Legs rubbing together, always rubbing.
Arms rubbing against my sides, always rubbing whether I was walking or not.
The "wedge" feeling when I
plopped myself into a movie theater chair, then not knowing where to
put my arms so I would fold them in front of me, when I could.
The "wedge and panic" feeling when I plopped myself into an airline seat, then the digging around for the seatbelt and praying - to no success - that I wouldn't need to ask for an extender.
The SHEER panic when I had a MIDDLE seat on an airplane and was flying alone. Knowing that I would overflow my space.
My chest resting on the steering wheel of my car when I drove, because my short legs couldn't reach the pedals if I had the seat back far enough where my chest WOULDN'T rest on the steering wheel.
People scrutinizing the contents of my shopping cart at Costco or Safeway, Whole Foods or Sprouts.
Salespeople who avoided eye contact.
Clothing salespeople who avoided ALL contact, then asked me if I wanted a gift receipt with that.
Walking from my house to the car, and being out of breath.
Not being able to get up off the floor without the help of a piece of furniture, or else getting onto my hands and knees first, THEN using a piece of furniture.
My 4 year old son calling me "Sully" (think big blue monster from Monsters Inc)
Wearing my size 26 jeans.....again.
Avoiding all social situations because someone there might know me.
Avoiding all social situations because I'll be the biggest one there.
Avoiding all social situations period.
Wearing torn and ragged sweatpants because my size 26 jeans didn't really fit anymore
Wearing XXXXL Men's T-shirts.
Wearing "comfortable" shoes which were not very comfortable either
Plantar Fasciitis in both feet
Walking with a cane
Not being able to fit through the turnstiles at Disneyworld, they had to let me through the stroller gate - without a stroller.
Not being able to fit on the rides at Disneyworld or Disneyland.
Not being able to go on a Hot Air Balloon ride or a Helicopter Tour
Not being able to go on the Carousel at Sea Port Village in San Diego, or Pier 39 in San Francisco due to the 250 pound weight limit.
Having zero energy.
Having zero confidence.
Having zero self-esteem
On the verge of tears all of the time
Feeling like I was stuck in a fat suit of my own making, but it was my prison.
Feeling lonely lonely lonely.
Being disgusted with myself when I'd falter on yet another "diet".
That was then.
This is now.
I can run 2 miles up a mountain without stopping!
I can compete in a sprint-distance triathlon and feel like I BELONG!
I take my shopping cart full of protein and veggies proudly through Costco, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and Safeway, daring anyone to scrutinize.
My son wants to marry me, because I'm his Princess!
I feel free free free!
I am free to be ME, and free to help OTHERS
I can "curl up" in an airplane seat now, and tuck my legs underneath me if I want, with plenty of room on the seat belt!
I have lots of room in the theater seats!
I can fit my entire lower body up to my waist in ONE LEG of my size 26 jeans.
I am wearing stylish clothes, size 4 and 6 jeans, size 4 and 6 dresses, and can wear knee high leather boots, which I HAVE now!
I fit into small ladies petite tops.
I am living the life I ALWAYS knew was within me to live, if only I could master the one thing that had eluded me thus far, which was how to control my body instead of letting my body control me.
Self Discipline. Healthy Habits. These things may not be easy to master, but they ARE simple. Action, not reaction. Healthy choices TODAY which will further my primary goals.
So, who's with me?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
NewYou Version 2.0 is available for download, would you like to proceed?
I just watched a rather
heartbreaking and realistic movie about the addiction of overeating
called "lbs". To say it disturbed me to watch it would be an understatement, partially because I honestly thought it was a documentary that one man set out to film about his own journey. It was not touted as a Documentary but for some reason I had the impression that it was.
This movie captured the essence of the addiction of overeating. This movie had me cheering and crying and confused and happy, in no particular order because I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone.
It put a very human face on a very misunderstood issue.
Not that I needed a human face for this misunderstood issue, after all I have a mirror and I have confronted my own issues as regards this area and found much freedom with this plan and Take Shape For Life.
