Last night I was talking with my good friend Mindy. She is about to start her own health plan and I am way excited for her. She asked me how it feels having lost the weight. How I feel different? Do I have more energy? That kind of thing. I thought that was a really great question and I was surprised at how easily the response came to me. I could easily say the more energy thing but there is so much more. I told her it was just like I have organized and cleaned the entire house from top to bottom and AAHhhh. Sure it was hard work but who doesn't love the aaahhh at the end?
Before, I didn't feel like I was living in a mess of clutter but now that it is gone I see I was living like a hoarder with piles and piles of JUNK (in my trunk). You could say the clutter was fat but I think it was really those awful thoughts and emotions that invade your mind. I still have those thoughts and emotions sometimes but I know how to deal with them better. I feel like I am ahead of the game instead of always trying to catch up. I am on the offense and not the defense. It is like I did a major spring cleaning of my mind and body.
Give yourself a moment to get motivated for this "spring cleaning". Maybe mourn a little for the old you and then get on it! It is a great ride and you can do this!
Friday
New Site
I have made the big switch over to the new site. I am sad to have lost any comments and it is kind of weird to have all the posts posted in the same month but what can you do. Even having a "techie" husband doesn't get me everything - but close enough(love you hunny).
I like this setup a little better and although it will take some time to get every thing in it's right place, I am here. Welcome, welcome!!
I like this setup a little better and although it will take some time to get every thing in it's right place, I am here. Welcome, welcome!!
Thursday
Challenging DNA?
One of the things I have learned with this weight loss is how deceived I have been. Losing weight, especially getting thin, is portrayed as next to impossible. Stories of the Hollywood skinny living off of juiced dandelions or ever popular news reports about obesity in this country that make you feel like it is no choice but to give in to the fatness.
You have heard it a million times but I say it again "if I can do it, anybody can!" and it is not that hard. I have never felt deprived and I used to cry when I would go for another cookie and they were all gone ...true story. Chocolate chip cookies have been a source of motivation to get myself out of bed many a mornings (they are soooo good for breakfast, besides I used a little wheat flour in them, I figured they were at least equal to Fruit Loops;). If someone had told me sooner that life didn't have to completely ...well....suck (there is just no better word for it) losing weight I would have done this way before now.
Think about this. There is a widely accepted truth that DNA effects your probability to be obese. I wonder if that statement is made too casually. For example, my hubby is about 5'11" but averages in the 190's on the scale. He buys a size 32 pant. To look at him you would think he is muscular but not fat. However, he is borderline obese on the charts. I was with him at the doctor when needing to lose a little weight came up. I asked the doctor where he needed to lose weight and after a thorough look-over actually said "maybe in his neck". Seriously, there is no way he is jumping down to normal by shaving off a couple of inches from his neck!
My point is that if all that is considered in the mark of obesity is weight alone then one would get discouraged at the thought of DNA making you fat. Especially when your relations are "fat" as well. If you fed two people the same diet for one year, I think they would look similar. They might weigh very different and their body shapes would be different but I doubt that one would look obese while the other as skinny as a rail. However, that was the impression I got from all the media - lucky or doomed and nothing in between. Not even DNA can stop you from feeling your best and that is what this is about. YOU can do this!
Happy 1 year Yee Haw!!!
Today is the one year anniversary of what I call "my enlightenment". July 31, 2008 I wrote, printed and hung up my pledge that started it all. I can still remember the feeling I had that night. I had not lost a pound or logged a single calorie but I knew I was different. It was one of the best feelings ever!
Today, I can't imagine going back to the "old me". I have come a long way and it has been a wonderful journey. I am back to losing a few pounds after a couple of vacations but I know I have the power to do so.
It is amazing how three pounds can make such a difference in my self worth. It is those thoughts that are my biggest challenge. But, with that understanding it also makes it easier to fight those demons.
I would love for you to share my "awakening anniversary". Start getting your mind in the right place and join me in one year - a success. You can do this!
Today, I can't imagine going back to the "old me". I have come a long way and it has been a wonderful journey. I am back to losing a few pounds after a couple of vacations but I know I have the power to do so.
It is amazing how three pounds can make such a difference in my self worth. It is those thoughts that are my biggest challenge. But, with that understanding it also makes it easier to fight those demons.
I would love for you to share my "awakening anniversary". Start getting your mind in the right place and join me in one year - a success. You can do this!
Mind Over Moods
One of the many things I have come to understand about humans through this weight loss journey is how different we can be from moment to moment and day to day. As I have taken time to access my thoughts and feelings I see more and more how different they are. For example, one day exercise can seem almost unbearable and times seems to stand still. Other days, time flies and I can't understand what all the fuss is - it isn't that big of deal.
What I find really interesting is how I or the world has decided which one of these "feelings" are acceptable and which ones are not. When I have a day that exercise is hard to get through or cravings are knocking at every door in the house, I feel like I have failed - regardless of whether I succeeded that day or not. I have found that one of the biggest challenges has been to redefine these days or to just let them go and not let them hinder my progression.
