One of my favorite quotes of all time is
in the movie The Gladiator with Russel Crowe. Russel's General
character, Maximus, has just been asked to do something "for Rome" and
for "Duty-sake" which will conceivable delay his going home to see his
family whom he hasn't seen for years. It is his hearts desire to see
his family again, and he is struggling with the decision of whether to
say "Yes" to the Caesar's request. In contemplation, he has the
following dialogue with his servant/valet Cicero.
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
I
found that for the last 13 miles of my Paris Marathon my brain AND my
emotions were arguing with each other for who had the BEST reason to
quit. Therefore, my brain AND my emotions were BOTH on board with me
quitting, and were just oozing with reasons that it would just make
sense to do so. While they were battling it out, coming up with
compelling reason after reason both appealing to my rational sense of
logic AND my emotions, I just kept DOING. I just kept moving forward,
putting one foot in front of the other foot, forward motion, step after
step after step towards my goal.
And
it struck me. I had been in "Marathon training" long before I was
ACTUALLY literally IN Marathon training. How? By attaining and
maintaining optimal health through TSFL.
Modifying my BEHAVIOR
to move towards a pre-determined GOAL despite daily fluctuations in
environment, emotions, or sometimes even LOGIC was something I learned
how to do consistently before I even bought my first pair of running
shoes.
Some people say "I could never do what you did," with
reference to the Marathon training. Some people say "I could never do
what you did," with reference to losing 150 pounds and attaining optimal
health.
But, really, they are one and the same thing. Making a
fundamental decision to DO something which takes daily action and
discipline, and sometimes involves setting our immediate WANTS aside for
the longer term GOAL of what our daily action, over time, will achieve
for us.
I suppose some would not choose to do that. But I'm so glad I did!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Taking a Lesson from "The Gladiator"....
One of my favorite quotes of all time is
in the movie The Gladiator with Russel Crowe. Russel's General
character, Maximus, has just been asked to do something "for Rome" and
for "Duty-sake" which will conceivable delay his going home to see his
family whom he hasn't seen for years. It is his hearts desire to see
his family again, and he is struggling with the decision of whether to
say "Yes" to the Caesar's request. In contemplation, he has the
following dialogue with his servant/valet Cicero.
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
I found that for the last 13 miles of my Paris Marathon my brain AND my emotions were arguing with each other for who had the BEST reason to quit. Therefore, my brain AND my emotions were BOTH on board with me quitting, and were just oozing with reasons that it would just make sense to do so. While they were battling it out, coming up with compelling reason after reason both appealing to my rational sense of logic AND my emotions, I just kept DOING. I just kept moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other foot, forward motion, step after step after step towards my goal.
And it struck me. I had been in "Marathon training" long before I was ACTUALLY literally IN Marathon training. How? By attaining and maintaining optimal health through TSFL.
Modifying my BEHAVIOR to move towards a pre-determined GOAL despite daily fluctuations in environment, emotions, or sometimes even LOGIC was something I learned how to do consistently before I even bought my first pair of running shoes.
Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to the Marathon training. Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to losing 150 pounds and attaining optimal health.
But, really, they are one and the same thing. Making a fundamental decision to DO something which takes daily action and discipline, and sometimes involves setting our immediate WANTS aside for the longer term GOAL of what our daily action, over time, will achieve for us.
I suppose some would not choose to do that. But I'm so glad I did!
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
I found that for the last 13 miles of my Paris Marathon my brain AND my emotions were arguing with each other for who had the BEST reason to quit. Therefore, my brain AND my emotions were BOTH on board with me quitting, and were just oozing with reasons that it would just make sense to do so. While they were battling it out, coming up with compelling reason after reason both appealing to my rational sense of logic AND my emotions, I just kept DOING. I just kept moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other foot, forward motion, step after step after step towards my goal.
And it struck me. I had been in "Marathon training" long before I was ACTUALLY literally IN Marathon training. How? By attaining and maintaining optimal health through TSFL.
Modifying my BEHAVIOR to move towards a pre-determined GOAL despite daily fluctuations in environment, emotions, or sometimes even LOGIC was something I learned how to do consistently before I even bought my first pair of running shoes.
Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to the Marathon training. Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to losing 150 pounds and attaining optimal health.
But, really, they are one and the same thing. Making a fundamental decision to DO something which takes daily action and discipline, and sometimes involves setting our immediate WANTS aside for the longer term GOAL of what our daily action, over time, will achieve for us.
I suppose some would not choose to do that. But I'm so glad I did!
Taking a Lesson from "The Gladiator"....
One of my favorite quotes of all time is
in the movie The Gladiator with Russel Crowe. Russel's General
character, Maximus, has just been asked to do something "for Rome" and
for "Duty-sake" which will conceivable delay his going home to see his
family whom he hasn't seen for years. It is his hearts desire to see
his family again, and he is struggling with the decision of whether to
say "Yes" to the Caesar's request. In contemplation, he has the
following dialogue with his servant/valet Cicero.
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
I found that for the last 13 miles of my Paris Marathon my brain AND my emotions were arguing with each other for who had the BEST reason to quit. Therefore, my brain AND my emotions were BOTH on board with me quitting, and were just oozing with reasons that it would just make sense to do so. While they were battling it out, coming up with compelling reason after reason both appealing to my rational sense of logic AND my emotions, I just kept DOING. I just kept moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other foot, forward motion, step after step after step towards my goal.
And it struck me. I had been in "Marathon training" long before I was ACTUALLY literally IN Marathon training. How? By attaining and maintaining optimal health through TSFL.
