There is a common misconception that somehow the individuals who stay on plan and reach their goal are stronger or more self-disciplined than everybody else. Every time I hear that, I just have to smile, because I know how much I struggled, and still struggle, to have discipline in my life. When individuals decide that they just don't have the discipline that others have and attribute the lack of discipline to the reason they aren't staying on plan, they've really set themselves up for failure.
If you're telling yourself that you just aren't disciplined, that you aren't as strong as someone else, you've given yourself permission to fail, and you probably will. If you are waiting for some day in the future when you will somehow get the discipline you need to stay on program, you'll be waiting a long, long time.
"Discipline is making the choice between what you want now and what you want most!" I read that quote a couple of days ago and it's been rattling around in my brain ever since. Discipline isn't a matter of being stronger, it's a matter of deciding what it is that you want.
There are always things competing for our attention and if we aren't focused on what we want, we will grab whatever is closest, opting for immediate gratification. The problem with that strategy is that there is often a difference between what we want now, in this instant, and what we want most. If we are choosing what we want in this instant, that choice may be pushing us farther away from what we want most.
So what DO you want most today? Fix your eyes on it, then choose wisely :-)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Finish Well
How is your weight loss journey progressing? Are you making steady progress? Perhaps you're struggling to get on plan and stay on plan, questioning whether this is the right program for you and wondering if the success that others have had will somehow elude you. If this last sentence describes where you are right now, take heart.
It doesn't matter where you are or how the program has gone thus far. What does matter is how you finish. I read a quote this morning that said, "The measure of a person is not how well they start, but how well they finish." You haven't finished yet, unless you've decided to quit.
Struggling isn't any fun and in the midst of the struggle we can sometimes wonder if the end result will be worth the effort. We are geared to want and expect fast results, immediate gratification, so when the positive feedback we're looking for isn't immediately forthcoming, it's tempting to throw in the towel.
I'm encouraging you today to keep going. You don't have to believe that this program works, but if you continue to work the program, you WILL reach your goal. If you embrace this as a lifestyle change, you WILL be able to maintain a healthy weight. Even if you're struggling, even if you are getting back on plan for the umpteenth time, you aren't finished yet!
When we're struggling, it's easy to believe that the outcome will ultimately be failure, but that's not true. I've seen too many people who've had several "practice" attempts on this program before things finally clicked for them and they made it to goal.
Success on this program is directly tied to the daily choices we make. Even if we don't feel like making those choices, and even if we don't believe those choices will ultimately make any difference, if we make them anyway, we will finish well. You may have gotten off to a rocky start, or you may have started strong and now find yourself struggling, but where you are or have been doesn't determine the finish. The choices you make today will. Choose wisely :-)
It doesn't matter where you are or how the program has gone thus far. What does matter is how you finish. I read a quote this morning that said, "The measure of a person is not how well they start, but how well they finish." You haven't finished yet, unless you've decided to quit.
Struggling isn't any fun and in the midst of the struggle we can sometimes wonder if the end result will be worth the effort. We are geared to want and expect fast results, immediate gratification, so when the positive feedback we're looking for isn't immediately forthcoming, it's tempting to throw in the towel.
I'm encouraging you today to keep going. You don't have to believe that this program works, but if you continue to work the program, you WILL reach your goal. If you embrace this as a lifestyle change, you WILL be able to maintain a healthy weight. Even if you're struggling, even if you are getting back on plan for the umpteenth time, you aren't finished yet!
When we're struggling, it's easy to believe that the outcome will ultimately be failure, but that's not true. I've seen too many people who've had several "practice" attempts on this program before things finally clicked for them and they made it to goal.
Success on this program is directly tied to the daily choices we make. Even if we don't feel like making those choices, and even if we don't believe those choices will ultimately make any difference, if we make them anyway, we will finish well. You may have gotten off to a rocky start, or you may have started strong and now find yourself struggling, but where you are or have been doesn't determine the finish. The choices you make today will. Choose wisely :-)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Shifting Focus
"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. Far too often we focus on the obstacle and allow that focus to blur our vision for anything that lies just beyond the obstacle.