I would venture to say that maybe one inkling of our obesity crisis comes from our own thinking - our own definition of life from day to day. We have more opportunities than ever before to have life nice and organized and "looking" perfect. We can get things quicker and easier than ever before and there is more available than ever before. It should be easy to lose weight. There are hundreds of ready-made meals with 100 calorie packets for dessert but what gets in the way? Our emotions. One little hint of failure and it makes it so much easier to fail big. Think of the last time you gave in to a binge. What was your mental state like? What about a day when you ate well? Wasn't your mindset completely different, maybe definitions like powerful, strong, positive and determined would have been accurate.
The least effective way to lose weight is to willpower your way through it. Like I said, everyday takes on it's own characteristics. In true lifestyle change you wake up and define the day before you get going. You never let the day just happen. This is hard work and can be scary to some. It can go against everything you have experienced in your life so far. If you take the time, in whatever way you need, to pull in feelings of strength, power, etc, you will succeed and it will get easier and easier. There will always be times that are more difficult than others and that is when you say "this is one of those times that are more difficult" and that is it, you have defined it. You work through those days the best you can but never let that dreaded "F" word (failure) enter your mind. You are going through a hard time and that is it. It doesn't define the rest of your life's choices. Keep that mind in the right place and you will do this!
What I find really interesting is how I or the world has decided which one of these "feelings" are acceptable and which ones are not. When I have a day that exercise is hard to get through or cravings are knocking at every door in the house, I feel like I have failed - regardless of whether I succeeded that day or not. I have found that one of the biggest challenges has been to redefine these days or to just let them go and not let them hinder my progression.
I would venture to say that maybe one inkling of our obesity crisis comes from our own thinking - our own definition of life from day to day. We have more opportunities than ever before to have life nice and organized and "looking" perfect. We can get things quicker and easier than ever before and there is more available than ever before. It should be easy to lose weight. There are hundreds of ready-made meals with 100 calorie packets for dessert but what gets in the way? Our emotions. One little hint of failure and it makes it so much easier to fail big. Think of the last time you gave in to a binge. What was your mental state like? What about a day when you ate well? Wasn't your mindset completely different, maybe definitions like powerful, strong, positive and determined would have been accurate.
The least effective way to lose weight is to willpower your way through it. Like I said, everyday takes on it's own characteristics. In true lifestyle change you wake up and define the day before you get going. You never let the day just happen. This is hard work and can be scary to some. It can go against everything you have experienced in your life so far. If you take the time, in whatever way you need, to pull in feelings of strength, power, etc, you will succeed and it will get easier and easier. There will always be times that are more difficult than others and that is when you say "this is one of those times that are more difficult" and that is it, you have defined it. You work through those days the best you can but never let that dreaded "F" word (failure) enter your mind. You are going through a hard time and that is it. It doesn't define the rest of your life's choices. Keep that mind in the right place and you will do this!
The Big Wheel Theory
Remember when you were a kid and you used to "borrow" the neighbor kids' Big Wheels while they napped? No?... well, maybe you actually had your own and didn't need to steal, I mean, "borrow". Those things were the best which is probably why I still feel jipped (is that a word?) for not having one.
You would get on and ride fast and low to the ground. If you were really lucky your neighbor had one that had a break. Just as you would get up to speed you would pull the break and skid for several feet and just maybe spin out if you were good. Pretty much this was the thrill of the whole thing, skidding and spinning until the neighbor woke up.
As a result of all this thrill seeking, the front wheel would became flat on one side and it would become harder and harder to get up to speed. The front tire would just skid for a several good peddles until finally the momentum would take over and you were on your way. It was a sad day when the neighbor kids' dad threw a perfectly good Big Wheel away because the front tire was just too worn out - no doubt wondering why it wore out too fast;)
Whenever I am starting something new I always give myself some "Big Wheel" slack. Most of the time there are going to be some skidding before the momentum takes over. I have found that when I allow myself a few slip-ups I have better success at the thrill ride that comes later. And, it will come because YOU CAN DO THIS!
Exercise those Demons
Exercise is a dirty word around here, I have to admit. I have "started" exercising about 20 or so times in my adult life. One of the big things that held me back from losing the weight earlier was a big fear of failing. I couldn't wrap my head around "for the rest of my life". I thought "if I know I won't be running on the treadmill everyday for...ever, why even start".
One of my biggest breakthroughs was to let go of that mentality. I would exercise today and if tomorrow didn't work out then so be it. It was freeing! There was a small simple mind switch that allowed me to just focus on today.
A big help was to start out with less than I knew I was capable of. If I "only" had to do 20 minutes then I could hate it for 20 minutes and move on. I didn't try to do the whole see-if-you-can-talk test. I didn't make myself sweat large amounts of sweat. I just got on and moved. By luck, I used that time to really talk to myself about what I was undertaking. I thought and thought and asked myself questions and judged how life and this "lifestyle" was going. I knew that if I wasn't happy or at least content then this was not a life long change and failure was eminent. Was I starving? Was I feeling motivated? Am I craving anything? All kinds of questions. There are times when life gets stressful and that time has been invaluable to helping me work things out. All of this happens in a quiet room with no music or tv or anything. It sounds so-not-fun, but if you really make use of the time to meditate you will learn you NEED it.
