I am busy packing, as we're leaving early tomorrow morning for a week's vacation at a little lake cottage that we rent about two hours north of our home. We've rented a cottage on this lake every summer since 1989, so our kids did a lot of their growing up here - lots of wonderful memories! Our daughters and their families will be with us all day on Sunday, along with my parents (our son has to work and won't be able to come), so the memories continue to grow.
When we'd go to the cottage years ago, our packing would include lots of snack foods, because vacation was pretty much of a food free-for-all. We tried to pack mostly healthy snacks, so it wasn't so much the quality of what we ate as it was the quantity. Vacation at the cottage meant eating, and from shortly after lunch until bedtime, I was usually munching on something. Needless to say, it wasn't because I was hungry - it was totally mindless eating.
So much has changed! We're bringing healthy food, including a lot of Medifast meals (the new puffs and pretzels are definitely coming with us!). We've learned how to be mindful of true hunger signals, and we've learned to listen to our bodies and know how to stop when we're satisfied. We'll take long walks and, weather permitting, enjoy swimming in the lake. Vacation will be about lots of things, but it is no longer a week-long gorge-fest :-).
The cottage we rent is not close to a cell phone tower and there's no phone there (and no internet), so it's really a week to get away from it all. This is my last commitment blog until we get home in a week. I've been writing a commitment blog almost daily since January, and I'm willing to continue when we get home next week, if people are still finding it helpful in keeping them on track.
Until then, have a great day and a great, on-plan week!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Healthy Lifestyle, Not a Diet
Happy Thursday! I hope you're having a good week and are gearing up for a great, on-plan weekend :-).
One of the things that has become crystal clear to me over the past two years is that this is NOT a diet. I started Take Shape for Life/Medifast thinking that it was another diet, and hoped that somehow it would be different from the myriad of diets I'd tried over my 20+ years of obesity. Many, if not most, of us are veteran dieters with a long list of tried - and failed - diets. Some of my past diet attempts were semi-nutritionally focused, and others were, well, not. One of the things that initially attracted me to Medifast was knowing that it was nutritionally sound. I had reached the point in my life where I knew I was done with fad diets - I wanted something that would not only help me lose weight, but I didn't want to make myself sick in the process. I started this plan viewing it as a healthy diet, but very much had "diet" stuck in my head.
I realize now that this is a plan to get people healthy, to put them on a journey towards optimal health that will last them the rest of their lives. Getting to a healthy weight is an important first step on that journey, but arriving at goal is not the end of the journey. If we view reaching our goal (as important as that is!) as the end of the journey, we're in a diet mindset and in danger of gaining all of our weight back, and more.
This is about learning how to nourish our bodies, and about how to redefine how we think about food.
I often hear (and read) about individuals who bemoan the fact that they are missing "real" food. I used to feel the same way. Then I began to ask myself "what is REAL food?" Food is fuel for our body - food is the nourishment we need to function and be healthy. Right now, while on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, there are some real foods that aren't included (fruit, dairy, whole grains), but these are reintroduced as part of our healthy diet when we begin transition. The intent is not to exclude these foods permanently - quite the contrary! There are other foods, however, that we think of as REAL food that contain very little nutrition, especially when we look at the calories, fat and carbs these foods contain. I won't list them, but we all know what they are. Sometimes when I was missing my "real" food, what I was missing were the high calorie, high fat and high carb foods that got me into trouble to begin with.
I now know that the Medifast products ARE real food, in the truest sense of the word. Yes, they are pre-packaged, but they are nutritionally dense and provide what we need to properly fuel our bodies, in the proper portions. That's what food is primarily intended to do!
Because this is real food, doing for my body what real food is intended to do, I continue to use 2-3 Medifast meals a day even in maintenance. They provide the nutrition I need and help me manage my calories, fat and carbs that, in turn, help me maintain my 126 pound weight loss. Sure, I could replace these meals with other things, but I would probably spend more money and it would take more time and planning. I call Medifast my cheap fast food - I don't have to think about it!
When I talk to people about Take Shape for Life, one question I'm often asked is, "Do I have to eat this forever?" People want to be reassured that these products won't be a part of their lives forever, because they want to return to "real" food. I let them know that no, they don't have to continue using the products after they reach their goal if they choose not to, and I share with them how I've incorporated 2-3 of the meals into my daily 5-6 meals. The bottom line for me is that I will NEVER regain my weight, and I don't care what I have to do to keep it off. If eating 2-3 Medifast meals a day not only helps to provide the nutrition I need but also helps me maintain my weight loss, then for me it's a win-win situation.
Food is fuel, food is nutrition, and Medifast IS real food for me. This isn't a diet, it's a way of life for me, and a way of life that will keep me healthy for, Lord willing, a long time to come. And, like you, I'm doing it one day at a time.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
One of the things that has become crystal clear to me over the past two years is that this is NOT a diet. I started Take Shape for Life/Medifast thinking that it was another diet, and hoped that somehow it would be different from the myriad of diets I'd tried over my 20+ years of obesity. Many, if not most, of us are veteran dieters with a long list of tried - and failed - diets. Some of my past diet attempts were semi-nutritionally focused, and others were, well, not. One of the things that initially attracted me to Medifast was knowing that it was nutritionally sound. I had reached the point in my life where I knew I was done with fad diets - I wanted something that would not only help me lose weight, but I didn't want to make myself sick in the process. I started this plan viewing it as a healthy diet, but very much had "diet" stuck in my head.
I realize now that this is a plan to get people healthy, to put them on a journey towards optimal health that will last them the rest of their lives. Getting to a healthy weight is an important first step on that journey, but arriving at goal is not the end of the journey. If we view reaching our goal (as important as that is!) as the end of the journey, we're in a diet mindset and in danger of gaining all of our weight back, and more.
This is about learning how to nourish our bodies, and about how to redefine how we think about food.
I often hear (and read) about individuals who bemoan the fact that they are missing "real" food. I used to feel the same way. Then I began to ask myself "what is REAL food?" Food is fuel for our body - food is the nourishment we need to function and be healthy. Right now, while on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1, there are some real foods that aren't included (fruit, dairy, whole grains), but these are reintroduced as part of our healthy diet when we begin transition. The intent is not to exclude these foods permanently - quite the contrary! There are other foods, however, that we think of as REAL food that contain very little nutrition, especially when we look at the calories, fat and carbs these foods contain. I won't list them, but we all know what they are. Sometimes when I was missing my "real" food, what I was missing were the high calorie, high fat and high carb foods that got me into trouble to begin with.
I now know that the Medifast products ARE real food, in the truest sense of the word. Yes, they are pre-packaged, but they are nutritionally dense and provide what we need to properly fuel our bodies, in the proper portions. That's what food is primarily intended to do!
Because this is real food, doing for my body what real food is intended to do, I continue to use 2-3 Medifast meals a day even in maintenance. They provide the nutrition I need and help me manage my calories, fat and carbs that, in turn, help me maintain my 126 pound weight loss. Sure, I could replace these meals with other things, but I would probably spend more money and it would take more time and planning. I call Medifast my cheap fast food - I don't have to think about it!
When I talk to people about Take Shape for Life, one question I'm often asked is, "Do I have to eat this forever?" People want to be reassured that these products won't be a part of their lives forever, because they want to return to "real" food. I let them know that no, they don't have to continue using the products after they reach their goal if they choose not to, and I share with them how I've incorporated 2-3 of the meals into my daily 5-6 meals. The bottom line for me is that I will NEVER regain my weight, and I don't care what I have to do to keep it off. If eating 2-3 Medifast meals a day not only helps to provide the nutrition I need but also helps me maintain my weight loss, then for me it's a win-win situation.
Food is fuel, food is nutrition, and Medifast IS real food for me. This isn't a diet, it's a way of life for me, and a way of life that will keep me healthy for, Lord willing, a long time to come. And, like you, I'm doing it one day at a time.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Letting Go Of Your Rock
Yesterday I wrote about rocking your boat. Today I want to talk about a different kind of rock - the one some of you are holding in your hand. It may be a small rock that is easily held in one hand, or it may be a boulder that requires both hands and all the strength you have.
At the Take Shape for Life Convention we attended earlier this month, the speaker (Dr. Andersen) showed a slide of a man treading water with his nose barely above the surface of a lake and holding a large, heavy rock in his hands. On the shoreline was a trail that led up a mountain. At the top of the mountain were the words, “everything you’ve ever wanted”. On the rock were the words “what’s holding me back”.
We are all carrying around these big rocks in life which represent our concepts. For example: “I can’t attain my ideal goal weight because ________”. What you fill in the blank is your rock. You are just barely treading water and could have whatever you want if you’d just let go of your rock. What is your rock?
It can be scary to let go of our rock, especially if we've held on to it for a long time. Some of us have held on to our rocks so long that we can hardly remember life without it; we're no longer aware of its weight because it's become part of us. But what would happen if you just . . . let . . . go?
Sometimes it's just a matter of making the decision and releasing our grip. Other times letting go of our rock may require the assistance of a professional counselor - it all depends on the size of our rock and how long we've clung to it. My own weight loss journey was a time of letting go of my own rock, which I did with God's help. Releasing that boulder resulted in wonderful freedom for me, which is why Nichole Nordeman's song, "Finally Free" is my theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf9WTToa-Us). I still tear up when I listen to that song because it has such deep meaning for me.
Letting go isn't easy, but it's worth the effort, so go for it!
At the Take Shape for Life Convention we attended earlier this month, the speaker (Dr. Andersen) showed a slide of a man treading water with his nose barely above the surface of a lake and holding a large, heavy rock in his hands. On the shoreline was a trail that led up a mountain. At the top of the mountain were the words, “everything you’ve ever wanted”. On the rock were the words “what’s holding me back”.
We are all carrying around these big rocks in life which represent our concepts. For example: “I can’t attain my ideal goal weight because ________”. What you fill in the blank is your rock. You are just barely treading water and could have whatever you want if you’d just let go of your rock. What is your rock?
It can be scary to let go of our rock, especially if we've held on to it for a long time. Some of us have held on to our rocks so long that we can hardly remember life without it; we're no longer aware of its weight because it's become part of us. But what would happen if you just . . . let . . . go?
Sometimes it's just a matter of making the decision and releasing our grip. Other times letting go of our rock may require the assistance of a professional counselor - it all depends on the size of our rock and how long we've clung to it. My own weight loss journey was a time of letting go of my own rock, which I did with God's help. Releasing that boulder resulted in wonderful freedom for me, which is why Nichole Nordeman's song, "Finally Free" is my theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf9WTToa-Us). I still tear up when I listen to that song because it has such deep meaning for me.
Letting go isn't easy, but it's worth the effort, so go for it!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Rocking Boats
How do you feel about rocking the boat? Does the very thought of it leave you running for seasick medication?
I'm asking because I read a column in my local newspaper about that very thing, and the author contends that to get the most out of our lives, sometimes we have to take the difficult path. She talked about how we "compile a body of evidence and experiences that make up our story line", then we reinforce our story line by repeating it until we convince ourselves that the ending we've focused on is the only possible ending to our story. The author wrote about people who talk about health issues that they don't have the time to take care of, and marveled that we can convince ourselves that not feeling well is preferable to making the effort to change.
Change is difficult - no doubt about it! Sometimes we prefer to stay where we are, even when we don't like it, because it's familiar - even comfortable, in an uncomfortable sort of way. On one level, it really doesn't make sense, but on an emotional level, that's exactly what we often choose to do over and over again. Self-sabotage often plays a role here, as we may subconsciously work to maintain the more familiar status quo, rather than risk dealing with the changes that new behaviors will invariably bring.
Part of maintaining the comfortable status quo is writing a story that goes something like, "I have a slow metabolism and can't lose weight" or "Being overweight is genetic - all of my family is overweight so I can't help but be overweight, too." More stories may read "I have big bones and need more weight on my body" "My spouse prefers me to be soft and cuddly" or "I couldn't possibly cook healthy because my family won't eat it." When we write a story that sounds something like this, and when we repeat it often enough, it becomes our reality - whether it's actually true or not. We repeat it and we believe it, and every time we fail on another weight loss plan, it only reinforces our belief in our story.
What's exciting, however, is when someone has the courage to rewrite their story, to realize that it CAN be different and that the ending can be changed. Making the changes required to lose weight and keep it off will definitely rock our boats, and often the boats of others in our lives. Sometimes the boat rocking will leave us scrambling to maintain (or even regain) our equilibrium, but in time we find ourselves settling into a new and much richer (and healthier) routine. To our surprise, we find that we've rewritten our story.