Modifying my BEHAVIOR to move towards a pre-determined GOAL despite daily fluctuations in environment, emotions, or sometimes even LOGIC was something I learned how to do consistently before I even bought my first pair of running shoes.
Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to the Marathon training. Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to losing 150 pounds and attaining optimal health.
But, really, they are one and the same thing. Making a fundamental decision to DO something which takes daily action and discipline, and sometimes involves setting our immediate WANTS aside for the longer term GOAL of what our daily action, over time, will achieve for us.
I suppose some would not choose to do that. But I'm so glad I did!
Maximus: You don't find it hard to do your duty?
Cicero: Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to.
I found that for the last 13 miles of my Paris Marathon my brain AND my emotions were arguing with each other for who had the BEST reason to quit. Therefore, my brain AND my emotions were BOTH on board with me quitting, and were just oozing with reasons that it would just make sense to do so. While they were battling it out, coming up with compelling reason after reason both appealing to my rational sense of logic AND my emotions, I just kept DOING. I just kept moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other foot, forward motion, step after step after step towards my goal.
And it struck me. I had been in "Marathon training" long before I was ACTUALLY literally IN Marathon training. How? By attaining and maintaining optimal health through TSFL.
Modifying my BEHAVIOR to move towards a pre-determined GOAL despite daily fluctuations in environment, emotions, or sometimes even LOGIC was something I learned how to do consistently before I even bought my first pair of running shoes.
Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to the Marathon training. Some people say "I could never do what you did," with reference to losing 150 pounds and attaining optimal health.
But, really, they are one and the same thing. Making a fundamental decision to DO something which takes daily action and discipline, and sometimes involves setting our immediate WANTS aside for the longer term GOAL of what our daily action, over time, will achieve for us.
I suppose some would not choose to do that. But I'm so glad I did!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
You CAN do this!
Ever feel like the cards are just stacked against you? Ever feel like everyone in the office is out to sabotage your weight loss efforts? Ever feel like your MIL made that lasagna out of spite, that she doesn't want you to succeed? Ever feel like your cat who just got sick on the kitchen counter where you make your morning shake is determined to see you fail?
Well, I have one concept for you to remember which will especially come in handy for the next 3 weeks of seemingly endless office potlucks, open houses, and family get-togethers.
Are you ready for it? Well it's in the title so I already gave it away.
You CAN do this, but only YOU can do this. It isn't your co-workers responsibility to throw down rose petals in front of you as you walk, or stop making microwave popcorn on the break because it might throw YOU over the edge. It isn't your MIL's intent (well maybe it is, but you don't have to let on that you are aware of it) to sabotage your weight loss efforts, and even if it IS, isn't the best response to get healthy anyway? Your cat is just your cat, and is disinterested at best. =)
So let me ask you, are you at the point yet where you are realizing that this journey is up to NO ONE BUT YOU? That YOU determine how you will act today? And that your body will respond to what you put into it today, whether it be a perfectly 100% On Plan Day or whether you throw yourself under the bus before lunch with those Starbucks Cake Pops? Yeah I'm talking to YOU LOL.
And I'm talking to myself also. Easter is tomorrow, and I already know that wine is my weakness, I already know that chocolate mousse has the power IF I ALLOW IT THAT POWER, to charm me right over the edge.
No one is duct taping me to a chair and forcing me at gunpoint to say "I'd like a glass of house red please". Not one person. Well, I could argue that my inner brat has secretively been taking target practice lessons without my knowledge, she does seem to get smarter every day, but no. I digress. My point here is that no matter what happens to ANY of us over the next 3 weeks, it is our responsibility and ONLY our responsibility to make our OWN decisions.
So, come June 1, what will you be able to say? Will you say "I did it!" and be down 10-12 pounds from where you are right now?
Or will you be one of the ones who say "Blah blah blah stressful blah blah blah my sister blah blah blah my MIL blah blah blah stupid cat blah blah blah wine blah blah blah office party couldn't offend blah blah blah no one knows I'm on Medifast blah blah blah couldn't blow my cover blah blah blah?"
Cuz you know it is only YOU who can do this. You do know that, right?
Well, I have one concept for you to remember which will especially come in handy for the next 3 weeks of seemingly endless office potlucks, open houses, and family get-togethers.
Are you ready for it? Well it's in the title so I already gave it away.
You CAN do this, but only YOU can do this. It isn't your co-workers responsibility to throw down rose petals in front of you as you walk, or stop making microwave popcorn on the break because it might throw YOU over the edge. It isn't your MIL's intent (well maybe it is, but you don't have to let on that you are aware of it) to sabotage your weight loss efforts, and even if it IS, isn't the best response to get healthy anyway? Your cat is just your cat, and is disinterested at best. =)
So let me ask you, are you at the point yet where you are realizing that this journey is up to NO ONE BUT YOU? That YOU determine how you will act today? And that your body will respond to what you put into it today, whether it be a perfectly 100% On Plan Day or whether you throw yourself under the bus before lunch with those Starbucks Cake Pops? Yeah I'm talking to YOU LOL.
And I'm talking to myself also. Easter is tomorrow, and I already know that wine is my weakness, I already know that chocolate mousse has the power IF I ALLOW IT THAT POWER, to charm me right over the edge.
No one is duct taping me to a chair and forcing me at gunpoint to say "I'd like a glass of house red please". Not one person. Well, I could argue that my inner brat has secretively been taking target practice lessons without my knowledge, she does seem to get smarter every day, but no. I digress. My point here is that no matter what happens to ANY of us over the next 3 weeks, it is our responsibility and ONLY our responsibility to make our OWN decisions.