I rather feel like one day I received a message pop-up on my computer that said "NewYou Version 2.0 is available for download, would you like to install?" and I did. I hit the "install" button, knowing that it would take work, and blood, and sweat, and tears, much as this gentleman in this movie had to face.
NOT hitting that "install now" button I would have received this warning "failure to download will cause Stacy to revert back to her default settings...." and that is the choice I make every day. Rebooting and installing the daily updates to my program. Because failure to do this may cause me to revert back to my original settings, which caused me to weigh 272 pounds and walk with a cane at 40 years of age.
Every single day I make the conscious choice to install the updated NewYou Version 2.0. How do I do this? By consciously continuing on in the Habits of Health. By taking my temperature and finding out what I need to do THIS DAY, TODAY, to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Because today is all I've got to worry about. Which doesn't mean I don't worry. MY worry is that one morning I'll wake up and decide not to care that day. MY worry is that I'll revert to my default settings for too many days in a row and NOT CARE.
MY worry is that I won't be vigilant ENOUGH, catch myself after a slip up and DECIDE to orient myself again towards health. MY worry is that I'll run out of reasons to care.
So, every day I take stock. I remember my blessings. I remember my family. I remember the reasons to care. Because for me, apathy is a sure fire way of reverting to my original morbid class 4 Super Obese status. And THAT is my only worry. That one day I won't care enough.
But that day is not today. And Lord willing it will not be tomorrow. And that is really all we can ask for, isn't it? Taking every day as it comes, deciding TODAY which direction we will point our toes, and then take the steps to get us where we need and desire to go?
Where do YOU desire to go today? Are you apathetic and in danger of defaulting to your original settings? Or are you hitting that "install now" button and actively taking a part in your own health destiny?
Because they guy in "Lbs" did that. Until he didn't. And I never want to be "that guy" again.
A little introspective tonight, a little shaken up by that movie. I highly recommend it but it is NOT kid friendly so wait until the little ones are in bed and even then use earphones. It is available for FREE on demand streaming video if you are an Amazon prime member.
Our health is a gift we give to ourselves, and I never EVER want to take that for granted.
And as a side note, I used to operate solely in the realm of fear and worry. I find that I don't do that much anymore because hope and optimism have worked out much better for me, (sorry to my Irish ancestors, I realize you are rolling in your graves right now....LOL), so to hear me talk about "worrying" that something will happen means it is a big deal.
Do I REALLY "worry" that I will revert to my default settings? No, deep down I do not because I am building my life and organizing my life around what matters most to me. But one day at a time, right?
This movie captured the essence of the addiction of overeating. This movie had me cheering and crying and confused and happy, in no particular order because I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone.
It put a very human face on a very misunderstood issue.
Not that I needed a human face for this misunderstood issue, after all I have a mirror and I have confronted my own issues as regards this area and found much freedom with this plan and Take Shape For Life.
I rather feel like one day I received a message pop-up on my computer that said "NewYou Version 2.0 is available for download, would you like to install?" and I did. I hit the "install" button, knowing that it would take work, and blood, and sweat, and tears, much as this gentleman in this movie had to face.
NOT hitting that "install now" button I would have received this warning "failure to download will cause Stacy to revert back to her default settings...." and that is the choice I make every day. Rebooting and installing the daily updates to my program. Because failure to do this may cause me to revert back to my original settings, which caused me to weigh 272 pounds and walk with a cane at 40 years of age.
Every single day I make the conscious choice to install the updated NewYou Version 2.0. How do I do this? By consciously continuing on in the Habits of Health. By taking my temperature and finding out what I need to do THIS DAY, TODAY, to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Because today is all I've got to worry about. Which doesn't mean I don't worry. MY worry is that one morning I'll wake up and decide not to care that day. MY worry is that I'll revert to my default settings for too many days in a row and NOT CARE.
MY worry is that I won't be vigilant ENOUGH, catch myself after a slip up and DECIDE to orient myself again towards health. MY worry is that I'll run out of reasons to care.
