We turned the clocks back last night, which means we had the opportunity to get an extra hour of sleep. Did you take advantage of that? I did and it felt great!
Did you know that sleep, or the lack of sleep, has a dramatic impact on your health, including your weight? Along with poor diet and inactivity, poor sleep is a major contributor to living in an unhealthy state.
In his book, Dr. A's Habits of Health, Dr. Andersen, Take Shape for Life/Medifast's Medical Director, writes that getting too little sleep disturbs appetite regulation, giving sleep deficiency the potential to be a major factor in obesity. He cites research on 28,000 adults and 15,000 children which showed that less sleep almost doubled the risk of obesity, even in children as young as five. Dr. Andersen explains that when we're sleep-deprived, our body secretes excess ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, and less leptin, a substance that tells us to stop eating. Lack of sleep also prevents our bodies from replacing dopamine and serotonin, two brain chemicals that bring comfort and satisfaction. Guess what? If we're low in those two brain chemicals, we will crave sugar and other high-calorie foods.
And we thought getting healthy was just eating right and moving our bodies!
In our fast-pace society, sleep is something we're tempted to compromise. When I worked full-time, I rarely got more than 6 hours of sleep a night because I stayed up too late and then had to get up for work. It wasn't until I went back to work that the weight really piled on, and while I blamed it on inactivity, sitting in front of a computer all day instead of being a busy stay-at-home mom, I now realize that my chronic sleep deprivation may have played a part as well.
We need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every night. If we aren't getting that, we are not only compromising out health (Dr. Andersen also writes about the link between lack of sleep and increased inflammation and a higher risk of cardiovascular incidents, anxiety and depression), but we may be making it harder to stay on plan and get to a healthy weight.
So as you are making other choices about your health today, what you're going to eat and how you're going to move, what about what time you're going to go to bed? That's another habit of health to develop as you continue your journey! Getting healthy requires a series of choices that, working together, will enable us to create optimal health in our lives. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
How to Keep Going, Even When You Don't Want To
Yesterday I talked about not quitting half-way through the game. I know that's easier said than done! How do you keep going when you just want to be done?
First of all, I understand completely that feeling. I got tired of eating the food and I got tired of not eating so many other things. It took me two days short of 11 months to reach my goal and while the months went fast, especially as I look back, there were some mighty long days! It wasn't always fun.
I remember about four months into the program that I started questioning how long I would be on plan. It was just before Thanksgiving and I had 26 people coming to my house for dinner that year, so I knew that I'd be doing a lot of cooking and baking. I'd made really good progress with my weight loss and had dropped several sizes, so I was in a much better place than I'd been when I started the plan that June. I toyed with taking a small break to really enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and I also considered taking a break between Thanksgiving and New Years and then starting in again on January 2.
I considered this, but I didn't do it. In fact, I stayed on plan through the holidays and lost 18 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. When I reached New Year's Day, I didn't know that it would be over 5-1/2 more months until I reached my goal, but I was really happy that I'd continued to make progress through what is admittedly the toughest time of the year.
So how and why did I do that? Again, it wasn't easy, but I stayed on plan because I knew that what I wanted most was to get to a healthy weight and get on with the rest of my life, and I wanted it more than I wanted the food. I really, really wanted the food - don't get me wrong - but I wanted something else even more.
Chapter 3 of Dr. A's Habits of Health is entitled, "Motivation f or Change." He describes a typical and very predictable pattern that most of us will recognize from our past dieting experiences, a pattern based on wanting to change to fix a problem. Here's the pattern:
1. Emotional conflict leads you to act
2. Because you've acted, you feel better - even if the situation hasn't changed much
3. Feeling better takes the pressure off, lessening the emotional conflict
4. Less emotional conflict means there's less reason to continue doing the things that reduced the conflict in the first place
5. Since you feel better, you no longer feel a pressing need to follow through on your actions.
6. And the original behavior returns.
That is how we've ended up in a yo-yo dieting pattern, losing and gaining, losing and gaining over the years. If we are focused on fixing a problem (being overweight and/or unhealthy), the upcoming holiday season is a dangerous one. If you've been on plan for any length of time, you DO look and feel better, no doubt about it. That's why it's important to take a deep breath and focus - focus hard - on what it is that you really want.