After a while my questions brought me to "am I going to exercise like this forever?". A little panic started in. I wasn't ready to up my time or do anything else different for that matter. So, I just maintained my course. Eventually, my questions brought me to "I think I can up my tension on the elliptical". Or, "today I need the Ipod to get me through and that is ok". I had learned to listen to myself and not worry about if this decision today has to effect all decisions later. This trust moved over to my food as well. Just because I ate cookies for breakfast today doesn't mean that should effect any decisions later. Freeing I tell you!
Here are some little shortcuts to make life a little easier when starting the exercise thing. Remember these are not shoulds, just ideas.
1. Start out easy.
You might think that you should work it while the motivation is there but remember, infatuation is not love. You will lose that initial high you get. We are here for a total life change. If you are wanting a quick fix that is different. This will start that lifelong relationship with exercise.
2. Use sets
If you need to change things up try switching to a set program. Whatever you are doing break it up into 3 sets. If you walk for 30 minutes do three sets of 10 minutes with breaks in between. I do weights in 3 sets of 15 increments.
3. Create smaller goals
This encompasses the other two. Anything you can do to reach smaller goals helps the psyche want to stick with it. Maybe when you burn 50 calories you will start running backwards or crunch down or stand tall for another 50 calories. Some days I am only making it by the skin of my teeth, but I make it! And, those days are really some of the most rewarding.
4. Use your core
When doing any exercise if you can use your stomach muscles to help, you will find it easier. Test it out, try walking with your shoulders slumped and tummy out and then with your back straight and tummy in. There is a world of difference in your endurance if you use your core.
5. Time it short
Not only start out easy but time should be taken into consideration as well. By the time you make a trip to the gym, shower and be on your way, hours can pass. If that is fine with you then great. But, if that schedule invades on your life then it will soon go bye bye. Start out small and let your time increase step by step or not at all like me. I still do 20 minutes but I more focus on little goals and some days that may take 22 minutes. Some days I go 30 minutes because I just feel like it. Can you imagine? ...Feeling like it? AAAAAHHH (in my most angelic voice)
When it comes to exercise there is not instant gratification, we have to trust that success will come at some point. Find any way you can to achieve little success and the biggest success of all WILL COME! You can do this!
One of my biggest breakthroughs was to let go of that mentality. I would exercise today and if tomorrow didn't work out then so be it. It was freeing! There was a small simple mind switch that allowed me to just focus on today.
A big help was to start out with less than I knew I was capable of. If I "only" had to do 20 minutes then I could hate it for 20 minutes and move on. I didn't try to do the whole see-if-you-can-talk test. I didn't make myself sweat large amounts of sweat. I just got on and moved. By luck, I used that time to really talk to myself about what I was undertaking. I thought and thought and asked myself questions and judged how life and this "lifestyle" was going. I knew that if I wasn't happy or at least content then this was not a life long change and failure was eminent. Was I starving? Was I feeling motivated? Am I craving anything? All kinds of questions. There are times when life gets stressful and that time has been invaluable to helping me work things out. All of this happens in a quiet room with no music or tv or anything. It sounds so-not-fun, but if you really make use of the time to meditate you will learn you NEED it.
After a while my questions brought me to "am I going to exercise like this forever?". A little panic started in. I wasn't ready to up my time or do anything else different for that matter. So, I just maintained my course. Eventually, my questions brought me to "I think I can up my tension on the elliptical". Or, "today I need the Ipod to get me through and that is ok". I had learned to listen to myself and not worry about if this decision today has to effect all decisions later. This trust moved over to my food as well. Just because I ate cookies for breakfast today doesn't mean that should effect any decisions later. Freeing I tell you!
Here are some little shortcuts to make life a little easier when starting the exercise thing. Remember these are not shoulds, just ideas.
1. Start out easy.
You might think that you should work it while the motivation is there but remember, infatuation is not love. You will lose that initial high you get. We are here for a total life change. If you are wanting a quick fix that is different. This will start that lifelong relationship with exercise.
2. Use sets
If you need to change things up try switching to a set program. Whatever you are doing break it up into 3 sets. If you walk for 30 minutes do three sets of 10 minutes with breaks in between. I do weights in 3 sets of 15 increments.
3. Create smaller goals
This encompasses the other two. Anything you can do to reach smaller goals helps the psyche want to stick with it. Maybe when you burn 50 calories you will start running backwards or crunch down or stand tall for another 50 calories. Some days I am only making it by the skin of my teeth, but I make it! And, those days are really some of the most rewarding.
4. Use your core
When doing any exercise if you can use your stomach muscles to help, you will find it easier. Test it out, try walking with your shoulders slumped and tummy out and then with your back straight and tummy in. There is a world of difference in your endurance if you use your core.
5. Time it short
Not only start out easy but time should be taken into consideration as well. By the time you make a trip to the gym, shower and be on your way, hours can pass. If that is fine with you then great. But, if that schedule invades on your life then it will soon go bye bye. Start out small and let your time increase step by step or not at all like me. I still do 20 minutes but I more focus on little goals and some days that may take 22 minutes. Some days I go 30 minutes because I just feel like it. Can you imagine? ...Feeling like it? AAAAAHHH (in my most angelic voice)
When it comes to exercise there is not instant gratification, we have to trust that success will come at some point. Find any way you can to achieve little success and the biggest success of all WILL COME! You can do this!
