So...I was out running with Piper and Dingo this morning. Run/walking to be exact...which is perfect because it allows me to run with my dogs (which I LOVE) and allows them to be running with me (which I think they really like alot) and none of us get over-heated or over-tired!
Not to forget Buddy, he gets special mama-time after I get back with the younger boys. He and I walk several laps around our dead-end street...each lap is 1/4th mile. We did 3 laps today and he really seemed to enjoy himself...nice to see that familiar prancing step again after several days of dragging behind and maybe limping...
Anyhow, one of the great things about running is that my mind is free to do all sorts of neat things. Mainly, praising God for His glorious creation and sharing what's on my heart. But also: day-planning, problem-solving, day-dreaming and the like.
Of course, thoughts of my current Weight Watchers adventure are high up on the list of what sifts through my mind while running.
Remember that voice I told you about yesterday? The negative one that we're not supposed to listen to??? I heard it today while I was running. The positive one chimed in a little but the negative one was certainly dominating the conversation. Here is what they said...
Positive - "you've lost 8 pounds! that's GREAT!! you're halfway there! we see a difference in your running already!"
Negative - "sure, you've always been good at LOSING weight, but you stink at keeping it off... you'll probably fail this time too"
I felt that sinking feeling in my stomach. Negative voice was telling the truth and I knew it.
Positive - "no, maybe she can do it this time...she's making some changes in her thinking and planning...I think she can do it...maybe...well, I hope she can do it...but..."
Negative - "remember when you weighed 98 pounds for a year and a half and you thought you had the weight thing conquered and you'd never be fat again...yeah, RIGHT! You'll do good for awhile this time too but come fall and winter, you'll be hungry all the time and you KNOW you don't have the will-power to continue eating this way".
Then I realized what was happening...the exact thing that Kim (WW leader) taught us about yesterday! So I shut that negative voice up and me and Positive joined forces and started listing specific things that I can do to have a better chance of maintaining a healthy weight, long-term.
I've got to practice what I preach...especially to myself!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
I Was SOOOOOOO Wrong!!!
Weight Watchers meetings are GREAT! hahahaha
I attended my 4th meeting today...I also got another sticker...a BIGGER sticker... so I guess that means Petey will get to laugh at me even more! I still don't mind = )
I got my 5% sticker today...meaning I've lost 5% of my starting weight...8 lbs. total. (7 pounds was my 5%)
I will only get 2 more stickers before I hit goal weight...a 10 lb. one and a 10% one. The stickers are really fun...it's fun cheering for the others who have reached these milestones and hearing them cheer for you too.
I also declared my goal weight today...124 pounds, like I mentioned to you last week. I also learned that you don't get penalized for going under but you are encouraged to try to maintain in that 4 pound range...122 to 126 for me.
I also learned that as long as I am maintaining, ALL the benefits are free! I knew that I would have free access to all the eTools but I didn't realize that all the meetings would be free also. And I DO really enjoy the meetings!! Have I mentioned that???
The information that the leader gives us (and I LOVE my leader, Kim!) is so interesting, motivational and especially useful. Just like I feel that all these things I've learned over the years are tools that have been added to my "healthy living toolbox", I get another tool or two each week to add to my collection.
This week we talked about what kind of person we like as a friend. We listed characteristics that draw us to a particular person and then we listed qualities that repel us from someone.
Kim (leader) then explained how that voice in our heads is like a friend who is always there. If we've had a bad week and maybe gained weight instead of losing, which kind of person would we call...the positive, encouraging one or the negative one?
Of course we'd call the positive one! So why do we listen to that negative voice in our head telling us how bad or weak or lazy or dumb we are for messing up?! If we had a person in our life who only beat us down when we failed, it wouldn't be very long before we decided to not be around that person.
Kim also listed several phrases that the voice might say that we were all familiar with...
- you'll never lose the weight, you might as well give up!
- you did all that work to lose 2/10ths of a pound?! what a waste!
- you're nothing but a big fat slob and you'll always be a big fat slob
- yeah, you might've lost 2 pounds this week but I know you can't keep it up, sooner or later you'll start gaining again and end up fatter than you started
Unfortunately, we can't "escape" the voice in our head but we CAN decide to listen to the positive one...
- that's ok, it's perfectly normal to have ups and downs...you know what to do, you're good at doing it, just keep on doing what you know is right!
- you're strong and capable... you've lost this much weight already, I KNOW you can keep it up!
- it's 1 pound...tomorrow let's take an extra long walk and choose lower-points healthy foods
I have that negative "friend" in my head and it's said those things and worse to me over the years. The worse comes in usually when I'm standing in front of the mirror = (
So this week I'm going to work on squashing that negative voice and listening to the positive one...and I hope you do too!