I've been talking about the holidays, but this is true regardless of what time of year it is. Life continues to happen and anytime life happens, there is always food . . . always. If we're focused on what we want, and if we're honest with ourselves about what it is that we most want, we will make the secondary choices that support that fundamental choice.
Three years ago, I knew that what I wanted most was to get to a healthy weight. I made some hard choices, but those choices supported what I most wanted. There are no regrets!
What do you really want today? Identify what it is that you want, focus on it, then choose wisely :-)
First of all, I understand completely that feeling. I got tired of eating the food and I got tired of not eating so many other things. It took me two days short of 11 months to reach my goal and while the months went fast, especially as I look back, there were some mighty long days! It wasn't always fun.
I remember about four months into the program that I started questioning how long I would be on plan. It was just before Thanksgiving and I had 26 people coming to my house for dinner that year, so I knew that I'd be doing a lot of cooking and baking. I'd made really good progress with my weight loss and had dropped several sizes, so I was in a much better place than I'd been when I started the plan that June. I toyed with taking a small break to really enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and I also considered taking a break between Thanksgiving and New Years and then starting in again on January 2.
I considered this, but I didn't do it. In fact, I stayed on plan through the holidays and lost 18 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. When I reached New Year's Day, I didn't know that it would be over 5-1/2 more months until I reached my goal, but I was really happy that I'd continued to make progress through what is admittedly the toughest time of the year.
So how and why did I do that? Again, it wasn't easy, but I stayed on plan because I knew that what I wanted most was to get to a healthy weight and get on with the rest of my life, and I wanted it more than I wanted the food. I really, really wanted the food - don't get me wrong - but I wanted something else even more.
Chapter 3 of Dr. A's Habits of Health is entitled, "Motivation f or Change." He describes a typical and very predictable pattern that most of us will recognize from our past dieting experiences, a pattern based on wanting to change to fix a problem. Here's the pattern:
1. Emotional conflict leads you to act
2. Because you've acted, you feel better - even if the situation hasn't changed much
3. Feeling better takes the pressure off, lessening the emotional conflict
4. Less emotional conflict means there's less reason to continue doing the things that reduced the conflict in the first place
5. Since you feel better, you no longer feel a pressing need to follow through on your actions.
6. And the original behavior returns.
That is how we've ended up in a yo-yo dieting pattern, losing and gaining, losing and gaining over the years. If we are focused on fixing a problem (being overweight and/or unhealthy), the upcoming holiday season is a dangerous one. If you've been on plan for any length of time, you DO look and feel better, no doubt about it. That's why it's important to take a deep breath and focus - focus hard - on what it is that you really want.
I've been talking about the holidays, but this is true regardless of what time of year it is. Life continues to happen and anytime life happens, there is always food . . . always. If we're focused on what we want, and if we're honest with ourselves about what it is that we most want, we will make the secondary choices that support that fundamental choice.
Three years ago, I knew that what I wanted most was to get to a healthy weight. I made some hard choices, but those choices supported what I most wanted. There are no regrets!
What do you really want today? Identify what it is that you want, focus on it, then choose wisely :-)
Friday, November 5, 2010
Getting, and Staying, in the Game
"Health is not a spectator sport." Is your first instinct to nod in agreement, or are you thinking, "rats!!" :-) It's true . . . if we want to be optimally healthy, being as active and vibrant as we can possibly be for as long as possible, we have to get in the game.
This quote is from Dr. A's Habits of Health, a book written by Take Shape for Life/Medifast's Medical Director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen. My husband and I have been working our way through this book for the past few months, and I do mean working our way.
I'm really good at studying and learning. I'm an avid reader and enjoy the whole learning process, and I believe in being a lifelong learner. However, reading, studying and learning in and of itself, as good as those things are, won't do a thing to get me healthy or keep me healthy.
Prior to starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I had done a lot of reading and studying. I had a good grasp of nutrition and understood the health risks of obesity. Unfortunately, I did a lot of my reading while eating cookies or chips . . . I kid you not. I used to say that my obesity (my all-time high weight was 268 on my 5'5" frame) wasn't due to not knowing what to do or a failure to grasp the health risks.