Attitude...baby
If the last piece of info was gold this is the key! It is attitude. I wish there was a better word and maybe I will think of one as I write but the way you think about the task at hand is a good measurement for your success. When people come and ask me about weight loss I get a good sense of whether they will make it yet or not. If I could wish, pray or dream a gift for you it would be the attitude to get you to your goal.
In years past I would somehow stir up a smidgen of motivation to get healthy. I would make some sort of plan but all the "what ifs" or any other excuses I could foresee were pitfalls waiting to suck me into failure...again. I would worry about when I was having "that time of the month" and didn't feel well. I would wonder how I could ever be happy without warm chocolate chip cookies. I came into the plan with guilt, shame and disappointment already built in. I was pleading to the gods to make me thinner instead of believing in my own ability. Last August, the thing that changed the most was I was no longer afraid of all the "what ifs". I told myself, and truly believed, that I was going to see the results I wanted. I told myself and believed if there was a day I absolutely didn't want to exercise I wouldn't. If there was a day I wanted to blow the food thing I would. I would not let those thoughts hinder what steps I was going to take today!
If I had one piece of advice to give it would be this. Sit down with yourself and list the times in your life you have been the heaviest. Why was that the case? Be real, it can be life changing. Then, make a list of the things you are doing well. We all do somethings we can proud of. Make a list of things we are easily going to change. For some changing to diet soda is not a big deal or regular sour cream to light sour cream, parking at the farthest spot instead of driving around for a closer spot, you get the idea. These things are now concrete changes and are not on the decision list anymore. Then make a list of the foods or situations or times that are going to be tough. At first we may only be aware of these truths but as you are aware you will find ways to work through them. Facing them and acknowledging them is a huge part of this attitude I am talking about.
Here is a huge example of this attitude for me. I started at 158 pounds the night I wrote my pledge. MFP weight started at 155. I just wanted to see below 150 pounds. I had not seen anything below 150 since I started having kids 12 years before. Within a couple of weeks I was bouncing around at 150ish. A little panic started to seep in because I was not breaking that plateau. I thought maybe I needed to cut some more calories or up the exercise. I did, and nothing. Then one day I consciously thought "I know that what I am doing is right". I went back to my original plan and within a week I was below the 150 mark. The little hints of panic have erupted numerous time and my attitude has made the difference. Once I read an article that I should exercise in spurts or 10 minutes hard then 2 minutes slow or something like that. I tried it. But, when I recognized that uncertain feeling or pleading or wishing attitude, I stopped. A couple of months later I decided I needed to change it up a little. I started doing half my cardio, then weights and then the other half of cardio and then the last part of weights. I still love this little change and it hit me that this is really the same concept as before. I lost one more size because my attitude allowed it.
Beware of "shoulds", they never ever ever meet everyone's needs. Stick to what works for you. Maybe you need smaller goals or maybe you know you need to push yourself more. You and only you know!
Like I have said before, forget the weight loss and focus on the attitude. The goal shouldn't be "I want to fit into a size whatever". The goal should be "I want to like making better food choices or I want to want to exercise". We have to be able to make the same choices 20 years from now to really change our lifestyle. You can't follow a plan forever but you can do this!
In years past I would somehow stir up a smidgen of motivation to get healthy. I would make some sort of plan but all the "what ifs" or any other excuses I could foresee were pitfalls waiting to suck me into failure...again. I would worry about when I was having "that time of the month" and didn't feel well. I would wonder how I could ever be happy without warm chocolate chip cookies. I came into the plan with guilt, shame and disappointment already built in. I was pleading to the gods to make me thinner instead of believing in my own ability. Last August, the thing that changed the most was I was no longer afraid of all the "what ifs". I told myself, and truly believed, that I was going to see the results I wanted. I told myself and believed if there was a day I absolutely didn't want to exercise I wouldn't. If there was a day I wanted to blow the food thing I would. I would not let those thoughts hinder what steps I was going to take today!
If I had one piece of advice to give it would be this. Sit down with yourself and list the times in your life you have been the heaviest. Why was that the case? Be real, it can be life changing. Then, make a list of the things you are doing well. We all do somethings we can proud of. Make a list of things we are easily going to change. For some changing to diet soda is not a big deal or regular sour cream to light sour cream, parking at the farthest spot instead of driving around for a closer spot, you get the idea. These things are now concrete changes and are not on the decision list anymore. Then make a list of the foods or situations or times that are going to be tough. At first we may only be aware of these truths but as you are aware you will find ways to work through them. Facing them and acknowledging them is a huge part of this attitude I am talking about.
Here is a huge example of this attitude for me. I started at 158 pounds the night I wrote my pledge. MFP weight started at 155. I just wanted to see below 150 pounds. I had not seen anything below 150 since I started having kids 12 years before. Within a couple of weeks I was bouncing around at 150ish. A little panic started to seep in because I was not breaking that plateau. I thought maybe I needed to cut some more calories or up the exercise. I did, and nothing. Then one day I consciously thought "I know that what I am doing is right". I went back to my original plan and within a week I was below the 150 mark. The little hints of panic have erupted numerous time and my attitude has made the difference. Once I read an article that I should exercise in spurts or 10 minutes hard then 2 minutes slow or something like that. I tried it. But, when I recognized that uncertain feeling or pleading or wishing attitude, I stopped. A couple of months later I decided I needed to change it up a little. I started doing half my cardio, then weights and then the other half of cardio and then the last part of weights. I still love this little change and it hit me that this is really the same concept as before. I lost one more size because my attitude allowed it.