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 may have failed on other weight loss plans, so the "I can't lose weight" concept may be 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 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. You will get there doing what you CAN do, one day, one meal, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
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. Far too often we focus on the obstacle and allow that focus to blur our vision for anything that lies just beyond the obstacle.
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 may have failed on other weight loss plans, so the "I can't lose weight" concept may be 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 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. You will get there doing what you CAN do, one day, one meal, and one choice at a time. Choose wisely :-)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Getting Cheated
We're getting cheated, and we're cheating ourselves, and we don't even realize it. That realization hit me this morning as I read an article in our local newspaper. The article was entitled, "Portion Distortion" and it talked about the fact that the average American consumes 100-200 calories a day more than we need.
Part of this reason, according to the writer, is that portion sizes are often over-sized. Since people are programmed to eat whatever is on their plate, it's easy to fall into mindless eating. The writer cited a study conducted by Pennsylvania State University in 2003 that tested how the portion size of a package of potato chips affects the amount the subject eats of that snack and a meal following the snack. Snack intake increased significantly as the package size increased. On average, when served the largest package compared to the smallest, subjects consumed an additional 143 calories at snack and dinner combined.
The next paragraph in this morning's newspaper article is what really got my attention. The writer noted that since the foods we tend to overeat aren’t healthy, high- quality foods, they can be offered at a very cheap price because they cost very little to produce.
“Once you start getting to more refined restaurants, the quality of food goes up, and they can’t afford to slap so much food on your plate.
But for the restaurants that load up plates and double or triple portion sizes, if their customers bulge a little at the waistline, it’s no sweat off their backs. It’s costing the businesses pennies to increase the size a little bit, and from the consumer’s perspective, biggie-sizing seems like a huge value. Then, of course, we feel obligated to eat it."
The writer makes a good point. You never see "super-sized value meals" on the menu at a 4 or 5-star restaurant. The emphasis there is on the quality of the food (which is NOT mass-produced as it is in chain restaurants) and on the presentation. Portion sizes seem small when compared to other restaurants, but those portions are much more in line with what we should actually be eating. Most of us (myself included!) can't afford to eat at expensive restaurants very often, but we can learn to make wise choices when we do go out.
The question is, why does "biggie-sizing" seem like such a huge value to most Americans? This is a question worth asking, because those of us on a journey to health are learning to recognize proper portion sizes and training ourselves to recognize our body's hunger and full signals. After we've adjusted to the portion sizes of our meals on this program, it's shocking to go to most restaurants and see what comes out of the kitchen. People feel like they're getting a "good deal" because they're getting a lot of food for relatively little money; "biggie-sizing" only seems like a huge value to someone who is looking at quantity only.
In the process of going after the "biggie-sized" meals, Americans are being woefully short-changed on nutrition (check out the nutrition stats for calories, fat, carbs and sodium, as well as vitamins and minerals if you don't believe me). There is a mindset that says "more is more", but when it comes to what's being served in most restaurants, the only "more" we're getting is more of us as the obesity rate continues to spiral out of control.
One of the things we have the opportunity to change on this program is our mindset when it comes to food. By embracing this as a lifestyle change, by learning to eat differently - in more frequent intervals and much smaller portions - we can develop healthier habits that will not only get us to a healthy weight, but will also keep us there. We have to be vigilant, particularly when we eat at restaurant, and we have to become picky eaters and look for the most nutrition we can get for our money. By doing that, and by paying attention to both portion sizes and our hunger/full signals, we will be getting true value in every sense of the word. It's not always easy to make those choices, but those choices make the difference in the long run. Choose wisely :-)
Part of this reason, according to the writer, is that portion sizes are often over-sized. Since people are programmed to eat whatever is on their plate, it's easy to fall into mindless eating. The writer cited a study conducted by Pennsylvania State University in 2003 that tested how the portion size of a package of potato chips affects the amount the subject eats of that snack and a meal following the snack. Snack intake increased significantly as the package size increased. On average, when served the largest package compared to the smallest, subjects consumed an additional 143 calories at snack and dinner combined.
The next paragraph in this morning's newspaper article is what really got my attention. The writer noted that since the foods we tend to overeat aren’t healthy, high- quality foods, they can be offered at a very cheap price because they cost very little to produce.
