Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

During this time of year when we can become so consumed with our surroundings, the events taking place and the temptations that seem to lurk behind every corner, there is only one thing to do...keep your eyes on the prize!

What exactly do I mean by this? Simple! If you keep your attention on your goals, you will be more apt to stay focused on the task at hand. When your mind is constantly thinking about what you are working to achieve, it becomes easier to pass on the extra treats or get off the couch when tempted to turn into a potato!

Here are just a few suggestions on ways to help you stay focused. Please feel free to add your own suggestions. (As a matter of fact, I would love to hear what yours are. You can share by making a comment to this blog.)

• Write your goals on note cards and place in areas where you will see them such as on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator or on the steering wheel of your car.
• Cut out pictures from magazines or catalogs of things you would like to do, wear or go when you reach your weight loss goals and post them around your home.
• Write one short phrase or single words on cards and post them around if you do not want it to be obvious to others on what your specific goals are.
• Make it obvious! Tell your close friends and family what you are working to achieve so they can help hold you accountable.
• Personalize your screen saver on your computer or on your desk top to remind you of your goals.
  Find pictures of you when you were at your target size or cut out a picture of your face and place it on a picture of a body (that is similar to what you will look like when you reach your goal) from a clothing catalog.

Hopefully, these will give you some ideas. The main thing you do not want to do at this time is use "I'll start after the New Year" as an excuse to pig out now. Enjoy the goodies in moderation - it is important that you do not deprive yourself. However, using 'later' as an excuse will only make you discouraged when 'later' comes and you have even more weight to shed!

Instead, keep your eyes on the prize and when January 1st comes around you will feel accomplishment rather than regret!

Reserve and Splurge!

Reserve and splurge! Just what exactly does that mean?

One way I have found to be very helpful in the journey of weight loss is to allow yourself a time to splurge once a week but in order to have the splurge, you must operate on reserve the other six days.

With the holidays upon us and all the goodies and special treats that accompany them, the last thing you want to do is deprive yourself. You do not want to feel as if you are on a 'diet' during this time of year yet you also do not want to have to start the New Year with a resolution of losing weight that you gained in the month of December! In order to create a lifestyle, you can not deprive yourself of anything that you enjoy but instead you must learn how to live in moderation.

One definition of the word reserve is "to retain or hold over until a future time or place." By reserving what you eat during the week, you can splurge one day of the weekend without doing harm. Now, when I talk about reserving, that does not mean that you skip meals or starve yourself. You must eat something every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism operating to it's fullest potential thus burning the maximum number of calories. However, if you count your calories, points or whatever else you may do and discipline yourself to the utmost level, then reward yourself by allowing yourself the special treats one day a week. This not only helps in keeping you on track for weight loss but it also gives you something to look forward to and therefore helps to motivate you during the week.

Most of us live by our calendars and on a plan. Your 'splurge day' does not have to be the same day each week but you do want to make sure there are no less than 5 days in between. For example, you have a Christmas party to a attend on Saturday and the following Friday, you have dinner plans with friends. Make these days your 'splurge days' and live on reserve the rest of the time leading up to those special treats.

Give it a try and see if this plan helps you to create a new lifestyle of eating for weight loss. Remember...reserve and splurge!

Beat the Stress and Win!

Are you one of the MANY?

Many people tend to "stress eat" at this time of year (or any time of year, for that matter) due to high demands of schedule, deadlines, financial obligations, etc. Some refer to it as "emotional eating". No matter what you call it or what time of year you do it, you can beat it!

Stress eating typically happens as a response mechanism to mental pressures, boredom, loneliness or other emotions. This type of eating is what can cause added pounds to show up on your scale without even realizing because most do this unaware of the effects it will have. There are ways to win over this battle but the first step is becoming aware.