Two years ago, my story was typical of many women in their mid-50's: I was overweight (OK, I was morbidly obese . . .), I was on several medications, I had been diagnosed with diabetes, and my back and knees hurt. The expected story was that women my age couldn't lose weight; that once a person was on medication, the only thing one could do was manage the medication (and remember to take the pills on time). For a long time, I believed that story and I thought that the story wouldn't have a very happy ending. Then God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast and before I knew it, my story began to be rewritten. I found out that much that I THOUGHT was true simply wasn't: women my age CAN lose weight; it IS possible to reverse disease and get off of medications. My story reads very differently now than it did just two short years ago and I am hopeful that, Lord willing, it will have a much happier and healthier ending. Making the changes wasn't easy and I definitely rocked not only my boat but my family's boat - but it was definitely worth it!
My challenge for you today is to go for it! Rock your boat and rewrite your story. You'll do both one on-plan day at a time :-).
I'm asking because I read a column in my local newspaper about that very thing, and the author contends that to get the most out of our lives, sometimes we have to take the difficult path. She talked about how we "compile a body of evidence and experiences that make up our story line", then we reinforce our story line by repeating it until we convince ourselves that the ending we've focused on is the only possible ending to our story. The author wrote about people who talk about health issues that they don't have the time to take care of, and marveled that we can convince ourselves that not feeling well is preferable to making the effort to change.
Change is difficult - no doubt about it! Sometimes we prefer to stay where we are, even when we don't like it, because it's familiar - even comfortable, in an uncomfortable sort of way. On one level, it really doesn't make sense, but on an emotional level, that's exactly what we often choose to do over and over again. Self-sabotage often plays a role here, as we may subconsciously work to maintain the more familiar status quo, rather than risk dealing with the changes that new behaviors will invariably bring.
Part of maintaining the comfortable status quo is writing a story that goes something like, "I have a slow metabolism and can't lose weight" or "Being overweight is genetic - all of my family is overweight so I can't help but be overweight, too." More stories may read "I have big bones and need more weight on my body" "My spouse prefers me to be soft and cuddly" or "I couldn't possibly cook healthy because my family won't eat it." When we write a story that sounds something like this, and when we repeat it often enough, it becomes our reality - whether it's actually true or not. We repeat it and we believe it, and every time we fail on another weight loss plan, it only reinforces our belief in our story.
What's exciting, however, is when someone has the courage to rewrite their story, to realize that it CAN be different and that the ending can be changed. Making the changes required to lose weight and keep it off will definitely rock our boats, and often the boats of others in our lives. Sometimes the boat rocking will leave us scrambling to maintain (or even regain) our equilibrium, but in time we find ourselves settling into a new and much richer (and healthier) routine. To our surprise, we find that we've rewritten our story.
Two years ago, my story was typical of many women in their mid-50's: I was overweight (OK, I was morbidly obese . . .), I was on several medications, I had been diagnosed with diabetes, and my back and knees hurt. The expected story was that women my age couldn't lose weight; that once a person was on medication, the only thing one could do was manage the medication (and remember to take the pills on time). For a long time, I believed that story and I thought that the story wouldn't have a very happy ending. Then God led me to Take Shape for Life/Medifast and before I knew it, my story began to be rewritten. I found out that much that I THOUGHT was true simply wasn't: women my age CAN lose weight; it IS possible to reverse disease and get off of medications. My story reads very differently now than it did just two short years ago and I am hopeful that, Lord willing, it will have a much happier and healthier ending. Making the changes wasn't easy and I definitely rocked not only my boat but my family's boat - but it was definitely worth it!
My challenge for you today is to go for it! Rock your boat and rewrite your story. You'll do both one on-plan day at a time :-).
Monday, July 27, 2009
Believe
My two oldest granddaughters spent this past weekend with me, so there were lots of snuggles and giggles over the past few days, along with the requisite Disney movie. We spent part of Sunday afternoon curled up in my bed watching "Lion King," a movie I hadn't seen in a long time.
Once scene really caught my attention, when Simba (main character) was challenged to be the king he was born to be. His departed father told him, "Simba, you forgot who you were." It made me wonder about how often we've forgotten who we were, or perhaps we've stopped believing we could ever be any different than the way we are right now.
As strange as it sounds, the story of Simba reminded me of another story, only this one is found in the Old Testament and is about a man named Gideon. Gideon thought of himself as the weakest person in his family, which was the weakest family in his clan - he was the self-proclaimed weakest of the weak. His city was surrounded by a feared enemy and he ended up hiding in a winepress, where he was threshing wheat for his family. He was a weak man in hiding, and he couldn't see himself any other way. What is amazing to me is that when the Lord approached this weak man who was hiding in a winepress, God referred to him as a mighty warrior. God asked Gideon to lead a group that would end up freeing his city from the enemy, but God didn't wait until after the city was liberated to refer to Gideon as a mighty warrior - He called him that before Gideon had done a thing.
There is so much potential in each one of us, potential we often don't realize. God created each one of us with the potential to do great things, but sometimes we get so bogged down with our "stuff" that we stop believing that things can ever be different than they are right now. We may feel a lot like Gideon, just trying to survive, so if someone referred to us as a "mighty warrior," we'd be looking around to see who else was there. But God sees beyond where we are - He sees what we can be.
The question for us is, do we believe it? Right now, most of you are on a journey that you hope will end with you at a healthy weight. Do you believe you'll get there? Do you believe that your life will change in all kinds of wonderful ways? I'm not saying that all of your problems will be over when you reach your goal, because they won't. What I am saying, however, is that the journey to get to your goal will change YOU in a lot of wonderful ways. Learning to change old habits and to relate to food in a new, healthy way will change you. Learning how to deal with stress and the stuff of life in healthier ways (instead of reaching for food) will cause you to stretch and grow in ways you can't imagine. You just might find out that you really ARE a mighty warrior :-).
So be encouraged! So many wonderful changes are just ahead, and you'll get there one meal and one on-plan day at a time. Believe it!
Once scene really caught my attention, when Simba (main character) was challenged to be the king he was born to be. His departed father told him, "Simba, you forgot who you were." It made me wonder about how often we've forgotten who we were, or perhaps we've stopped believing we could ever be any different than the way we are right now.
As strange as it sounds, the story of Simba reminded me of another story, only this one is found in the Old Testament and is about a man named Gideon. Gideon thought of himself as the weakest person in his family, which was the weakest family in his clan - he was the self-proclaimed weakest of the weak. His city was surrounded by a feared enemy and he ended up hiding in a winepress, where he was threshing wheat for his family. He was a weak man in hiding, and he couldn't see himself any other way. What is amazing to me is that when the Lord approached this weak man who was hiding in a winepress, God referred to him as a mighty warrior. God asked Gideon to lead a group that would end up freeing his city from the enemy, but God didn't wait until after the city was liberated to refer to Gideon as a mighty warrior - He called him that before Gideon had done a thing.
There is so much potential in each one of us, potential we often don't realize. God created each one of us with the potential to do great things, but sometimes we get so bogged down with our "stuff" that we stop believing that things can ever be different than they are right now. We may feel a lot like Gideon, just trying to survive, so if someone referred to us as a "mighty warrior," we'd be looking around to see who else was there. But God sees beyond where we are - He sees what we can be.
The question for us is, do we believe it? Right now, most of you are on a journey that you hope will end with you at a healthy weight. Do you believe you'll get there? Do you believe that your life will change in all kinds of wonderful ways? I'm not saying that all of your problems will be over when you reach your goal, because they won't. What I am saying, however, is that the journey to get to your goal will change YOU in a lot of wonderful ways. Learning to change old habits and to relate to food in a new, healthy way will change you. Learning how to deal with stress and the stuff of life in healthier ways (instead of reaching for food) will cause you to stretch and grow in ways you can't imagine. You just might find out that you really ARE a mighty warrior :-).
So be encouraged! So many wonderful changes are just ahead, and you'll get there one meal and one on-plan day at a time. Believe it!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Simple Choices
With two little girls to get ready for church, plus myself, this morning's blog will be really quick!
We all have to choose today whether we will stay on plan and move towards the healthy weight we want to be or make other choices that will keep us where we are or, worse, take us back to a place we don't want to be. It really comes down to that - what do we want? Where do we want to be 2, 4, 6 months from now? The choices we make today will impact where we'll be then.
I'm choosing to make healthy choices today - how about you?
We all have to choose today whether we will stay on plan and move towards the healthy weight we want to be or make other choices that will keep us where we are or, worse, take us back to a place we don't want to be. It really comes down to that - what do we want? Where do we want to be 2, 4, 6 months from now? The choices we make today will impact where we'll be then.
I'm choosing to make healthy choices today - how about you?
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Doing What Matters
Good Saturday morning! I am in the midst of a fun and busy weekend with my two granddaughters, ages 6 and 4-1/2. They came last night, just before dinner, and will be at our house until tomorrow night. I also have their dog (Maltese/poodle mix), so my house is busy! Last night we walked around our small pond and looked for frogs (we found several!), rode bikes, went grocery shopping to get what we need for our traditional tea party this afternoon, stopped for a frozen dairy treat, and ended the day reading books and doing a bit of cuddling. Today we're going to look at some horses my son is caring for, then going swimming, having our tea party, and going to a birthday party. Tonight we'll watch a Disney movie and relax. I figure I'll bring them home tired tomorrow, but hopefully they'll have as much fun as I'm having!
I am so thankful that I'm healthy and able to keep up with these two precious little girls. Two years ago, a busy weekend like this would have worn me out and I would have really had to pace myself. There's something about hauling around an extra 126 pounds that tends to be rather tiring ;-), and losing the weight has allowed me to have the energy I need to do what I love. For this weekend, what I love is having fun with two little girls.
Staying on plan is the fastest way to get to your goal, and getting to your goal will give you the energy to do the things in life that you really want to do - whether it's running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or just keeping up with a couple of small granddaughters.
I am so thankful that I'm healthy and able to keep up with these two precious little girls. Two years ago, a busy weekend like this would have worn me out and I would have really had to pace myself. There's something about hauling around an extra 126 pounds that tends to be rather tiring ;-), and losing the weight has allowed me to have the energy I need to do what I love. For this weekend, what I love is having fun with two little girls.
Staying on plan is the fastest way to get to your goal, and getting to your goal will give you the energy to do the things in life that you really want to do - whether it's running a marathon, climbing a mountain, or just keeping up with a couple of small granddaughters.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Happy Friday!
Happy Friday! We've almost made it through another work week! Since I'm now self-employed and mostly work out of my home, Fridays are a lot different than they used to be, but I still remember my relief most weeks when I was working and Friday finally arrived :-).
I'm meeting a long-time friend for breakfast this morning. I'd refer to her as an "old friend," but since I'm two weeks older than she is, I will refrain from EVER referring to her as old! We're getting together to celebrate our birthdays (mine was last week and her's is next week), a tradition we've had for over 25 years. What will be really fun tomorrow is that this will be the first time we have ever both been at a healthy weight at the same time! She struggled with her weight for all of her adult life, and my struggle stretched over two decades, so most of the time we've met over the years we've talked extensively about our weight. There was a lot of sharing and commiserating that went on, often while we munched on some of the very food that got us into trouble in the first place :-). For most of the years we met together, I think we both despaired of ever getting to a healthy weight - it just seemed too elusive a dream to ever be realized.
Shortly after I reached my goal in May of 2008, she and I got together for coffee after not seeing each other for several months. She was ready to start her umpteenth go-around on a weight loss plan that required counting points, but when she saw me she decided to give Take Shape for Life/Medifast a try. She reached her weight loss goal this past January, losing 70 pounds and ending up in a size 8. When we get together now, we can hardly believe that we're both at our goal weight and in our goal size - it's so much fun! This will really be a special birthday celebration for us!
Once again, I am so thankful for this wonderful program. It has not only changed my entire life, but it's also made a wonderful difference in the life of my dear and life-long friend. Thanks to this program, I am hoping that we will be celebrating our birthdays together for many years to come.
Tonight our two oldest granddaughters (6 and 4-1/2) are coming to spend the weekend, so it's going to be a lot of fun and VERY busy time with the girls. We're going swimming and will definitely have a tea party, and I'm guessing that some book reading, puzzles, and Disney movies will also be on the agenda :-).
Thanks to losing weight and getting healthy, I am not only able to share a birthday breakfast with a friend who's also gotten healthy, but I stand a pretty good chance of keeping up with my two little granddaughters!
Have a great, on-plan day!
I'm meeting a long-time friend for breakfast this morning. I'd refer to her as an "old friend," but since I'm two weeks older than she is, I will refrain from EVER referring to her as old! We're getting together to celebrate our birthdays (mine was last week and her's is next week), a tradition we've had for over 25 years. What will be really fun tomorrow is that this will be the first time we have ever both been at a healthy weight at the same time! She struggled with her weight for all of her adult life, and my struggle stretched over two decades, so most of the time we've met over the years we've talked extensively about our weight. There was a lot of sharing and commiserating that went on, often while we munched on some of the very food that got us into trouble in the first place :-). For most of the years we met together, I think we both despaired of ever getting to a healthy weight - it just seemed too elusive a dream to ever be realized.