“Once you start getting to more refined restaurants, the quality of food goes up, and they can’t afford to slap so much food on your plate.
But for the restaurants that load up plates and double or triple portion sizes, if their customers bulge a little at the waistline, it’s no sweat off their backs. It’s costing the businesses pennies to increase the size a little bit, and from the consumer’s perspective, biggie-sizing seems like a huge value. Then, of course, we feel obligated to eat it."
The writer makes a good point. You never see "super-sized value meals" on the menu at a 4 or 5-star restaurant. The emphasis there is on the quality of the food (which is NOT mass-produced as it is in chain restaurants) and on the presentation. Portion sizes seem small when compared to other restaurants, but those portions are much more in line with what we should actually be eating. Most of us (myself included!) can't afford to eat at expensive restaurants very often, but we can learn to make wise choices when we do go out.
The question is, why does "biggie-sizing" seem like such a huge value to most Americans? This is a question worth asking, because those of us on a journey to health are learning to recognize proper portion sizes and training ourselves to recognize our body's hunger and full signals. After we've adjusted to the portion sizes of our meals on this program, it's shocking to go to most restaurants and see what comes out of the kitchen. People feel like they're getting a "good deal" because they're getting a lot of food for relatively little money; "biggie-sizing" only seems like a huge value to someone who is looking at quantity only.
In the process of going after the "biggie-sized" meals, Americans are being woefully short-changed on nutrition (check out the nutrition stats for calories, fat, carbs and sodium, as well as vitamins and minerals if you don't believe me). There is a mindset that says "more is more", but when it comes to what's being served in most restaurants, the only "more" we're getting is more of us as the obesity rate continues to spiral out of control.
One of the things we have the opportunity to change on this program is our mindset when it comes to food. By embracing this as a lifestyle change, by learning to eat differently - in more frequent intervals and much smaller portions - we can develop healthier habits that will not only get us to a healthy weight, but will also keep us there. We have to be vigilant, particularly when we eat at restaurant, and we have to become picky eaters and look for the most nutrition we can get for our money. By doing that, and by paying attention to both portion sizes and our hunger/full signals, we will be getting true value in every sense of the word. It's not always easy to make those choices, but those choices make the difference in the long run. Choose wisely :-)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Avoiding Ditches
I read something yesterday that was an entirely new thought for me: for every mile of road, there are two miles of ditches. That's not necessarily a comforting thought, to be honest. Because I have repeatedly referred to my own weight loss experience and beyond as a journey, any metaphor that relates to a journey - like a road - catches my attention. Being aware that there are twice as many miles of ditches as there is road, the question is, how do we stay on the road and not end up in the ditch?
Some roads are broad and smooth and we can easily put ourselves on cruise control and travel a good distance without giving it much thought. When traveling down these roads, we're almost oblivious to the ditches because there's a good margin on both sides and we never veer near the edge. There are times when staying on plan is easy - you feel great, the scale is moving nicely, and you may feel like you're on cruise control because you're making great progress and don't have to think about what you're doing. You just aren't tempted to stray and you feel like you could do 5&1 indefinitely. It's a good place to be!
It's those other roads that are scary to navigate - narrow, bumpy roads that keep us gripping the steering wheel and fighting to stay away from the ditches that loom on either side. Those bumpy roads often show up unexpectedly and can stretch on for what seems like endless miles. Perhaps it's a busy schedule or stress that makes the road bumpy, or maybe it's something else. Maybe the scale gets stuck at the same time that life throws us a curve or two. Regardless of what finds us on a bumpy, narrow road, our challenge is to keep moving forward.
How do we do that? Simply, it's by keeping our focus straight ahead and gripping the steering wheel. (I said it's simple, not easy!) When things are difficult, that's when it's most difficult to keep focused on where we're going and not allow other things to distract us. That's also when we're most prone to veer straight for a ditch. Knowing where we want to go and keeping our eyes fixed on our destination is key to staying out of ditches. Gripping both hands on the steering wheel is also critical, and this requires full attention and determination. Sometimes it's just plain hard and the effort required to stay focused is exhausting. What I know is that as exhausting as it is to keep going when it's hard, that is far easier than trying to get ourselves out of a ditch. It is ALWAYS easier to stay on plan than it is to restart again - and again - after spending time in a ditch.