A famous recovery group as long said, "Admitting is half the battle!" Oh, how true that is. If you are made aware and then admit the problem, you can take action to overcome. The first way to identify is by keeping a journal of every bite you take. By writing what you put into your mouth, you can make notes as to "why" you ate what you did. You will soon discover when you eat because your body needs nourishment as opposed to eating just because 'it is there' or because it feels good. Once you have identified the times of stress eating, the next step is to find something to replace it. Most stress or emotional eating is a form of finding comfort. Find other things to do that will replace those times of needing comfort.

Here are just a few suggestions...

Read - when you feel the urge to grab something to eat when you really aren't hungry or it isn't time to eat, then correlate that urge with picking up a book to read. Emotional, stress, comfort eating is all about the mind. Make a mental decision to find comfort in other areas and do things to keep your mind busy.

Walk - this is a good one. When tempted to stress eat, go for a walk. This can be outdoors if the weather permits or on a treadmill. If neither of these are available, walk "laps" around your home. Not only will you be making a mental connection with the stress or emotion to something other than food but you will also be burning calories at the same time.

Puzzles - Pick up the art of Sudoku crosswords or any other type of puzzle that will keep your mind working and thinking on other things besides food.

Exercise - just like walking, this can have double benefits. This could be in any form! Keep a pair of hand weights or resistance tubes around to use during these times.

Begin something you have always wanted to do but never had time - such as crocheting, knitting, drawing, painting, etc. This can be a good excuse to not put those things off any longer.

In summary, to beat stress you must first become aware and identify. Next admit and find a replacement that will provide comfort. By making these few adjustments, not only will you beat the stress but you will also win the battle!

Don't Be Moved (If the Scales Don't)

I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:8,9

When working to lose weight, do you judge your success by the scales?

What if you have been diligent in your lifestyle changes yet you do not see the scales getting any lower or perhaps even more troubling, they go up?

What is your reaction? Discouragement? Disappointment? Thoughts of failure?

Well, let me say, DO NOT be moved by what you see!

“Oh, that’s easy for you to say because you do not know how hard I’ve been working!” you may say.

I do know that if your success is measured by what the bathroom scales say, then you will probably struggle to find success! Why? Let me tell you…

There are many factors that go into what your weight reads when measured by scales. For one, how much salt have you eaten lately? If you consume a lot of sodium in your diet, then many times your body will retain fluid, which will end up as added pounds on the scale. It is not unusual to gain 2-3 pounds overnight in water weight. For women, this can also be the case during “that time of the month”.

Another thing to consider – if you are truly working hard to lose, then you are most likely exercising. If you have been following my suggestions, then you have included strength training in your routine. When you are building muscle, you in fact are losing fat but because muscle is denser than fat, it can appear that you have not lost “weight” and in many cases, actually gain.

What is the best way to judge your success? By how you feel – both mentally and physically! Do you feel better? Are you able to do more or longer without becoming worn out or exhausted? Do you look in the mirror and see changes in your body? The very best way to judge your weight loss is by measurements. But even these can be a little confusing if you don’t have the tape measure at the exact same spot each time you measure.

So…here is what I suggest…

…go to your closet and pull out something that you can’t quite fit into (I personally feel a pair of pants is the best tool to use). Now try it on and make a mental note of just how much you need to lose for it to fit properly. Next, keep it in a place that is easy to locate and each week, try it on. As you do, you will begin to notice they are getting closer to the right fit until that glorious day, when they fit perfectly!

Just remember, if your scales don’t move the way you want them to, don’t be moved!

Why?

Why Do I WANT to Lose Weight?

To look better
To feel better
To walk a steep hill and not get winded
To walk a long distance and not have my feet ache
To be able to keep up with my kids
To run a marathon
To fit into trendy clothes
To not feel embarrassed of how I look when in a crowd
To wear shorts or a swimsuit and feel confident
(add your own here...)

Why Do I NEED to Lose Weight?

To be healthy
To live a long life
To not have disease plague my body
To not have aches and pains in my joints
To be at my best for my family
To create a new eating and exercise lifestyle
To be my best both physically and emotionally
(add your own here…)

All of the above reasons why I want to lose weight!

Why WILL I Lose Weight?

All of the above reasons why I want to and need to lose weight!

