the lakefront for dinner and enjoyed both a great meal and great conversation. Since my friend is on plan and her husband is watching what he eats, no one had anything on their plate that tempted anybody else :-). While we were at the restaurant, it started to rain really hard, then the rain started coming down in a deluge, accompanied by a lot of lightning and very high winds (the wind was so fierce that it blew a tent on the restaurant's patio, set up for a wedding today, into the lake. We decided to order coffee and stay a bit longer at the restaurant in the hope that the rain would subside by the time we left for home. While enjoying our coffee, we heard a lightning strike hit very close by, then the lights in the restaurant went out. The emergency lights came on right away, but things were pretty dark and with no electricity to run the air conditioning, it didn't take long for things to start feeling warm and sticky inside. After a while, we decided to leave and head for home. That's where things got very scary.
We didn't find out until after we got home that in just a few short hours, over 7 inches of rain fell in our area. All we knew shortly after leaving the restaurant was that every street was flooded, and police cruisers had blocked off several streets due to the danger. There were a lot of tree limbs in the road and we saw several stalled cars. My husband kept driving and I kept praying, and we had to reroute ourselves several times to avoid the worst of the flooding. A drive that should have taken 10 minutes ended up being close to an hour, and it was a very white-knuckled hour. We were greatly relieved to safely drop off our friends at their bed & breakfast for the night, then began our own trek home, which took another 30 minutes or so. I can't tell you how relieved and thankful we were when we pulled into our garage last night!
So often we take it for granted that we're going to get home safely from wherever we've been, especially when it's something as simple as having dinner at a local restaurant, but I certainly didn't take it for granted last night! When we watched our local news at 11 PM, they said that several streets had washed out. They also said that tree limbs were floating on one road - the same road we took after we dropped off our friends at their bed & breakfast. Wow!
So what does this have to do with being committed to staying on plan, you may be asking :-). Simply this: when you commit to staying on plan each and every day, you learn to find other ways to deal with stress because staying on plan eliminates the ability to do emotional eating. When I was on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 and encountered a stressful situation, I couldn't reach for one of my old "comfort foods" because none of them were on plan. Since I had committed to staying on plan, I had to find other ways to deal with that stress. For me (and I've shared this in the past), I learned to go to the True Source of true comfort, my Heavenly Father. Instead of reaching for food, I turned to Him in prayer and asked for strength or whatever I needed to deal with the situation. Doing this time after time not only strengthened my relationship with my Savior, it changed how I deal with stress, and how I deal with food.
Last night was incredibly stressful for me and I prayed much of the way between the time we left the restaurant and the time we got home. Two years ago, prior to starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I certainly would have prayed on the way home, but I would have headed straight to the refrigerator when I got home to deal with much of the residual anxiety. That scenario didn't even enter my mind last night, because I no longer have the knee-jerk reaction to reach for food to deal with jumbled emotions.
So my point today is that as you are once again committing to an on-plan day, you are doing a lot more than just ensuring you reach your goal. You are also, whether you realize it or not, reprogramming your head and your heart - and this change is critical to not only help you reach your goal, but to stay there.
This morning the rain has stopped and the sun is shining - it's going to be a great, on-plan day for me! How about you?
We went to a local restaurant on the lakefront for dinner and enjoyed both a great meal and great conversation. Since my friend is on plan and her husband is watching what he eats, no one had anything on their plate that tempted anybody else :-). While we were at the restaurant, it started to rain really hard, then the rain started coming down in a deluge, accompanied by a lot of lightning and very high winds (the wind was so fierce that it blew a tent on the restaurant's patio, set up for a wedding today, into the lake. We decided to order coffee and stay a bit longer at the restaurant in the hope that the rain would subside by the time we left for home. While enjoying our coffee, we heard a lightning strike hit very close by, then the lights in the restaurant went out. The emergency lights came on right away, but things were pretty dark and with no electricity to run the air conditioning, it didn't take long for things to start feeling warm and sticky inside. After a while, we decided to leave and head for home. That's where things got very scary.
We didn't find out until after we got home that in just a few short hours, over 7 inches of rain fell in our area. All we knew shortly after leaving the restaurant was that every street was flooded, and police cruisers had blocked off several streets due to the danger. There were a lot of tree limbs in the road and we saw several stalled cars. My husband kept driving and I kept praying, and we had to reroute ourselves several times to avoid the worst of the flooding. A drive that should have taken 10 minutes ended up being close to an hour, and it was a very white-knuckled hour. We were greatly relieved to safely drop off our friends at their bed & breakfast for the night, then began our own trek home, which took another 30 minutes or so. I can't tell you how relieved and thankful we were when we pulled into our garage last night!
So often we take it for granted that we're going to get home safely from wherever we've been, especially when it's something as simple as having dinner at a local restaurant, but I certainly didn't take it for granted last night! When we watched our local news at 11 PM, they said that several streets had washed out. They also said that tree limbs were floating on one road - the same road we took after we dropped off our friends at their bed & breakfast. Wow!
So what does this have to do with being committed to staying on plan, you may be asking :-). Simply this: when you commit to staying on plan each and every day, you learn to find other ways to deal with stress because staying on plan eliminates the ability to do emotional eating. When I was on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 and encountered a stressful situation, I couldn't reach for one of my old "comfort foods" because none of them were on plan. Since I had committed to staying on plan, I had to find other ways to deal with that stress. For me (and I've shared this in the past), I learned to go to the True Source of true comfort, my Heavenly Father. Instead of reaching for food, I turned to Him in prayer and asked for strength or whatever I needed to deal with the situation. Doing this time after time not only strengthened my relationship with my Savior, it changed how I deal with stress, and how I deal with food.
Last night was incredibly stressful for me and I prayed much of the way between the time we left the restaurant and the time we got home. Two years ago, prior to starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I certainly would have prayed on the way home, but I would have headed straight to the refrigerator when I got home to deal with much of the residual anxiety. That scenario didn't even enter my mind last night, because I no longer have the knee-jerk reaction to reach for food to deal with jumbled emotions.
So my point today is that as you are once again committing to an on-plan day, you are doing a lot more than just ensuring you reach your goal. You are also, whether you realize it or not, reprogramming your head and your heart - and this change is critical to not only help you reach your goal, but to stay there.
This morning the rain has stopped and the sun is shining - it's going to be a great, on-plan day for me! How about you?