So, every day I take stock. I remember my blessings. I remember my family. I remember the reasons to care. Because for me, apathy is a sure fire way of reverting to my original morbid class 4 Super Obese status. And THAT is my only worry. That one day I won't care enough.
But that day is not today. And Lord willing it will not be tomorrow. And that is really all we can ask for, isn't it? Taking every day as it comes, deciding TODAY which direction we will point our toes, and then take the steps to get us where we need and desire to go?
Where do YOU desire to go today? Are you apathetic and in danger of defaulting to your original settings? Or are you hitting that "install now" button and actively taking a part in your own health destiny?
Because they guy in "Lbs" did that. Until he didn't. And I never want to be "that guy" again.
A little introspective tonight, a little shaken up by that movie. I highly recommend it but it is NOT kid friendly so wait until the little ones are in bed and even then use earphones. It is available for FREE on demand streaming video if you are an Amazon prime member.
Our health is a gift we give to ourselves, and I never EVER want to take that for granted.
And as a side note, I used to operate solely in the realm of fear and worry. I find that I don't do that much anymore because hope and optimism have worked out much better for me, (sorry to my Irish ancestors, I realize you are rolling in your graves right now....LOL), so to hear me talk about "worrying" that something will happen means it is a big deal.
Do I REALLY "worry" that I will revert to my default settings? No, deep down I do not because I am building my life and organizing my life around what matters most to me. But one day at a time, right?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Where is your Focus?
Part of the challenge of attaining and maintaining a healthy weight is dealing with your thought life.
The first time I did Medifast, back in 06/07 and lost 140 pounds, I white knuckled it all the way to goal. I was rigid and disciplined. HOWEVER, I was still OBSESSED with food. I would buy cookbooks. I would watch the cooking channel. I would prepare tasty treats for everyone else, then sit back and admire my own self-discipline.
I remained FOOD FOCUSED for the entire journey.
It was a massive lesson in DEPRIVATION. And I learned that lesson well. That lesson was that I could not eat what everyone else could eat, and probably never would be able to. That I could NOT partake in the movie theater popcorn. That I could NOT have a piece of my own birthday cake. That I could NOT have that signature piece of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Until, maybe, maintenance and THEN what excited me about maintenance was that I WOULD be able to have an occasional piece of SOMETHING or other. And THAT would make me happy.
Food. Centric. To. The. Core.
The first time I did the plan, those were my thoughts. And guess what?
I gained ALL of my 140 pounds back within 12 months of reaching my goal.
Does that scare you? I don't mean it to, what I DO mean to do is to juxtapose my mentality the FIRST time with my mentality my SECOND AND LAST TIME, because my thought life was SO DIFFERENT the second time around.
How so? Health. The first time I did the plan I was focused on food. The second time I did the plan, I did it with Take Shape For Life and I was focused on HEALTH.
I trained myself INTENTIONALLY to focus on what I wanted to CREATE with this process the second time, NOT what I was having to DEPRIVE myself of.
I did it mindfully. I did it by reading Dr. A's Habits of Health. I maintain my weight by CONTINUING to read Dr. A's Habits of Health, and staying connected with my Health Coach. Yes, I call her every single week. I did it by deciding NOT to watch the Food Network or the Cooking Channel anymore. I gave away all my cookbooks that were not health-oriented. Yes I did. Even my "Cake Bible". Extreme? No, it was a lightening of my load. I was unloading that life. I didn't need it anymore. I didn't need the "Ben & Jerry Ice Cream Cookbook" anymore, or the "International Cookie Cookbook". I didn't need "Southern Cooking" or "A course in Candy Making".
What I am saying is this:
If we don't take the time to develop a fit and healthy mind then this will be just an exercise in futility that we will likely have to repeat. Again, and again, and again. But there IS hope to break that oscillating pattern. But you don't just "fall" into it, you develop it.
So what are YOU creating with this process? What healthy habits are YOU introducing into your life incrementally, then MASTERING them? Do you even HAVE Dr. A's Habits of Health? Or are you "doin' fine, don't need it?"