So, come June 1, what will you be able to say? Will you say "I did it!" and be down 10-12 pounds from where you are right now?
Or will you be one of the ones who say "Blah blah blah stressful blah blah blah my sister blah blah blah my MIL blah blah blah stupid cat blah blah blah wine blah blah blah office party couldn't offend blah blah blah no one knows I'm on Medifast blah blah blah couldn't blow my cover blah blah blah?"
Cuz you know it is only YOU who can do this. You do know that, right?
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Willpower or Changing our Wants?
We all have a limited supply of
willpower. A limited supply of "restraint" energy when we want
something. A limited supply of "motivation" or "feeling like doing it".
Therefore, if we rely on those things alone for our health journeys, we can maybe go a few months, or a few weeks, or a few days, or a few HOURS "On Plan".
So where are YOU in that timeline? Are you in the "few months" and then struggling category? Are you in the "few weeks and then struggling" category, are you in the "few days and then struggling" category or are you in the "few hours and then struggling" category? If you are in ANY of these categories then I am pleased to tell you what worked for me.
I changed my wants.
What does that EVEN MEAN? Well, it means that I STOPPED wanting those foods that were not conducive to my health goals and I STARTED wanting THOSE FOODS that would assist me in HEALTH CREATION.
You see, one of the biggest detriments to our journey IS our DIET MENTALITY. It is characterized by feelings of deprivation. "I can't have this or that, I'm on a diet!" and remains FOOD-centric, but the "yummy food"-centric NOT the Healthy Food-Centric.
We always GET what we FOCUS on. So if you are watching FOOD NETWORK or perusing gooey recipes on PINTEREST, watch out because you are utilizing your willpower energy to stay away from these things in real life and you will have a battle on your hands soon because you are investing mental energy in things that you CAN'T have.
And you tend to run out of willpower at the craziest times, when you least expect it. You may have simply had a hard day at work and then wonder why you "ended up" at the bottom of a Ben and Jerry's Salted Caramel Core Pint of icecream "all of a sudden" and "out of nowhere".
If that happens, check your focus. Check what you've been spending time on this last week or this last month. Is it focusing on oooey gooey yummy nummy things that are not on plan?
I'll tell you what changed it for me. Focusing on health.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?! I can hear you!
The mechanics of it are this, this is what I did!
1) Buy Dr. A's Habits of Health Book
2) Buy Dr. A's Companion Workbook called "Living a Longer Healthier Life"
3) Buy a journal to write your thoughts down as you read Dr. A's Habits of Health.
After I did that I,
1) Read Dr. A's Habits of Health Book every single day, even if for 5 minutes.
2) Began working through the workbook and spend some time on it EVERY WEEK.
3) I have connected with MY Health Coach every week by phone for the last 3 years, for added support and accountability.
I decided what it is I wanted to CREATE in my life. I looked at the GREAT THINGS I could bring IN to my life as a result of attaining and maintaining optimal health. I STOPPED focusing on what I DIDN'T want or I COULDN'T have.
I changed my wants.
Rinse and Repeat!
Therefore, if we rely on those things alone for our health journeys, we can maybe go a few months, or a few weeks, or a few days, or a few HOURS "On Plan".
So where are YOU in that timeline? Are you in the "few months" and then struggling category? Are you in the "few weeks and then struggling" category, are you in the "few days and then struggling" category or are you in the "few hours and then struggling" category? If you are in ANY of these categories then I am pleased to tell you what worked for me.
I changed my wants.
What does that EVEN MEAN? Well, it means that I STOPPED wanting those foods that were not conducive to my health goals and I STARTED wanting THOSE FOODS that would assist me in HEALTH CREATION.
You see, one of the biggest detriments to our journey IS our DIET MENTALITY. It is characterized by feelings of deprivation. "I can't have this or that, I'm on a diet!" and remains FOOD-centric, but the "yummy food"-centric NOT the Healthy Food-Centric.
We always GET what we FOCUS on. So if you are watching FOOD NETWORK or perusing gooey recipes on PINTEREST, watch out because you are utilizing your willpower energy to stay away from these things in real life and you will have a battle on your hands soon because you are investing mental energy in things that you CAN'T have.
And you tend to run out of willpower at the craziest times, when you least expect it. You may have simply had a hard day at work and then wonder why you "ended up" at the bottom of a Ben and Jerry's Salted Caramel Core Pint of icecream "all of a sudden" and "out of nowhere".
If that happens, check your focus. Check what you've been spending time on this last week or this last month. Is it focusing on oooey gooey yummy nummy things that are not on plan?
I'll tell you what changed it for me. Focusing on health.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?! I can hear you!
The mechanics of it are this, this is what I did!
1) Buy Dr. A's Habits of Health Book
2) Buy Dr. A's Companion Workbook called "Living a Longer Healthier Life"
3) Buy a journal to write your thoughts down as you read Dr. A's Habits of Health.
After I did that I,
1) Read Dr. A's Habits of Health Book every single day, even if for 5 minutes.
2) Began working through the workbook and spend some time on it EVERY WEEK.
3) I have connected with MY Health Coach every week by phone for the last 3 years, for added support and accountability.
I decided what it is I wanted to CREATE in my life. I looked at the GREAT THINGS I could bring IN to my life as a result of attaining and maintaining optimal health. I STOPPED focusing on what I DIDN'T want or I COULDN'T have.
I changed my wants.
Rinse and Repeat!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Committed or Flirting? There IS a Difference!
Are we committed to health or flirting with it?
We all know there is a difference in REAL LIFE relationships between these two terms. Take the commitment of marriage for instance. When two people get married, they make a long-term (hopefully LIFE long) commitment to each other. They organize their lives around their new relationship, that of marriage. They move in together, change their names, assume a new identity.