Friday, June 19, 2009
Shifting Focus
Today is going to be a fun day, because I'm going to meet one of my Facebook friends (and her husband) for the first time! She is also on Medifast, so we'll have lots to talk about and I'm sure we'll be comparing notes :-)
Today is Day 5 on 5&1 and I'm definitely back in the groove. Now that I'm back to having things under control, I must admit that I'm more than a bit frustrated at myself for letting things slide on vacation to the point that the scale went up and my jeans got snug. I certainly know better - but last week was a real study in how to NOT walk the talk - ugh!
Most of you have been there, and maybe you're there right now. I really want to encourage you to not dwell on the past - it is a waste of time and energy, and dwelling on past mistakes and failures doesn't do a thing except suck the joy out of today. This is really all about embracing the attitude that it doesn't matter how many times you fall down, it only matters how many times you get up.
In my past life (before Take Shape for Life/Medifast), seeing a weight gain and snug clothes would have set me into a tailspin, filled with negative self-talk and lots and LOTS of self-recrimination. That cycle would almost invariably lead to reaching for comfort food, which, of course, only made a bad situation worse!
What's different this time is that I am choosing to focus on what I want, which is a healthy body and comfortably-fitting size 6's. I refuse to waste time beating myself up and choose to focus my attention and my energy on doing what I need to do right now. It feels great to know that I stopped the slide almost right away, before I outgrew my clothes.
So if you're in a bit of a funk today about where you are in comparison to where you want to be, take heart! Shift your focus from the past to today, and then envision a healthy, thin future. And that future starts today, one on-plan meal at a time!
Today is Day 5 on 5&1 and I'm definitely back in the groove. Now that I'm back to having things under control, I must admit that I'm more than a bit frustrated at myself for letting things slide on vacation to the point that the scale went up and my jeans got snug. I certainly know better - but last week was a real study in how to NOT walk the talk - ugh!
Most of you have been there, and maybe you're there right now. I really want to encourage you to not dwell on the past - it is a waste of time and energy, and dwelling on past mistakes and failures doesn't do a thing except suck the joy out of today. This is really all about embracing the attitude that it doesn't matter how many times you fall down, it only matters how many times you get up.
In my past life (before Take Shape for Life/Medifast), seeing a weight gain and snug clothes would have set me into a tailspin, filled with negative self-talk and lots and LOTS of self-recrimination. That cycle would almost invariably lead to reaching for comfort food, which, of course, only made a bad situation worse!
What's different this time is that I am choosing to focus on what I want, which is a healthy body and comfortably-fitting size 6's. I refuse to waste time beating myself up and choose to focus my attention and my energy on doing what I need to do right now. It feels great to know that I stopped the slide almost right away, before I outgrew my clothes.
So if you're in a bit of a funk today about where you are in comparison to where you want to be, take heart! Shift your focus from the past to today, and then envision a healthy, thin future. And that future starts today, one on-plan meal at a time!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Small Sacrifices = Great Payoffs
My day started out busy, with an early morning Chamber of Commerce breakfast. After the breakfast meeting, my husband and I are spending the morning with our 2-1/2 year old twin grandchildren, which is always lots of fun!
Since I'm on 5&1 right now (Day 4 today!), I brought a crunch bar to the breakfast - it's really about networking more than the food, anyway :-). Lest you think it's easy for me to sit and munch on a crunch bar while watching other people eat traditional breakfast food (I'll spare all of us a description), please let me hasten to say that it's NOT easy. Like everyone else, I don't like missing out on the food that everyone else around me is eating. It's challenging to NOT eat the food that everyone else is eating when I'm smaller than most of the people sitting around the table - in fact, it feels almost odd. However, I cannot make decisions about my health based on the people around me, because a high percentage of the people around me are overweight.
So I have to take a deep breath and focus on what I REALLY want, and what I REALLY want is to remain at a healthy weight for the rest of my life. I also REALLY want my size 6's to continue to fit comfortably and not be snug. Because I did some less-than-mindful eating last week on vacation, this week is about reining in the eating and nipping the weight gain in the bud. It all comes back to my primary choice - staying at a healthy weight and in my size 6's - then making secondary choices that support that choice, secondary choices that include passing up the high-fat breakfast foods at this morning's breakfast.
For most of us, almost every day brings with it at least one situation when we have to make a choice between immediate gratification and staying on plan. It's not always easy making the choice to stay on plan, but staying on plan is the no-regrets choice. I knew that if I gave in and ate the breakfast this morning (the cost of which was included in my registration fee, by the way), I'd regret it later. In a few more days, I'll be back to where I want to be (the beauty of 5&1 is that it works and it works fast!). When I'm back to where I want to be, I'll look back on this morning's breakfast and be glad that I made the choice I did.
How about you today? Are you committed to making some hard choices today for a great payoff (healthy weight and a small size) a few months from now? Trust me when I tell you that it's worth the small sacrifice today - you'll never regret the choice to stay on plan today!
Since I'm on 5&1 right now (Day 4 today!), I brought a crunch bar to the breakfast - it's really about networking more than the food, anyway :-). Lest you think it's easy for me to sit and munch on a crunch bar while watching other people eat traditional breakfast food (I'll spare all of us a description), please let me hasten to say that it's NOT easy. Like everyone else, I don't like missing out on the food that everyone else around me is eating. It's challenging to NOT eat the food that everyone else is eating when I'm smaller than most of the people sitting around the table - in fact, it feels almost odd. However, I cannot make decisions about my health based on the people around me, because a high percentage of the people around me are overweight.
So I have to take a deep breath and focus on what I REALLY want, and what I REALLY want is to remain at a healthy weight for the rest of my life. I also REALLY want my size 6's to continue to fit comfortably and not be snug. Because I did some less-than-mindful eating last week on vacation, this week is about reining in the eating and nipping the weight gain in the bud. It all comes back to my primary choice - staying at a healthy weight and in my size 6's - then making secondary choices that support that choice, secondary choices that include passing up the high-fat breakfast foods at this morning's breakfast.
For most of us, almost every day brings with it at least one situation when we have to make a choice between immediate gratification and staying on plan. It's not always easy making the choice to stay on plan, but staying on plan is the no-regrets choice. I knew that if I gave in and ate the breakfast this morning (the cost of which was included in my registration fee, by the way), I'd regret it later. In a few more days, I'll be back to where I want to be (the beauty of 5&1 is that it works and it works fast!). When I'm back to where I want to be, I'll look back on this morning's breakfast and be glad that I made the choice I did.
