Tuesday, August 31, 2010

''When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.

Hugh White

Monday, August 30, 2010

"That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well."

Abraham Lincoln

Have you ever looked at someone and thought, ''boy, this weight loss sure has come easy for them." Yeah, at some point and time we have all probably thought on that one. So there are two ways to look at those whom we think are successful--whether they are friends or those you hear of on the news. One is to feel a sense of unjustness or jealousy: "Why Not ME? Why can't I accomplish that?"

The more productive way is to realize that this person is living proof that success is attainable. If they can do it, so can I. It may well take some of us longer than it did those that have accomplished what they set out to do, but the thing to remember, is ''its okay to start over again.'' No one is keeping tabs on how many times we have to start over, if they are, then they really do need to get a life. :)

So today and everyday, look for those people who are successful and realize they are living proof that the same success is available to you. Cheer on everyone, and I feel we do that, and remember ''each of our journey's are different."

Today's Affirmation:

Each day I take a step toward success and am inspired by the successes of others.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Here we are ending the weekend, and I wonder how many of you are pretty much just like me in the sense you seem to be able to stay focused and able to make the right food and activity choices on the week days.

It has been my experience that if I treat my weekends like a week day, especially where food is the concern, then I have a much better outcome when its time to weigh in. So for me I am working at treating my weekends, just like every other day that I have to deal with food.

I am ready, prepared, and committed to small daily action. I greet this new day with enthusiastic expectation.

Friday, August 27, 2010

I am observant and grateful for life's many gifts.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

What a beautiful day we have had here in Louisville. I can actually feel Fall in the air. I love Fall, all those beautiful colors. And another changing season. Makes me want to make changes in myself. So maybe I will look at a new goal of some sort, maybe I will just look at the goals I set back in January and see which ones I have kept and which ones I have let slide by the wayside.

At times change is good. Out with the old and in with something new.

August 25, 2010....Wednesday

Every day, in every way I am getting better and better.

I think we all need to look at our lives like this and if we don't think its true, then we need to work on our selves until it becomes true. Eating right, exercise, and removing those things from our lives, whether they are objects or negative people, we have to do the hard stuff to just survive.

August 24, 2010.....Tuesday

• Don’t be afraid to share your goals with family and friends. Having those closest to you in on your plans can mean daily, invaluable support and assistance. You may even find that they’re willing to modify their own lives, at least temporarily, to help out—giving up soft drinks or helping plan healthy meals, for example. What’s more, just the fact that you’ve confided in them is a powerful motivator for helping you remain consistent and persistent.
  
• Avoid naysayers. For whatever reason, some folks just have the habit of belittling or ridiculing the goals of others, whether because they feel inadequate and threatened, or are simply mean! You‘re under no obligation to discuss your goals or action plan with anyone. If you know upfront that someone will be negative—or even if you discover it after the fact— steer conversation away from personal topics. Do not, I repeat DO NOT hang around a naysayer.
  
• If someone close to you is unsupportive, either tune out the negativity or distance yourself from that person. If that person is your partner or lives in the same household, the problem’s a bit more complicated. As far as possible, try to understand the motivation behind the negativity; is the person critical of your particular goal or of goals in general? I don't think we can ever figure out why some people are just unsupportive.
  
• Demonstrate encouragement for the goals your friends and family want to accomplish. Even better, come up with some common goals that you can work on together. There’s strength in numbers. The simple act of one person saying no to an unwanted dessert can spark someone else to think hard about whether they really want to indulge.
  
• Remember the old adage that to make a friend you have to be a friend. Make your fitness friendships win-win situations by making sure to give something back.
  
• Don’t expect one fitness buddy to be all things. Instead, enlist a diverse group of people who can share your various interests in small ways, whether swapping healthy recipes, exercising with enthusiasm, or confiding weight loss secrets. Not only will that keep you from relying too heavily on one resource, but it will expand your circle of friends and keep things fresh as well.
  
• Fit your weight loss needs into your life in small and varied ways: a healthy pot-luck lunch with co-workers, an evening walk with your spouse, or a brief morning chat with your on line fitness buddies. You’ll be helping others while you help yourself.
  

Sharing your goals with others is a powerful step towards both clarifying and fulfilling them. Not only are you more likely to follow though once you’ve voiced them—you’re more likely to have fun along the way! This is a never ending journey, so having some fun alone the way is very important.

Today's affirmation:

I am ready, prepared, and committed to my actions today. I greet this new day with enthusiastic expectations.

Monday August 23, 2010

A contract to get me and keep me back on track.

I, Joan McAdams , hereby agree and commit to take the following steps to improve my accountability to myself and increase my chances for weight loss success:

1. I will not let one small slip-up convince me that I'm stupid, worthless, or a lost cause. I will respect myself by refusing to engage in verbal self-abuse, and I will find positive ways to comfort and support myself when I’m having a hard time. Specifically, I will… (Make a list of concrete things you will do instead of beating up on yourself or deciding your problems are too big to handle.)
   