Where is your focus? Because where your heart is, there your treasure is.
Is food your treasure? Is your stomach the most important organ in your body? Are all of your thoughts guided by your stomach?
Or is health your treasure? Is your most important organ your brain? Who is driving the bus? Who is in control?
The first time I did Medifast, back in 06/07 and lost 140 pounds, I white knuckled it all the way to goal. I was rigid and disciplined. HOWEVER, I was still OBSESSED with food. I would buy cookbooks. I would watch the cooking channel. I would prepare tasty treats for everyone else, then sit back and admire my own self-discipline.
I remained FOOD FOCUSED for the entire journey.
It was a massive lesson in DEPRIVATION. And I learned that lesson well. That lesson was that I could not eat what everyone else could eat, and probably never would be able to. That I could NOT partake in the movie theater popcorn. That I could NOT have a piece of my own birthday cake. That I could NOT have that signature piece of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Until, maybe, maintenance and THEN what excited me about maintenance was that I WOULD be able to have an occasional piece of SOMETHING or other. And THAT would make me happy.
Food. Centric. To. The. Core.
The first time I did the plan, those were my thoughts. And guess what?
I gained ALL of my 140 pounds back within 12 months of reaching my goal.
Does that scare you? I don't mean it to, what I DO mean to do is to juxtapose my mentality the FIRST time with my mentality my SECOND AND LAST TIME, because my thought life was SO DIFFERENT the second time around.
How so? Health. The first time I did the plan I was focused on food. The second time I did the plan, I did it with Take Shape For Life and I was focused on HEALTH.
I trained myself INTENTIONALLY to focus on what I wanted to CREATE with this process the second time, NOT what I was having to DEPRIVE myself of.
I did it mindfully. I did it by reading Dr. A's Habits of Health. I maintain my weight by CONTINUING to read Dr. A's Habits of Health, and staying connected with my Health Coach. Yes, I call her every single week. I did it by deciding NOT to watch the Food Network or the Cooking Channel anymore. I gave away all my cookbooks that were not health-oriented. Yes I did. Even my "Cake Bible". Extreme? No, it was a lightening of my load. I was unloading that life. I didn't need it anymore. I didn't need the "Ben & Jerry Ice Cream Cookbook" anymore, or the "International Cookie Cookbook". I didn't need "Southern Cooking" or "A course in Candy Making".
What I am saying is this:
If we don't take the time to develop a fit and healthy mind then this will be just an exercise in futility that we will likely have to repeat. Again, and again, and again. But there IS hope to break that oscillating pattern. But you don't just "fall" into it, you develop it.
So what are YOU creating with this process? What healthy habits are YOU introducing into your life incrementally, then MASTERING them? Do you even HAVE Dr. A's Habits of Health? Or are you "doin' fine, don't need it?"
Where is your focus? Because where your heart is, there your treasure is.
Is food your treasure? Is your stomach the most important organ in your body? Are all of your thoughts guided by your stomach?
Or is health your treasure? Is your most important organ your brain? Who is driving the bus? Who is in control?
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Five Stages of Grief
DENIAL-I
don't have a problem. I'll
start tomorrow. I'll start after the party next week. I'll start after
my birthday. I'm not really THAT big. I'm not getting on a scale.
Eating off plan over the weekend and on plan during the week really
should still work a LITTLE. This BLT shouldn't hurt anything.
ANGER-I'm so angry I have to deal with this every day! "Normal" people don't have to watch every single little thing that goes into their mouth! Why do I have to do this? I'm sick of it! I'm sick of the soup. I hate the shakes. How can they expect me to succeed if they can't get this website fixed?! I can't stomach the chili.
BARGAINING- I am sure that more than 3 condiments is totally fine. I know what 6 ounces of chicken looks like, I don't need to weigh it. I'll drink this green machine juice smoothie and call it my green for the day. This 100-calorie pack of oreos can be 1 of my Optavia Fuelings today. It's just a little taste. How 'bout if I just have this and get right back on track tomorrow. It's such a small piece, I'm sure it won't hurt anything. But this is such a special dinner for (anniversary, birthday, child's birthday, Ash Wednesday) I really just want to relax and enjoy it.