How about you today? Are you committed to making some hard choices today for a great payoff (healthy weight and a small size) a few months from now? Trust me when I tell you that it's worth the small sacrifice today - you'll never regret the choice to stay on plan today!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
You Gotta Love It!
We're half-way through the work week - how did this happen so fast? (Of course, some of you are wondering how it took so long to get here!) In any event, it's Wednesday morning - Day 3 of Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 for me!
Yesterday was crazy from start to finish. Between meetings and phone calls and e-mails, I was literally going until almost 1 AM. Around 12:30 AM I realized that I still needed one more Medifast meal for the day, so I munched on a S'more Crunch bar while I finished the last of the work I needed to do before going to bed. I love several things about this story.
First of all, I wasn't hungry and was surprised to realize that I was short a meal. I LOVE not being hungry while on 5&1! It is the only weight loss plan I've ever gone on where I literally forget to eat because I'm not hungry - I love it!
Secondly, I love the fact that I can enjoy a meal just before going to bed and it's OK to eat! The rule about not eating before going to bed doesn't apply when we're on 5&1, and skipping a meal just isn't part of the program. If we need to eat our 5th Medifast meal just before brushing our teeth and heading for bed, we can do that!
I loved knowing that I could eat something as delicious as a S'more Crunch bar (my favorite) and not feel guilty about it, because it's actually GOOD for me :-).
I love the fact that when I'm eating right, I have enough energy to still be going strong at 1 AM (and I also love the fact that I am self-employed as a Take Shape for Life health coach and can sleep until 9 AM if I want!).
Lastly, what I love the most was the fact that my busy day of meetings, phone calls and e-mails all revolved around encouraging others who are on their own weight loss journey. This program has changed my life in every conceivable way and it's such a joy to see it transforming the lives of others, too. As much as we all want to see the transformation happen overnight, the reality is that it happens one on-plan day at a time.
Eating 5 Medifast meals, one lean & green, drinking lots of water - it's so simple, and it's so effective. You gotta love it!
Yesterday was crazy from start to finish. Between meetings and phone calls and e-mails, I was literally going until almost 1 AM. Around 12:30 AM I realized that I still needed one more Medifast meal for the day, so I munched on a S'more Crunch bar while I finished the last of the work I needed to do before going to bed. I love several things about this story.
First of all, I wasn't hungry and was surprised to realize that I was short a meal. I LOVE not being hungry while on 5&1! It is the only weight loss plan I've ever gone on where I literally forget to eat because I'm not hungry - I love it!
Secondly, I love the fact that I can enjoy a meal just before going to bed and it's OK to eat! The rule about not eating before going to bed doesn't apply when we're on 5&1, and skipping a meal just isn't part of the program. If we need to eat our 5th Medifast meal just before brushing our teeth and heading for bed, we can do that!
I loved knowing that I could eat something as delicious as a S'more Crunch bar (my favorite) and not feel guilty about it, because it's actually GOOD for me :-).
I love the fact that when I'm eating right, I have enough energy to still be going strong at 1 AM (and I also love the fact that I am self-employed as a Take Shape for Life health coach and can sleep until 9 AM if I want!).
Lastly, what I love the most was the fact that my busy day of meetings, phone calls and e-mails all revolved around encouraging others who are on their own weight loss journey. This program has changed my life in every conceivable way and it's such a joy to see it transforming the lives of others, too. As much as we all want to see the transformation happen overnight, the reality is that it happens one on-plan day at a time.
Eating 5 Medifast meals, one lean & green, drinking lots of water - it's so simple, and it's so effective. You gotta love it!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
It's Worth It!
Good morning, everyone! I hope your day is off to a great start! This is Day 2 of 5&1 for me and I saw a nice drop on the scale this morning - so long water weight! If my normal pattern holds true, tomorrow will probably find me with a headache for much of the day, my body's signal that I'm entering the fat-burning state - woo hoo!
Some of you may wonder if this journey is really worth it in the end, especially since parts of it can be really challenging. You don't know what goal will look like and it can be tempting to think that all of the sacrifice now won't really be worth it in the end.
I read a story recently about a family who was vacationing in the Canadian Rockies on a very blustery day in June. They went to a tourist site that was billed as a "must see", but the cold wind made them reluctant to go on until they saw a group of people returning from the scenic spot. The family asked the tourists if the view was worth it. The tourists' enthusiastic "definitely!" gave the family the incentive they needed to go on. When they finally reached the spot, they wrote that its beauty rendered them virtually speechless, and they agreed it was well worth the effort to get there.
I've reached my goal and I have one simple message for everyone who's wondering if it's really worth it: it's worth it!!
Because it's worth it, I'm back on 5&1 for a couple of weeks, knowing full well that I'll feel a bit hungry today and tomorrow, knowing that I'll most likely have a lousy headache all day tomorrow. Those are small sacrifices to pay to get back to where I want to be, and having been there (and I'm not that far away even now), it's absolutely, positively worth it!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Some of you may wonder if this journey is really worth it in the end, especially since parts of it can be really challenging. You don't know what goal will look like and it can be tempting to think that all of the sacrifice now won't really be worth it in the end.
I read a story recently about a family who was vacationing in the Canadian Rockies on a very blustery day in June. They went to a tourist site that was billed as a "must see", but the cold wind made them reluctant to go on until they saw a group of people returning from the scenic spot. The family asked the tourists if the view was worth it. The tourists' enthusiastic "definitely!" gave the family the incentive they needed to go on. When they finally reached the spot, they wrote that its beauty rendered them virtually speechless, and they agreed it was well worth the effort to get there.
I've reached my goal and I have one simple message for everyone who's wondering if it's really worth it: it's worth it!!
Because it's worth it, I'm back on 5&1 for a couple of weeks, knowing full well that I'll feel a bit hungry today and tomorrow, knowing that I'll most likely have a lousy headache all day tomorrow. Those are small sacrifices to pay to get back to where I want to be, and having been there (and I'm not that far away even now), it's absolutely, positively worth it!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Not Quite Dead
It's great to be home after a wonderful week in Washington State. We flew to Spokane last Monday afternoon, spent Tuesday touring the city and visiting my husband's childhood haunts, drove to Seattle early Wednesday morning and spent the rest of the day and Thursday morning there before heading over to Mt. Rainier. We got back to Spokane around 1:30 AM Friday morning, slept a while, then went to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for the afternoon. We flew back to Chicago Saturday afternoon and finally arrived back home around 2:30 AM on Sunday. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was wonderful visiting with family and friends and we saw a lot of beautiful things. Traveling with both of our daughters and different members of my husband's brother's family was a real treat.