Shortly after I reached my goal in May of 2008, she and I got together for coffee after not seeing each other for several months. She was ready to start her umpteenth go-around on a weight loss plan that required counting points, but when she saw me she decided to give Take Shape for Life/Medifast a try. She reached her weight loss goal this past January, losing 70 pounds and ending up in a size 8. When we get together now, we can hardly believe that we're both at our goal weight and in our goal size - it's so much fun! This will really be a special birthday celebration for us!
Once again, I am so thankful for this wonderful program. It has not only changed my entire life, but it's also made a wonderful difference in the life of my dear and life-long friend. Thanks to this program, I am hoping that we will be celebrating our birthdays together for many years to come.
Tonight our two oldest granddaughters (6 and 4-1/2) are coming to spend the weekend, so it's going to be a lot of fun and VERY busy time with the girls. We're going swimming and will definitely have a tea party, and I'm guessing that some book reading, puzzles, and Disney movies will also be on the agenda :-).
Thanks to losing weight and getting healthy, I am not only able to share a birthday breakfast with a friend who's also gotten healthy, but I stand a pretty good chance of keeping up with my two little granddaughters!
Have a great, on-plan day!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Not Feeling It Today?
Did you wake up this morning feeling strong and ready to reach your goal today, or did you pull (or feel like pulling) the covers over your head while groaning at the thought of facing 5 more Medifast meals? I don't know about you, but I will honestly tell you that there were many days when I was on 5&1 where the LAST thing I felt like doing was spend a day eating only Medifast meals and a simple lean & green. That may surprise a few of you who may assume that I woke up every day joyful at facing another on-plan day, but I can assure you that that was NOT the case.
During the almost-11 months on Take Shape for Life that it took me to lose 120 pounds and reach my goal, I managed to hold a few private pity parties for myself. I had days when I was mad at myself for eating myself into a situation where I had to be on this weight loss plan to begin with, and there were days when I resented the fact that the rest of the world seemed free to eat whatever they wanted - and everything they ate look a LOT better than the food I was eating.
Yep, I didn't always have a positive, can-do attitude, but for once in my life I didn't allow how I FELT to influence what I actually DID. I finally realized that it didn't really matter if I felt like staying on plan or not, I knew that I HAD to stay on plan because I HAD to get to my weight loss goal - my health depended on it. I knew that NOT staying on plan and NOT reaching my goal meant reverting back to being a diabetic, it meant getting back on medication, and it meant heading back down a path that was filled with self-recrimination, guilt and disgust, and I didn't want to go there. I got sick of the food and sick of being on plan, but I was also was sick of being fat, sick of comparing myself to everyone else, sick of having a limited choice of clothes when I shopped.
Now before anyone thinks that I spent those 11 months being miserable on plan, I want to make sure you know that I was pretty happy and even excited for most of those months. I felt great and I was seeing consistent results, so I stayed pretty motivated. Most of the time, staying on plan was a no-brainer for me, and I tell people all the time that this was the easiest plan I ever went on - and it was the only one that worked. However, there WERE "those days", and sometimes "those days" lasted several days in a row.
We all have "those days", and "those days" can make the critical difference between whether we reach our goal or not. It's easy to stay on plan when we've feeling motivated, there's no problem eating a Medifast meal when we're having a good day. The reality is that everyone one of us will have a day, or two, or three when this is absolutely NOT what we feel like doing. If we decide that how we feel is irrelevant - this is what we HAVE to do - we'll stay on plan. The wonderful thing is that when we make the decision to stay on plan, our feelings will eventually catch up.
I heard someone make a comparison that is pretty radical, but it made me think. This person talked about the cancer patient who shows up for chemotherapy, not because they want to do it or because it's going to be enjoyable - they do it because their life depends on it. Whether or not they feel like showing up isn't even a consideration, because they know that the treatment is what's needed to cure their disease.
Our disease is obesity, and it is making us sick and it will kill us - taking years off our lives and sucking the quality out of our lives. Our "cure" is staying on 5&1. Take Shape for Life/Medifast is a program with a long and proven track record, and if you follow it you WILL reach your weight loss goal. You will undoubtedly have days when you don't feel like doing this plan, but you will never regret doing it anyway.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
During the almost-11 months on Take Shape for Life that it took me to lose 120 pounds and reach my goal, I managed to hold a few private pity parties for myself. I had days when I was mad at myself for eating myself into a situation where I had to be on this weight loss plan to begin with, and there were days when I resented the fact that the rest of the world seemed free to eat whatever they wanted - and everything they ate look a LOT better than the food I was eating.
Yep, I didn't always have a positive, can-do attitude, but for once in my life I didn't allow how I FELT to influence what I actually DID. I finally realized that it didn't really matter if I felt like staying on plan or not, I knew that I HAD to stay on plan because I HAD to get to my weight loss goal - my health depended on it. I knew that NOT staying on plan and NOT reaching my goal meant reverting back to being a diabetic, it meant getting back on medication, and it meant heading back down a path that was filled with self-recrimination, guilt and disgust, and I didn't want to go there. I got sick of the food and sick of being on plan, but I was also was sick of being fat, sick of comparing myself to everyone else, sick of having a limited choice of clothes when I shopped.
Now before anyone thinks that I spent those 11 months being miserable on plan, I want to make sure you know that I was pretty happy and even excited for most of those months. I felt great and I was seeing consistent results, so I stayed pretty motivated. Most of the time, staying on plan was a no-brainer for me, and I tell people all the time that this was the easiest plan I ever went on - and it was the only one that worked. However, there WERE "those days", and sometimes "those days" lasted several days in a row.
We all have "those days", and "those days" can make the critical difference between whether we reach our goal or not. It's easy to stay on plan when we've feeling motivated, there's no problem eating a Medifast meal when we're having a good day. The reality is that everyone one of us will have a day, or two, or three when this is absolutely NOT what we feel like doing. If we decide that how we feel is irrelevant - this is what we HAVE to do - we'll stay on plan. The wonderful thing is that when we make the decision to stay on plan, our feelings will eventually catch up.
I heard someone make a comparison that is pretty radical, but it made me think. This person talked about the cancer patient who shows up for chemotherapy, not because they want to do it or because it's going to be enjoyable - they do it because their life depends on it. Whether or not they feel like showing up isn't even a consideration, because they know that the treatment is what's needed to cure their disease.
Our disease is obesity, and it is making us sick and it will kill us - taking years off our lives and sucking the quality out of our lives. Our "cure" is staying on 5&1. Take Shape for Life/Medifast is a program with a long and proven track record, and if you follow it you WILL reach your weight loss goal. You will undoubtedly have days when you don't feel like doing this plan, but you will never regret doing it anyway.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Want or Commitment?
I've talked to a number of people over the past few days who are really struggling to stay or get back on plan. Ironically, everybody wants to stay on plan and get to goal, but things or people keep getting in the way.
Why do we allow people and situations to get between us and what we really want? It happens all the time, but why do we allow it to happen? We all start on plan with the highest of expectations and hopes; we get into the fat-burning state and start losing weight, so we know the plan works. But something happens and boom! we're off and we aren't always sure exactly how or why we got off, and then the challenge is on to get back on and STAY back on plan.
The situations vary, from a sabotaging spouse to endless potlucks at work to stressful situations that leave us stuffing ourselves with the closest non-plan food we can find. Regardless of the circumstances, the end result is pretty much the same - frustration that we ended up off plan and a struggle to get our heads back in the game.
It's been said before, but I'll repeat it again: the easy part of Take Shape for Life is eating the 5 Medifast meals and the lean and green. The hard part is changing what goes on in our heads and our hearts - how we think and feel about food. It's also about clearly identifying what it is that we want, staying focused on that, and not allowing anyone or anything to get between us and our goal. It means identifying areas of vulnerability and putting into place - ahead of time - a strategy for dealing with those times or situations where we know we're most likely to fall.
If we don't change how we allow ourselves to think and feel about food, we can potentially end up in a very frustrating cycle of "I want to lose weight, but . . . ". That pretty much sums up the 20+ years I spent being obese. I wanted to lose weight and I hated the way I was, but my wanting to lose weight was more of a desire than a goal. If I could have awakened one morning at my goal weight, well of course I'd want that! If there was a pill that would get me to my goal without having to change a thing, of course I'd swallow it in an instant. I kept looking for the magic thing that would help me lose weight, the next "sure thing" diet, the next magic combination of food that would somehow melt the pounds. I wanted it, alright, but I wasn't committed to the hard work that was required to actually get there.
There is a big difference between desire, between the "wouldn't it be nice?" and commitment to doing it. Once the commitment is there, once you've identified your big why - WHY you want to get there, then the rest begins to fall into place. When you are committed to reaching your goal and know why you want to do so, you are much less likely to allow things to get between you and your goal, because your focus is on getting there.
If you have people in your life who are trying to sabotage you, you have a right to tell them that you are doing this, with or without their support - but tell them you would really LIKE their support :-). If it's a situation you keep coming up against, like endless potlucks at work, either bring a dish that you can eat or skip the potluck - those potlucks will still be around when you're at your goal. If you're dealing with a lot of stress, you already know that off-plan eating doesn't eliminate the stress, it just adds another layer when you're finished eating and the self-recrimination begins.
Put yourself into a position where you cannot fail. If it means being a little bit selfish right now, that's OK. This is like putting on your own oxygen mask before helping someone else. It may feel selfish, but it enables you to be in a position to help someone else later. Being healthy, having the energy you need and want to keep up with your family and friends, all of this and so much more is at stake. Reaching your goal is worth it - you're worth it!
Why do we allow people and situations to get between us and what we really want? It happens all the time, but why do we allow it to happen? We all start on plan with the highest of expectations and hopes; we get into the fat-burning state and start losing weight, so we know the plan works. But something happens and boom! we're off and we aren't always sure exactly how or why we got off, and then the challenge is on to get back on and STAY back on plan.
The situations vary, from a sabotaging spouse to endless potlucks at work to stressful situations that leave us stuffing ourselves with the closest non-plan food we can find. Regardless of the circumstances, the end result is pretty much the same - frustration that we ended up off plan and a struggle to get our heads back in the game.
It's been said before, but I'll repeat it again: the easy part of Take Shape for Life is eating the 5 Medifast meals and the lean and green. The hard part is changing what goes on in our heads and our hearts - how we think and feel about food. It's also about clearly identifying what it is that we want, staying focused on that, and not allowing anyone or anything to get between us and our goal. It means identifying areas of vulnerability and putting into place - ahead of time - a strategy for dealing with those times or situations where we know we're most likely to fall.
If we don't change how we allow ourselves to think and feel about food, we can potentially end up in a very frustrating cycle of "I want to lose weight, but . . . ". That pretty much sums up the 20+ years I spent being obese. I wanted to lose weight and I hated the way I was, but my wanting to lose weight was more of a desire than a goal. If I could have awakened one morning at my goal weight, well of course I'd want that! If there was a pill that would get me to my goal without having to change a thing, of course I'd swallow it in an instant. I kept looking for the magic thing that would help me lose weight, the next "sure thing" diet, the next magic combination of food that would somehow melt the pounds. I wanted it, alright, but I wasn't committed to the hard work that was required to actually get there.
There is a big difference between desire, between the "wouldn't it be nice?" and commitment to doing it. Once the commitment is there, once you've identified your big why - WHY you want to get there, then the rest begins to fall into place. When you are committed to reaching your goal and know why you want to do so, you are much less likely to allow things to get between you and your goal, because your focus is on getting there.
If you have people in your life who are trying to sabotage you, you have a right to tell them that you are doing this, with or without their support - but tell them you would really LIKE their support :-). If it's a situation you keep coming up against, like endless potlucks at work, either bring a dish that you can eat or skip the potluck - those potlucks will still be around when you're at your goal. If you're dealing with a lot of stress, you already know that off-plan eating doesn't eliminate the stress, it just adds another layer when you're finished eating and the self-recrimination begins.
Put yourself into a position where you cannot fail. If it means being a little bit selfish right now, that's OK. This is like putting on your own oxygen mask before helping someone else. It may feel selfish, but it enables you to be in a position to help someone else later. Being healthy, having the energy you need and want to keep up with your family and friends, all of this and so much more is at stake. Reaching your goal is worth it - you're worth it!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Changing Old Patterns
Today is my younger daughter's 29th birthday . . . sigh! Her sister will be 33 in two weeks, which makes me shake my head in amazement. How can my girls be this old when I just turned 30 myself? :-)
Today both my daughters are wives and mothers, and I'm so happy to see that my former issues with food and weight have apparently not adversely affected them. They are focused on providing good food choices for their children and are trying hard to not make food an issue - not an easy thing to do, especially since my oldest daughter has two year old twins! I think my daughters made a conscious decision to change how they think about food, choosing to teach their children to have a healthier approach, because they watched me struggle with my weight for most of their adult life. I'm thankful that my ingrained patterns weren't passed on to my children and my grandchildren, and I'm hopeful that all of them will be able to maintain a healthy attitude and a healthy weight their entire lives.