Staying on course when the road is bumpy comes down to the choices we make. It's not easy, but it's worth it. Keep your eyes on the road, keep gripping the steering wheel, and choose wisely :-).
Some roads are broad and smooth and we can easily put ourselves on cruise control and travel a good distance without giving it much thought. When traveling down these roads, we're almost oblivious to the ditches because there's a good margin on both sides and we never veer near the edge. There are times when staying on plan is easy - you feel great, the scale is moving nicely, and you may feel like you're on cruise control because you're making great progress and don't have to think about what you're doing. You just aren't tempted to stray and you feel like you could do 5&1 indefinitely. It's a good place to be!
It's those other roads that are scary to navigate - narrow, bumpy roads that keep us gripping the steering wheel and fighting to stay away from the ditches that loom on either side. Those bumpy roads often show up unexpectedly and can stretch on for what seems like endless miles. Perhaps it's a busy schedule or stress that makes the road bumpy, or maybe it's something else. Maybe the scale gets stuck at the same time that life throws us a curve or two. Regardless of what finds us on a bumpy, narrow road, our challenge is to keep moving forward.
How do we do that? Simply, it's by keeping our focus straight ahead and gripping the steering wheel. (I said it's simple, not easy!) When things are difficult, that's when it's most difficult to keep focused on where we're going and not allow other things to distract us. That's also when we're most prone to veer straight for a ditch. Knowing where we want to go and keeping our eyes fixed on our destination is key to staying out of ditches. Gripping both hands on the steering wheel is also critical, and this requires full attention and determination. Sometimes it's just plain hard and the effort required to stay focused is exhausting. What I know is that as exhausting as it is to keep going when it's hard, that is far easier than trying to get ourselves out of a ditch. It is ALWAYS easier to stay on plan than it is to restart again - and again - after spending time in a ditch.
Staying on course when the road is bumpy comes down to the choices we make. It's not easy, but it's worth it. Keep your eyes on the road, keep gripping the steering wheel, and choose wisely :-).
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Just Another Reminder of Change
My weekend with my two oldest granddaughters continues today, and so does the fun :-). This afternoon we're going to an American Girl tea party that is being held at a local church. My granddaughters were excited to pick out the dresses they wanted to wear to the tea party, and of course they also had to pack just the right things for their American Girl doll to wear to the party, too.
Part of the fun will be taking pictures of our time there. Prior to losing 126 pounds, I was far more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it. Sadly, I realized after the fact that there isn't a single picture of me at one of my granddaughter's first birthday party. This granddaughter will be at this afternoon's tea party and I can promise you that there will be at least one photo of me there with the girls.
Obesity robbed me of so many things over the years, including being comfortable enough about myself to make sure I was included in family photos. Getting to a healthy weight has changed my life, and today's photo op at the tea party is just another reminder of that change.
Those changes and all of the wonderful things that follow begin with the choices we make today, so choose wisely :-)
Part of the fun will be taking pictures of our time there. Prior to losing 126 pounds, I was far more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it. Sadly, I realized after the fact that there isn't a single picture of me at one of my granddaughter's first birthday party. This granddaughter will be at this afternoon's tea party and I can promise you that there will be at least one photo of me there with the girls.
Obesity robbed me of so many things over the years, including being comfortable enough about myself to make sure I was included in family photos. Getting to a healthy weight has changed my life, and today's photo op at the tea party is just another reminder of that change.
Those changes and all of the wonderful things that follow begin with the choices we make today, so choose wisely :-)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Talk About NEAT!
I'm writing this from my daughter's house, where I'm staying to care for our granddaughters (and granddog) while my daughter and her husband spend a long weekend in New York City. Our two oldest granddaughters are 7 and 5-1/2 (in second grade and kindergarten, respectively), so they are at an easy and fun age to watch. This is also a busy age and I found myself on a very different schedule yesterday, as well as today. Thankfully my daughter left me a detailed list of each girl's schedule and also arranged her carpool so I don't have to get the girls to and from school. Whew! However, soccer practice and homework and practicing the piano are all on the girl's schedules, and when I throw in their three-story house - and the dog - yesterday late afternoon and evening was busy!