I packed a lot of Medifast meals for my trip, but my plans to use them for most of my meals fell by the wayside. My experience reminded me of a story the late Paul Harvey once told about a fantastic encounter with a kangaroo.
"The Italian sailing team was in Australia for the America’s Cup and, finding themselves with some free time, decided to rent a Land Rover for a jaunt into the Australian outback. The team had been outfitted by the designer, Gucci, so they ventured into the bush clad in their Gucci jackets, wearing their Gucci watches, and carrying their Gucci bags.
As they were driving, a kangaroo bounded out in front of their Land Rover. Unable to stop in time, they hit the poor animal. Climbing out of the four-wheel drive, they figured they would at least capitalize on the sad event by getting some close-up pictures of the kangaroo. One of the team members had the brilliant idea of putting his jacket on the critter for a fun photo.
As they got the jacket on the animal, the kangaroo revived and bolted off into the bush—with the jacket, the car keys, and the team member’s wallet!
The moral of the story? Sometimes what you think is dead is not quite as dead as you thought!"
You may be wondering what on earth that story has to do with me, right?
Our trip showed me, once again, that although my old eating habits have been dealt a deep wound over the past two years, they aren't quite as dead as I'd like to think they are. Just when I think I've gotten this whole thing down pat, I'm reminded again that those old habits are just waiting for the right moment to roar back. Without going into a lot of details, I'll just say that I slipped into pretty mindless eating over the past week, and now that it's over (and it IS over), it wasn't worth it. I'm back from vacation feeling sluggish and my size 6's are definitely feeling more snug than they were a week ago. Ugh!
The good news is that last week's vacation wasn't the start down a slippery slope that would inevitably lead back to my starting weight. I've upped the number of Medifast meals I'll be eating for the next few days and am cutting out all the extras - time to keep it simple!
There seems to be an ebb and flow to maintenance for me and I'm still working to find a more steady rhythm for myself. I'm not sure if I have unrealistic expectations for myself or if my most recent experience just points to my need to stay a bit more vigilant. I know I feel better physically and mentally when I'm vigilant, so right now I'm more than a little frustrated with myself for being so mindless last week. I'm just thankful that I know what to do to bring things back under control. Before I went to bed last night, I made sure that I had a Medifast meal, so I ended my day on plan :-).
I'm committed to an on-plan day today - how about you?
I packed a lot of Medifast meals for my trip, but my plans to use them for most of my meals fell by the wayside. My experience reminded me of a story the late Paul Harvey once told about a fantastic encounter with a kangaroo.
"The Italian sailing team was in Australia for the America’s Cup and, finding themselves with some free time, decided to rent a Land Rover for a jaunt into the Australian outback. The team had been outfitted by the designer, Gucci, so they ventured into the bush clad in their Gucci jackets, wearing their Gucci watches, and carrying their Gucci bags.
As they were driving, a kangaroo bounded out in front of their Land Rover. Unable to stop in time, they hit the poor animal. Climbing out of the four-wheel drive, they figured they would at least capitalize on the sad event by getting some close-up pictures of the kangaroo. One of the team members had the brilliant idea of putting his jacket on the critter for a fun photo.
As they got the jacket on the animal, the kangaroo revived and bolted off into the bush—with the jacket, the car keys, and the team member’s wallet!
The moral of the story? Sometimes what you think is dead is not quite as dead as you thought!"
You may be wondering what on earth that story has to do with me, right?
Our trip showed me, once again, that although my old eating habits have been dealt a deep wound over the past two years, they aren't quite as dead as I'd like to think they are. Just when I think I've gotten this whole thing down pat, I'm reminded again that those old habits are just waiting for the right moment to roar back. Without going into a lot of details, I'll just say that I slipped into pretty mindless eating over the past week, and now that it's over (and it IS over), it wasn't worth it. I'm back from vacation feeling sluggish and my size 6's are definitely feeling more snug than they were a week ago. Ugh!
The good news is that last week's vacation wasn't the start down a slippery slope that would inevitably lead back to my starting weight. I've upped the number of Medifast meals I'll be eating for the next few days and am cutting out all the extras - time to keep it simple!
There seems to be an ebb and flow to maintenance for me and I'm still working to find a more steady rhythm for myself. I'm not sure if I have unrealistic expectations for myself or if my most recent experience just points to my need to stay a bit more vigilant. I know I feel better physically and mentally when I'm vigilant, so right now I'm more than a little frustrated with myself for being so mindless last week. I'm just thankful that I know what to do to bring things back under control. Before I went to bed last night, I made sure that I had a Medifast meal, so I ended my day on plan :-).
I'm committed to an on-plan day today - how about you?
Monday, June 8, 2009
On Vacation
Happy Monday morning, everyone! I am leaving this morning for Chicago and catching a flight to Washington state this afternoon, so I'm going to make this really quick!
We will be visiting family and friends in Spokane, making a quick trip to Seattle, and spending a day in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho before flying home next Saturday. We have our Medifast food packed and will use several meals each day to help us manage our weight and also help us save money. We'll be doing lots of walking and maybe even get some hiking in. When we went to Spokane and Seattle three years ago, I was 126 pounds heavier and my husband weighed 50 pounds more than he does now. I know we'll be a lot more active this time around, and I'm looking forward to taking some pictures of the two of us to replace photos in our Washington souvenir picture frames that were taken on our last trip :-)
Because of our busy schedule over the next few days, I'm not sure how often I'll have access to the internet, or if I'll have time to post a blog. So . . . I will post when I can, but it won't be every day. I'll start posting a daily blog again when I get home - I promise. In the meantime, please continue to make the daily choices you need to make to help you reach your goal.
Have a great, on-plan week!!
We will be visiting family and friends in Spokane, making a quick trip to Seattle, and spending a day in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho before flying home next Saturday. We have our Medifast food packed and will use several meals each day to help us manage our weight and also help us save money. We'll be doing lots of walking and maybe even get some hiking in. When we went to Spokane and Seattle three years ago, I was 126 pounds heavier and my husband weighed 50 pounds more than he does now. I know we'll be a lot more active this time around, and I'm looking forward to taking some pictures of the two of us to replace photos in our Washington souvenir picture frames that were taken on our last trip :-)
Because of our busy schedule over the next few days, I'm not sure how often I'll have access to the internet, or if I'll have time to post a blog. So . . . I will post when I can, but it won't be every day. I'll start posting a daily blog again when I get home - I promise. In the meantime, please continue to make the daily choices you need to make to help you reach your goal.