   
2. I will not sacrifice my own needs to make other people happy, or do for them what they can and should be doing for themselves. When there is a conflict between my exercise and eating plans and what other people want me to do, I will negotiate to find a reasonable solution that allows me to do what I need to do for myself.
   
   
3. I choose to be in charge of my own decisions and behavior. I will not talk, think, or act as if my partner, child, spouse, cravings, or subconscious made me do it. I will ask myself what’s most important to me at that moment and make my decision. If I don’t like the consequences, I will try something different the next time.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Today Bob and I are celebrating our 12th wedding Anniversary. It is a happy time. I was away for a few days recharing my own battery and it was wonderful. I was even looking forward to coming home, and Bob's middle son and his wife were here caring for Bob in my absence, and the house looked great when I got home.

Now I am fiddled around with watching the scale continue to climb, so have made my mind up, enough is enough, so back on track, and doing what I know is the right thing to do.

One thing I did this morning, was throw out the rest of the cake that was here. Also threw out the ice cream which I am happy to say, that I did have some cake yesterday, but I did not do any ice cream, and I want to keep it that way.

August 18, 2010......Wednesday

Four words we need to remove from our vocabulary.


Should - implies obligation and you are resentful about doing this thing you "should" do. What you are really saying is I don't want to do this.

Never - If you say you will never do something it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. "I will never be thin!" If you say this you probably will not.

Successful - The problem with this word is we usually use it towards others but rarely ourselves.

Busy - For some reason life has become a contest and people take pride in showing and telling others how busy they are. This is not something to be proud of. Do what you want. Say no to what you don't want to do and quit telling everyone how busy you are.

August 13, 2010...Friday.

"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender."

Vince Lombardi

The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life. You can feel invincible and in control. But it's not always like that. The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place. At times, it seems like even something's as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble? Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?

YOU'RE DARNED RIGHT IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When life and our minds are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you've got to take control of what you can. When confidence is low, that's exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There's no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way we can do this is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.

We can be the hammer, making things happen, or we can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you're starting to feel like a nail....and I must admit I have been...it's up to you/ME to keep my program moving forward. You/Me/WE, need to gather ourselves together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or...dare I say....QUIT!!!

Here is a story that made lots of sense to me, its about a frog.

A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter--allowing him to hop right out. HE NEVER GAVE UP!!

Here's how our story and his intersect. IF he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him to escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.

From the frog's point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation. If you keep kicking....but not kicking yourself...even if it feels just seems like you're treading water, you're actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on.

August 12, 2010......Thursday

"Decisions determine your Direction and your Direction determines your Destiny."

Anonymous

When we wake up and decide to have a healthy breakfast that can set the stage for eating healthy throughout the day. However, other things can get in the way. So make sure you are prepared, have those snacks ready, have that meal plan printed out, and if you know your going to be late getting home, throw something in the crock pot so you won't be tempted to go through the drive through on the way home.

I like to begin my day with exercise. Even when I am doing it at home, I want to get up, get it done and get it out of the way. Then I can move on to other things.

So today, make a decision to what direction you want to be going in, and allow that direction to become your destiny.

My decision thus far....brush teeth, wash face, drink coffee.....head for gym.

August 11, 2010......Wednesday

"Stop failure before it starts"
Julie Isphording, former Olympian

Some of us need to convince ourselves that there is enough time in the day to exercise, we could be on track to a great fitness program. For others, we get started but quickly lose momentum and give up. So I found 14 tips for starting and sticking with it. I thought maybe we all could find some of these tips to be helpful.

1. Throw away the bathing suit you wore in high school...and the memory too. Its' normal to have a mental image of yourself when you last exercised like a fiend. But, if that image is from high school you could be in big trouble. Even if it's from last year, forget it. Remember as little as possible of what you used to look like. Starting today make new memories.

2. Prepare. We already know you don't have the time, so write it down like an appointment every day. You wouldn't cancel an appointment, why would you cancel on yourself? Aren't we important too?

3. Start Slowly. Do much less than what you're capable of. Take a 20-minute walk if you're returning to exercise. You might feel like it's not enough, but it's a good start.

4. Get the family involved. Run (not in this weather) while the kids ride their bikes. Go to the local track or indoor track where it is air conditioned, take your spouse alone, make it a date thing, then celebrate with a little something special after your activity.

5. Where are your friends? Four words, four reasons--motivation, inspiration, determination, conversation. Surround yourself with friends who think positive and have a zest for life.

6. Put pain in perspective. When the going gets tough, remember that you have survived 600 carpools, 540 loads of laundry (maybe just this month), 41 extra activities for your kids, family get together, maybe another birthday. So what is a little muscle pain. :)

7. Allow yourself to slow down. You're driving this bus! For the first time today your in control.

8. Sign up for a race. It's a goal to strive for and add a little meaning to your everyday workout.

9. Run/walk in public. Be proud of your accomplishments. Take in all the sites and be an inspiration to others.

10. Just show up. Go to the gym, go to your weekly WW meetings. Once your there, it's hard not to say ''no, I can't do this," 98% of life is showing up.