I attended my 4th meeting today...I also got another sticker...a BIGGER sticker... so I guess that means Petey will get to laugh at me even more! I still don't mind = )
I got my 5% sticker today...meaning I've lost 5% of my starting weight...8 lbs. total. (7 pounds was my 5%)
I will only get 2 more stickers before I hit goal weight...a 10 lb. one and a 10% one. The stickers are really fun...it's fun cheering for the others who have reached these milestones and hearing them cheer for you too.
I also declared my goal weight today...124 pounds, like I mentioned to you last week. I also learned that you don't get penalized for going under but you are encouraged to try to maintain in that 4 pound range...122 to 126 for me.
I also learned that as long as I am maintaining, ALL the benefits are free! I knew that I would have free access to all the eTools but I didn't realize that all the meetings would be free also. And I DO really enjoy the meetings!! Have I mentioned that???
The information that the leader gives us (and I LOVE my leader, Kim!) is so interesting, motivational and especially useful. Just like I feel that all these things I've learned over the years are tools that have been added to my "healthy living toolbox", I get another tool or two each week to add to my collection.
This week we talked about what kind of person we like as a friend. We listed characteristics that draw us to a particular person and then we listed qualities that repel us from someone.
Kim (leader) then explained how that voice in our heads is like a friend who is always there. If we've had a bad week and maybe gained weight instead of losing, which kind of person would we call...the positive, encouraging one or the negative one?
Of course we'd call the positive one! So why do we listen to that negative voice in our head telling us how bad or weak or lazy or dumb we are for messing up?! If we had a person in our life who only beat us down when we failed, it wouldn't be very long before we decided to not be around that person.
Kim also listed several phrases that the voice might say that we were all familiar with...
- you'll never lose the weight, you might as well give up!
- you did all that work to lose 2/10ths of a pound?! what a waste!
- you're nothing but a big fat slob and you'll always be a big fat slob
- yeah, you might've lost 2 pounds this week but I know you can't keep it up, sooner or later you'll start gaining again and end up fatter than you started
Unfortunately, we can't "escape" the voice in our head but we CAN decide to listen to the positive one...
- that's ok, it's perfectly normal to have ups and downs...you know what to do, you're good at doing it, just keep on doing what you know is right!
- you're strong and capable... you've lost this much weight already, I KNOW you can keep it up!
- it's 1 pound...tomorrow let's take an extra long walk and choose lower-points healthy foods
I have that negative "friend" in my head and it's said those things and worse to me over the years. The worse comes in usually when I'm standing in front of the mirror = (
So this week I'm going to work on squashing that negative voice and listening to the positive one...and I hope you do too!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
You Say To-mah-to, I Say To-may-to...
Here's what I've been thinking about lately...
A friend requested prayer in her struggle to maintain a healthy weight. She knew I would understand and support her!
In addition to praying for her, along with praying for myself, I rattled off a list of things she could start doing.
After looking over the list awhile later, I realized that I'd given her the list of things that work for ME...not necessarily the things that will work for her. How presumptive of me = (
That got me to thinking about all the little bits and pieces of advice I've read and/or received over the almost two decades that I've been battling the war on over-eating/over-weight.
There are things I know that DON'T work for me...things I know I MUST do to maintain a healthy weight...things that I tried but didn't like...things that worked but are not sustainable over the long-term...things I consider unhealthy that I wouldn't even try...things that work for others that I WISH worked for me.
Some of these things were the opposites of each other. For instance, weighing every day for me is a MUST. I cannot rely on "how do my clothes fit?" I need that daily check-in and accountability. I understand and accept that my daily weight will fluctuate but it doesn't take too many days in a row of gains to realize that I'm off track somewhere.
On the opposite end of the line are the people who MUST NOT weigh every day! Once a week, once a month, once a year or never is what works for them. And you can observe this with every aspect of diet/nutrition/weight-loss/weight-maintaining.
So, Friend, I apologize for giving you MY list without even asking you what you've discovered works and doesn't work for you. It comes from a great desire to help and support you...offered with good intentions but not the best understanding.
Review your list of things that you know work for you and get back to doing those... I know you are strong and determined and will be successful because you are getting back on track!
The only time you will fail in the struggle to maintain a healthy weight is the day you GIVE UP. As long as we are trying, working, learning, growing, and even struggling, we're succeeding!!
A friend requested prayer in her struggle to maintain a healthy weight. She knew I would understand and support her!
In addition to praying for her, along with praying for myself, I rattled off a list of things she could start doing.
After looking over the list awhile later, I realized that I'd given her the list of things that work for ME...not necessarily the things that will work for her. How presumptive of me = (
That got me to thinking about all the little bits and pieces of advice I've read and/or received over the almost two decades that I've been battling the war on over-eating/over-weight.
There are things I know that DON'T work for me...things I know I MUST do to maintain a healthy weight...things that I tried but didn't like...things that worked but are not sustainable over the long-term...things I consider unhealthy that I wouldn't even try...things that work for others that I WISH worked for me.