Have a great, on-plan week!!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Choosing Optimal Health
We're heading home this morning from our weekend of Take Shape for Life health coach training in St. Louis and will stop to visit New Salem, Illinois, a reconstruction of the village where Lincoln spent his early adulthood. I visited New Salem as part of my 8th grade school trip, so it's been *just* a few years since I've been there. I'm glad we'll have a chance for a side trip on our way home. We should get home sometime between 6 and 7 tonight, in time to finish packing for our trip to Washington state tomorrow! In preparation for these two back-to-back trips, we ordered lots of crunch bars and a case of ready-to-drink Dutch chocolate shakes, so we're ready to go! (Note: if you plan to fly, make sure your RTD shakes are in your checked luggage, not your carry on, as they won't allow them through security. Nothing is more sad than having your RTD shakes thrown in the trash!!)
One of the questions Dr. Andersen asked this weekend was, "if you could choose optimal health in your life, would you want it?" That seems like such an obvious question at first glance, doesn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want optimal health? Given the choice, who wouldn't want to be healthy - or even more than healthy, optimally healthy?
The reality is that we CAN choose optimal health, but some of us won't. It's not that we can't have it, but that we'll choose to not have it. We have all we need to create optimal health in our lives right now: we have the product (Medifast), which has a proven track record of almost 30 years, and we have the support we need to be successful. But some of us will choose to get in the way of our own success by allowing our past failures or our own concepts or fears to get in the way. The only thing standing between us and achieving optimal health is, well, us.
Some of us will choose the path of immediate gratification, sucumbing to numerous triggers along the way. We have good intentions, but vacations, celebrations, parties, stress, a busy schedule, etc. etc. get us off track and we make choices that won't keep us moving in the direction of optimal health.
One of the things I heard this weekend is that if we want something bad enough, we'll figure out what we need to do to get it. My question for you this morning is simple: What do you really want? Do you really want optimal health - living as long as you can as healthy as you can? If so, you have in your hands all of the tools that you need to get it. There really isn't anything to even figure out, because all of the figuring out has already been done! All we have to do is commit to eating every 3 hours and we will get to our goal, which is an important milestone on our optimal health journey. From there, we continue to add other healthy habits that keep us moving in the direction we want to go. It's pretty simple if we just take it one step at a time.
The good news this morning is that you don't have to commit to doing this for
a lifetime - you just have to commit to making healthy choices today. Can you do that? If so, maybe you can do that tomorrow, too, and then maybe even the day after that! But this morning, you don't have to worry about whether you can do this tomorrow or the day after that, you just have to commit to today.
Are you committed to pursuing optimal health in your life today? My hand is in the air - how about yours?
One of the questions Dr. Andersen asked this weekend was, "if you could choose optimal health in your life, would you want it?" That seems like such an obvious question at first glance, doesn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want optimal health? Given the choice, who wouldn't want to be healthy - or even more than healthy, optimally healthy?
The reality is that we CAN choose optimal health, but some of us won't. It's not that we can't have it, but that we'll choose to not have it. We have all we need to create optimal health in our lives right now: we have the product (Medifast), which has a proven track record of almost 30 years, and we have the support we need to be successful. But some of us will choose to get in the way of our own success by allowing our past failures or our own concepts or fears to get in the way. The only thing standing between us and achieving optimal health is, well, us.
Some of us will choose the path of immediate gratification, sucumbing to numerous triggers along the way. We have good intentions, but vacations, celebrations, parties, stress, a busy schedule, etc. etc. get us off track and we make choices that won't keep us moving in the direction of optimal health.
One of the things I heard this weekend is that if we want something bad enough, we'll figure out what we need to do to get it. My question for you this morning is simple: What do you really want? Do you really want optimal health - living as long as you can as healthy as you can? If so, you have in your hands all of the tools that you need to get it. There really isn't anything to even figure out, because all of the figuring out has already been done! All we have to do is commit to eating every 3 hours and we will get to our goal, which is an important milestone on our optimal health journey. From there, we continue to add other healthy habits that keep us moving in the direction we want to go. It's pretty simple if we just take it one step at a time.
The good news this morning is that you don't have to commit to doing this for
a lifetime - you just have to commit to making healthy choices today. Can you do that? If so, maybe you can do that tomorrow, too, and then maybe even the day after that! But this morning, you don't have to worry about whether you can do this tomorrow or the day after that, you just have to commit to today.
Are you committed to pursuing optimal health in your life today? My hand is in the air - how about yours?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Three Critical Components
I'm in St. Louis today, attending a day-long Take Shape for Life health coach training session. We drove almost 7 hours yesterday and got in in time to go see the Arch (but didn't have time to go to the top) before getting ready for the evening session.
Dr. Andersen (Medical Director for Take Shape for Life and Medifast and co-founder of Take Shape for Life) talked about the need for eating right, moving our bodies, and getting enough rest as being critical components to helping us live in optimal health. If any of these components are missing, or are out of balance, we are living in a state of something less than optimal health.
Right now, most of you are focused on the first component, eating right to lose weight, but we were reminded again tonight that reaching our goal is an important step in our journey towards optimal health - reaching goal is not the end of the road.
There's a lot more that I want to stay about all of this, but it will have to wait for another blog, so stay tuned :-).
In the meantime, who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Dr. Andersen (Medical Director for Take Shape for Life and Medifast and co-founder of Take Shape for Life) talked about the need for eating right, moving our bodies, and getting enough rest as being critical components to helping us live in optimal health. If any of these components are missing, or are out of balance, we are living in a state of something less than optimal health.
Right now, most of you are focused on the first component, eating right to lose weight, but we were reminded again tonight that reaching our goal is an important step in our journey towards optimal health - reaching goal is not the end of the road.
There's a lot more that I want to stay about all of this, but it will have to wait for another blog, so stay tuned :-).