On the other hand, when someone is just "flirting" with you, or you with them, you don't expect any of these life changes to occur. You're just having a little fun, right? They are cute and you are interested to a degree. But you aren't going to MARRY the guy just because you are flirting. Right? You aren't going to change your identity and assume a new one and step into a new LIFE just because you are flirting a little!
So it is the same thing with health and the commitment TO health. Are we just flirting? Are we considering the possibility WAY down the road of a POTENTIAL life change, but just having fun in the mean time? I mean really, a little flirting CAN lead to that kind of thing way off in the FUTURE, but do you feel silly even thinking about it in your current state of flirtation, because you feel it is a SLIM CHANCE this program can actually allow you to attain and maintain OPTIMAL HEALTH?
Or is this a COMMITMENT towards health, where you ARE assuming a NEW IDENTITY, that of a fit and health person, one day one choice one meal at a time?
Do you wake up in the morning and consider changing your actions for the day depending on how you FEEL? Then you are flirting not committed.
Are you wondering if you should "cheat" or "go off plan" this weekend for a wedding because it won't be any fun to stay "on plan"? Then you are flirting and not committed.
Can you imagine waking up every morning and waiting to see if you "feel" in love with your husband in order to stay married that day?
Can you imagine asking your husband if he would mind you "cheating" this weekend because things are getting a little dull, boring, monotonous, and you just want to have a little fun?
I can't imagine any of those scenarios, and that is the same way I feel about my commitment to health and to myself to STAY healthy.
On the contrary, commitment takes the good days AND the hard days and stays the course. Commitment doesn't put up their finger every morning to see how the wind is blowing that day to determine their actions. Commitment doesn't consider a few hard weeks grounds for pitching the whole thing. Commitment doesn't give up.
This is NO flirtation.
This is a lifetime commitment.
Rinse and Repeat!
We all know there is a difference in REAL LIFE relationships between these two terms. Take the commitment of marriage for instance. When two people get married, they make a long-term (hopefully LIFE long) commitment to each other. They organize their lives around their new relationship, that of marriage. They move in together, change their names, assume a new identity.
On the other hand, when someone is just "flirting" with you, or you with them, you don't expect any of these life changes to occur. You're just having a little fun, right? They are cute and you are interested to a degree. But you aren't going to MARRY the guy just because you are flirting. Right? You aren't going to change your identity and assume a new one and step into a new LIFE just because you are flirting a little!
So it is the same thing with health and the commitment TO health. Are we just flirting? Are we considering the possibility WAY down the road of a POTENTIAL life change, but just having fun in the mean time? I mean really, a little flirting CAN lead to that kind of thing way off in the FUTURE, but do you feel silly even thinking about it in your current state of flirtation, because you feel it is a SLIM CHANCE this program can actually allow you to attain and maintain OPTIMAL HEALTH?
Or is this a COMMITMENT towards health, where you ARE assuming a NEW IDENTITY, that of a fit and health person, one day one choice one meal at a time?
Do you wake up in the morning and consider changing your actions for the day depending on how you FEEL? Then you are flirting not committed.
Are you wondering if you should "cheat" or "go off plan" this weekend for a wedding because it won't be any fun to stay "on plan"? Then you are flirting and not committed.
Can you imagine waking up every morning and waiting to see if you "feel" in love with your husband in order to stay married that day?
Can you imagine asking your husband if he would mind you "cheating" this weekend because things are getting a little dull, boring, monotonous, and you just want to have a little fun?
I can't imagine any of those scenarios, and that is the same way I feel about my commitment to health and to myself to STAY healthy.
On the contrary, commitment takes the good days AND the hard days and stays the course. Commitment doesn't put up their finger every morning to see how the wind is blowing that day to determine their actions. Commitment doesn't consider a few hard weeks grounds for pitching the whole thing. Commitment doesn't give up.
This is NO flirtation.
This is a lifetime commitment.
Rinse and Repeat!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Anything Worth Doing is Hard....But it's a GOOD Kind of Hard!
The lessons I learned attaining a
healthy weight were very valuable while I did my Marathon. In fact,
they were the same lessons that I had to learn to apply in a different
area but in the SAME WAY.
Namely, that anything worth doing IS hard, but worth it.
You find your WHY. You set your GOAL. You plan the ACTIONS it will take to accomplish that goal. You IMPLEMENT your plan.
In other words, it comes down to the DOING.
Daily.
There were days I didn't want to "do" my plan, whether I was achieving a healthy weight or training for a marathon.
In fact, when I was RUNNING my marathon I can pretty much tell you that from mile 13 to mile 26.2 I was having second thoughts with EVERY STEP.
There were times it wasn't FUN. But sometimes we have to really get past our adolescent mentality that everything needs to be FUN.
That is what I found, anyway! And as my mind and emotions were playing a tug-of-war with my will, again, EVERY STEP of the last 13.2 miles of my marathon, I simply had one choice to make every second. Do I take the next step? Or don't I?
I chose to continue taking the next step. I chose to override my mind AND my emotions, which were both pleading incessantly for me to hop on the support bus, and I chose to keep MOVING FORWARD.
Because THAT was the plan.
If I hadn't had an overriding WHY, and an expressed and defined GOAL, there would have been absolutely no sane reason for me to continue to the finish line.
But I had planned ahead, and I had BOTH in good measure. And THOSE were the things that kept me going through the tough times.