This is when I love the fact that Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen (Take Shape for Life/Medifast's medical director and Take Shape for Life's co-founder) spends time in his book, "Dr. A's Habits of Health," talking about NEAT points. NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Basically, NEAT points are the calories we burn being active in our daily life, outside of formal, focused exercise. He spends the better part of an entire chapter in his book talking about the importance of NEAT points as well as giving very practical ideas on how to increase the number of points in a day without taking any additional time. I didn't have time today for a formal workout, but my activity level stayed pretty high. I try to burn about 1,900 calories a day through my regular activity level (I track this with my BodyBugg), and I didn't have any problem hitting this target yesterday (and I'm pretty sure I'll do well today, too!).
Dr. Andersen writes about increasing our NEAT points by doing simple things like parking way out in the parking lot at the mall, taking stairs instead of the elevator, standing (or even walking) while we talk on the phone. He give an example of tapping his foot in time to music on his iPod while he works - even that simple movement counts at NEAT points.
NEAT activity certainly doesn't replace EAT activity (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), but it absolutely complements it. EAT activity is relatively short-lived - most of us do "official" workouts for an hour at the most per day, 3-5 days per week. That leave a lot of untapped hours, which is where NEAT comes in. By making small changes in the way we do things, we can increase the amount of calories we burn every day. Even simple things like using a hand-operated can opener instead of an electric one, or washing dishes by hand instead of loading the dishwasher (I know that sounds like heresy to some of us!) are all ways to burn a few extra calories. When we look for opportunities throughout our day to move just a bit more, those bits of expended energy really add up!
So every time I ran up and down the stairs at my daughter's house, I reminded myself that I was earning NEAT points. At the soccer field for last night's practice, I parked in the far parking lot and we walked a good block to get to the field (true confession: I missed the turn for the closer parking lot!) - more NEAT points!
You may be facing a busy weekend that won't allow time for you to get to the health club for a good workout. However, you can still find ways to incorporate movement and activity into your day. Be creative! The choices we make to stay on plan and stay active will make all the difference over time, so choose wisely :-)
This is when I love the fact that Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen (Take Shape for Life/Medifast's medical director and Take Shape for Life's co-founder) spends time in his book, "Dr. A's Habits of Health," talking about NEAT points. NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Basically, NEAT points are the calories we burn being active in our daily life, outside of formal, focused exercise. He spends the better part of an entire chapter in his book talking about the importance of NEAT points as well as giving very practical ideas on how to increase the number of points in a day without taking any additional time. I didn't have time today for a formal workout, but my activity level stayed pretty high. I try to burn about 1,900 calories a day through my regular activity level (I track this with my BodyBugg), and I didn't have any problem hitting this target yesterday (and I'm pretty sure I'll do well today, too!).
Dr. Andersen writes about increasing our NEAT points by doing simple things like parking way out in the parking lot at the mall, taking stairs instead of the elevator, standing (or even walking) while we talk on the phone. He give an example of tapping his foot in time to music on his iPod while he works - even that simple movement counts at NEAT points.
NEAT activity certainly doesn't replace EAT activity (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), but it absolutely complements it. EAT activity is relatively short-lived - most of us do "official" workouts for an hour at the most per day, 3-5 days per week. That leave a lot of untapped hours, which is where NEAT comes in. By making small changes in the way we do things, we can increase the amount of calories we burn every day. Even simple things like using a hand-operated can opener instead of an electric one, or washing dishes by hand instead of loading the dishwasher (I know that sounds like heresy to some of us!) are all ways to burn a few extra calories. When we look for opportunities throughout our day to move just a bit more, those bits of expended energy really add up!
So every time I ran up and down the stairs at my daughter's house, I reminded myself that I was earning NEAT points. At the soccer field for last night's practice, I parked in the far parking lot and we walked a good block to get to the field (true confession: I missed the turn for the closer parking lot!) - more NEAT points!
You may be facing a busy weekend that won't allow time for you to get to the health club for a good workout. However, you can still find ways to incorporate movement and activity into your day. Be creative! The choices we make to stay on plan and stay active will make all the difference over time, so choose wisely :-)
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