In the meantime, who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Friday, June 5, 2009
On the Road Again
By the time this posts, my husband and I will hopefully be on our way to our Take Shape for Life health coach conference in St. Louis (about a 6-hr. drive from my home). We've packed lots of water and Medifast meals for the road, which will save us a lot of time and money - time because we won't have to take time to stop for meals on the road, and money because you can't find a better nutritional value for the price than Medifast meals! Part of our trip planning is always figuring out how many Medifast meals to bring (and we always bring extra "just in case"). Since we're not snacking on junk food all along the way, we arrive at our destination feeling great instead of sluggish And because of all the money we save by briinging our own food with us, we're also able to enjoy great meals once we arrive - we love it!
Planning remains a key component in maintaining our weight, just as it was critical for each day of our weight loss journey. Our motto is: Medifast, don't leave home without it! :-)
Planning remains a key component in maintaining our weight, just as it was critical for each day of our weight loss journey. Our motto is: Medifast, don't leave home without it! :-)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Full Speed Ahead!
Guess what I learned the other day? A rhinoceros can run 30 miles an hour! Given it's size, 30 mph is an amazing speed (a squirrel can run 27 mph). Do you know what's even more amazing than how fast a rhinoceros can run? Rhinos can only see 30 feet ahead. Think about it! The animal can only see 30 feet in front of him and he's running 30 mph.
I actually learned all of this in church last Sunday (and yes, my pastor did have a point!) :-). He made the statement that rhinos run full speed ahead, even though they can only see 30 feet in front of them, figuring that what ever is at 31 feet better be afraid of what's coming!
Now what does this have to do with losing weight and getting healthy?
So often we're afraid to move full-speed ahead with getting to our goal because we can't see what's ahead. We want to see the entire path laid out before us before we're ready to just go for it. We think we need to know exactly how transition will look and we especially want to be able to envision life in maintenance. When some of those things are a bit fuzzy, we can find ourselves putting on the brakes because venturing into the unknown can be scary.
This can be particularly true for those of you who have struggled with weight your entire life. If you've always been overweight, heading towards a healthy weight really CAN feel like you're the near-sighted rhino running full speed towards who-knows-what, because you're heading to a place you've never been before. You may not like what's in your near view, but it's familiar, and that can be enough to keep you in a cycle of self-sabotage.
If this sounds like you, here's my best suggestion: run as fast as you can towards your goal, even if you don't have a clue what it will look like when you get there! This requires a certain amount of courage, to be sure, and it requires some trust. However, with each step you take, you'll see one more step ahead, so don't worry about the steps you can't yet see - they will become clear when you get there.
And the destination - a healthy, thin body - is worth every step of the journey. And YOU'RE worth it!
I actually learned all of this in church last Sunday (and yes, my pastor did have a point!) :-). He made the statement that rhinos run full speed ahead, even though they can only see 30 feet in front of them, figuring that what ever is at 31 feet better be afraid of what's coming!
Now what does this have to do with losing weight and getting healthy?
So often we're afraid to move full-speed ahead with getting to our goal because we can't see what's ahead. We want to see the entire path laid out before us before we're ready to just go for it. We think we need to know exactly how transition will look and we especially want to be able to envision life in maintenance. When some of those things are a bit fuzzy, we can find ourselves putting on the brakes because venturing into the unknown can be scary.
This can be particularly true for those of you who have struggled with weight your entire life. If you've always been overweight, heading towards a healthy weight really CAN feel like you're the near-sighted rhino running full speed towards who-knows-what, because you're heading to a place you've never been before. You may not like what's in your near view, but it's familiar, and that can be enough to keep you in a cycle of self-sabotage.
If this sounds like you, here's my best suggestion: run as fast as you can towards your goal, even if you don't have a clue what it will look like when you get there! This requires a certain amount of courage, to be sure, and it requires some trust. However, with each step you take, you'll see one more step ahead, so don't worry about the steps you can't yet see - they will become clear when you get there.
And the destination - a healthy, thin body - is worth every step of the journey. And YOU'RE worth it!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Burning Ships and Bridges
Last week I read a blog someone wrote about the importance of
"burning the ships" as a way of forcing us to move forward towards our weight loss goal. The blog got me thinking, and I ended up doing an internet search to learn a little more about the whole concept of burning ships. Here's what I found:
“The ancient Greek warriors were both feared and respected by their enemies. In battle, the Greeks established a well-deserved reputation for their unsurpassed bravery and unshakable commitment to victory. The key to their overwhelming success on the battlefield had far more to do with how the Greek commanders motivated the warriors than it did with issues of tactics or training. The Greeks were master motivators who understood how to use a "dramatic demonstration" to infuse a spirit of commitment into the heart of every warrior. Once the warriors had been offloaded from their boats onto their enemy's shore, the Greek commanders would shout out their first order…"burn the boats!" The sight of burning boats removed any notion of retreat from their hearts and any thoughts of surrender from their heads. Imagine the tremendous psychological impact on the soldiers as they watched their boats being set to the torch. As the boats turned to ash and slipped quietly out of sight into the water, each man understood there was no turning back and the only way home was through victory.”
No retreat and no turning back – I like it! In all of my past attempts at losing weight, I never quite burned the ships. Whether it was keeping bigger sizes “just in case” or maintaining a mindset that gave me permission to return to my old way of eating, I kept glancing backward even as I tried to move ahead. I’d see the scale drop a few pounds, but never quite believed it would be permanent, even thought I hoped it would. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the very fact that I kept looking back factored in to the inevitable failure I experienced.
When I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I finally decided that this was “it” – my last diet forever. To that end, I got rid of my other diet books. I also got rid of my clothes as I shrank out of them – there was no saving of any bigger sizes “just in case.” I burned my bridges and I burned my ships, because neither the bridges or the ships would bring me to a place I wanted to be.
Because I kept burning the ships and the bridges as I continued on my journey, I had no choice but to keep moving forward – retreating was not an option. It was scary. Make that: it was very scary! I had never been successful in losing any significant amount of weight, and I certainly hadn’t been successful at keeping it off, so burning bridges and ships felt reckless. As it turned out, it was a real step of faith. However, taking a step of faith – one step at a time – makes all the difference! Once you know there is no turning back, it’s amazing what that does to your attitude and your motivation :-).
So who’s committed to an on-plan, ship-burning day today?