What is your WHY? Why do you want to be healthy? What is your GOAL? Do you even know or is it some vague "I wanna lose weight" kind of thing? If you have no WHY and you have no DEFINED GOAL then it is like a boat out there on the ocean with no destination in mind. You can't steer that ship in any direction that makes sense, so you are just kind of tossed about on the waves with no land in sight. Not a great place to be. Kind of a scary place to be.
So captain your own ship, chart your own course, find a DESTINATION and a REASON to go there, and you will then do the actions and course adjustments necessary EVERY DAY to get you there.
Rinse and Repeat!
Namely, that anything worth doing IS hard, but worth it.
You find your WHY. You set your GOAL. You plan the ACTIONS it will take to accomplish that goal. You IMPLEMENT your plan.
In other words, it comes down to the DOING.
Daily.
There were days I didn't want to "do" my plan, whether I was achieving a healthy weight or training for a marathon.
In fact, when I was RUNNING my marathon I can pretty much tell you that from mile 13 to mile 26.2 I was having second thoughts with EVERY STEP.
There were times it wasn't FUN. But sometimes we have to really get past our adolescent mentality that everything needs to be FUN.
That is what I found, anyway! And as my mind and emotions were playing a tug-of-war with my will, again, EVERY STEP of the last 13.2 miles of my marathon, I simply had one choice to make every second. Do I take the next step? Or don't I?
I chose to continue taking the next step. I chose to override my mind AND my emotions, which were both pleading incessantly for me to hop on the support bus, and I chose to keep MOVING FORWARD.
Because THAT was the plan.
If I hadn't had an overriding WHY, and an expressed and defined GOAL, there would have been absolutely no sane reason for me to continue to the finish line.
But I had planned ahead, and I had BOTH in good measure. And THOSE were the things that kept me going through the tough times.
What is your WHY? Why do you want to be healthy? What is your GOAL? Do you even know or is it some vague "I wanna lose weight" kind of thing? If you have no WHY and you have no DEFINED GOAL then it is like a boat out there on the ocean with no destination in mind. You can't steer that ship in any direction that makes sense, so you are just kind of tossed about on the waves with no land in sight. Not a great place to be. Kind of a scary place to be.
So captain your own ship, chart your own course, find a DESTINATION and a REASON to go there, and you will then do the actions and course adjustments necessary EVERY DAY to get you there.
Rinse and Repeat!
Friday, April 11, 2014
Wrap-up From Paris Trip - and Before/After Picture!
I've been home for a few days and had a little time to reflect on my trip to Paris to run the Paris Marathon.
I've also attached a before/after picture to this blog for anyone who hasn't seen my before pics.
I have to say that the shirt I'm wearing in the "after" side of the picture really sums up how I feel about myself nowadays. I'm a "Finisher".
I didn't used to be. As a matter of fact, finishing what I had started was NOT my gift. It was NOT a strong suit of mine. Oh sure, I'd have plans. Lots of plans. Always plans and more plans.
And I'd always start out with zeal and intention and focus.
And then time would pass. And I would "lose" my "motivation".
What IS that, anyway? What does that word mean? Because anytime I've EVER relied on "motivation" to get something done, it has Never. Gotten. Done.
This journey, both the Paris Marathon AND my health journey this time around, have taught me to focus my energy NOT on FINDING AND SUSTAINING MOTIVATION, but instead I made a fundamental decision for health.
A fundamental decision towards BECOMING and STAYING healthy.
There is SUCH a difference between being MOTIVATED and DECIDING.
Motivation is always external. It is something coming up, or a dress I want to fit into, or a reunion I want to go to, or a trip I want to take and be able to have FUN packing instead of CRY in my closet the night before we leave.
Motivation builds and wanes. It comes in like a lion and then slips out the back door like a lamb when you BLINK leaving you bewildered and deflated.
But making a fundamental decision towards HEALTH changes EVERYTHING. Most of all it changed ME.
How?
Making a fundamental decision toward HEALTH meant that I was committed to the process of becoming and staying healthy. It BECAME my overriding orientation, not just something I was "doing for awhile" like a "diet" or something.
Making a fundamental decision toward HEALTH meant that EVERY DAY I examined each choice in the light of whether it supported my primary goal of BECOMING AND REMAINING healthy, or whether it didn't.
Those factors that may have taken me farther AWAY from my health goals more often then not got pitched by the wayside. Did I occasionally choose short-term gratification over my long term goals? Yes, occasionally I did. But since my ORIENTATION was that of being oriented towards health, it was simple to shake it off and remind myself of WHO I WAS.
Not "what I was doing", but WHO I WAS and WHO I WAS BECOMING.
Namely, a fit and healthy person.
Not someone who was "doing a diet".
But a fit and healthy person.
I think my attached picture shows the proof is in the pudding. I made a fundamental choice to become and remain a fit and healthy person, and the program offerings for the plan I utilized in this area gave me EVERYTHING I NEEDED to succeed. But it was ultimately MY CHOICE to utilize them. It wasn't foisted upon me. I chose to pick up those tools and to commit myself to the process.
And so I did.
So where are YOU right now? Are you on another "diet"? Or have you entertained the thought of making a FUNDAMENTAL DECISION TOWARDS HEALTH?
It's always a choice, isn't it?
Rinse and Repeat!
I've also attached a before/after picture to this blog for anyone who hasn't seen my before pics.
I have to say that the shirt I'm wearing in the "after" side of the picture really sums up how I feel about myself nowadays. I'm a "Finisher".
I didn't used to be. As a matter of fact, finishing what I had started was NOT my gift. It was NOT a strong suit of mine. Oh sure, I'd have plans. Lots of plans. Always plans and more plans.
And I'd always start out with zeal and intention and focus.