Beware of "shoulds", they never ever ever meet everyone's needs. Stick to what works for you. Maybe you need smaller goals or maybe you know you need to push yourself more. You and only you know!
Like I have said before, forget the weight loss and focus on the attitude. The goal shouldn't be "I want to fit into a size whatever". The goal should be "I want to like making better food choices or I want to want to exercise". We have to be able to make the same choices 20 years from now to really change our lifestyle. You can't follow a plan forever but you can do this!
The End of the Rainbow
This next little piece of gold is key to your success as a weight loss champion. But first a little background. Many of us have started this journey more than once in our lifetime. See if this describes you at all. You get sickened with your reflection in the mirror and/or you get a rush of motivation and you start this life anew...again. You swear off everything that tastes good and vow to exercise 'til it hurts. Day one you eat an apple and a fat free yogurt for breakfast. A slimfast for lunch, salad and grilled salmon with lemon for dinner and a scoop of frozen fat free Cool whip dipped in sugar free chocolate syrup (the recipe that started this can do "lifestyle change" in the first place). You also take a couple of laps around the local track and when you go to bed at night you are starving but soooo proud of yourself. You denied yourself.
Fast forward one week and you are finishing off that ice cream you bought to reward yourself for the 2 pound loss (all water weight might I add) and you go to bed tired and disgusted with yourself or wondering why you just can't accept your body and move on. Sound Familiar?
Several things are going on in this scenario that are creating this cycle.
Our incredible wonderful bodies are designed to keep us going in a steady pattern. When you get a cut your body quickly tries to get you back to normal as fast as possible. Same with an illness - your body want's it's normal. Fat is stored when your body can not use all the energy it is given. It is efficiently organizing that fat/energy in your favorite places..not.. for later use. This process takes time. Normal is being effected a small degree at a time and new normals are created. Then a punch of motivation strikes and whoa-who your body is in full panic mode. Instead of the frog cooking on a steady low, you have just cranked the heat to full blast. In a desperate effort to keep things as-is, your body starts to store all energy coming in - a useful tool for our ancestors who relied on mother nature to provide their nutrition. Mother nature doesn't always cooperate so the body stored all the energy brought in during famine time to prolong the "normal" as long as possible.
When our diet drops suddenly or too much, our body will not let go of stored energy let alone anything coming in. We must never cut our calories below 1200 a day. That includes calories we burn off during exercise. If you eat 1200 calories and burn 600, you are still risking the body's panic mode. You need to work with your body to achieve results. And, the best part is, it makes the "life style" change easier as well. Faster is never better when it comes to weight loss. Track your food and make sure you are eating enough....yes I said it. You have to eat to lose..... just waiting for the applause to stop............. I say start out slow on the exercise as well. Work your exercising up and your food consuming down slowly and you will look and feel like a million bucks!
Here is what I did.
I found out my BMR (basil metabolic rate) then added calories for my activity level. (all easy on MYFITNESSPAL.COM) When I exercised, I added those calories back into my diet. (again easy, MFP). Everyday activities that are part of your routine are not exercise. They are accounted for under your activity level. I ate smaller meals more often in the beginning to keep me at a satisfied place. I found when I got to a certain hungry point I would eat anything and everything - not good.
I also got on the elliptical machine and went 20 minutes and got off. I was beat. Little by little I got to where I would say to myself "I think I can maybe kick it up a notch". So, I would increase the tension a level. I still just do the same 20 minutes just with harder effort. This has worked for me. I lift weights 4 days a week and although cut arms take a little longer to see they are worth the effort and muscle works with you to burn fat.
Rules for losing
1. eat - food is not evil!
2. don't overdo the exercise
3. Drink water - get over it and learn to love it.
4. Log log log
You can do this!!
A Theory is Born
We have all had a thin friend that seems to be able to eat anything they want. We see them down a double cheeseburger without thought and envy her every bite. Their metabolism would sale on Ebay for all the money the mint could make (Oprah would see to that) and here you sit. You have tasted every available Lean Cuisine and your daily treat is that spoon of peanut butter you "allow" yourself. You are fat. It sounds harsh coming from me but you say it to yourself at least a hundred times a day. You are what you are is a dirty phrase you keep locked in the depths of the brain. Maybe you try to accept this person you are but deep down you want something better.
I hear you. I was all those things. But, then I had an idea that kept growing and growing until a new truth was born. This is in no way scientific although I will try my best to sound that way;0
So, here goes.
I think I was watching or reading, again, about how weight was genetic and how I was doomed to big thighs and a chubby tummy when it hit me. Seriously, a 500 pound person and a 120 pound person could both be on the same diet for a year and still look the same? Because the were born that way? What about a 200 pound person and a 120 pound person? If they both ate the exact same foods for one year would they both remain the same body shape and weight? There is no way that any thin person alive could eat like a heavy person and not gain weight. I bet after a year of the heavy person eating like the thin person (cheeseburgers and all) would they not look thinner?