"burning the ships" as a way of forcing us to move forward towards our weight loss goal. The blog got me thinking, and I ended up doing an internet search to learn a little more about the whole concept of burning ships. Here's what I found:
“The ancient Greek warriors were both feared and respected by their enemies. In battle, the Greeks established a well-deserved reputation for their unsurpassed bravery and unshakable commitment to victory. The key to their overwhelming success on the battlefield had far more to do with how the Greek commanders motivated the warriors than it did with issues of tactics or training. The Greeks were master motivators who understood how to use a "dramatic demonstration" to infuse a spirit of commitment into the heart of every warrior. Once the warriors had been offloaded from their boats onto their enemy's shore, the Greek commanders would shout out their first order…"burn the boats!" The sight of burning boats removed any notion of retreat from their hearts and any thoughts of surrender from their heads. Imagine the tremendous psychological impact on the soldiers as they watched their boats being set to the torch. As the boats turned to ash and slipped quietly out of sight into the water, each man understood there was no turning back and the only way home was through victory.”
No retreat and no turning back – I like it! In all of my past attempts at losing weight, I never quite burned the ships. Whether it was keeping bigger sizes “just in case” or maintaining a mindset that gave me permission to return to my old way of eating, I kept glancing backward even as I tried to move ahead. I’d see the scale drop a few pounds, but never quite believed it would be permanent, even thought I hoped it would. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the very fact that I kept looking back factored in to the inevitable failure I experienced.
When I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I finally decided that this was “it” – my last diet forever. To that end, I got rid of my other diet books. I also got rid of my clothes as I shrank out of them – there was no saving of any bigger sizes “just in case.” I burned my bridges and I burned my ships, because neither the bridges or the ships would bring me to a place I wanted to be.
Because I kept burning the ships and the bridges as I continued on my journey, I had no choice but to keep moving forward – retreating was not an option. It was scary. Make that: it was very scary! I had never been successful in losing any significant amount of weight, and I certainly hadn’t been successful at keeping it off, so burning bridges and ships felt reckless. As it turned out, it was a real step of faith. However, taking a step of faith – one step at a time – makes all the difference! Once you know there is no turning back, it’s amazing what that does to your attitude and your motivation :-).
So who’s committed to an on-plan, ship-burning day today?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Happy Anniversary!
Today is my 36th wedding anniversary, so I want to wish a Happy Anniversary to my dear husband, John. This is a man who has literally loved me through thick and thin (during the many years of "thick," he never, ever once made a negative comment to me about my weight) and who has supported me every day and in every way - I am SO blessed!
Two years ago, when I found information on about Take Shape for Life/Medifast and told him I was thinking about placing a 4-week order, he had every right to roll his eyes and say "not another diet. " He had watched as I went on diet after diet, subjecting myself and him (and, when they were younger, our children) to the crankiness that accompanied every diet (mostly due to the fact that I was always hungry and felt deprived). I have no idea how much money I spent on failed diet attempts over the years, but I had a library of diet books, diet cookbooks, audiotapes, videotapes, and even one infamous exercise DVD entitled "Big Butts on the Beach" which featured plus-sized women working out on the beach. I never stopped trying, but nothing ever worked, yet he encouraged me to place an order.
When my order arrived, I explained to him how the program worked and told him about my daily lean & green. He immediately said that he would eat whatever I ate, which made it SO much easier to stay on plan! Lest you think he is a total saint, I will mention that when we'd go out for dinner, he'd eat rolls, potatoes and even onion rings - right in front of me! But since he was so good at home, I had no choice but to forgive him :-). When we weighed out my lean every night, he always made sure that I had the amount I needed, even if it left him short on protein. That was really hard for me and flew in the face of everything I was taught about being a "good wife," but he made sure I had what I needed and if he didn't have enough meat, he'd make himself a peanut butter sandwich.
As I lost weight, he was supportive and encouraging, and I started to see how proud he was of me, especially when other people started noticing.
My big surprise came in January of 2008, seven months after I went on the program, when he told me he was ready to start on his own journey. He lost 50 pounds in 3-1/2 months, reaching his goal about a month before I reached my own. We celebrated our anniversary last year at our goal weights, and a year later, we're STILL at our goal weights!
Thirty-six years into this adventure, we're still having fun together, and now we're working together to help others get healthy, too - something that we couldn't have done two years ago. We are so thankful for all that God has done, and continues to do, in our lives!
My hope for each of you is that you have someone in your life, whether it's a spouse or a good friend, who is supporting you on your own weight loss journey. You deserve it!
Two years ago, when I found information on about Take Shape for Life/Medifast and told him I was thinking about placing a 4-week order, he had every right to roll his eyes and say "not another diet. " He had watched as I went on diet after diet, subjecting myself and him (and, when they were younger, our children) to the crankiness that accompanied every diet (mostly due to the fact that I was always hungry and felt deprived). I have no idea how much money I spent on failed diet attempts over the years, but I had a library of diet books, diet cookbooks, audiotapes, videotapes, and even one infamous exercise DVD entitled "Big Butts on the Beach" which featured plus-sized women working out on the beach. I never stopped trying, but nothing ever worked, yet he encouraged me to place an order.
When my order arrived, I explained to him how the program worked and told him about my daily lean & green. He immediately said that he would eat whatever I ate, which made it SO much easier to stay on plan! Lest you think he is a total saint, I will mention that when we'd go out for dinner, he'd eat rolls, potatoes and even onion rings - right in front of me! But since he was so good at home, I had no choice but to forgive him :-). When we weighed out my lean every night, he always made sure that I had the amount I needed, even if it left him short on protein. That was really hard for me and flew in the face of everything I was taught about being a "good wife," but he made sure I had what I needed and if he didn't have enough meat, he'd make himself a peanut butter sandwich.
As I lost weight, he was supportive and encouraging, and I started to see how proud he was of me, especially when other people started noticing.
My big surprise came in January of 2008, seven months after I went on the program, when he told me he was ready to start on his own journey. He lost 50 pounds in 3-1/2 months, reaching his goal about a month before I reached my own. We celebrated our anniversary last year at our goal weights, and a year later, we're STILL at our goal weights!
Thirty-six years into this adventure, we're still having fun together, and now we're working together to help others get healthy, too - something that we couldn't have done two years ago. We are so thankful for all that God has done, and continues to do, in our lives!
My hope for each of you is that you have someone in your life, whether it's a spouse or a good friend, who is supporting you on your own weight loss journey. You deserve it!
Monday, June 1, 2009
How Are You Feeling This Morning?
I think I'm in disbelief this morning as I flipped my calendar over to June - we're into the sixth month of the year already!!