Knowing and doing are two entirely different things. If we want to reach a healthy weight, if we want to be as healthy as we can possibly be, we have to stop being a spectator and get in the game. It simply won't happen by osmosis. I'm certainly not advocating that anyone stop reading about health - in fact, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Andersen's book to anyone who wants to create long-term health in their lives. I just know that reading alone, even Dr. A's book, won't do it for us. We can know all of the ins and outs of why it's important to eat every 3 hours and we can have the low-glycemic list memorized, but if we aren't doing it, the information is useless.
Once we're in the game (and since you're reading this, I'm guessing that you're in the game!), the next challenge is to stay in the game. I've never seen a team decide half-way or 3/4 of the way through a game that, since they're ahead and doing well, that they can quit early. Even when a team has a comfortable margin and their win is a foregone conclusion, they stay in the game until it's over. We have to do the same! For us, the game isn't over when we reach our goal . . . it's never really over as long as we're on this earth. Every day between now and goal is a day where you have to make choices to move forward. That doesn't change when you reach your goal - some of the options will change, but you will still have choices to make and those choices will either move you forward or take you back. The game continues!
If you're inclined to sit on the bleachers, it's time to get off. If you're currently in the game, keep going! You'll do that with the choices you'll make today. Choose wisely :-)
This quote is from Dr. A's Habits of Health, a book written by Take Shape for Life/Medifast's Medical Director, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen. My husband and I have been working our way through this book for the past few months, and I do mean working our way.
I'm really good at studying and learning. I'm an avid reader and enjoy the whole learning process, and I believe in being a lifelong learner. However, reading, studying and learning in and of itself, as good as those things are, won't do a thing to get me healthy or keep me healthy.
Prior to starting on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, I had done a lot of reading and studying. I had a good grasp of nutrition and understood the health risks of obesity. Unfortunately, I did a lot of my reading while eating cookies or chips . . . I kid you not. I used to say that my obesity (my all-time high weight was 268 on my 5'5" frame) wasn't due to not knowing what to do or a failure to grasp the health risks.
Knowing and doing are two entirely different things. If we want to reach a healthy weight, if we want to be as healthy as we can possibly be, we have to stop being a spectator and get in the game. It simply won't happen by osmosis. I'm certainly not advocating that anyone stop reading about health - in fact, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Andersen's book to anyone who wants to create long-term health in their lives. I just know that reading alone, even Dr. A's book, won't do it for us. We can know all of the ins and outs of why it's important to eat every 3 hours and we can have the low-glycemic list memorized, but if we aren't doing it, the information is useless.
Once we're in the game (and since you're reading this, I'm guessing that you're in the game!), the next challenge is to stay in the game. I've never seen a team decide half-way or 3/4 of the way through a game that, since they're ahead and doing well, that they can quit early. Even when a team has a comfortable margin and their win is a foregone conclusion, they stay in the game until it's over. We have to do the same! For us, the game isn't over when we reach our goal . . . it's never really over as long as we're on this earth. Every day between now and goal is a day where you have to make choices to move forward. That doesn't change when you reach your goal - some of the options will change, but you will still have choices to make and those choices will either move you forward or take you back. The game continues!
If you're inclined to sit on the bleachers, it's time to get off. If you're currently in the game, keep going! You'll do that with the choices you'll make today. Choose wisely :-)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Three Years Later
I started thinking today about three years ago, when I was just a little over 4 months into this journey. I am so happy that I blogged all along my journey, because it's fun to look back and remember. Here's what I wrote three years ago today:
What's interesting now is reading - and sensing - the joy I had at that point in my journey. I was only four months into what would end up being an eleven month process, so I still had a long way to go when I wrote this. I'm so thankful that I didn't wait until I reached the end of my journey and was at my goal to find things to celebrate.
It's hard to stay motivated when our goal is months away, and there are certainly days when staying on plan is no fun at all (I had plenty of those days!). While I really encourage individuals to stay focused on their goal, sometimes it's helpful to shift our focus for just a moment.