My theory began. What if the thin person had a natural instinct that balanced out their diet? Like children, sometimes they eat more and we say "they are having a growth spurt". Then, eventually, they scale back to their old selves. What if smaller portions could be my natural choices - my instinct? What if that balance of more one day then less the next could be just-the-norm for me? I believed that I could configure my brain to take on this mindset and it worked! Additionally, I thought about how the brain works. When my hand gets too close to a hot object my brain sends signals within milliseconds to pull that hand away. If my brain is working in my best interest without conscience thought then what is conscience thought doing to me? If every bite I take is smothered in guilt and thoughts of self-disgust are brought to the surface ... how many times a day? What are these messages sending my body? You can not spend 1/2 hour on the treadmill and 23 1/2 hours disgusted with yourself and wonder why that 30 minutes is not working. Your thoughts count a lot in this.
So, in summery. There is no such thing as a healthy person that can eat like a hog and not be shaped like one. TA DA that skinny little chick and you are a lot the same! The difference is in the desires and choices. If we can work on that balance mechanically, at first, then it can become natural. That is where the work is - the part between mechanical and natural. A few short months I'd say. A cheeseburger one day and a salad the next. A little more at the party then a little less at work the next day. Eat whatever you want just log it and balance it out!
But the most important part is the mind set. Keep the positive vibes flowing. If you eat that cheeseburger then you dang well better enjoy it. You desperately need to build trust with your self-conscience and body. You need to create successes instead of failures. Your body doesn't understand pleading, whining and insecurity. Tell your body what is going to happen and you will be surprised at how it obeys. You can do this!
I hear you. I was all those things. But, then I had an idea that kept growing and growing until a new truth was born. This is in no way scientific although I will try my best to sound that way;0
So, here goes.
I think I was watching or reading, again, about how weight was genetic and how I was doomed to big thighs and a chubby tummy when it hit me. Seriously, a 500 pound person and a 120 pound person could both be on the same diet for a year and still look the same? Because the were born that way? What about a 200 pound person and a 120 pound person? If they both ate the exact same foods for one year would they both remain the same body shape and weight? There is no way that any thin person alive could eat like a heavy person and not gain weight. I bet after a year of the heavy person eating like the thin person (cheeseburgers and all) would they not look thinner?
My theory began. What if the thin person had a natural instinct that balanced out their diet? Like children, sometimes they eat more and we say "they are having a growth spurt". Then, eventually, they scale back to their old selves. What if smaller portions could be my natural choices - my instinct? What if that balance of more one day then less the next could be just-the-norm for me? I believed that I could configure my brain to take on this mindset and it worked! Additionally, I thought about how the brain works. When my hand gets too close to a hot object my brain sends signals within milliseconds to pull that hand away. If my brain is working in my best interest without conscience thought then what is conscience thought doing to me? If every bite I take is smothered in guilt and thoughts of self-disgust are brought to the surface ... how many times a day? What are these messages sending my body? You can not spend 1/2 hour on the treadmill and 23 1/2 hours disgusted with yourself and wonder why that 30 minutes is not working. Your thoughts count a lot in this.
So, in summery. There is no such thing as a healthy person that can eat like a hog and not be shaped like one. TA DA that skinny little chick and you are a lot the same! The difference is in the desires and choices. If we can work on that balance mechanically, at first, then it can become natural. That is where the work is - the part between mechanical and natural. A few short months I'd say. A cheeseburger one day and a salad the next. A little more at the party then a little less at work the next day. Eat whatever you want just log it and balance it out!
But the most important part is the mind set. Keep the positive vibes flowing. If you eat that cheeseburger then you dang well better enjoy it. You desperately need to build trust with your self-conscience and body. You need to create successes instead of failures. Your body doesn't understand pleading, whining and insecurity. Tell your body what is going to happen and you will be surprised at how it obeys. You can do this!
Are you living on a line of credit?
I was sitting in a financial class a while back and this concept hit me like a ton of bricks. Each day we have a reserve amount of calories. We can spend them any way we choose but when those calories are gone we automatically switch over to a kind of "credit" system (to be paid back later). If we live on this credit everyday, "bankruptcy" will come because of it.
To those that say they are too busy to log their food, I say, "you cannot afford to not log it, you might be living on borrowed health". We have to look at the bank statement at some point. When you are 10 pounds overweight you have charged 35,000 calories to your "health account". Most of us would be appalled at $35,000 in debt and that kind of money would take many of us years to pay back. Here is where the good news comes in. To reduce 35,000 calories we only need maybe 10 weeks!
If you are one that is low on time, take a step back and just put it on the possibility list for a while. Let the idea swirl around in your head. Open up to the idea and the desire will follow. Remember this is a revolution in thinking - that is the goal! You can do this!!
LOG LOG LOG
My key to success was to log. In March of '08 I started logging my weight every Monday morning just after I woke up. I needed to see apples to apples what I weighed. Just by doing that I lost 5 pounds. It helped my head to stay in the right place. I saw an even pattern and that gave me some confidence.
For years I have tracked my measurements. I had only lost 6-7 pounds and went down 2 sizes. I lost another 15 pounds and only went down 1 size. If I only had the scale to judge my progress I would have been discouraged.
Lastly, I log my meals on MyFitnesspal.com
LOOOOVE it!
I could not have done this thing without it. It gave me the tools and knowledge to change. You need to be realistic with what you are eating before you can let the possibilities come to pass. I could kiss you MFP!!