Some of you started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast right after the holidays in anticipation of being ready for summer and wearing your goal size (or at least several sizes smaller) shorts and swimsuits. How are you doing? Hopefully you've seen great progress and are continuing to move towards your goal! Others started on the program fairly recently and won't see their goal until fall or winter, or perhaps not until next spring, while others have been on the plan a long time and have seen their hoped-for at-goal dates come and go, sometimes more than once.
Regardless of where you are on your journey, the fact that you're here is a good sign - really it is! Are you feeling strong and ready to take on the world of food challenges today, or are you feeling weak and unsure of yourself?
If you're feeling weak, I want to suggest something that may sound surprising to you: feeling weak is a good thing! In fact, feeling weak and vulnerable may actually better work to your advantage than feeling strong and able to take on the food world.
Before you think I've lost my mind and gotten it totally wrong, here's my thinking on this. When we are feeling weak and vulnerable, two important things can happen. First of all, we're on guard. We know we're weak, so we're more likely to put on some armor. We'll avoid the things that tempt us; perhaps we'll take a different route on our way to work so we don't pass by our former favorite food stop; we clean out our cupboards and get rid of the things that aren't on plan. If we're wise, we'll also seek out the support of trusted family members and friends (including our health coach). When we're feeling weak, we tend to take things a day at a time and we're thankful when we get to the end of the day on plan - we don't take it for granted because we know how easy it would have been to mess up.
Strength isn't a bad thing, of course, and if you're feeling strong today, good for you! I just want to gently caution you to not let your guard down. Slips can come when we least expect them, and they can be especially upsetting to us when we think they can't happen and then they do. Sometimes when we're feeling strong, we're more likely to allow ourselves to get into situations where we'll be tempted because we're confident we can handle it, and we're less likely to reach out to others for support because we think we can do this on our own.
For all of my prior [failed] dieting efforts, I pretty much did them on my own. I didn't think I needed any support, and I wasn't about to allow myself to become vulnerable in this very difficult and embarrassing area of my life. Did I mention this was true of all of my previous FAILED attempts at losing weight? :-)
One of the things that changed for me when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast was finally admitting that I couldn't do this on my own. Twenty years of failed dieting attempts had proved that to me beyond any shadow of a doubt. I started this program feeling about as weak as a person could feel, and I decided to reach out to the Take Shape for Life/Medifast on-line community for support. Doing that was a huge step for me, because being vulnerable doesn't come easily. As I shared my struggles and reached out for help, I received an unbelievable level of support. I was weak, but many came alongside me and walked the journey with me, and I drew strength from them. Because I felt weak in my own ability, I also set up guards and made the decision to not put myself in places where I might be tempted. I cleaned out my cabinets and got rid of anything that might tempt me. I recognized my own weakness and took action accordingly.
As you know because I've blogged about this often, I also realized that the strength I needed for the journey had to come from the Lord, and I went to Him daily asking for the strength I needed. I really hadn't done that faithfully on my other diets; I'd start out asking for His help, but would usually reach a point where I felt (or at least acted) like I could do it on my own - kind of a "thanks, God, but I think I can handle it going forward." This time I kept my hand tightly in His and never let go - and neither did He!
So if you're feeling weak this morning, if you're not sure you have in you what you need to do this plan, take heart! That may be exactly where you need to be in order to reach your goal!
Some of you started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast right after the holidays in anticipation of being ready for summer and wearing your goal size (or at least several sizes smaller) shorts and swimsuits. How are you doing? Hopefully you've seen great progress and are continuing to move towards your goal! Others started on the program fairly recently and won't see their goal until fall or winter, or perhaps not until next spring, while others have been on the plan a long time and have seen their hoped-for at-goal dates come and go, sometimes more than once.
Regardless of where you are on your journey, the fact that you're here is a good sign - really it is! Are you feeling strong and ready to take on the world of food challenges today, or are you feeling weak and unsure of yourself?
If you're feeling weak, I want to suggest something that may sound surprising to you: feeling weak is a good thing! In fact, feeling weak and vulnerable may actually better work to your advantage than feeling strong and able to take on the food world.
Before you think I've lost my mind and gotten it totally wrong, here's my thinking on this. When we are feeling weak and vulnerable, two important things can happen. First of all, we're on guard. We know we're weak, so we're more likely to put on some armor. We'll avoid the things that tempt us; perhaps we'll take a different route on our way to work so we don't pass by our former favorite food stop; we clean out our cupboards and get rid of the things that aren't on plan. If we're wise, we'll also seek out the support of trusted family members and friends (including our health coach). When we're feeling weak, we tend to take things a day at a time and we're thankful when we get to the end of the day on plan - we don't take it for granted because we know how easy it would have been to mess up.
Strength isn't a bad thing, of course, and if you're feeling strong today, good for you! I just want to gently caution you to not let your guard down. Slips can come when we least expect them, and they can be especially upsetting to us when we think they can't happen and then they do. Sometimes when we're feeling strong, we're more likely to allow ourselves to get into situations where we'll be tempted because we're confident we can handle it, and we're less likely to reach out to others for support because we think we can do this on our own.
For all of my prior [failed] dieting efforts, I pretty much did them on my own. I didn't think I needed any support, and I wasn't about to allow myself to become vulnerable in this very difficult and embarrassing area of my life. Did I mention this was true of all of my previous FAILED attempts at losing weight? :-)
One of the things that changed for me when I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast was finally admitting that I couldn't do this on my own. Twenty years of failed dieting attempts had proved that to me beyond any shadow of a doubt. I started this program feeling about as weak as a person could feel, and I decided to reach out to the Take Shape for Life/Medifast on-line community for support. Doing that was a huge step for me, because being vulnerable doesn't come easily. As I shared my struggles and reached out for help, I received an unbelievable level of support. I was weak, but many came alongside me and walked the journey with me, and I drew strength from them. Because I felt weak in my own ability, I also set up guards and made the decision to not put myself in places where I might be tempted. I cleaned out my cabinets and got rid of anything that might tempt me. I recognized my own weakness and took action accordingly.
As you know because I've blogged about this often, I also realized that the strength I needed for the journey had to come from the Lord, and I went to Him daily asking for the strength I needed. I really hadn't done that faithfully on my other diets; I'd start out asking for His help, but would usually reach a point where I felt (or at least acted) like I could do it on my own - kind of a "thanks, God, but I think I can handle it going forward." This time I kept my hand tightly in His and never let go - and neither did He!
So if you're feeling weak this morning, if you're not sure you have in you what you need to do this plan, take heart! That may be exactly where you need to be in order to reach your goal!
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