So many of us grew up with an over-emphasis on food. We were raised to not waste food "because of all the starving children in India, China, or Africa." Food was used as a reward ("eat all of your dinner and you can have dessert" or "Feeling sad or had a bad day at school? Have a cookie and you'll feel better.") Naughty children might have been sent to bed without dinner (this didn't happen in my childhood home, but I know it wasn't uncommon to do this as punishment in some homes). Since I'm really older than 30 :-), I had a lot of mixed messages about food that collided with a growing pop culture that brought a stick-thin model named Twiggy to popularity, making ultra-thin the new look that young girls aspired to copy.
As a young mom myself, I tried to not make food an issue with my children, but as I reflect back on those early years, I was only partially successful. I had an almost primal response to seeing food "wasted" and often urged my children to take "just one more bite", even when they insisted they were full. Sometimes I would finish what was left on their plates, just so the food wouldn't be "wasted." It wasn't until I was on 5&1 and working through my own food issues that I came to the sad realization that I allowed myself to become the garbage can, eating food I didn't want and didn't need rather than putting it into the REAL garbage can. Ugh!
An important part of this weight loss journey is learning how to disengage from old food habits, including, at times, reprogramming our hearts and minds. Old patterns, some of which may have been passed down from generation to generation, have to be rejected. This is MUCH easier said than done! I have to be honest when I tell you that I still struggle to see food thrown away, but I'm getting better at it, because I know it's better to throw away the two bites of whatever rather than eat it "just to make it gone." Does anybody relate to this?
I'm continuing to learn and refine my new habits. I don't always do this perfectly, and sometimes it's just difficult because those patterns were pretty well entrenched for over 50 years, but practice makes better (not perfect)! The 5&1 program was the beginning of helping me redefine how I related to food. I had to learn how to deal with the stuff of life, good and bad, and still stay on plan. I had to learn the difference between being satisfied and being full, and learn that it's OK to stop when I've satisfied, even if there is still food left on my plate.
You are learning the same things! Day by day, as you stay on plan, you are changing how you think and feel about food - you are developing new habits that will help you not only reach your goal, but stay there for the rest of your life. It's not easy, but it's a journey worth taking, so hang in there!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Today both my daughters are wives and mothers, and I'm so happy to see that my former issues with food and weight have apparently not adversely affected them. They are focused on providing good food choices for their children and are trying hard to not make food an issue - not an easy thing to do, especially since my oldest daughter has two year old twins! I think my daughters made a conscious decision to change how they think about food, choosing to teach their children to have a healthier approach, because they watched me struggle with my weight for most of their adult life. I'm thankful that my ingrained patterns weren't passed on to my children and my grandchildren, and I'm hopeful that all of them will be able to maintain a healthy attitude and a healthy weight their entire lives.
So many of us grew up with an over-emphasis on food. We were raised to not waste food "because of all the starving children in India, China, or Africa." Food was used as a reward ("eat all of your dinner and you can have dessert" or "Feeling sad or had a bad day at school? Have a cookie and you'll feel better.") Naughty children might have been sent to bed without dinner (this didn't happen in my childhood home, but I know it wasn't uncommon to do this as punishment in some homes). Since I'm really older than 30 :-), I had a lot of mixed messages about food that collided with a growing pop culture that brought a stick-thin model named Twiggy to popularity, making ultra-thin the new look that young girls aspired to copy.
As a young mom myself, I tried to not make food an issue with my children, but as I reflect back on those early years, I was only partially successful. I had an almost primal response to seeing food "wasted" and often urged my children to take "just one more bite", even when they insisted they were full. Sometimes I would finish what was left on their plates, just so the food wouldn't be "wasted." It wasn't until I was on 5&1 and working through my own food issues that I came to the sad realization that I allowed myself to become the garbage can, eating food I didn't want and didn't need rather than putting it into the REAL garbage can. Ugh!
An important part of this weight loss journey is learning how to disengage from old food habits, including, at times, reprogramming our hearts and minds. Old patterns, some of which may have been passed down from generation to generation, have to be rejected. This is MUCH easier said than done! I have to be honest when I tell you that I still struggle to see food thrown away, but I'm getting better at it, because I know it's better to throw away the two bites of whatever rather than eat it "just to make it gone." Does anybody relate to this?
I'm continuing to learn and refine my new habits. I don't always do this perfectly, and sometimes it's just difficult because those patterns were pretty well entrenched for over 50 years, but practice makes better (not perfect)! The 5&1 program was the beginning of helping me redefine how I related to food. I had to learn how to deal with the stuff of life, good and bad, and still stay on plan. I had to learn the difference between being satisfied and being full, and learn that it's OK to stop when I've satisfied, even if there is still food left on my plate.
You are learning the same things! Day by day, as you stay on plan, you are changing how you think and feel about food - you are developing new habits that will help you not only reach your goal, but stay there for the rest of your life. It's not easy, but it's a journey worth taking, so hang in there!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Monday, July 20, 2009
New Products!
Happy Monday morning everyone! I'm really excited about the new Take Shape for Life/Medifast products that are being released today! The parmesan cheese puffs, nacho cheese puffs, honey mustard pretzel sticks and cinnamon pretzel sticks are complete meals (not snacks) and will make it easier than ever to stay on plan.
When I was on the Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 plan, the only "grab and go" meals available were the bars (now called the "maintenance" bars). Since those bars are higher in calories and carbs, they are limited to one per day. For days when I didn't have access to a microwave, staying on plan meant baking muffins, making soup chips and/or soup bread, and making sure that I had a shaker jar with me so I could quickly put together a shake or a drink. It wasn't always ideal, but with a little planning, it worked.
What a difference a year has made! Medifast released the wonderful crunch bars last November and December, and now these new products are out. For people who don't have time to put together food and want pure convenience, Ready to Drink shakes, crunch bars, and the new puffs and pretzels make it easy.
That's the good news! The bad news is that now there is no excuse for not staying on plan, unless we choose to go off :-). With a variety of "grab and go" meals to choose from, keep a few in your car, in your desk at work - wherever you need them - to make sure that you have what you need.
Plan for success today! Don't leave the house without having what you need for the day, and have an extra bar with you just in case your schedule gets turned upside down. A commitment to staying on plan means we need to plan - just a little, but it's worth it!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
P.S. Also released today is another new product, Essential1 for Digestive Health. For those of you who deal with excessive gas, this will be particularly helpful. It also primes your body for weight loss and boosts your immune system!
When I was on the Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 plan, the only "grab and go" meals available were the bars (now called the "maintenance" bars). Since those bars are higher in calories and carbs, they are limited to one per day. For days when I didn't have access to a microwave, staying on plan meant baking muffins, making soup chips and/or soup bread, and making sure that I had a shaker jar with me so I could quickly put together a shake or a drink. It wasn't always ideal, but with a little planning, it worked.
What a difference a year has made! Medifast released the wonderful crunch bars last November and December, and now these new products are out. For people who don't have time to put together food and want pure convenience, Ready to Drink shakes, crunch bars, and the new puffs and pretzels make it easy.
That's the good news! The bad news is that now there is no excuse for not staying on plan, unless we choose to go off :-). With a variety of "grab and go" meals to choose from, keep a few in your car, in your desk at work - wherever you need them - to make sure that you have what you need.
Plan for success today! Don't leave the house without having what you need for the day, and have an extra bar with you just in case your schedule gets turned upside down. A commitment to staying on plan means we need to plan - just a little, but it's worth it!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
P.S. Also released today is another new product, Essential1 for Digestive Health. For those of you who deal with excessive gas, this will be particularly helpful. It also primes your body for weight loss and boosts your immune system!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
On Plan Sunday = No Regrets Monday!
Good Sunday morning! We're on our way out the door for church, so I'll make this quick :-). Have a great, on-plan, no excuses Sunday - that's the best way to wake up to a no-regrets Monday morning! No matter what the temptations may be today, if you give in you'll be kicking yourself tomorrow. On the other hand, if you choose to stay strong and on-plan today, you'll wake up tomorrow morning knowing that you're one day closer to your goal. Keep your focus today on what you REALLY want and don't allow anything to get in your way. All of those tempting, non-plan foods will still be around when you get to your goal, and if you want them at that time, you'll be able to enjoy them guilt-free and wearing your goal size. That is worth waiting for!
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Ripple Effect
Happy Saturday morning! It's on the cool side here in West Michigan (the high today is only going to be 68), making many of us question where summer went! I've decided that even though it's chilly, I'm choosing a positive attitude today! First of all, Psalm 118:24 tells me that "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." I am truly thankful for each and every day that I have, and thankful that I have a loving Heavenly Father who knows each step that I take.
Secondly, my attitude is contagious - and so is yours! I recently came across an article from the December 2008 issue of Time magazine that talked about "The Happiness Effect." The article said that the net effect of one happy person impacts 1,181 people! According to the article, researches "explored the emotional state of nearly 5,000 people and the more than 50,000 social ties they shared. At three points during the long study, all the participants answered a standard questionnaire to determine their happiness level, so that the scientists could track changes in emotional state. That led to their intriguing finding of just how contagious happiness can be: if a subject's friend was happy, that subject was 15% more likely to be happy too; if that friend's friend was happy, the original subject was 10% more likely to be so. Even if the subject's friend's friend's friend--entirely unknown to the subject--was happy, the subject still got a 5.6% boost. The happiness chain also worked in the other direction, radiating from the subject out to her friends."
So the attitude we choose is more powerful than most of us ever realized, and it ripples out far beyond our immediate circle of family and friends. Wow!
What is equally fascinating is that the article went on to state that "The infectiousness of happiness is only the latest in a series of similar phenomena [the researchers] have studied. In 2007 they published a paper showing that obesity travels across webs in a similar way, with individuals having a 57% greater risk of being overweight if they have an obese friend."
What I have seen over the past two years is that something else is also "contagious" - getting healthy! As people get on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 and get excited about losing weight and getting healthy, it's almost inevitable that they will also have family members and friends who decide to try the program. I've certainly seen this in my own family: my husband, my son, my son-in-law, and both my parents got on the program and reached their weight loss goal. One of my closest friends lost 70 pounds, and other friends have lost from 20 to over 100 pounds as well. As my family members and friends lost weight, THEIR friends wanted to know what they were doing, and some of them also got on the program.
What we're doing today when we choose to stay on plan will impact more people than we know. I love knowing that a lot of people are much healthier (and happier) today because they watched me lose weight. It's also very humbling, because I know there were some days when it was incredibly difficult to stay on plan, and there were many times when I momentarily felt like I didn't want to do it anymore. If I had quit before I reached my goal, I know that I would most likely be back to 260 pounds and on a number of medications, including meds for diabetes. I also know that a lot of people I know and love would also still be overweight or obese, still on medication, and still struggling.
Today I hope you are excited about your life and infecting others with that joy. I also hope that, as you stay on plan and continue progressing towards your goal, you will see a lot of the people you care about the most inspired to join you! If you don't feel like staying on plan today, do it anyway - not only for yourself, but for all the people you love. Start a ripple of health!
Secondly, my attitude is contagious - and so is yours! I recently came across an article from the December 2008 issue of Time magazine that talked about "The Happiness Effect." The article said that the net effect of one happy person impacts 1,181 people! According to the article, researches "explored the emotional state of nearly 5,000 people and the more than 50,000 social ties they shared. At three points during the long study, all the participants answered a standard questionnaire to determine their happiness level, so that the scientists could track changes in emotional state. That led to their intriguing finding of just how contagious happiness can be: if a subject's friend was happy, that subject was 15% more likely to be happy too; if that friend's friend was happy, the original subject was 10% more likely to be so. Even if the subject's friend's friend's friend--entirely unknown to the subject--was happy, the subject still got a 5.6% boost. The happiness chain also worked in the other direction, radiating from the subject out to her friends."
So the attitude we choose is more powerful than most of us ever realized, and it ripples out far beyond our immediate circle of family and friends. Wow!
What is equally fascinating is that the article went on to state that "The infectiousness of happiness is only the latest in a series of similar phenomena [the researchers] have studied. In 2007 they published a paper showing that obesity travels across webs in a similar way, with individuals having a 57% greater risk of being overweight if they have an obese friend."
What I have seen over the past two years is that something else is also "contagious" - getting healthy! As people get on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 and get excited about losing weight and getting healthy, it's almost inevitable that they will also have family members and friends who decide to try the program. I've certainly seen this in my own family: my husband, my son, my son-in-law, and both my parents got on the program and reached their weight loss goal. One of my closest friends lost 70 pounds, and other friends have lost from 20 to over 100 pounds as well. As my family members and friends lost weight, THEIR friends wanted to know what they were doing, and some of them also got on the program.