And then time would pass. And I would "lose" my "motivation".
What IS that, anyway? What does that word mean? Because anytime I've EVER relied on "motivation" to get something done, it has Never. Gotten. Done.
This journey, both the Paris Marathon AND my health journey this time around, have taught me to focus my energy NOT on FINDING AND SUSTAINING MOTIVATION, but instead I made a fundamental decision for health.
A fundamental decision towards BECOMING and STAYING healthy.
There is SUCH a difference between being MOTIVATED and DECIDING.
Motivation is always external. It is something coming up, or a dress I want to fit into, or a reunion I want to go to, or a trip I want to take and be able to have FUN packing instead of CRY in my closet the night before we leave.
Motivation builds and wanes. It comes in like a lion and then slips out the back door like a lamb when you BLINK leaving you bewildered and deflated.
But making a fundamental decision towards HEALTH changes EVERYTHING. Most of all it changed ME.
How?
Making a fundamental decision toward HEALTH meant that I was committed to the process of becoming and staying healthy. It BECAME my overriding orientation, not just something I was "doing for awhile" like a "diet" or something.
Making a fundamental decision toward HEALTH meant that EVERY DAY I examined each choice in the light of whether it supported my primary goal of BECOMING AND REMAINING healthy, or whether it didn't.
Those factors that may have taken me farther AWAY from my health goals more often then not got pitched by the wayside. Did I occasionally choose short-term gratification over my long term goals? Yes, occasionally I did. But since my ORIENTATION was that of being oriented towards health, it was simple to shake it off and remind myself of WHO I WAS.
Not "what I was doing", but WHO I WAS and WHO I WAS BECOMING.
Namely, a fit and healthy person.
Not someone who was "doing a diet".
But a fit and healthy person.
I think my attached picture shows the proof is in the pudding. I made a fundamental choice to become and remain a fit and healthy person, and the program offerings for the plan I utilized in this area gave me EVERYTHING I NEEDED to succeed. But it was ultimately MY CHOICE to utilize them. It wasn't foisted upon me. I chose to pick up those tools and to commit myself to the process.
And so I did.
So where are YOU right now? Are you on another "diet"? Or have you entertained the thought of making a FUNDAMENTAL DECISION TOWARDS HEALTH?
It's always a choice, isn't it?
Rinse and Repeat!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Don't Like Inconsistent Results? Take a Look at Your Actions.
As I was stirring my Program's Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal this morning,
I was pleased at how the consistency turned out. I LOVE my oatmeal in
the morning, and have had plenty of time to perfect my preparation skills! But I remember a time when I just couldn't seem to get it right no matter what I did! Some days it was too thick! Some days it was too thin! I felt a little bit like Goldilocks testing out each bear's porridge and not able to make it herself LOL!
Then I RADICALLY changed something. I'm sure there was a crack in the universe somewhere as I picked up the packet of the portion-controlled meal replacement of Oatmeal and read the INSTRUCTIONS.
The first day I followed the instructions to the letter is the first day I got AH-MAZING results. The oatmeal was perfect. My little sprinkle of cinnamon on top and it was good to GO!
Now every morning I get consistent results. My oatmeal is perfect. As I was stirring it and savoring those first few bites of hot comforting goodness I was reflecting on the joy I take from....GOOD oatmeal. CONSISTENT oatmeal.
And it is 100% dependent on how I follow the instructions, whether the oatmeal will turn out or be a disaster. If I wing it and guesstimate on the water to add, or the cooking time, it's just all over for the morning I may as well just toss it out in advance because I'm NOT going to like it or eat it.
But, if I get my 1/3 cup measuring cup out and fill it twice, pour it in to the dry oatmeal, mix it for a few second, then pop it in the microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds? Perfection.
Consistent actions reap consistent results.
Whenever my PLAN isn't giving me the results I want consistently I also do the same thing. I look at the instructions all over again and FOLLOW them to the LETTER, and I usually find areas where I was nonchalantly substituting my own judgment for that of the plan. Us overachiever hyper-performance perfectionists NEVER do that, do we? Ha ha!
ALL of the TIME! Even TODAY I was having a conversation in my brain as I woke up at 4:30 am (just returned from Paris, France yesterday afternoon and I'm not time-adjusted for North America yet which is why I'm up, having coffee, eating breakfast and writing a blog before the sun comes up!). This conversation went something like this:
Overachiever Perfectionist Me: "Well, I sure would love to go for a run today!"
Steady Rational Me: "Why don't you look up the recommended recovery times for post-marathon running, though, and find out if it is a good idea or not...."
Overachiever Perfectionist Me: "But I feel fine! I know me! I can tell my muscles can take a little 2 mile jog around the neighborhood! Come on!"
Steady Rational Me went about looking up the information anyway because it is no use arguing with overachiever perfectionist me, just a simple over-ride of actions is necessary.
And What I found is in this article:
http://running.competitor.com/2013/09/training/the-importance-of-recovery-after-a-marathon_59478
That it isn't JUST about muscle soreness, there are all sorts of things going on at the cellular level which absolutely necessitate a recovery of NO RUNNING for ATLEAST a WEEK after a Marathon.
See? If I had just gone with what I "felt" I could have risked damage to my muscles and would have inhibited my full recovery at the cellular level. What did I know? All I know is that I wanted to do it, and if I wasn't sore, what was the harm in going ahead and doing it?
So I am listening to the experts.
Same with our program. Have you ever heard this in your brain? "Well I'm not really hungry and I feel like I JUST ATE what is the harm in skipping one of the 5 portion-control meal replacement Meals that are on our program??"