11. Eat. Follow the healthy food guidelines and don't think, if I use less points, I will lose faster. It's not a race, no sense in putting extra pressure on yourself to lose your weight the fastest. Remember, slow is a good thing, when it comes to weight loss.

12. Understand your energy cycle. Just like in this hot weather we are having and our electricity hits a peak so does our own energy level. For me early mornings work best for my workouts. Try to get your activity in when you are feeling more energized and feeling good about yourself.

13. Wallow in your greatness. You can exercise to become a better exerciser, or you can exercise to become a better mother, father, spouse, teacher, or better friend---or you can become BETTER. Be proud of what you accomplishment.

14. Have Fun. Get back into your childlike spirit. Try to make workouts, ''playouts','' and then it seems like you have it made.

Don't give up on yourself. After all, its' never too late to be that healthy person that is lurking deep inside each and everyone of us.

Tuesday August 10, 2010

I realize that a little change in actions or thoughts can shift my world for the better.

This also means ridding myself of negative people in my life. We all know them, those that think they know what is best for everyone, and what it really boils down to is this. We have worked very hard to lose the weight, to get ourselves in better health, and some people want to tell us ''we have changed." Well yeah, its called moving forward.

Rid yourself of these naysayers they will only do you harm, they are not our friends, no matter what they say.

Monday August 09, 2010

I was given a book , and I have been reading ,and it has really hit home for me due to some things that have taken place in the past week. Nothing I can do about them, but as I read this, there was a challenge for us here, and it goes something like this.

Don't try this on a weekend, try this on a day that is ''representative" of your normal day. Here's how it works. Every two hours, take a five minute break and write down how much time (percentage-wise...a rough guess) you spent:

1. Thinking, fretting, or regretting the past.

2. Worrying or thinking about the future.

3. Worrying about something that is happening today, or something outside of your control.

4. Taking positive, forward action today or enjoying the moment.

Print that little challenge and tape it to your day planner or tracker on your next ''normal day'' so that you don't forget.

Why is this important? This simple "math problem'' equals the amount of contentment and happiness you are creating in your life. If you spend 80 percent of your walking hours on the top three items, you should only expect to reach 20 percent of your ''happiness level." If you spend 50 percent of your time on the top three items, you can reach 50 percent of your happiness level for that specific day.

When we wonder why we feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or hopeless, this is a good practice to revisit. This ''calculation'' hold our answer. Make a concerted effort to re-direct yourself to making a positive, forward action when you catch yourself engaging in the top three thought patterns. Our goal should be to be taking positive, forward action at least 90 percent of the time.

Today's Affirmation:

I let go of the past, I am not anxious about tomorrow...instead. I trust in today, and enjoy today, living life to the fullest.

This may sound difficult and for something's I am sure it will be,but at least give it a try, what have you got to lose, but the worry and anxiety.

August 6, 2010....Friday

Exercise: We cannot afford not too.

It is true, with the high cost of health care and prescription drugs these days we have to do all we can ourselves to stay as healthy as possible. So exercising and eating right are key. You could say, ''we have two doctor's our right foot and our left foot", so why not use those doctor's today and go for a walk.
Not sure where you live, but here in Kentucky its been really hot and miserable, so made sure you find a air conditioned place to walk and drink plenty of water.

August 4, 2010....Wednesday

The other day at my weekly Weight Watchers meeting
someone made the comment to me, "I am within a
pound of being back at goal and not having to pay,
so why is it I will do everything to screw my success
up?" You know what I had not answer for her, why?
Cause I have done the same thing so many times myself.
Right now I am just hanging onto my goal weight by a
thread, and each Saturday I re-commit myself that this is
the week I will get it right. But low and behold, I grab
a seat on that ''Struggle Bus" and everything goes to hell
in a hand basket. Wonder why we put ourselves through
this. Do we feel unworthy? Have we lived with so much
negativity in our lives that we cannot think for a minute that
we are so undeserving? This is really a question for a shrink,
but something I really need to work on, due to I have my official
weigh in this Saturday, the one that counts for the month, so I
really need to ''remove head from butt."

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it,

but what they become of it.

--- John Ruskin

Reaching ones goal is an amazing feeling, but what we become
after that can be just as amazing.  Have we learned anything?  Are
we willing to share our knowledge of how we got to the point in life
that we told ourselves, ''enough is enough, I want and deserve to be
better to myself."

I have seen both the good and bad of reaching ones goal.   Sometimes
jealousy set in with other people, and sometimes we don't know what
we should do next.  So the turmoil is never over, but the good news is we
normally weight less, and wear smaller clothes.

Monday August 2, 2010

There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience, and that is not learning from experience.
~Laurence J. Peter

Yesterday was my birthday, I am now 58 years old, honestly never thought about getting that old. So many things have happened in those years, some have been good, and all have had learning experiences. One thing I learned yesterday, when reaching out to a person that I though was a friend, someone closer than any real family could be. Is you just never know when that person will turn on you, and she chose yesterday to do just that, but then wants to tell me ''I was being honest." No there is a difference between being honest and just being plain old mean.

So another lesson that I keep learning and that is not a good idea to put your trust in people, some will let you down no matter how much they say they are your friend.