DEPRESSION-I can't believe I did that. I'll never lose this weight. I'll be fat my whole life, I may as well deal with that fact. I can't understand how I got this way. Why am I this big? What did I do to deserve this? I can't see a way out. Why me? I'll never do this. I'm hopeless. I'm useless. I'll never change my life so I might as well eat this Samosa.
ACCEPTANCE-I will do the Optimal Weight 5&1 Program using the Optavia Fuelings (or Medifast Meals) as written, and enjoy the success that I deserve and that so many people who have stuck to this program are enjoying every day. I will check in with my Optavia Health Coach once a week and I'll thoughtfully read Dr. A's Habits of Health and begin implementing those habits into my life, and mastering them. My body has caloric limitations that perhaps other people don't have, but I will not view this as a reason to think life is not fair, I will simply find out what those limitations are once I reach goal and transition to maintenance, and then organize my eating around those limitations. I will do this. I can do this. I am doing this.
I think the emotions we go through on this program, although unique to us, are indicative of the same pattern in the 5 stages of grief. After all, we are "losing" something. Our weight. Some of us have had a relationship with our weight our whole lives. The fat has been a friend, just as food has been a friend. It has made decisions for us. It has dictated what we wear, where we go, whether we sit in a booth or a regular table, what rides we go on Disneyland, whether we can go through the turnstiles at Disneyland or have to go through the gate, how many seats we need to buy on an airplane (you know your fat is like a person to you if you need to buy an extra seat for it...what an appropriate analogy). Our fat tells us whether or not we can go to the beach or wear a bathing suit (NOT!), what section of what store we can buy our clothes in. Our fat dictates whether or not we can buy life insurance, or health insurance, and eventually, our fat dictates when we die. Many of the adult diseases that become fatal are more likely to happen to fat people. Diabetes. Heart disease, and certain cancers are closely tied to weight. So our fat dictates how and when we will die. It may be our friend or our closest companion for years, but it is a treacherous one with your ruin in mind. Get rid of it. It's not worth keeping. Some of us are as comfortable with our fat, and unwilling to get rid of it, as someone in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship. Our identities are so wrapped up in us being fat, we can't see life without it.
We have also lost a relationship, the relationship with food. This relationship was nurtured by us, and we put a lot of time and effort into it. How much of our day was spent thinking about, planning to eat, shopping for, preparing, and then eating, food? It took a lot of emotional investment and likely to the detriment of other things or people in our lives who got the short end of the stick as regards our attention and care. Food was our savior. Food was our friend. Food celebrated with us when we were happy, mourned with us when we were sad, cheered us up when we'd had a bad day, and gave us a distraction from our otherwise too stressful lives. So, the fact that this relationship has GOT to, necessarily, CHANGE, can definitely bring with it a sense of great loss, of grieving, of mourning.
Please, please, do this for you. Do it for your health. Mourn the fat, mourn the food, yes, maybe, but get through it and get rid of it. You'll be better off, I promise!
Head into the ACCEPTANCE stage and stay there. Have a great week!
ANGER-I'm so angry I have to deal with this every day! "Normal" people don't have to watch every single little thing that goes into their mouth! Why do I have to do this? I'm sick of it! I'm sick of the soup. I hate the shakes. How can they expect me to succeed if they can't get this website fixed?! I can't stomach the chili.
BARGAINING- I am sure that more than 3 condiments is totally fine. I know what 6 ounces of chicken looks like, I don't need to weigh it. I'll drink this green machine juice smoothie and call it my green for the day. This 100-calorie pack of oreos can be 1 of my Optavia Fuelings today. It's just a little taste. How 'bout if I just have this and get right back on track tomorrow. It's such a small piece, I'm sure it won't hurt anything. But this is such a special dinner for (anniversary, birthday, child's birthday, Ash Wednesday) I really just want to relax and enjoy it.