Or this: "I know the program recommends no exercise in the first 3 weeks, but it just doesn't make sense that I can't do that, I mean I feel great and have so much energy, what can it hurt?"
Or this: "I'm not really sure how much water I'm getting, I don't really have to keep track do I? I mean how much difference can it really make?"
Or this: "Well the portion-controlled program meal replacements are 100 calories, and this Snack-Well Oreo Pack is also 100 calories, I'm sure if I just swap them out I can get similar results".
BTW the answer to all of those is DO NOT MODIFY THE PLAN!!!!!
=)
As with the oatmeal, if I want consistent results I need to follow the directions. If I want my oatmeal to be perfect every day I can just read the instructions and DO them consistently. Day in and day out.
As with the running, sure I love it and it is my primary method of healthy motion in my days and weeks, but if the manuals and experts tell me to NOT run for a full WEEK after a marathon, then I am going to NOT RUN for a full WEEK.
And with the plan, if I am on the 5&1 and want consistent results, am I DOING consistently exactly and only what is in the QUICK START GUIDE?
Have a great week y'all!
Rinse and Repeat!
Then I RADICALLY changed something. I'm sure there was a crack in the universe somewhere as I picked up the packet of the portion-controlled meal replacement of Oatmeal and read the INSTRUCTIONS.
The first day I followed the instructions to the letter is the first day I got AH-MAZING results. The oatmeal was perfect. My little sprinkle of cinnamon on top and it was good to GO!
Now every morning I get consistent results. My oatmeal is perfect. As I was stirring it and savoring those first few bites of hot comforting goodness I was reflecting on the joy I take from....GOOD oatmeal. CONSISTENT oatmeal.
And it is 100% dependent on how I follow the instructions, whether the oatmeal will turn out or be a disaster. If I wing it and guesstimate on the water to add, or the cooking time, it's just all over for the morning I may as well just toss it out in advance because I'm NOT going to like it or eat it.
But, if I get my 1/3 cup measuring cup out and fill it twice, pour it in to the dry oatmeal, mix it for a few second, then pop it in the microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds? Perfection.
Consistent actions reap consistent results.
Whenever my PLAN isn't giving me the results I want consistently I also do the same thing. I look at the instructions all over again and FOLLOW them to the LETTER, and I usually find areas where I was nonchalantly substituting my own judgment for that of the plan. Us overachiever hyper-performance perfectionists NEVER do that, do we? Ha ha!
ALL of the TIME! Even TODAY I was having a conversation in my brain as I woke up at 4:30 am (just returned from Paris, France yesterday afternoon and I'm not time-adjusted for North America yet which is why I'm up, having coffee, eating breakfast and writing a blog before the sun comes up!). This conversation went something like this:
Overachiever Perfectionist Me: "Well, I sure would love to go for a run today!"
Steady Rational Me: "Why don't you look up the recommended recovery times for post-marathon running, though, and find out if it is a good idea or not...."
Overachiever Perfectionist Me: "But I feel fine! I know me! I can tell my muscles can take a little 2 mile jog around the neighborhood! Come on!"
Steady Rational Me went about looking up the information anyway because it is no use arguing with overachiever perfectionist me, just a simple over-ride of actions is necessary.
And What I found is in this article:
http://running.competitor.com/2013/09/training/the-importance-of-recovery-after-a-marathon_59478
That it isn't JUST about muscle soreness, there are all sorts of things going on at the cellular level which absolutely necessitate a recovery of NO RUNNING for ATLEAST a WEEK after a Marathon.
See? If I had just gone with what I "felt" I could have risked damage to my muscles and would have inhibited my full recovery at the cellular level. What did I know? All I know is that I wanted to do it, and if I wasn't sore, what was the harm in going ahead and doing it?
So I am listening to the experts.
Same with our program. Have you ever heard this in your brain? "Well I'm not really hungry and I feel like I JUST ATE what is the harm in skipping one of the 5 portion-control meal replacement Meals that are on our program??"
Or this: "I know the program recommends no exercise in the first 3 weeks, but it just doesn't make sense that I can't do that, I mean I feel great and have so much energy, what can it hurt?"
Or this: "I'm not really sure how much water I'm getting, I don't really have to keep track do I? I mean how much difference can it really make?"
Or this: "Well the portion-controlled program meal replacements are 100 calories, and this Snack-Well Oreo Pack is also 100 calories, I'm sure if I just swap them out I can get similar results".
BTW the answer to all of those is DO NOT MODIFY THE PLAN!!!!!
=)
As with the oatmeal, if I want consistent results I need to follow the directions. If I want my oatmeal to be perfect every day I can just read the instructions and DO them consistently. Day in and day out.
As with the running, sure I love it and it is my primary method of healthy motion in my days and weeks, but if the manuals and experts tell me to NOT run for a full WEEK after a marathon, then I am going to NOT RUN for a full WEEK.
And with the plan, if I am on the 5&1 and want consistent results, am I DOING consistently exactly and only what is in the QUICK START GUIDE?
Have a great week y'all!
Rinse and Repeat!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Paris Marathon COMPLETED! I am an official FINISHER!
Well
I have done it. The long awaited day has come and gone. I am
recovering for my "day after marathon" rest on the houseboat that I
rented on the Seine near the base of the Eiffel Tower (THANK you
AirBNB.com!), and WOW is all I can say. WOW.
There were times yesterday during my 6 hours and 40 minutes of running that I wanted to quit. There were some tears. There was some bargaining going on in my brain. There was a massive tug-of-war going on with my emotions, with half of me and sometimes very close to ALL of me wanting, begging to quit. Telling myself how I'd really done an amazing job so far, and I deserved to take a break. Look, there is the support vehicle and they are waving me on to it. See? Other people agree with my decision to quit. I really should. I've done so much already, I mean who can run 17 miles at one time?