What we're doing today when we choose to stay on plan will impact more people than we know. I love knowing that a lot of people are much healthier (and happier) today because they watched me lose weight. It's also very humbling, because I know there were some days when it was incredibly difficult to stay on plan, and there were many times when I momentarily felt like I didn't want to do it anymore. If I had quit before I reached my goal, I know that I would most likely be back to 260 pounds and on a number of medications, including meds for diabetes. I also know that a lot of people I know and love would also still be overweight or obese, still on medication, and still struggling.
Today I hope you are excited about your life and infecting others with that joy. I also hope that, as you stay on plan and continue progressing towards your goal, you will see a lot of the people you care about the most inspired to join you! If you don't feel like staying on plan today, do it anyway - not only for yourself, but for all the people you love. Start a ripple of health!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Can't is Just a Faulty Concept
How did we get to Friday already? Has this week flown by, or is it just me?
I attended a web-based meeting last night (I love being able to attend meetings while sitting at home in my bare feet!), and one of the participants shared a quote that made me stop and think. I'm glad she shared it towards the end, because it's the kind of quote that, once I hear it, shifts my focus from what else is being said as the quote begins to work its way through my thoughts.
The participant quoted the great coach, John Wooden. Now let me quickly state that I'm not a sports fan, and I have no idea who John Wooden is or what team he coached - I don't even know what sport he coached (I can almost hear the groans of every sports fan reading this, so please bear with me!). However, I have come to understand that he was/is (I don't even know if he's living or not . . . ) an outstanding motivator, which is undoubtedly why he became a great coach. (Note: I know I could do a Google search and find out everything I ever wanted to know about John Wooden, and maybe I will - later!).
Anyway, back to the quote: "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do!"
I love that quote, because it calls for us to make a fundamental shift in how we think about things. For most of us, we tend to focus on what we can't do. When looking at a black dot in the center of a white sheet of paper, we see only the black dot, not the vast white open space surrounding it. We focus on the obstacle and allow that focus to blur our vision for anything that lies just beyond the obstacle.
It's so easy to decide that there are certain things that I "simply can't" do. As I shared in my blog a couple days ago about my experience in breaking through the one-inch board, I "knew" that I couldn't break it, and I had a list of very legitimate reasons why I couldn't do it. That concept - which turned out to be erroneous - almost kept me from breaking the board. That concept almost gave me permission to give it less than my best, and it almost let me settle for failure. Almost!
Thanks to the encouragement and support of the people around me, and thanks to someone who took the time and had the patience to correct me a second and a third time, I broke the board and demolished a false concept in one swift and decisive motion.
There are so many things we think we cannot do, and most of what we think we can't do is just a faulty concept. We have the ability to do so much more than we give ourselves credit for! Sometimes we're afraid to even try because the "can't" is so deeply embedded. If we start doing what we know we CAN do, and if we are willing to keep trying and stretching, we will go a lot farther than we ever dreamed possible. We will see many of our "can'ts" transformed into "CANS!"
We've failed on other weight loss plans, so the "I can't lose weight" concept is deeply embedded - but it's a false concept. Maybe you think you can't lose weight, but you CAN choose to eat 5 Medifast meals today and have a lean & green :-). Don't let what you think you can't do (my revision of the quote!) interfere with what you CAN do!
We're facing another weekend, and summer weekends with their cookouts and fun activities are filled with challenges for most of us. Don't focus on what you can't have, and don't allow yourself to think that you just "can't" stay on plan. Focus on what you CAN do. Figure it out - make a plan and stick to the plan! You CAN bring your own meat and salad, if necessary, to the cookout you're going to attend. You CAN have a good time, even if everyone else is eating something else. You CAN go on vacation, have a wonderful time and come home weighing less than when you left.
Don't allow what you think you can't do interfere with what you CAN do, and more importantly, don't let those false concepts keep you from what you REALLY want - getting to your goal.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
I attended a web-based meeting last night (I love being able to attend meetings while sitting at home in my bare feet!), and one of the participants shared a quote that made me stop and think. I'm glad she shared it towards the end, because it's the kind of quote that, once I hear it, shifts my focus from what else is being said as the quote begins to work its way through my thoughts.
The participant quoted the great coach, John Wooden. Now let me quickly state that I'm not a sports fan, and I have no idea who John Wooden is or what team he coached - I don't even know what sport he coached (I can almost hear the groans of every sports fan reading this, so please bear with me!). However, I have come to understand that he was/is (I don't even know if he's living or not . . . ) an outstanding motivator, which is undoubtedly why he became a great coach. (Note: I know I could do a Google search and find out everything I ever wanted to know about John Wooden, and maybe I will - later!).
Anyway, back to the quote: "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do!"
I love that quote, because it calls for us to make a fundamental shift in how we think about things. For most of us, we tend to focus on what we can't do. When looking at a black dot in the center of a white sheet of paper, we see only the black dot, not the vast white open space surrounding it. We focus on the obstacle and allow that focus to blur our vision for anything that lies just beyond the obstacle.
It's so easy to decide that there are certain things that I "simply can't" do. As I shared in my blog a couple days ago about my experience in breaking through the one-inch board, I "knew" that I couldn't break it, and I had a list of very legitimate reasons why I couldn't do it. That concept - which turned out to be erroneous - almost kept me from breaking the board. That concept almost gave me permission to give it less than my best, and it almost let me settle for failure. Almost!
Thanks to the encouragement and support of the people around me, and thanks to someone who took the time and had the patience to correct me a second and a third time, I broke the board and demolished a false concept in one swift and decisive motion.
There are so many things we think we cannot do, and most of what we think we can't do is just a faulty concept. We have the ability to do so much more than we give ourselves credit for! Sometimes we're afraid to even try because the "can't" is so deeply embedded. If we start doing what we know we CAN do, and if we are willing to keep trying and stretching, we will go a lot farther than we ever dreamed possible. We will see many of our "can'ts" transformed into "CANS!"
We've failed on other weight loss plans, so the "I can't lose weight" concept is deeply embedded - but it's a false concept. Maybe you think you can't lose weight, but you CAN choose to eat 5 Medifast meals today and have a lean & green :-). Don't let what you think you can't do (my revision of the quote!) interfere with what you CAN do!
We're facing another weekend, and summer weekends with their cookouts and fun activities are filled with challenges for most of us. Don't focus on what you can't have, and don't allow yourself to think that you just "can't" stay on plan. Focus on what you CAN do. Figure it out - make a plan and stick to the plan! You CAN bring your own meat and salad, if necessary, to the cookout you're going to attend. You CAN have a good time, even if everyone else is eating something else. You CAN go on vacation, have a wonderful time and come home weighing less than when you left.
Don't allow what you think you can't do interfere with what you CAN do, and more importantly, don't let those false concepts keep you from what you REALLY want - getting to your goal.
Who's committed to an on-plan day today?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Dream a Little Dream With Me
I heard a lot of memorable quotes last week at the Take Shape for Life convention I attended, but one that stood out was "dreams give us the power to change to become the person we need to be to achieve the dream." The speaker went on to say that sometimes what's even more important than achieving our dream are the changes that take place in us along the way.
As children, most of us dreamed a lot - that is the nature of children. Children dream of what they will be when they grow up, they dream about their next birthday or the next vacation. And when they dream, they dream BIG - most children put no limits on their dreams, and for a while it seems that anything is possible. You can see it shining in their eyes!
Then children turn into adults - us! Sadly, many if not most of us stop dreaming, assigning dreams to the stuff of childhood, or perhaps our mind's escape on a rare night of good sleep. When we are awake, we are immersed in the reality of the here and now, and we don't have time for dreams. Maybe we don't even believe in dreaming any more.
One of the things that happens on Take Shape for Life/Medifast's 5&1 program is that grownups start to dream again! I've seen it happen over and over again, and I experienced it myself. As we watch the pounds begin to melt off, we dare to dream of a different kind of life - a life that is not encumbered by extra weight, a life where we are finally comfortable in our own skin and able to do the things we want to do.
Making those kind of dreams a reality takes hard work, and we will definitely change in the process - change is inevitable! When we dream big - and my dream of losing 126 pounds was a BIG dream! - we begin to put into action the steps needed to achieve the dream. The dream becomes our WHY, and when our dream and our why is big enough, we're motivated to make the secondary choices necessary to achieve that dream.
What's amazing is that as we move towards that dream and see it becoming a reality, we find an inner strength that we didn't know we had. We develop discipline and resolve, and we learn to delay immediate gratification because our eyes are fixed on a greater goal and we aren't going to let anything get in our way.
Some of you know exactly what I'm saying, while others of you may be afraid to allow yourselves to dream. Go for it! Spend some time dreaming about how you want to feel and what you want to look like when you reach your goal. Dream about what will be different in your life. What will you be able to do?
As I allowed myself to finally dream about reaching my goal, and as I moved towards making that dream a reality, a lot changed in my life. I had to learn (even at the ripe old age of 55!) to delay gratification, to say "no" to something I wanted (food) because there was something I wanted even more - being healthy. I learned it was OK to ask for what I wanted and needed in a restaurant and not be apologetic for making a special request. I learned that I could have a wonderful time at a party just talking to people, that I didn't need to have a plate of food in my hand to have a good time. I also learned to depend on my Lord in an entirely new way, and to look to Him for the comfort and solace I needed instead of turning to food. For me, that was the most transforming thing of all!
I dreamed about being at a healthy weight, but I could not have possibly dreamed about all of the wonderful things that have happened since then. Seeing my family members and friends lose weight and get healthy, having my story and pictures run in the newspaper and in ads in national magazines, leaving my job to work full time helping others lose weight and get healthy - none of this was even on my radar! God has blessed beyond my wildest dreams, and I'm learning to dream bigger dreams these days!
How about you? Do you have some dreams that you're pursuing right now? If not, can you dare to start dreaming again? If you're dreaming about losing weight and reaching your goal, the good news is that your dream can and will become a reality - IF you stay committed to staying on plan, one meal and one day at a time :-)
As children, most of us dreamed a lot - that is the nature of children. Children dream of what they will be when they grow up, they dream about their next birthday or the next vacation. And when they dream, they dream BIG - most children put no limits on their dreams, and for a while it seems that anything is possible. You can see it shining in their eyes!
Then children turn into adults - us! Sadly, many if not most of us stop dreaming, assigning dreams to the stuff of childhood, or perhaps our mind's escape on a rare night of good sleep. When we are awake, we are immersed in the reality of the here and now, and we don't have time for dreams. Maybe we don't even believe in dreaming any more.
One of the things that happens on Take Shape for Life/Medifast's 5&1 program is that grownups start to dream again! I've seen it happen over and over again, and I experienced it myself. As we watch the pounds begin to melt off, we dare to dream of a different kind of life - a life that is not encumbered by extra weight, a life where we are finally comfortable in our own skin and able to do the things we want to do.
Making those kind of dreams a reality takes hard work, and we will definitely change in the process - change is inevitable! When we dream big - and my dream of losing 126 pounds was a BIG dream! - we begin to put into action the steps needed to achieve the dream. The dream becomes our WHY, and when our dream and our why is big enough, we're motivated to make the secondary choices necessary to achieve that dream.
What's amazing is that as we move towards that dream and see it becoming a reality, we find an inner strength that we didn't know we had. We develop discipline and resolve, and we learn to delay immediate gratification because our eyes are fixed on a greater goal and we aren't going to let anything get in our way.
Some of you know exactly what I'm saying, while others of you may be afraid to allow yourselves to dream. Go for it! Spend some time dreaming about how you want to feel and what you want to look like when you reach your goal. Dream about what will be different in your life. What will you be able to do?
As I allowed myself to finally dream about reaching my goal, and as I moved towards making that dream a reality, a lot changed in my life. I had to learn (even at the ripe old age of 55!) to delay gratification, to say "no" to something I wanted (food) because there was something I wanted even more - being healthy. I learned it was OK to ask for what I wanted and needed in a restaurant and not be apologetic for making a special request. I learned that I could have a wonderful time at a party just talking to people, that I didn't need to have a plate of food in my hand to have a good time. I also learned to depend on my Lord in an entirely new way, and to look to Him for the comfort and solace I needed instead of turning to food. For me, that was the most transforming thing of all!
I dreamed about being at a healthy weight, but I could not have possibly dreamed about all of the wonderful things that have happened since then. Seeing my family members and friends lose weight and get healthy, having my story and pictures run in the newspaper and in ads in national magazines, leaving my job to work full time helping others lose weight and get healthy - none of this was even on my radar! God has blessed beyond my wildest dreams, and I'm learning to dream bigger dreams these days!
How about you? Do you have some dreams that you're pursuing right now? If not, can you dare to start dreaming again? If you're dreaming about losing weight and reaching your goal, the good news is that your dream can and will become a reality - IF you stay committed to staying on plan, one meal and one day at a time :-)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
More Than a Label
First of all, I will be a little indulgent this morning and say "happy birthday to me!" because today is my 57th birthday! The number amazes me and I can only wonder how on earth I got here so fast :-). The really good news is that I feel fabulous, and after losing (and keeping off!) 126 pounds, I feel younger and am definitely healthier than I was just two years ago. I may be officially on the downhill slide towards 60, but life is good and I feel incredibly blessed!