How to Combat the Extra Calories

Jingle Bells,What's that smell-

cookies, fudge and cake!

Pumpkin Pies

fill my eyes;

Seems everyone can bake.

Hey!

Here I go;

Can't say 'no';

Gotta fill my plate.

When New Years hits,

my clothes don't fit...

Added 10 pounds to my weight!

Does this sound like what you could be singing during the holiday season? Does this little song reflect the story of your life?

How would you like to start the New Year with a resolution that doesn’t have to do with taking off the additional weight that you gained during the season?

Statistics show that the average person gains 7 pounds during the holiday season. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you why - I think this little jingle says it all. Even those who profess they can’t cook or choose not to because they don’t have time, seem to suddenly turn into Betty Crocker when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around.

With all of the extra cookies, candies and pies floating around the office, church and home not to mention the extra dining and parties at others’ homes, it is no wonder so many people gain during this time.Let’s look at a couple of ways to combat the extra calories this season can bring…

First – make up your mind that you are going to limit yourself. Predetermine what you will allow yourself to have. You do not want to completely deprive yourself or you may find that you overindulge later or perhaps turn into a ‘Mr. Scrooge’ and go through the season saying “humbug!” It’s better to limit yourself and enjoy a few of those delightful goodies. By operating in discipline and restraint, you are on your way to finding a new lifestyle that will not only result in a weight loss but one that will remain.

The second suggestion is to turn up the heat! I’m not talking about your heater’s thermostat in your home but rather your internal thermostat through additional exercise. By adding extra exercise to your day, you will burn additional calories, which combats the extra ones consumed.

Combat means a battle, fight or war. Enemies try to sneak their way in without being noticed. That one piece of fudge or cookie that you consume without even realizing it is as if the enemy snuck in and shot his weapon. That weapon can easily be an extra 100 calories! Many times we consume those Christmas goodies without even thinking about what we are doing.

Now the fight is on!! By adding an extra 30 minutes of exercise into your day, you will defeat the effects of those extra calories and burn off what you consumed. Set a goal to do some type of exercise everyday. Even an extra 15 minute brisk walk will produce results when added to your regular routine. You will be glad you did when the New Year gets here and you are making those New Year’s resolutions!

Combat the extra calories of this season and learn how to create a lifestyle of realization, not deprivation!

How to Eat an Elephant

How do you eat an elephant?  The answer is…one bite at a time!!

Many times when thinking about the need to lose weight, we look at the Elephant.  That large, big eared mammal that would take a bulldozer to knock over!  How can we ever do it on our own?

What is it…20, 50, 100 or more pounds that you need to lose?  Does that seem like a huge obstacle and one that can’t be beat?

Making small, attainable, ‘bite-sized’ goals makes digesting that big elephant easier and therefore doesn’t seem quite so overwhelming and much more attainable.

The key to success in reaching the ultimate goal is taking baby steps or making bite-sized goals and rewarding yourself along the way.   One by one each goal is attained and before you know it you have conquered the BIG ONE!

Set your own goals and rewards depending on what your big elephant is however here is an example to get you on your way…

Big Elephant: to lose 115 pounds

Current Weight: 250 lbs  Goal Weight: 135 lbs  Bite-Sized Goals: 10% of Weight

Beginning Weight     minus 10%         New Weight          Reward

250.0                          -   25.0                  =   225.0                manicure & pedicure

225.0                          -   22.5                  =   202.5                massage

202.5                          -   20.5                  =   182.0                new pair of shoes

182.0                          -   18.0                  =   164.0                weekend away

154.5                          -   16.5                  =   148.0                new lingerie

148.0                          -   15.0                  =   133.0                New Wardrobe!

Set your goals and rewards, print them on index cards and keep them in front you.  This way you will constantly be reminded of what you are working for.  Check them off or cross them out as you reach each goal.  Set your rewards based on what it is worth to you and be sure to give yourself the reward when you reach those goals! 

So… have fun with it, take one bite at a time and EAT THAT ELEPHANT!