Sometimes we need to look back at where we were when we started, just to remind ourselves of how far we've come. We really ARE making progress, one day at a time.
Sometimes it also good to stop for a moment and look at where we are right now. We may not be where we want to be, but thank God, we're not where we were, so celebrate that!
Stay focused on your goal, of course, but don't put your life on hold until you get there. There is a lot to celebrate now. Every day that you choose to stay on plan, you are choosing to change your life! Choose wisely :-)
The NSVs (non-scale victories) just keep coming! Even as I move ever closer to leaving the 200's behind forever (currently at 206!), I'm enjoying some great NSVs which keep a silly, but very contented, smile on my face.
One HUGE NSV is shopping. Oh my goodness!! I don't know when the thrill of shopping in Misses sizes will begin to dissipate, but it's still there in full-force every time I walk into a store. Last Saturday I went to a store in the mall that had 40% off of the total purchase, so I happily shopped the sale racks for clothes in the next size down, knowing that there would be an additional 40% taken off - gotta love that! I bought a pair of Misses 14 slacks which zip and button, but are too tight to be worn in public, but I bought them in FULL confidence knowing that I'll be in them in a few weeks. I also bought a couple of Misses size 12 blazers - a bit snug yet, but not for long!! I have to keep reminding myself not to go crazy - yet - because I'm not in my final size. But after spending years with very limited fashion choices in the Women's department, this is way too much fun!
With some very wintery weather moving into Michigan yesterday, I realized that I needed a new good winter coat. I bought a new winter jacket a couple of weeks ago, but had hoped that the wool coat I bought 3 years ago might work for this year, but not a chance! The coat is a 20W and it was ridiculously huge - there was absolutely NO way I could wear it this year. When I bought it, I hadn't been able to find anything in the store that fit my 268 pound body, so I ordered it from L.L. Bean. Now that I am 62 pounds lighter, the coat was beyond huge on me. Oh darn - I had to go shopping again! It was wonderful to walk into the department store and have CHOICES - choices of color, style, length. I found a great wool coat on sale for half price, which was wonderful because it will be WAY too big next winter!
And my last fun NSV was when my husband and I were walking a couple of days ago. We were talking and holding hands when he commented, "You're walking a lot . . . smoother . . . these days!" He hesitated and searched for the right word before he came up with "smoother." I told him that it was probably because 1) my knee was feeling SO much better and I wasn't limping any more and 2) because my thighs don't rub together any more when I walk! He just shook his head and grinned, but we swung hands while we walked!
If someone would have told me last June 24, my very first day on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, that I would be enjoying these things today, I'm not sure I would have believed it. But taking it one meal and one day at a time, life has gotten much sweeter, and the best is yet to come! Is it worth giving up some former favorite foods? What do YOU think?!
What's interesting now is reading - and sensing - the joy I had at that point in my journey. I was only four months into what would end up being an eleven month process, so I still had a long way to go when I wrote this. I'm so thankful that I didn't wait until I reached the end of my journey and was at my goal to find things to celebrate.
It's hard to stay motivated when our goal is months away, and there are certainly days when staying on plan is no fun at all (I had plenty of those days!). While I really encourage individuals to stay focused on their goal, sometimes it's helpful to shift our focus for just a moment.
Sometimes we need to look back at where we were when we started, just to remind ourselves of how far we've come. We really ARE making progress, one day at a time.
Sometimes it also good to stop for a moment and look at where we are right now. We may not be where we want to be, but thank God, we're not where we were, so celebrate that!
Stay focused on your goal, of course, but don't put your life on hold until you get there. There is a lot to celebrate now. Every day that you choose to stay on plan, you are choosing to change your life! Choose wisely :-)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Aligning Priorities
"When our old priorities don't go with our new life, we either return to our old life or adopt new priorities."
My old priorities as they related to food and my health were WAY off. I was very much focused on instant gratification and only gave a passing nod to the idea that what I was putting in my mouth today could negatively impact me tomorrow. I was certainly aware of the dangers of obesity, but I always had VERY good intentions to "start being good tomorrow." I can't tell you how many "last suppers" I've had in my life as I tried to eat up all of the "bad food" before starting on the next sure-thing diet. I knew that exercise was important, and I could give a pretty good list of all of the reasons why, but there was never time to exercise today - but I'd promise myself that I'd get started tomorrow. My priorities were pretty much on the here and now, and "tomorrow" never showed up on my calendar. Every day was only "today."