For years I have tracked my measurements. I had only lost 6-7 pounds and went down 2 sizes. I lost another 15 pounds and only went down 1 size. If I only had the scale to judge my progress I would have been discouraged.
Lastly, I log my meals on MyFitnesspal.com
LOOOOVE it!
I could not have done this thing without it. It gave me the tools and knowledge to change. You need to be realistic with what you are eating before you can let the possibilities come to pass. I could kiss you MFP!!
Making a Realistic Goal
One day I was sitting in the bubble bath with my then 5 year old son. I looked at him and realized he had my perfect dream body. Yep, throw in a couple of silicone implants and wha la, perfection. It was then I realized my goal was a little off.
Take some time to really decide where your realistic goal is. I was really hoping to just get below 150 pounds. I haven't been a size 3 since I was 3. I will not be a 3 for the rest of my life. But, I will be at my personal best. I always say, “you only have to convince one person of anything, you”. Stop with the comparing!! When someone verbalizes (and only verbalizes, you can't read other's thoughts) a put down, use your veto power. It is only true when you accept it. Livin' in your own world is bliss.
This is my son at 6. I would still kill for that flat contoured belly. That smooth tight skin. But, alas, I have birthed four children and, in my mind, could rival Kate Gosslin before the free tummy tuck (this picture is forgiving and even then...yikes). Any pity from plastic surgeons will be gladly accepted so I can go on to another less than perfect body part to obsess over;D
My Stats
I will tell you right now that I have not been to the depths of obesity and come back. I understand that to be a great blessing. However, most of you, wherever you are at, there is someone that would be happy if they were where you are. So, we are all really at the same place – wanting to improve. None of us feel our mountain is an easy climb so let's stop the comparing. Some people's journey will take them to a size 12 and they will be victorious. Others' journey will start at a 12. Some will be 150 pounds and wear a size 6 while another will weigh 130 pounds and wear a size 6. We are all taking the journey together. There is no perfect size or weight there is only victory, your victory.
I am 5'8” tall and 34 years old. My largest, weight was at least 175ish* (I refused to look and when I did there was always an excuse as to why a few pounds didn't count, sound familiar?). I was a size 12 and a year out from giving birth.
At the time it all clicked, I was about 160 and in a size 10. With the help of a little stress relief and a couple of simple tools I will talk about later, I had lost 15 pounds. I now weight 134ish and just bought my first pair of size 3 jeans. (The same jean and size my friend has that weighs 120ish)
*I say “ish” because you will never be the exact weight every time you weigh. The number I see the most is the number I say I weigh. At 175 I fluctuated 5-7 pounds whereas now it is only 2-3 pounds.
The Meat of the Issue
A few years back I read a book that began this journey. It talked about naturally thin people and how their minds worked. I knew then that I was not going to change anything about myself if I just followed what they, thin people, did. I needed to actually think and believe as they did. Last year all the pieces came together and WOW (if I do say so myself).
As humans, we have the ability to think and choose independently from our desires and instincts. With that, new “normals” can be created. What if you didn't just choose healthy foods but wanted those healthy foods? What if exercise became like brushing your teeth, just a task in the day? What if we ate whatever we wanted because we wanted it, not because we needed it? What if your new “normal” refused that second helping without thought?
I could go on and on but the point is, the hard part is opening up to the idea that the food is not the issue. There is more to it than that. When I weighed my highest I had packed away my scale and started the most intense exercise routine of my life. But, my attitude toward change was one of pleading, wishing, hoping, and basically fear. If I had to sell myself at an interview with the confidence I had in myself I would be passed over for sure. I was just going through the motions. When the hardest work is done inside your own mind, you can be one of those people on a commercial saying “it was easy” too.
As humans, we have the ability to think and choose independently from our desires and instincts. With that, new “normals” can be created. What if you didn't just choose healthy foods but wanted those healthy foods? What if exercise became like brushing your teeth, just a task in the day? What if we ate whatever we wanted because we wanted it, not because we needed it? What if your new “normal” refused that second helping without thought?
I could go on and on but the point is, the hard part is opening up to the idea that the food is not the issue. There is more to it than that. When I weighed my highest I had packed away my scale and started the most intense exercise routine of my life. But, my attitude toward change was one of pleading, wishing, hoping, and basically fear. If I had to sell myself at an interview with the confidence I had in myself I would be passed over for sure. I was just going through the motions. When the hardest work is done inside your own mind, you can be one of those people on a commercial saying “it was easy” too.
Click
July 31, 2008 my life switched gears and I will never be the same again. I knew it immediately. It all just “clicked”. On August 3rd I wrote this in my journal
August 3, 2008
The last few days have been really eye opening and great. For years I had been thinking about what it would take to lose weight, real weight, and couldn't quite figure it out. I would think “I don't eat whole pizzas, boxes of cookies and whole bags of chips. I eat better than ever, this is just my size”. I would also think “thin people eat desserts and candy and things not so slimming and they are still slim and I am not like that". I had a huge huge attachment to certain foods especially treats. Every time I would start exercising it was to be able to eat without guilt, not really getting more healthy. I figured I would eat the same but with the exercising I would lose weight. I would end up frustrated, probably because I really ate more because of my attitude.