DEPRESSION-I can't believe I did that. I'll never lose this weight. I'll be fat my whole life, I may as well deal with that fact. I can't understand how I got this way. Why am I this big? What did I do to deserve this? I can't see a way out. Why me? I'll never do this. I'm hopeless. I'm useless. I'll never change my life so I might as well eat this Samosa.
ACCEPTANCE-I will do the Optimal Weight 5&1 Program using the Optavia Fuelings (or Medifast Meals) as written, and enjoy the success that I deserve and that so many people who have stuck to this program are enjoying every day. I will check in with my Optavia Health Coach once a week and I'll thoughtfully read Dr. A's Habits of Health and begin implementing those habits into my life, and mastering them. My body has caloric limitations that perhaps other people don't have, but I will not view this as a reason to think life is not fair, I will simply find out what those limitations are once I reach goal and transition to maintenance, and then organize my eating around those limitations. I will do this. I can do this. I am doing this.
I think the emotions we go through on this program, although unique to us, are indicative of the same pattern in the 5 stages of grief. After all, we are "losing" something. Our weight. Some of us have had a relationship with our weight our whole lives. The fat has been a friend, just as food has been a friend. It has made decisions for us. It has dictated what we wear, where we go, whether we sit in a booth or a regular table, what rides we go on Disneyland, whether we can go through the turnstiles at Disneyland or have to go through the gate, how many seats we need to buy on an airplane (you know your fat is like a person to you if you need to buy an extra seat for it...what an appropriate analogy). Our fat tells us whether or not we can go to the beach or wear a bathing suit (NOT!), what section of what store we can buy our clothes in. Our fat dictates whether or not we can buy life insurance, or health insurance, and eventually, our fat dictates when we die. Many of the adult diseases that become fatal are more likely to happen to fat people. Diabetes. Heart disease, and certain cancers are closely tied to weight. So our fat dictates how and when we will die. It may be our friend or our closest companion for years, but it is a treacherous one with your ruin in mind. Get rid of it. It's not worth keeping. Some of us are as comfortable with our fat, and unwilling to get rid of it, as someone in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship. Our identities are so wrapped up in us being fat, we can't see life without it.
We have also lost a relationship, the relationship with food. This relationship was nurtured by us, and we put a lot of time and effort into it. How much of our day was spent thinking about, planning to eat, shopping for, preparing, and then eating, food? It took a lot of emotional investment and likely to the detriment of other things or people in our lives who got the short end of the stick as regards our attention and care. Food was our savior. Food was our friend. Food celebrated with us when we were happy, mourned with us when we were sad, cheered us up when we'd had a bad day, and gave us a distraction from our otherwise too stressful lives. So, the fact that this relationship has GOT to, necessarily, CHANGE, can definitely bring with it a sense of great loss, of grieving, of mourning.
Please, please, do this for you. Do it for your health. Mourn the fat, mourn the food, yes, maybe, but get through it and get rid of it. You'll be better off, I promise!
Head into the ACCEPTANCE stage and stay there. Have a great week!
I need your advice....
I have a friend who has recently gotten out of an abusive and co-dependent relationship.
She made a clean break.
This relationship caused her physical harm. Threatened her health. She had clarity of mind when she realized it had to end, and took steps to sever the bonds and enter in to more healthy relationships.
In fact, she is now IN a healthy relationship, but at times she gets lonely for the guy who abused her. She has asked me my opinion, whether or not I think that she should have a "cheat day" and go back into the arms of that abusive and co-dependent state, just for one day, or maybe once per week or once per month.
She knows that she can always go back to her healthy relationship the next day, so she sees no problem with the occasional "cheat day".
After all, we have to learn how to HANDLE unhealthy relationships, right? If we have ONLY healthy relationships, then how in the world will we learn?
What should I tell her?
She made a clean break.
This relationship caused her physical harm. Threatened her health. She had clarity of mind when she realized it had to end, and took steps to sever the bonds and enter in to more healthy relationships.