Yes there was much bargaining going on, and at times I even BELIEVED the bargaining and it made so much SENSE for me to stop.
But I didn't.
While these battles were raging in my brain, I kept my body moving forward. I had trained for this. I had trained to have the mental acuity to keep taking the next step forward no matter what was happening in my brain on a cognitive level. I had learned to detach the decision-making "rational" part of my head from what I DID, from my ACTIONS. This is an important skill to learn. Of course eventually my "rational" part of my brain (which was really, on retrospect, being the MOST irrational under that time of stress and fatigue) would come around and at about mile 25 the rational part of my brain was now CONGRATULATING me on a job well done instead of BEGGING me to quit. And, even NOW, the rational part of my brain will likely take credit for accomplishing the whole thing!
And that's OK because ALL of me ran that marathon and ALL of me finished!
But I was just struck by the parallels that running a marathon have with our journeys to health. We have those times when every logical rational though in our brains is telling us "enough already" and "just quit already, you've come so far, you've accomplished so much, isn't it time to end the torture?"
And what we do IN THOSE MOMENTS will define whether or not we will finish the race well or at all.
Secondly, redefining torture and pain was important. I used to HATE running, and I mean HATE HATE capital H HATE it.
Then I decided to NOT hate it. I developed a new mindset about running, I began to see it as beneficial to me and my health, and it began to even become a joy!
The same goes for our eating plan. We can choose to view it as a "diet" that is "torturous" and full of "deprivation" or we can choose to view it as a wonderful tool that will bring us in to optimal health if applied as directed. A long time ago I chose the latter, to view my eating plan as a tool. And yes, it became joyful! And in the process, I developed a wonderful attribute. Endurance. Because endurance and perseverance is so important for anything we do, be it a Marathon in Paris, or whittling away that dangerous extra weight that can eventually kill us. Endurance.
And, I noticed something about myself here in Paris. The training paid off. Both the Marathon Training and the Eating Plan Training. How? I stayed true to the eating plan that I knew would be necessary for me to prepare myself adequately for the Marathon. This plan did NOT include baguettes with butter, croissants, crepes with Nutella, chocolates, glaces (ice creams/gelatos), but it included those things which would keep my mind and my body strong. And it was a joy for me to say "yes" to the healthy foods. It's how I live my life now. Why? Because I am a fit and healthy person, and that other junk is not my food anymore.
So, this is it then, all that Paris Marathon preparation did pay off and I did get my "finisher" medal and T-shirt. Yay.
There were times yesterday during my 6 hours and 40 minutes of running that I wanted to quit. There were some tears. There was some bargaining going on in my brain. There was a massive tug-of-war going on with my emotions, with half of me and sometimes very close to ALL of me wanting, begging to quit. Telling myself how I'd really done an amazing job so far, and I deserved to take a break. Look, there is the support vehicle and they are waving me on to it. See? Other people agree with my decision to quit. I really should. I've done so much already, I mean who can run 17 miles at one time?
Yes there was much bargaining going on, and at times I even BELIEVED the bargaining and it made so much SENSE for me to stop.
But I didn't.
While these battles were raging in my brain, I kept my body moving forward. I had trained for this. I had trained to have the mental acuity to keep taking the next step forward no matter what was happening in my brain on a cognitive level. I had learned to detach the decision-making "rational" part of my head from what I DID, from my ACTIONS. This is an important skill to learn. Of course eventually my "rational" part of my brain (which was really, on retrospect, being the MOST irrational under that time of stress and fatigue) would come around and at about mile 25 the rational part of my brain was now CONGRATULATING me on a job well done instead of BEGGING me to quit. And, even NOW, the rational part of my brain will likely take credit for accomplishing the whole thing!
And that's OK because ALL of me ran that marathon and ALL of me finished!
But I was just struck by the parallels that running a marathon have with our journeys to health. We have those times when every logical rational though in our brains is telling us "enough already" and "just quit already, you've come so far, you've accomplished so much, isn't it time to end the torture?"
And what we do IN THOSE MOMENTS will define whether or not we will finish the race well or at all.
Secondly, redefining torture and pain was important. I used to HATE running, and I mean HATE HATE capital H HATE it.
Then I decided to NOT hate it. I developed a new mindset about running, I began to see it as beneficial to me and my health, and it began to even become a joy!
The same goes for our eating plan. We can choose to view it as a "diet" that is "torturous" and full of "deprivation" or we can choose to view it as a wonderful tool that will bring us in to optimal health if applied as directed. A long time ago I chose the latter, to view my eating plan as a tool. And yes, it became joyful! And in the process, I developed a wonderful attribute. Endurance. Because endurance and perseverance is so important for anything we do, be it a Marathon in Paris, or whittling away that dangerous extra weight that can eventually kill us. Endurance.
And, I noticed something about myself here in Paris. The training paid off. Both the Marathon Training and the Eating Plan Training. How? I stayed true to the eating plan that I knew would be necessary for me to prepare myself adequately for the Marathon. This plan did NOT include baguettes with butter, croissants, crepes with Nutella, chocolates, glaces (ice creams/gelatos), but it included those things which would keep my mind and my body strong. And it was a joy for me to say "yes" to the healthy foods. It's how I live my life now. Why? Because I am a fit and healthy person, and that other junk is not my food anymore.
So, this is it then, all that Paris Marathon preparation did pay off and I did get my "finisher" medal and T-shirt. Yay.
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