To this day, it amazes me that God led me to the right program at the right time, knowing that I was finally - FINALLY - ready to make permanent changes in my life. I didn't even realize it at the time, and that the thought that I could really make permanent, positive changes seemed impossible.
However, June 24, 2007 was the beginning of what has truly been a life-changing journey, and, with God's help, I have made permanent changes in my life. I know I can never return to that old life, so I've been forced to adopt some new priorities. Many of these priorities flow out of my primary choice/ secondary choice philosophy (are you tired of hearing about this yet?).
Some of my priorities - my most important priorities - remain unchanged: my faith and my family. However, other priorities have been rearranged because being healthy is now one of my new, permanent priorities - a primary choice.
According to the statistics, 85% (or more) of people who lose weight end up gaining it all back, plus some, within two years. I can't help but wonder if many of these people return to their old, overweight life because they never changed their priorities.
Priorities don't automatically change. They only change as we choose to change them. It's never an easy task, but if we don't change our priorities to support our new, healthy life, sooner or later we'll find ourselves in a place we vowed we'd never see again.
Changing priorities happens one day at a time, one choice at a time. What choice are you making today? Choose wisely :-)
My old priorities as they related to food and my health were WAY off. I was very much focused on instant gratification and only gave a passing nod to the idea that what I was putting in my mouth today could negatively impact me tomorrow. I was certainly aware of the dangers of obesity, but I always had VERY good intentions to "start being good tomorrow." I can't tell you how many "last suppers" I've had in my life as I tried to eat up all of the "bad food" before starting on the next sure-thing diet. I knew that exercise was important, and I could give a pretty good list of all of the reasons why, but there was never time to exercise today - but I'd promise myself that I'd get started tomorrow. My priorities were pretty much on the here and now, and "tomorrow" never showed up on my calendar. Every day was only "today."
To this day, it amazes me that God led me to the right program at the right time, knowing that I was finally - FINALLY - ready to make permanent changes in my life. I didn't even realize it at the time, and that the thought that I could really make permanent, positive changes seemed impossible.
However, June 24, 2007 was the beginning of what has truly been a life-changing journey, and, with God's help, I have made permanent changes in my life. I know I can never return to that old life, so I've been forced to adopt some new priorities. Many of these priorities flow out of my primary choice/ secondary choice philosophy (are you tired of hearing about this yet?).
Some of my priorities - my most important priorities - remain unchanged: my faith and my family. However, other priorities have been rearranged because being healthy is now one of my new, permanent priorities - a primary choice.
According to the statistics, 85% (or more) of people who lose weight end up gaining it all back, plus some, within two years. I can't help but wonder if many of these people return to their old, overweight life because they never changed their priorities.
Priorities don't automatically change. They only change as we choose to change them. It's never an easy task, but if we don't change our priorities to support our new, healthy life, sooner or later we'll find ourselves in a place we vowed we'd never see again.
Changing priorities happens one day at a time, one choice at a time. What choice are you making today? Choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Help Needed
****
I am writing to all of you and asking for your help. As you all know, Chris is in Afghanistan for a year. There are about 4,800 men in the brigade, Chris is in one of the 6 battalions comprised of about 490 men and has 32 in what he calls his shop. Before leaving they had to pre-ship everything they would need for a year ahead of time. Their extra uniforms, boots, bedding, family mementos, leisure items, etc.... They usually go into debt trying to buy all the things they will need before they leave. As they are not allowed to ship out with all of this they have to ship ahead of time. Well...........they had 38 of these big containers lost. Chris received one of their 20 x 20 foot containers that was packed from top to bottom and first of all it had been lost for awhile and when they opened it there was absolutely nothing in it!!!! Everything had been stolen. They bypassed the locks, the custom seal and cut open the back of the container, emptied it and welded it back on. They have lost millions of dollars worth of equipment, laptops, and etc... I am most concerned about the uniforms and boots and laptops, and whose hands they are in, but that is another story. Anyway they are up in the mountainous region of Logar Province. They are not situated at a base where they could hope to replace their personal items. So I am asking each of you to find it in your heart to send a box to a soldier for Christmas, anything you send is going to be greatly appreciated. Chris is the Support Operations Officer and will distribute these items. I found out the last time he was over there that you can't just send a box to a soldier, they will never receive it. It must go to a named soldier, so therefore that is why I am asking you to send it through this channel as I know that it will get to those in need. Everything will be need to be sent by November 15th for them to receive it in time for Christmas. Please get this info out to any of the organizations that you are involved with and to your Church, and any other way you can think of. I know that you will bring a moment of joy into some soldier's life and they will appreciate something from home.