Then, Tuesday we had book club and Jennie was there and she has lost 20 pounds. She talked on her blog and shouted to the world about her “diet” she was going on. Her and her husband had gone to the doctor and found that they were not in good shape. They hired a dietitian and six months later she went from a size 8 to a 2-3. It effected me and I am not sure I can explain it. I realized I was the one putting the limit on my size and health. I was emotionally addicted to foods.
I told my honey that I was going to lose weight and I could feel it in my bones. I was changed. I have tracked my food online to get a feel for what I am doing and I have exercised more. My attachment is totally different. I haven't had a treat of any kind for going on four days. It is not that I am not letting myself, it is just that being in control and eating it on my terms has become sooooooo empowering. I am also eating way way healthier, veggies, more whole grains and label checking. I wrote myself a pledge the very night it clicked. I would have never done that before because I also realized I feared failure more that the weight.
My Pledge
I will be under 150 pounds by October 1, 2008
I will exercise and eat conscientiously. I will lower my intake and up my activity. I will eat smaller meals to stop from being too hungry. I will not use food as comfort or a reward. I will chew gum to help take away my sweet tooth for comfort purposes. I will take control of my health and feel good about my food choices. I will not limit my body's potential to be healthy.
I am healthy
I look good
I am in control
I am so excited for the future. It is hard to be patient but I know longterm results are worth it. I am walking on air with this new understanding. It is like it just clicked!
That click is what I want for you. Stop wasting time on diets or gimmicks or fat-free, sugar-free. All of that will work itself out after the “click”. Spend time reading up on nutrition and exercise (just reading). Start to taste your food and really enjoy it. And, above all meditate on the challenges that do and will face you. Think about why you do the things you do. Play the “what if” game in your head. “What if food didn't control me”. “What if I actually enjoyed exercise, what would that be like”. “What if that need for a certain food or drink didn't exist, how would I feel about myself and life in general.” Spending some time looking at these issues will do more for you than any cleanse diet. We are looking for that life change. You hear others that have lost weight say “it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change”. Well, chances are they didn't just start eating better and that was the end. There was a mental shift. Forget everything else and search high and low for that shift in yourself.
August 3, 2008
The last few days have been really eye opening and great. For years I had been thinking about what it would take to lose weight, real weight, and couldn't quite figure it out. I would think “I don't eat whole pizzas, boxes of cookies and whole bags of chips. I eat better than ever, this is just my size”. I would also think “thin people eat desserts and candy and things not so slimming and they are still slim and I am not like that". I had a huge huge attachment to certain foods especially treats. Every time I would start exercising it was to be able to eat without guilt, not really getting more healthy. I figured I would eat the same but with the exercising I would lose weight. I would end up frustrated, probably because I really ate more because of my attitude.
Then, Tuesday we had book club and Jennie was there and she has lost 20 pounds. She talked on her blog and shouted to the world about her “diet” she was going on. Her and her husband had gone to the doctor and found that they were not in good shape. They hired a dietitian and six months later she went from a size 8 to a 2-3. It effected me and I am not sure I can explain it. I realized I was the one putting the limit on my size and health. I was emotionally addicted to foods.
I told my honey that I was going to lose weight and I could feel it in my bones. I was changed. I have tracked my food online to get a feel for what I am doing and I have exercised more. My attachment is totally different. I haven't had a treat of any kind for going on four days. It is not that I am not letting myself, it is just that being in control and eating it on my terms has become sooooooo empowering. I am also eating way way healthier, veggies, more whole grains and label checking. I wrote myself a pledge the very night it clicked. I would have never done that before because I also realized I feared failure more that the weight.
My Pledge
I will be under 150 pounds by October 1, 2008
I will exercise and eat conscientiously. I will lower my intake and up my activity. I will eat smaller meals to stop from being too hungry. I will not use food as comfort or a reward. I will chew gum to help take away my sweet tooth for comfort purposes. I will take control of my health and feel good about my food choices. I will not limit my body's potential to be healthy.
I am healthy
I look good
I am in control
I am so excited for the future. It is hard to be patient but I know longterm results are worth it. I am walking on air with this new understanding. It is like it just clicked!
That click is what I want for you. Stop wasting time on diets or gimmicks or fat-free, sugar-free. All of that will work itself out after the “click”. Spend time reading up on nutrition and exercise (just reading). Start to taste your food and really enjoy it. And, above all meditate on the challenges that do and will face you. Think about why you do the things you do. Play the “what if” game in your head. “What if food didn't control me”. “What if I actually enjoyed exercise, what would that be like”. “What if that need for a certain food or drink didn't exist, how would I feel about myself and life in general.” Spending some time looking at these issues will do more for you than any cleanse diet. We are looking for that life change. You hear others that have lost weight say “it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change”. Well, chances are they didn't just start eating better and that was the end. There was a mental shift. Forget everything else and search high and low for that shift in yourself.
My Aha
The past year has been one of the biggest journeys of my life. After years and years of frustration with weight I now “get it”. I believe with all my heart that “getting it” is the real key to real weight loss. I am so excited! I want to shout it to the world in hopes of helping you “get it” too. I know you can do it. I have had all those fears and letdowns too but this is it, you can succeed! Let's do it together.
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