I read an interesting article on the internet a couple of days ago and it triggered a lot of thoughts that evolved into this blog :-). Here's a portion of the article:
*******
"In recent years, as the American population has become generally more overweight, brands from the luxury names to the mass retail chains have scaled down the size labels on their clothing.
"You may actually be a size 14 and, according to whatever particular store you're in, you come out a size 10 . . . it's definitely to make the consumer feel good."
Research shows that, when it comes to self-perception, the concept of "overweight" may be relative.
A working paper from a group led by Mary Burke, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Massachusetts, suggested that people's perceptions of overweight have shifted, and "normal" is now heavier than it used to be.
Although the BMI of the general population increased from the earlier survey period to the later one, the probability of people describing themselves as overweight decreased in the later survey, researchers found.
Although the study authors said this trend may reflect healthy body image campaigns, one physician nutrition specialist who was not involved in this research, said she doubts that positive messages had this much influence. Rather, it is the relative increase in weight of the general population that makes people with normal BMI feel more normal, she said.
On the flip side, feeling normal but being overweight may decrease a person's motivation to lose weight, Burke said.
As clothing size numbers scale down in an era when bodies are getting more overweight, portion sizes have been increasing, one researcher noted, adding that "photographs of fast food hamburgers from 50 years ago reveal that the serving size back then would seem like a 'joke portion,' now."
"The same thing has happened with our body sizes. We're perceiving them as totally normal," she said."
*******
What's interesting to me is that while clothing manufacturers may be working together to help the average overweight American feel better about themselves, Americans are getting more and more unhealthy. A report released last week stated that the obesity rate increased in 23 states last year and decreased in zero states.
People may fool themselves into thinking they're at a normal, healthy weight because the clothing manufacturers have manipulated sizes, or they may think they're OK because they look like everyone around them, but their bodies aren't being fooled.
The reality is that obesity is making us sick. It's shortening our lives, and if we do manage to live a normal lifespan as an overweight or obese person, we will live in a state of sickness, not wellness, and there will be a great cost to keep us going.
What we're doing here is counter-cultural - and that's a good thing! People are losing weight and getting healthy - TRULY healthy! I can't tell you how many people I know who have gotten off of medications because of this program - including my husband, my parents, and me! The miracles that are happening here have nothing to do with self or cultural delusion - this is the real deal :-).
Congratulations on being part of a revolution to get America healthy, one person at a time! And you know how you participate in this revolution, don't you? It's one day and one Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal at a time!
Go for it!
I read an interesting article on the internet a couple of days ago and it triggered a lot of thoughts that evolved into this blog :-). Here's a portion of the article:
*******
"In recent years, as the American population has become generally more overweight, brands from the luxury names to the mass retail chains have scaled down the size labels on their clothing.
"You may actually be a size 14 and, according to whatever particular store you're in, you come out a size 10 . . . it's definitely to make the consumer feel good."
Research shows that, when it comes to self-perception, the concept of "overweight" may be relative.
A working paper from a group led by Mary Burke, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Massachusetts, suggested that people's perceptions of overweight have shifted, and "normal" is now heavier than it used to be.
Although the BMI of the general population increased from the earlier survey period to the later one, the probability of people describing themselves as overweight decreased in the later survey, researchers found.
Although the study authors said this trend may reflect healthy body image campaigns, one physician nutrition specialist who was not involved in this research, said she doubts that positive messages had this much influence. Rather, it is the relative increase in weight of the general population that makes people with normal BMI feel more normal, she said.
On the flip side, feeling normal but being overweight may decrease a person's motivation to lose weight, Burke said.
As clothing size numbers scale down in an era when bodies are getting more overweight, portion sizes have been increasing, one researcher noted, adding that "photographs of fast food hamburgers from 50 years ago reveal that the serving size back then would seem like a 'joke portion,' now."
"The same thing has happened with our body sizes. We're perceiving them as totally normal," she said."
*******
What's interesting to me is that while clothing manufacturers may be working together to help the average overweight American feel better about themselves, Americans are getting more and more unhealthy. A report released last week stated that the obesity rate increased in 23 states last year and decreased in zero states.
People may fool themselves into thinking they're at a normal, healthy weight because the clothing manufacturers have manipulated sizes, or they may think they're OK because they look like everyone around them, but their bodies aren't being fooled.
The reality is that obesity is making us sick. It's shortening our lives, and if we do manage to live a normal lifespan as an overweight or obese person, we will live in a state of sickness, not wellness, and there will be a great cost to keep us going.
What we're doing here is counter-cultural - and that's a good thing! People are losing weight and getting healthy - TRULY healthy! I can't tell you how many people I know who have gotten off of medications because of this program - including my husband, my parents, and me! The miracles that are happening here have nothing to do with self or cultural delusion - this is the real deal :-).
Congratulations on being part of a revolution to get America healthy, one person at a time! And you know how you participate in this revolution, don't you? It's one day and one Take Shape for Life/Medifast meal at a time!
Go for it!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Breaking Through
I'm home after a busy but wonderful Take Shape for Life conference in Scottsdale and I'm hoping that you had a great, on-plan week!
I attended a session called "Breakthrough Leadership" that was led by a wonderful speaker, Brian Biro. The only way I can describe it is "life changing", and the principles he shared have great application for our weight loss journey. Brian talked about the things that hold us back and challenged us to break through those things to get to where we really want to be. Among other things, breaking through involves:
1. Creating a compelling WHY. When your "why" is big enough, you find the way.
2. Giving 100%. It's impossible to fail if you give your best - the only way to fail is to quit!
3. The past does NOT equal the future. It doesn't matter if you've failed before, what matters is NOW.
4. Competency happens in a moment - keep trying!
5. There is always a way if you're committed.
6. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.
After talking to us for almost two hours, Brian gave us the opportunity to have a hands-on experience of putting these principles into action. Everyone was handed a one-inch piece of board and we were informed that we were going to break the board with our hand. He went through the basic instructions of how to break our board, then asked us to write on the front of the board what in our life we wanted to break through, then write on the back of the board what would be on the other side of that break through. We then got in groups to cheer each other on as each person attempted to break their board. Each group had a person who held the board for us and who coached us on what to do. Very simply, we were to look into our coach's eyes and put the full weight of our hand thrust into the board, looking at our coach, not the board. Brian told us that if we looked at the board, we would pull back at the last second and not be able to break it; we needed to look beyond the board and focus on getting through it.
To start us out, Brian chose the first person to break a board, and he held the board for her. The person he chose was a woman in her mid to upper 60's (I'm guessing) who is less than 5 feet tall. We gathered around her and began to clap and cheer for her, and although it took her several attempts, we kept cheering and do you know what? She broke that one-inch board with her hand!
I watched Ruth break her board, but I honestly didn't think I could break mine. I had a list of reasons, including the fact that I have nerve damage in my right arm and hand and had surgery on it 6-1/2 years ago. I wanted to be able to break my board, but was pretty certain in my own mind that it wasn't possible.
When it was my turn, my group gathered around me and began clapping and cheering for me. I made four attempts, but the board didn't break, and I needed to step aside to allow someone else to have a turn. I was really disappointed, but my failure confirmed what I had suspected all along - I couldn't do it.
But that's not the end of the story! Another board-holder saw me fail and tapped me on the shoulder and encouraged me to try again. He pulled me aside and patiently went over again the stance and motion I needed to break the board. I tried again, and once again I failed. He then took a moment to correct my stance and my movement once again and pointed at his eyes as a reminder of where I needed to look. I took a deep breath, looked at his eyes which were telling me that he knew I could do it, and I gave it all I had. The board broke - and I burst into tears (there were a lot of tears that morning from a lot of people). The group around me clapped and cheered for me, celebrating my success.
It was an incredibly powerful moment for me as I broke through not only the board, but through the concepts I had about my own ability to do so.
I'm guessing that most of you here have been on other weight loss programs in the past, programs that you ultimately failed on. Perhaps you've tried and failed several times on this program, and maybe you're struggling right now to stay on plan. Maybe you even think that you can't do this.
I want you to know this morning that you CAN do this! Focus on what you want, which is to break through where you are and get to a healthy weight. Don't focus on what you don't want - being overweight; focus on what you DO want - being healthy, being in a smaller size, being able to do the things you want to do.
Give it all you've got. It doesn't matter if you've failed before - competency happens in a moment, and this is your moment.
Just as I had to focus not on the board, but on the eyes of my "trainer", try to imagine looking into the eyes of others here who believe you can do this, who KNOW that you can do this. Draw strength and confidence from those of us who have reached our goal, because we know what it is to break through and get to goal and we know that you can do it, too.
My board holder had to stop and reposition me a couple of times, because what I was doing wasn't working. I had to be willing to listen to him and to change what I was doing - I had to be teachable. I was willing to listen because I really wanted to succeed, and even though the way he had me move felt more awkward, the movement gave me the momentum I needed to break through the board.
If you're struggling right now, you may need to change what you're doing. You may need to adopt some new patterns and it may feel awkward, but there are people here who can help you to made the adaptations you need. Ask for help if you need it!
You have a group of people here who are cheering you on, clapping wildly for you - can you hear it? The group who clapped and cheered for me continued through each of my failed attempts at breaking my board - they didn't hold their applause and affirmation until I succeeded, and their encouragement helped me want to keep trying. When one person broke their board, they didn't tuck their board under their arm and walk away; they stayed to cheer on the others, and their example inspired us to go for it.
That's why I'm here. My board is tucked under my arm, but I'm clapping wildly for you and calling out until I'm hoarse, "You can do it! Keep trying!"
It doesn't matter if you've tried and failed a thousand times before, today is a new day! Who's committed to an on-plan, board-breaking day today?
I attended a session called "Breakthrough Leadership" that was led by a wonderful speaker, Brian Biro. The only way I can describe it is "life changing", and the principles he shared have great application for our weight loss journey. Brian talked about the things that hold us back and challenged us to break through those things to get to where we really want to be. Among other things, breaking through involves:
1. Creating a compelling WHY. When your "why" is big enough, you find the way.
2. Giving 100%. It's impossible to fail if you give your best - the only way to fail is to quit!
3. The past does NOT equal the future. It doesn't matter if you've failed before, what matters is NOW.
4. Competency happens in a moment - keep trying!
5. There is always a way if you're committed.
6. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want.
After talking to us for almost two hours, Brian gave us the opportunity to have a hands-on experience of putting these principles into action. Everyone was handed a one-inch piece of board and we were informed that we were going to break the board with our hand. He went through the basic instructions of how to break our board, then asked us to write on the front of the board what in our life we wanted to break through, then write on the back of the board what would be on the other side of that break through. We then got in groups to cheer each other on as each person attempted to break their board. Each group had a person who held the board for us and who coached us on what to do. Very simply, we were to look into our coach's eyes and put the full weight of our hand thrust into the board, looking at our coach, not the board. Brian told us that if we looked at the board, we would pull back at the last second and not be able to break it; we needed to look beyond the board and focus on getting through it.
To start us out, Brian chose the first person to break a board, and he held the board for her. The person he chose was a woman in her mid to upper 60's (I'm guessing) who is less than 5 feet tall. We gathered around her and began to clap and cheer for her, and although it took her several attempts, we kept cheering and do you know what? She broke that one-inch board with her hand!
I watched Ruth break her board, but I honestly didn't think I could break mine. I had a list of reasons, including the fact that I have nerve damage in my right arm and hand and had surgery on it 6-1/2 years ago. I wanted to be able to break my board, but was pretty certain in my own mind that it wasn't possible.
When it was my turn, my group gathered around me and began clapping and cheering for me. I made four attempts, but the board didn't break, and I needed to step aside to allow someone else to have a turn. I was really disappointed, but my failure confirmed what I had suspected all along - I couldn't do it.
But that's not the end of the story! Another board-holder saw me fail and tapped me on the shoulder and encouraged me to try again. He pulled me aside and patiently went over again the stance and motion I needed to break the board. I tried again, and once again I failed. He then took a moment to correct my stance and my movement once again and pointed at his eyes as a reminder of where I needed to look. I took a deep breath, looked at his eyes which were telling me that he knew I could do it, and I gave it all I had. The board broke - and I burst into tears (there were a lot of tears that morning from a lot of people). The group around me clapped and cheered for me, celebrating my success.
It was an incredibly powerful moment for me as I broke through not only the board, but through the concepts I had about my own ability to do so.
I'm guessing that most of you here have been on other weight loss programs in the past, programs that you ultimately failed on. Perhaps you've tried and failed several times on this program, and maybe you're struggling right now to stay on plan. Maybe you even think that you can't do this.