I go to the PO and get these large FLAT RATE priority boxes, they are free, and they are not big, 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide....also pick up a stack of the customs form to fill out since it is being shipped out of the country. If you are not familiar with this form, you just put your address and his address, they give you 4 lines to list the stuff in the box, I usually just put candy, socks, snacks etc...I'm not always exact, mark that it is a gift, sign your name and date it, put a value on it. It costs $12.50 to mail no matter how heavy. I have found this the most economical way to send him stuff. Of course, some things won't fit, then I just pack it well and pay the extra cost, most times over $20.
I got a list of things that they like from Chris and of course anything you can come up with you would like to send to them.
Jelly beans
Chips in a can (otherwise they get squashed)
Dip in the can( no glass containers allowed) (also no aerosol products)
Jerky
Sunflower seeds, cashews, mixed nuts, etc.
Any kind of candy
Chap sticks ( it is arctic cold there about 10 degrees)
Air fresheners that stick up or in a sealed can( like you can usually buy at the carwash where you have your car washed)
Socks (they wear them until they can't any more and throw them away)
Gold Bond foot powder
Large and x-large briefs
Any good thermal underware they can wear under their uniform, like under armor stuff at Academy ( I purchased Chris some Pantagonia thermal wear that people buy for skiing, they have it in different weights, but it is expensive) I'm sure anything is going to be appreciated.
Some light weight fleece blankets ( bought Chris one at Bed, Bath Beyond with the LSU people tailgating)
Toothpaste
Stick deodorant (no aerosols)
Electric shavers (can't send shaving cream in a can) maybe some kind of soap
I go to the PO and get these large FLAT RATE priority boxes, they are free, and they are not big, 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide....also pick up a stack of the customs form to fill out since it is being shipped out of the country. If you are not familiar with this form, you just put your address and his address, they give you 4 lines to list the stuff in the box, I usually just put candy, socks, snacks etc...I'm not always exact, mark that it is a gift, sign your name and date it, put a value on it. It costs $12.50 to mail no matter how heavy. I have found this the most economical way to send him stuff. Of course, some things won't fit, then I just pack it well and pay the extra cost, most times over $20.
I got a list of things that they like from Chris and of course anything you can come up with you would like to send to them.
Jelly beans
Chips in a can (otherwise they get squashed)
Dip in the can( no glass containers allowed) (also no aerosol products)
Jerky
Sunflower seeds, cashews, mixed nuts, etc.
Any kind of candy
Chap sticks ( it is arctic cold there about 10 degrees)
Air fresheners that stick up or in a sealed can( like you can usually buy at the carwash where you have your car washed)
Socks (they wear them until they can't any more and throw them away)
Gold Bond foot powder
Large and x-large briefs
Any good thermal underware they can wear under their uniform, like under armor stuff at Academy ( I purchased Chris some Pantagonia thermal wear that people buy for skiing, they have it in different weights, but it is expensive) I'm sure anything is going to be appreciated.
Some light weight fleece blankets ( bought Chris one at Bed, Bath Beyond with the LSU people tailgating)
Toothpaste
Stick deodorant (no aerosols)
Electric shavers (can't send shaving cream in a can) maybe some kind of soap
Microwave popcorn (a huge hit)
Rice Krispie treats
Rice Krispie treats
Crocs or shower shoes (showers are 500 yards away and they need these so they won't have to put their dirty boots back on)
And last but not least.....iTunes gift cards........the soldiers can buy movies and download to their computers. This is really a big hit!!!! Yeah they really do have Internet access..........really amazing isn't it. That is if they can afford $150 a month to have it! What a ripoff!!