In fact, she is now IN a healthy relationship, but at times she gets lonely for the guy who abused her. She has asked me my opinion, whether or not I think that she should have a "cheat day" and go back into the arms of that abusive and co-dependent state, just for one day, or maybe once per week or once per month.
She knows that she can always go back to her healthy relationship the next day, so she sees no problem with the occasional "cheat day".
After all, we have to learn how to HANDLE unhealthy relationships, right? If we have ONLY healthy relationships, then how in the world will we learn?
What should I tell her?
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Healthy Rocks!
Can I just tell you how much being healthy ROCKS?
I wish I could really show you what taking the opportunity to choose optimal health can mean in a life. But you will have to discover what it means in YOUR life, one day at a time.
For me, it means being able to trail-run with a 500 ft elevation for 3 miles round-trip today in the Arizona sunshine on South Mountain.
For me, it means going in the Caribbean ocean last week IN A SWIMSUIT and SWIMMING. It meant being comfortable in the hot tub later on. It meant dancing in a strapless dress and only being a LITTLE bit afraid the dress was going to have a wardrobe malfunction LOL.
It means hiking in the rainforest.
It means being able to sea kayak without giving a second thought to whether I will sink the boat or not.
It means smiling about 95% of my day instead of only 5% of my day.
It means sharing my story and the hope that can be ANYONE'S if only they will reach out and do the work, one day at a time.
It truly is a transformative journey that is very worth taking in my book. And I cannot imagine what my life would be like today if I had not chosen to take this road.
Is it hard?
Yeah, but WAAAAAAAAAAAAA so what? Anything worth doing is hard. Raising my son to be a little man is hard does that mean I'm not going to do it? Getting monthly labs to check on his kidney transplant is hard but does that mean I'm not going to do it? Getting my running shoes on and heading out the door is sometimes hard. But really, so what. Honestly. Since when did "it is hard" become a reason NOT to do something?
So onward with our goals, with our struggle. As Freya says, "Dieting is hard. Being fat is hard. Choose your hard."
I would change that to "Choosing health is easy. Being fat is hard. No brainer."
I wish I could really show you what taking the opportunity to choose optimal health can mean in a life. But you will have to discover what it means in YOUR life, one day at a time.
For me, it means being able to trail-run with a 500 ft elevation for 3 miles round-trip today in the Arizona sunshine on South Mountain.
For me, it means going in the Caribbean ocean last week IN A SWIMSUIT and SWIMMING. It meant being comfortable in the hot tub later on. It meant dancing in a strapless dress and only being a LITTLE bit afraid the dress was going to have a wardrobe malfunction LOL.
It means hiking in the rainforest.
It means being able to sea kayak without giving a second thought to whether I will sink the boat or not.
It means smiling about 95% of my day instead of only 5% of my day.
It means sharing my story and the hope that can be ANYONE'S if only they will reach out and do the work, one day at a time.
It truly is a transformative journey that is very worth taking in my book. And I cannot imagine what my life would be like today if I had not chosen to take this road.
Is it hard?
Yeah, but WAAAAAAAAAAAAA so what? Anything worth doing is hard. Raising my son to be a little man is hard does that mean I'm not going to do it? Getting monthly labs to check on his kidney transplant is hard but does that mean I'm not going to do it? Getting my running shoes on and heading out the door is sometimes hard. But really, so what. Honestly. Since when did "it is hard" become a reason NOT to do something?
So onward with our goals, with our struggle. As Freya says, "Dieting is hard. Being fat is hard. Choose your hard."
I would change that to "Choosing health is easy. Being fat is hard. No brainer."
Victims or Victors?
A victim waits for something to happen "to" him/her (or claims something DID happen "to" him/her).
A victim complains constantly about what happened and sees no way out.
A victim lets life happen UPON him/her.
A victim feels like they have been wronged, life is unfair.
A victor MAKES something happen.
A victor is part of the SOLUTION instead of lamenting constantly about the perceived PROBLEM.
A victor happens on LIFE, does not allow LIFE to dictate the terms upon THEM.
A victor takes his/her current situation and PLOTS and EXECUTES a course of action to affect real change.