I want you to know this morning that you CAN do this! Focus on what you want, which is to break through where you are and get to a healthy weight. Don't focus on what you don't want - being overweight; focus on what you DO want - being healthy, being in a smaller size, being able to do the things you want to do.
Give it all you've got. It doesn't matter if you've failed before - competency happens in a moment, and this is your moment.
Just as I had to focus not on the board, but on the eyes of my "trainer", try to imagine looking into the eyes of others here who believe you can do this, who KNOW that you can do this. Draw strength and confidence from those of us who have reached our goal, because we know what it is to break through and get to goal and we know that you can do it, too.
My board holder had to stop and reposition me a couple of times, because what I was doing wasn't working. I had to be willing to listen to him and to change what I was doing - I had to be teachable. I was willing to listen because I really wanted to succeed, and even though the way he had me move felt more awkward, the movement gave me the momentum I needed to break through the board.
If you're struggling right now, you may need to change what you're doing. You may need to adopt some new patterns and it may feel awkward, but there are people here who can help you to made the adaptations you need. Ask for help if you need it!
You have a group of people here who are cheering you on, clapping wildly for you - can you hear it? The group who clapped and cheered for me continued through each of my failed attempts at breaking my board - they didn't hold their applause and affirmation until I succeeded, and their encouragement helped me want to keep trying. When one person broke their board, they didn't tuck their board under their arm and walk away; they stayed to cheer on the others, and their example inspired us to go for it.
That's why I'm here. My board is tucked under my arm, but I'm clapping wildly for you and calling out until I'm hoarse, "You can do it! Keep trying!"
It doesn't matter if you've tried and failed a thousand times before, today is a new day! Who's committed to an on-plan, board-breaking day today?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
And I'm Off!
Happy Tuesday! I'm writing this quickly before boarding a flight to Phoenix. My husband and I are attending the Take Shape for Life National Convention in Scottsdale and will be gone until next Monday night. It's going to be a very busy few days, but it should be a lot of fun!
I'm not sure how often I'll be able to get to my laptop and log on to the internet while I'm gone, so I doubt I'll be able to post a new blog every morning. I'll do my best and will pick up again when I get back :-).
In the meantime, you all know the drill by now: commit to doing this one meal and one day at a time, and keep your eyes on the prize :-). You can do this, and you are worth the effort!
Blessings!
Cheryl
I'm not sure how often I'll be able to get to my laptop and log on to the internet while I'm gone, so I doubt I'll be able to post a new blog every morning. I'll do my best and will pick up again when I get back :-).
In the meantime, you all know the drill by now: commit to doing this one meal and one day at a time, and keep your eyes on the prize :-). You can do this, and you are worth the effort!
Blessings!
Cheryl
Monday, July 6, 2009
Thriving, Not Just Surviving
Happy Monday morning! I hope you survived the holiday weekend on plan!
I take that back . . . I hope you THRIVED over the past holiday weekend!! I say "thrived" because holidays and celebrating and having fun are about SO much more than what's on our plate. If you THRIVED over the weekend, then you took a giant step forward in not only reaching your goal weight, but maintaining it once you get there.
My goal is no longer to survive, it's to THRIVE - to bloom wherever I'm planted and find joy along the journey and not just hope there's some joy at my destination. That doesn't mean that I've adopted an unrealistic, sugar-sweetened view of life, because the journey itself is difficult - LIFE is difficult! When you add the challenge of losing weight to the other challenges you're facing in your life, it can seem like it's too much sometimes, unless you've embraced a "thrive, not just survive" attitude.
This weight loss journey can be one of the most important journeys of your life, if you'll let it. While I was losing my 126 pounds, I saw a lot of things change for my internally. How I thought about food changed, how I reacted to the stuff of life changed, how I felt about myself changed, and most important, my relationship with my Heavenly Father grew.
Several months into my journey, somewhere in the fall of 2007, I told my husband that I had a sense that this journey was about a lot more than just me losing weight. I told my husband that I felt like God was somehow going to use this in my life for more than just getting me to a healthy weight. I had no idea what that might be, but I knew (and I know) that God doesn't waste any of the experiences in our lives, if we allow Him to work in and through them (and us). So I had an attitude of expectation as I continued moving towards my goal and really embraced the idea of looking for joy along the way.
I set a lot of mini-goals to keep me excited about the journey, and I celebrated as I reached each one. I didn't attach a date to the mini-goals, because I knew that I had no control over how long it would take my body to drop the weight - I could only control whether or not I stayed on plan. Reaching each mini-goal recharged my batteries just a bit and propelled me on towards my next mini-goal. Along the way I looked for and celebrated all of the non-scale victories (like realizing that my thighs no longer touched when I walked!), and I continued to commit my journey to the Lord.
What I didn't realize was the way that my own journey would encourage so many of my family members and friends to begin their own weight loss journey. I've seen my husband, my son, my son-in-law, both my parents, and some of my closest friends lose weight - several have gotten off medications! It's so exciting! That excitement continues as I talk to people every day who are now losing weight, getting off of medications, and getting excited and optimistic about their life.
My encouragement to you today is not only to stay on plan, but to THRIVE in the process! Look for joy on the journey, and don't be surprised at the changes that will happen in and to you along the way - watch for them :-).
Who's committed to a thriving, on-plan day today?
I take that back . . . I hope you THRIVED over the past holiday weekend!! I say "thrived" because holidays and celebrating and having fun are about SO much more than what's on our plate. If you THRIVED over the weekend, then you took a giant step forward in not only reaching your goal weight, but maintaining it once you get there.
My goal is no longer to survive, it's to THRIVE - to bloom wherever I'm planted and find joy along the journey and not just hope there's some joy at my destination. That doesn't mean that I've adopted an unrealistic, sugar-sweetened view of life, because the journey itself is difficult - LIFE is difficult! When you add the challenge of losing weight to the other challenges you're facing in your life, it can seem like it's too much sometimes, unless you've embraced a "thrive, not just survive" attitude.
This weight loss journey can be one of the most important journeys of your life, if you'll let it. While I was losing my 126 pounds, I saw a lot of things change for my internally. How I thought about food changed, how I reacted to the stuff of life changed, how I felt about myself changed, and most important, my relationship with my Heavenly Father grew.
Several months into my journey, somewhere in the fall of 2007, I told my husband that I had a sense that this journey was about a lot more than just me losing weight. I told my husband that I felt like God was somehow going to use this in my life for more than just getting me to a healthy weight. I had no idea what that might be, but I knew (and I know) that God doesn't waste any of the experiences in our lives, if we allow Him to work in and through them (and us). So I had an attitude of expectation as I continued moving towards my goal and really embraced the idea of looking for joy along the way.
I set a lot of mini-goals to keep me excited about the journey, and I celebrated as I reached each one. I didn't attach a date to the mini-goals, because I knew that I had no control over how long it would take my body to drop the weight - I could only control whether or not I stayed on plan. Reaching each mini-goal recharged my batteries just a bit and propelled me on towards my next mini-goal. Along the way I looked for and celebrated all of the non-scale victories (like realizing that my thighs no longer touched when I walked!), and I continued to commit my journey to the Lord.
What I didn't realize was the way that my own journey would encourage so many of my family members and friends to begin their own weight loss journey. I've seen my husband, my son, my son-in-law, both my parents, and some of my closest friends lose weight - several have gotten off medications! It's so exciting! That excitement continues as I talk to people every day who are now losing weight, getting off of medications, and getting excited and optimistic about their life.
My encouragement to you today is not only to stay on plan, but to THRIVE in the process! Look for joy on the journey, and don't be surprised at the changes that will happen in and to you along the way - watch for them :-).
Who's committed to a thriving, on-plan day today?
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Still Celebrating
I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day celebration and that your Sunday is off to a great start! We had a cookout at our younger daughter's house, took a walk with her family (our granddaughters rode their bikes while we walked), then we all headed to Lake Michigan to walk the pier at the state park and watch the sun set over the lake. After that we watched fireworks - a terrific way to end a great day!
Today we're heading up to our church camp (about 1-1/2 hrs. away) to attend the morning chapel service, then will spend some time hiking on the dunes along Lake Michigan. Our younger daughter, son-in-law and two oldest granddaughters will be with us all day, so it will be another busy but fun day!
Two years ago I couldn't have hiked on the dunes because I was WAY too out of shape. In fact, doing almost anything physical was difficult at best, and often was impossible. Two years ago I was just two weeks into my Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss journey and a spark of hope was slowly being fanned into the flame that would burn hot and bright all the way to goal, and beyond!
I love fireworks, and as I watched the fireworks last night, I felt like they were a perfect representation of how I feel about my life right now - joyous, bright, and each new burst exciting all over again. I'll be 57 in ten days and I am filled with excitement and anticipation about each new day. Before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I felt old and not too hopeful about the future, but getting my health and my life back has made all the difference, and I'm SO thankful to God for helping me each step of the way.
I don't know where each of you are on your own journey, but I know that there is much joy in store for you as you continue to and reach your goal. Go for it! Whatever sacrifices that are required to get you from where you are to where you want to be are SO worth it - don't settle for anything less than what you REALLY want!
Today we're heading up to our church camp (about 1-1/2 hrs. away) to attend the morning chapel service, then will spend some time hiking on the dunes along Lake Michigan. Our younger daughter, son-in-law and two oldest granddaughters will be with us all day, so it will be another busy but fun day!
Two years ago I couldn't have hiked on the dunes because I was WAY too out of shape. In fact, doing almost anything physical was difficult at best, and often was impossible. Two years ago I was just two weeks into my Take Shape for Life/Medifast weight loss journey and a spark of hope was slowly being fanned into the flame that would burn hot and bright all the way to goal, and beyond!
I love fireworks, and as I watched the fireworks last night, I felt like they were a perfect representation of how I feel about my life right now - joyous, bright, and each new burst exciting all over again. I'll be 57 in ten days and I am filled with excitement and anticipation about each new day. Before starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I felt old and not too hopeful about the future, but getting my health and my life back has made all the difference, and I'm SO thankful to God for helping me each step of the way.
I don't know where each of you are on your own journey, but I know that there is much joy in store for you as you continue to and reach your goal. Go for it! Whatever sacrifices that are required to get you from where you are to where you want to be are SO worth it - don't settle for anything less than what you REALLY want!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
It's Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day! I hope you're having a great 4th of July, and that today will bring you one day closer to your own independence :-).
In a way, it's ironic that because of the freedom and the riches this wonderful country offers, so many of us struggle with being overweight and find ourselves enslaved in a whole new way. But we can declare today to be our own personal independence day! We can determine that we will NOT be ruled by our appetites, temptations will NOT bring us down, and food will NOT be the sum of our existence.
If need be, have a private Boston Tea Party and throw out all of the contraband food that's still in your house. If it's not in the house, you can't eat it, and you'll be one step closer to your goal and the freedom from weight you want.
It takes courage to declare our own personal independence day, and there will certainly be struggles involved in getting to (and maintaining) a healthy weight, but it is worth the effort! Are you with me today?
I don't really want to compare our struggle to lose weight with the struggle that was fought for our nation's independence, because there really is NO comparison. Those brave men were willing to lay down their lives, and many did, to secure our freedom. Many of them lost everything they owned, but they viewed freedom as the true and lasting prize. So many thousands upon thousands of others have given their lives over these past two hundred plus years to protect and maintain our freedom, and we have men and women in uniform around the world today who are putting their lives on the line for us.
On this 4th of July, I want to honor all of those who have given so much to this country, even as I celebrate our nation's birthday. May God continue to bless America!
In a way, it's ironic that because of the freedom and the riches this wonderful country offers, so many of us struggle with being overweight and find ourselves enslaved in a whole new way. But we can declare today to be our own personal independence day! We can determine that we will NOT be ruled by our appetites, temptations will NOT bring us down, and food will NOT be the sum of our existence.
If need be, have a private Boston Tea Party and throw out all of the contraband food that's still in your house. If it's not in the house, you can't eat it, and you'll be one step closer to your goal and the freedom from weight you want.
It takes courage to declare our own personal independence day, and there will certainly be struggles involved in getting to (and maintaining) a healthy weight, but it is worth the effort! Are you with me today?
I don't really want to compare our struggle to lose weight with the struggle that was fought for our nation's independence, because there really is NO comparison. Those brave men were willing to lay down their lives, and many did, to secure our freedom. Many of them lost everything they owned, but they viewed freedom as the true and lasting prize. So many thousands upon thousands of others have given their lives over these past two hundred plus years to protect and maintain our freedom, and we have men and women in uniform around the world today who are putting their lives on the line for us.
On this 4th of July, I want to honor all of those who have given so much to this country, even as I celebrate our nation's birthday. May God continue to bless America!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Put Your Armor On
The Fourth of July weekend is here, which means that some of you will be traveling. I am praying for safe travels, my friends! Many of us will be getting together with family members and friends for cookouts, so it's time to carefully plan what you're going to be eating this weekend.