Also send cards as often as you can they really appreciate any mail from home.
That about sums it up my friends. I just want to thank each and every one of you for doing something for one of these guys. I know that many of you have asked what you could do, so this is the info I have at present, and your efforts are greatly appreciated. What you are doing may mean the absolute world to someone lonely, alone in a dangerous situation far across the world.
God bless each and every one of you, love
Mike & Karen
Chris Brown
HHC, 94th BSB
FOB SHANK
APO, AE 09364
christopher.m.brown@afghan.swa.army.mil
This is Chris's email address, but can't promise that he will find the time to write but I hope he will if you do email him.
****And last but not least.....iTunes gift cards........the soldiers can buy movies and download to their computers. This is really a big hit!!!! Yeah they really do have Internet access..........really amazing isn't it. That is if they can afford $150 a month to have it! What a ripoff!!
Also send cards as often as you can they really appreciate any mail from home.
That about sums it up my friends. I just want to thank each and every one of you for doing something for one of these guys. I know that many of you have asked what you could do, so this is the info I have at present, and your efforts are greatly appreciated. What you are doing may mean the absolute world to someone lonely, alone in a dangerous situation far across the world.
God bless each and every one of you, love
Mike & Karen
Chris Brown
HHC, 94th BSB
FOB SHANK
APO, AE 09364
christopher.m.brown@afghan.swa.army.mil
This is Chris's email address, but can't promise that he will find the time to write but I hope he will if you do email him.
Thanks so much! Oh yes, remember to choose wisely :-)
Monday, November 1, 2010
Meeting Goals
Welcome to November! I am in disbelief as I type "November" - how did we get here so fast? Are you starting November where you'd hoped to be, or is your weight loss lagging behind your projections? For many of you, you knew where you hoped you'd be by the holidays and based on what the scale is saying, the reality is hitting that you may not be exactly where you wanted to be. If that just described you, the question is, what now?
For those of you who have been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I'm not a proponent of attaching dates to weight loss goals. We simply can't control how fast we release the weight and the scale can be maddening at times; all we can really control is whether or not we choose to stay on program. That said, I DO understanding wanting to hit milestones.
When I was on 5&1, I set up a spreadsheet that projected when I'd reach my goal if I averaged 2 pound losses each week. Each week as I logged my weight loss for the week, the spreadsheet would update. I had a lot of 1 pound weeks and I had three separate weeks when I didn't lose a thing, even though I stayed on plan. I saw my projected goal date repeatedly change. I'll be honest and let you know that my heart sank a bit when I saw my anticipated goal date extended. However, I realized that I was still further ahead than if I hadn't stayed on plan.
Each day that you stay on plan, you are one day closer to your goal. Regardless of how fast the scale is moving, changes ARE happening and you ARE moving in the right direction. You WILL reach your goal - I promise :-).
So if November doesn't find you where you'd hoped you'd be, that's OK. You're getting there, one day, one meal and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
For those of you who have been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I'm not a proponent of attaching dates to weight loss goals. We simply can't control how fast we release the weight and the scale can be maddening at times; all we can really control is whether or not we choose to stay on program. That said, I DO understanding wanting to hit milestones.
When I was on 5&1, I set up a spreadsheet that projected when I'd reach my goal if I averaged 2 pound losses each week. Each week as I logged my weight loss for the week, the spreadsheet would update. I had a lot of 1 pound weeks and I had three separate weeks when I didn't lose a thing, even though I stayed on plan. I saw my projected goal date repeatedly change. I'll be honest and let you know that my heart sank a bit when I saw my anticipated goal date extended. However, I realized that I was still further ahead than if I hadn't stayed on plan.
Each day that you stay on plan, you are one day closer to your goal. Regardless of how fast the scale is moving, changes ARE happening and you ARE moving in the right direction. You WILL reach your goal - I promise :-).
So if November doesn't find you where you'd hoped you'd be, that's OK. You're getting there, one day, one meal and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
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