Which are you?
Which am I?
I used to be a victim as regards my health. I was convinced that bad genes, life stress, heck, maybe even a full moon the day I was born caused me to struggle with my weight my whole life. I lost weight on some "diet". I gained it back because "life happened" on me and I handled it poorly. It was like, as Dave Ramsay puts it, I was a toddler sitting in a soiled diaper, saying "I know my diaper is poopy, but it's warm and it's mine....."
And honestly? That is no way to live. Sitting in a mess of our own making and shouting out at anyone who will listen how unfair it is that we are sitting there.
We did it, and we can change it.
But not if we are a victim.
One day I decided I wasn't going to be a victim anymore. I decided that there was not ONE PERSON more vested in my health and my life than.....myself.
And I also realized something that I understand is a big concept in AA, which is "Life Doesn't Change. People do."
And how true is that?
When I decided to become a victor, is when I realized that my habits are completely mine. And was I going to continue sitting in my poopy "Habits of Disease" diaper? Or was I going to make a change?
I decided I would incrementally introduce Habits of Health into my life, as described by Dr. A in his book, and I decided that my life was FULLY mine to live, and was FULLY my responsibility.
It wasn't Medifast's responsibility to make yummier and cheaper food so that I could adhere better. It wasn't my boss's responsibility to pay me more so I could afford to do the plan. It wasn't my Coach's responsibility to hold my feet to the fire and continue to reach out when I wouldn't answer the phone. It wasn't ANYONE else's responsibility to change MY life. The responsibility was mine.
So I got to work. I put my nose to the grindstone and DID THE WORK.
While I was DOING the work, I adopted a "Can-Do" attitude instead of a "Poor-Me" attitude.
And I am SO glad I did.
So, today, will you be a victim or a victor? Because as always, the choice is yours.
A victim complains constantly about what happened and sees no way out.
A victim lets life happen UPON him/her.
A victim feels like they have been wronged, life is unfair.
A victor MAKES something happen.
A victor is part of the SOLUTION instead of lamenting constantly about the perceived PROBLEM.
A victor happens on LIFE, does not allow LIFE to dictate the terms upon THEM.
A victor takes his/her current situation and PLOTS and EXECUTES a course of action to affect real change.
Which are you?
Which am I?
I used to be a victim as regards my health. I was convinced that bad genes, life stress, heck, maybe even a full moon the day I was born caused me to struggle with my weight my whole life. I lost weight on some "diet". I gained it back because "life happened" on me and I handled it poorly. It was like, as Dave Ramsay puts it, I was a toddler sitting in a soiled diaper, saying "I know my diaper is poopy, but it's warm and it's mine....."
And honestly? That is no way to live. Sitting in a mess of our own making and shouting out at anyone who will listen how unfair it is that we are sitting there.
We did it, and we can change it.
But not if we are a victim.
One day I decided I wasn't going to be a victim anymore. I decided that there was not ONE PERSON more vested in my health and my life than.....myself.
And I also realized something that I understand is a big concept in AA, which is "Life Doesn't Change. People do."
And how true is that?
When I decided to become a victor, is when I realized that my habits are completely mine. And was I going to continue sitting in my poopy "Habits of Disease" diaper? Or was I going to make a change?
I decided I would incrementally introduce Habits of Health into my life, as described by Dr. A in his book, and I decided that my life was FULLY mine to live, and was FULLY my responsibility.
It wasn't Medifast's responsibility to make yummier and cheaper food so that I could adhere better. It wasn't my boss's responsibility to pay me more so I could afford to do the plan. It wasn't my Coach's responsibility to hold my feet to the fire and continue to reach out when I wouldn't answer the phone. It wasn't ANYONE else's responsibility to change MY life. The responsibility was mine.
So I got to work. I put my nose to the grindstone and DID THE WORK.
While I was DOING the work, I adopted a "Can-Do" attitude instead of a "Poor-Me" attitude.
And I am SO glad I did.
So, today, will you be a victim or a victor? Because as always, the choice is yours.
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