It's OK to bring your own meat to grill, if needed, along with a great tossed salad to share. As a matter of fact, it's more than OK! So many of us are afraid of hurting someone's feelings or offending them if we don't eat their food, but the reality is that most people are VERY understanding when we explain that we're trying to eat healthy. If you're comfortable telling people that you're losing weight, let them know that as delicious as their food looks (and it probably will . . . ), you are focused on getting to a healthy weight right now. If anything, they will be impressed by your resolve! :-)
This is a time to be selfish - just a bit, anyway! This is a time to focus on what YOU need to be doing for yourself, not worrying about whether or not great aunt Lucy will be offended if you don't eat her special dish :-). She loves you and she'll be fine, and you can assure her that you look forward to enjoying her wonderful cooking again when you're at your goal (and you will be able to do just that!).
Long weekends and holidays are difficult to navigate when you're on plan and the rest of the world is eating with abandon, but hang tough now and you'll be SO glad you did on Monday morning! It's time to put on your armor and pick up your sword. The key to getting through unscathed is planning, planning, planning. Write down ahead of time everything you plan to eat, because writing it down will help to cement in your mind what you're going to eat. Writing it down will also give you a visual reminder of your plan, and this can be helpful in moments of temptation. Spend a little time thinking about what you REALLY want, and write that down, too! Write a paragraph about what life will be like for you when you're at goal - be descriptive! This will help you focus on what you REALLY want and may be helpful to you if food temptations arise. Plan, then commit, and don't let anything (or anyone, including great aunt Lucy) get between you and your goal this weekend.
This holiday is about so much more than what's on our plate, so take some time to reflect on the wonderful freedom we have and the price that was paid to secure it. That's what I'm going to do :-).
It's OK to bring your own meat to grill, if needed, along with a great tossed salad to share. As a matter of fact, it's more than OK! So many of us are afraid of hurting someone's feelings or offending them if we don't eat their food, but the reality is that most people are VERY understanding when we explain that we're trying to eat healthy. If you're comfortable telling people that you're losing weight, let them know that as delicious as their food looks (and it probably will . . . ), you are focused on getting to a healthy weight right now. If anything, they will be impressed by your resolve! :-)
This is a time to be selfish - just a bit, anyway! This is a time to focus on what YOU need to be doing for yourself, not worrying about whether or not great aunt Lucy will be offended if you don't eat her special dish :-). She loves you and she'll be fine, and you can assure her that you look forward to enjoying her wonderful cooking again when you're at your goal (and you will be able to do just that!).
Long weekends and holidays are difficult to navigate when you're on plan and the rest of the world is eating with abandon, but hang tough now and you'll be SO glad you did on Monday morning! It's time to put on your armor and pick up your sword. The key to getting through unscathed is planning, planning, planning. Write down ahead of time everything you plan to eat, because writing it down will help to cement in your mind what you're going to eat. Writing it down will also give you a visual reminder of your plan, and this can be helpful in moments of temptation. Spend a little time thinking about what you REALLY want, and write that down, too! Write a paragraph about what life will be like for you when you're at goal - be descriptive! This will help you focus on what you REALLY want and may be helpful to you if food temptations arise. Plan, then commit, and don't let anything (or anyone, including great aunt Lucy) get between you and your goal this weekend.
This holiday is about so much more than what's on our plate, so take some time to reflect on the wonderful freedom we have and the price that was paid to secure it. That's what I'm going to do :-).
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Bad News, then the Good News
Happy Thursday! Did you happen to catch an article on yesterday's news? The article said that the latest figures are out and the obesity rate INCREASED in 23 states last year and it decreased in NONE. As a nation, we are getting fatter and fatter, and there seems to be no end in sight.
One paragraph really caught my attention. It said, "Health economists once made the harsh financial calculation that the obese would save money by dying sooner, notes Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust, a nonprofit public health group. But more recent research instead suggests they live nearly as long but are much sicker for longer, requiring such costly interventions as knee replacements and diabetes care and dialysis. Studies show Medicare spends anywhere from $1,400 to $6,000 more annually on health care for an obese senior than for the non-obese."
So the good news is that obesity may not kill us after all. The bad news (and this is REALLY bad news!) is that if we continue to live as obese individuals, we will be much sicker for longer and require costly intervention.
The really good news is that those of us on the Take Shape for Life plan are bucking this trend! By doing this one Medifast meal and one day at a time, we can not only live a long life, but we can live a HEALTHY life! I don't know about you, but I want to live as long as I can and as healthy as I can. I would also MUCH rather spend my money on traveling and doing fun things instead of medication and copays for costly medical interventions.
Sure, being on Take Shape for Life/Medifast was an investment, and there were times when paying for my next shipment was a real stretch. However, I have NO regrets! I spent around $3,000 to lose 126 pounds, and I promise you that that was a fabulous investment in the rest of my healthy life. It works out to about $23.81 a pound, so I figure that I'm filet mignon :-). When I think of the money I'm saving every month because of the prescription medication I'm no longer on, I know that I will completely recoup my investment in prescription savings alone.
And how do you put a price on improved self esteem, on increased confidence, let alone ending up with a whole new career and calling in life as a Take Shape for Life health coach? The list of tangible and intangible benefits goes on and on!
Your list of tangible and intangible benefits may end up looking different than mine, but reaching your goal will result in your own wonderful list. The national trend may be in the wrong direction, but you can experience the joy and freedom of bucking the trend. The question is, do you believe you can do it? I believe you can do it! And you already know HOW to do it: one meal and one day at a time :-).
One paragraph really caught my attention. It said, "Health economists once made the harsh financial calculation that the obese would save money by dying sooner, notes Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust, a nonprofit public health group. But more recent research instead suggests they live nearly as long but are much sicker for longer, requiring such costly interventions as knee replacements and diabetes care and dialysis. Studies show Medicare spends anywhere from $1,400 to $6,000 more annually on health care for an obese senior than for the non-obese."
So the good news is that obesity may not kill us after all. The bad news (and this is REALLY bad news!) is that if we continue to live as obese individuals, we will be much sicker for longer and require costly intervention.
The really good news is that those of us on the Take Shape for Life plan are bucking this trend! By doing this one Medifast meal and one day at a time, we can not only live a long life, but we can live a HEALTHY life! I don't know about you, but I want to live as long as I can and as healthy as I can. I would also MUCH rather spend my money on traveling and doing fun things instead of medication and copays for costly medical interventions.
Sure, being on Take Shape for Life/Medifast was an investment, and there were times when paying for my next shipment was a real stretch. However, I have NO regrets! I spent around $3,000 to lose 126 pounds, and I promise you that that was a fabulous investment in the rest of my healthy life. It works out to about $23.81 a pound, so I figure that I'm filet mignon :-). When I think of the money I'm saving every month because of the prescription medication I'm no longer on, I know that I will completely recoup my investment in prescription savings alone.
And how do you put a price on improved self esteem, on increased confidence, let alone ending up with a whole new career and calling in life as a Take Shape for Life health coach? The list of tangible and intangible benefits goes on and on!
Your list of tangible and intangible benefits may end up looking different than mine, but reaching your goal will result in your own wonderful list. The national trend may be in the wrong direction, but you can experience the joy and freedom of bucking the trend. The question is, do you believe you can do it? I believe you can do it! And you already know HOW to do it: one meal and one day at a time :-).
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
It's Half Time!
Happy July 1st! I can hardly believe we just turned over another page on the calendar, and even more unbelievable is that we are now half-way through the year!
I'm a planner, a list maker and a goal setter, and since I always make New Year's resolutions, July 1 is the time for reassessment of those goals and resolutions. It's a time to see if I'm on track for the year or if I need to make some readjustments if I want to accomplish the things I listed on New Year's Day, or I may determine that other priorities have pushed one of those resolutions off the table for this year.
Some of you may have started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 (or restarted) right after the first of the year, vowing that THIS is the year to finally lose the weight and get healthy. January is the time when many Americans, bloated from the holidays, make resolutions to lose weight - it's one of the top resolutions people make. The health clubs and gyms see a spike in attendance and the air is filled with good intentions and resolve.
Six months later, most people haven't kept up with their resolution and are back to the same old habits, waiting until the next January 1 rolls around to make yet another resolution. It's not that they wouldn't like to lose weight and get in shape, but it's a desire, not a commitment. If they could wake up one morning and have the weight gone, they would be thrilled (wouldn't we all?), but they aren't willing to put in the time and effort required to get there.
Because you're reading this, I know that you have committed time, effort, and some of your finances, towards getting healthy. You've gone far beyond making a nominal resolution - good for you!
My question to you on this July 1 is: are you on track to reach the goals you've set for yourself? Some of you are rocking this plan - you're committed to staying on plan and you figure out each day exactly how to do it. It's not always easy, but you're keeping your eye on the prize and not letting anything get in your way.
Others of you struggle. You want to lose the weight, but you find yourselves stepping off plan over and over again, to your own frustration. This blog is really for you today!
We are half-way through the year - it's half-time, time to regroup, review our game plan, then get back into the game! Don't allow any failures from the first half of the year to keep you from reaching your goal in the second half of the year!
Write down all of the reasons you want to lose weight. It doesn't matter if it's a big reason or a little reason - write it down! Then spend some time thinking about why you go off plan. If you tend to go off at the same time every day, or when you're around the same people, zero in on that and figure out why, then make an adjustment. Write a description of what you will look like and feel like when you're at your goal weight - be descriptive and put in as much detail as possible. Don't be afraid to dream big about being small! What kinds of things do you want to do when you reach your goal, perhaps things you're not able to do now? What size will you be in? Make your WHY bigger than any obstacles you face.
Once you have done this, commit to staying on plan for 5 days straight, no matter what! That will ensure that you're back into the fat-burning state, and that's where the magic happens :-). Once you're into the fat-burning state, your hunger drops and your energy goes up and your body begins to target the areas where you store fat to get the energy you need. It's a beautiful thing and it's exactly how the plan is designed to work.
Stay connected to the support available here, stay on plan, and you'll have to figure out a new resolution for next New Year's, because losing weight won't be one of them!
You can do it, and reaching your goal is worth it!
I'm a planner, a list maker and a goal setter, and since I always make New Year's resolutions, July 1 is the time for reassessment of those goals and resolutions. It's a time to see if I'm on track for the year or if I need to make some readjustments if I want to accomplish the things I listed on New Year's Day, or I may determine that other priorities have pushed one of those resolutions off the table for this year.
Some of you may have started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast 5&1 (or restarted) right after the first of the year, vowing that THIS is the year to finally lose the weight and get healthy. January is the time when many Americans, bloated from the holidays, make resolutions to lose weight - it's one of the top resolutions people make. The health clubs and gyms see a spike in attendance and the air is filled with good intentions and resolve.
Six months later, most people haven't kept up with their resolution and are back to the same old habits, waiting until the next January 1 rolls around to make yet another resolution. It's not that they wouldn't like to lose weight and get in shape, but it's a desire, not a commitment. If they could wake up one morning and have the weight gone, they would be thrilled (wouldn't we all?), but they aren't willing to put in the time and effort required to get there.
Because you're reading this, I know that you have committed time, effort, and some of your finances, towards getting healthy. You've gone far beyond making a nominal resolution - good for you!
My question to you on this July 1 is: are you on track to reach the goals you've set for yourself? Some of you are rocking this plan - you're committed to staying on plan and you figure out each day exactly how to do it. It's not always easy, but you're keeping your eye on the prize and not letting anything get in your way.
Others of you struggle. You want to lose the weight, but you find yourselves stepping off plan over and over again, to your own frustration. This blog is really for you today!
We are half-way through the year - it's half-time, time to regroup, review our game plan, then get back into the game! Don't allow any failures from the first half of the year to keep you from reaching your goal in the second half of the year!
Write down all of the reasons you want to lose weight. It doesn't matter if it's a big reason or a little reason - write it down! Then spend some time thinking about why you go off plan. If you tend to go off at the same time every day, or when you're around the same people, zero in on that and figure out why, then make an adjustment. Write a description of what you will look like and feel like when you're at your goal weight - be descriptive and put in as much detail as possible. Don't be afraid to dream big about being small! What kinds of things do you want to do when you reach your goal, perhaps things you're not able to do now? What size will you be in? Make your WHY bigger than any obstacles you face.
Once you have done this, commit to staying on plan for 5 days straight, no matter what! That will ensure that you're back into the fat-burning state, and that's where the magic happens :-). Once you're into the fat-burning state, your hunger drops and your energy goes up and your body begins to target the areas where you store fat to get the energy you need. It's a beautiful thing and it's exactly how the plan is designed to work.
Stay connected to the support available here, stay on plan, and you'll have to figure out a new resolution for next New Year's, because losing weight won't be one of them!
You can do it, and reaching your goal is worth it!
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