Some of these things were the opposites of each other. For instance, weighing every day for me is a MUST. I cannot rely on "how do my clothes fit?" I need that daily check-in and accountability. I understand and accept that my daily weight will fluctuate but it doesn't take too many days in a row of gains to realize that I'm off track somewhere.
On the opposite end of the line are the people who MUST NOT weigh every day! Once a week, once a month, once a year or never is what works for them. And you can observe this with every aspect of diet/nutrition/weight-loss/weight-maintaining.
So, Friend, I apologize for giving you MY list without even asking you what you've discovered works and doesn't work for you. It comes from a great desire to help and support you...offered with good intentions but not the best understanding.
Review your list of things that you know work for you and get back to doing those... I know you are strong and determined and will be successful because you are getting back on track!
The only time you will fail in the struggle to maintain a healthy weight is the day you GIVE UP. As long as we are trying, working, learning, growing, and even struggling, we're succeeding!!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Right Thinking
Had a chance to test myself today on several areas of my thinking where I've been working.
We took Petey's old college roommate up to a church in Cleveland, Texas where he was sharing his testimony. Amazing hearing all that God has done in Dave Porter's life. He spoke on "not my will, but Thine be done". Dave and his family have suffered numerous MAJOR tragedies...just hearing about some of them left my heart in my stomach...but they've been able to say "not my will, but Thine". Good lesson, good reminder, lots of conviction!
The church had a time of fellowship before Sunday School...doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits (I love!), and cookies were served. I had eaten a meal bar on the drive up to the church and knew I didn't need any more food so I stayed in my seat and didn't even go over to the tables.
It gave me an opportunity to think through the situation:
- am I going to stay away from treat tables for the rest of my life? no, but I'm fine with staying away TODAY
- how will I handle these kinds of situations for the rest of my life? well, I will think each one through, make my conscious choice to either eat or not eat...if I choose to eat, I will decide on what I want to have and how much...I will decide how I'm feeling as far as resistance goes...can I handle eating a certain amount and then stopping or will eating SOME lead to overeating MUCH?
- I REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY want to learn, thoroughly, a way of living that is do-able, in the real world, meeting every day situations, testing situations, a way to handle foods that commonly lead me to overeat
- meal replacement and protein bars are not as satisfying as real food...what are some solutions to "eating healthy on the go"? I didn't know they would be serving food here, it caught me off guard. I was hungry but they didn't have any fruit or any other thing that was healthy = (
- should I have some sort of cooler packed with REAL food to take with me whenever I leave the house? is that practical?
- should I eat when I'm hungry and then cut back the next day or do extra activity?
- what are the steps involved for me to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life??? there are so many different situations that I can't even dream up to try to be prepared for ahead of time!
Anyhow, I just wanted to share with ya'll...and get them down "on paper" for me to remember and ponder. If anyone has words of wisdom or practical advice, I'm all ears = )
We took Petey's old college roommate up to a church in Cleveland, Texas where he was sharing his testimony. Amazing hearing all that God has done in Dave Porter's life. He spoke on "not my will, but Thine be done". Dave and his family have suffered numerous MAJOR tragedies...just hearing about some of them left my heart in my stomach...but they've been able to say "not my will, but Thine". Good lesson, good reminder, lots of conviction!
The church had a time of fellowship before Sunday School...doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits (I love!), and cookies were served. I had eaten a meal bar on the drive up to the church and knew I didn't need any more food so I stayed in my seat and didn't even go over to the tables.
It gave me an opportunity to think through the situation:
- am I going to stay away from treat tables for the rest of my life? no, but I'm fine with staying away TODAY
- how will I handle these kinds of situations for the rest of my life? well, I will think each one through, make my conscious choice to either eat or not eat...if I choose to eat, I will decide on what I want to have and how much...I will decide how I'm feeling as far as resistance goes...can I handle eating a certain amount and then stopping or will eating SOME lead to overeating MUCH?
- I REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY want to learn, thoroughly, a way of living that is do-able, in the real world, meeting every day situations, testing situations, a way to handle foods that commonly lead me to overeat
- meal replacement and protein bars are not as satisfying as real food...what are some solutions to "eating healthy on the go"? I didn't know they would be serving food here, it caught me off guard. I was hungry but they didn't have any fruit or any other thing that was healthy = (
- should I have some sort of cooler packed with REAL food to take with me whenever I leave the house? is that practical?
- should I eat when I'm hungry and then cut back the next day or do extra activity?
- what are the steps involved for me to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life??? there are so many different situations that I can't even dream up to try to be prepared for ahead of time!
Anyhow, I just wanted to share with ya'll...and get them down "on paper" for me to remember and ponder. If anyone has words of wisdom or practical advice, I'm all ears = )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)