(Beth)
Most of you read this blog from Facebook, so you're probably familiar with my "weekly lifestyle change update." On Thursdays I post my results from our weekly weigh in. But you may have noticed that I don't post every Thursday. I don't really know why, but some weeks have smaller numbers that I'd like. It's just a part of the weight loss process, but it's kind of embarrassing posting numbers that start with a one.
During the month of May, I was struggling. I talked to my health coach about it, because I wasn't going off the plan but my numbers were smaller than I wanted. We decided that I would just be really mindful of the plan - like remembering to weigh my food instead of eyeballing it and making sure I was drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep. Well, I had a busy week and I was actually less mindful than usual. The only thing that changed was my mental state - I had a moment of disappointment and then resolved to win the battle. The next weigh in I was back to losing three pounds per week. I'm not an expert, but I think my body was struggling to shed the fat because I was at a point where my body was about to weigh less than it had for a few years. There was a barrier that had to be crossed and my body was resistant.
The point of sharing this struggle is that sometimes when we're in the process of a lifestyle change we have disappointment in the results. The important thing is to not give up, and to remember our internal motivation. Why am I doing this? If I keep going and push through the barrier, I will eventually achieve the end result - my goal weight.
(Tom)
I wanted to write about turning disappointment into motivation because it's a great tool for life in general. It is so easy to get down and quit when you don't get the desired results. I have been on this health journey for about 17 weeks now. I have lost an incredible 97 pounds in such a short amount of time. There have been a few weeks, though, where my weight loss was very low and I began to get those feelings of defeat.
During these 17 weeks, I have learned I am not on a diet but on a life-long journey of health. Instead of letting the disappointment of small numbers get me down, I thought of the ultimate reason of why I am doing this rather than the short term weight loss. So when those weeks come that I don't lose the amount of weight that I wanted or was expecting, I take that disappointment and I challenge myself to refocus and I become determined to follow the plan I have set out for myself. This is good advice, not only for weight loss, but for everything in life. I encourage you to take whatever disappointments you may feel and challenge yourself to not give up but to work harder to achieve your goal no matter what it is.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sometimes You Just Need a Pep Talk
(Tom)
Since we've been on the healthy lifestyle change, there have been a few times I have wanted to "cheat" on the program. Fortunately, I have stayed (mostly) true to the plan.
Today at work my co-workers ordered pizza and I was faced with a decision - eat that appetizing, gooey, greasy slice of pizza or eat my meal replacement bar. My first thought was, 'Man, it would be so delicious. I will just eat one slice and it won't be a big deal.' Then I thought of the big picture. I imagined myself going to Hawaii with Beth next year and being able to take my shirt off at the beach without being embarrassed. So, I made the choice to not eat any pizza and to eat my bar instead.
The truth is, one slice of pizza wouldn't have affected me that much. But every day we all make a lot of small choices that add up to something much greater. Every time I choose to eat broccoli instead of Cheetos or go on a walk instead of watching TV, I'm making the choice to better my life through my health. Thinking about the pizza, it caused me to consider what motivates me to make the healthy decisions every day.
I am motivated internally by a mental picture of what a healthy "me" looks like. I have that picture in my mind every day. I love when the people who love me are proud of my success. Those of you who know Beth and me, know that we've been married for almost nine years and we don't have any children. I haven't talked to a doctor, but I am convinced that this was because of our health. I am motivated by the idea I could be a dad if I was healthy. Because of my success so far, I know how great it is to start feeling healthy and I want to share that great feeling with others who need it. Those people motivate me to keep going. There are times when these internal motivations just don't seem to cut it. During those moments, I talk to my wife who always knows what to say.
When a person is starting a healthy lifestyle change, it gets hard to motivate yourself at times. Find goals, ideas, or anything that will motivate you. And in those times when those goals just seem too hard, talk to a supportive friend or family member who can give you a pep talk.
Since we've been on the healthy lifestyle change, there have been a few times I have wanted to "cheat" on the program. Fortunately, I have stayed (mostly) true to the plan.
Today at work my co-workers ordered pizza and I was faced with a decision - eat that appetizing, gooey, greasy slice of pizza or eat my meal replacement bar. My first thought was, 'Man, it would be so delicious. I will just eat one slice and it won't be a big deal.' Then I thought of the big picture. I imagined myself going to Hawaii with Beth next year and being able to take my shirt off at the beach without being embarrassed. So, I made the choice to not eat any pizza and to eat my bar instead.
The truth is, one slice of pizza wouldn't have affected me that much. But every day we all make a lot of small choices that add up to something much greater. Every time I choose to eat broccoli instead of Cheetos or go on a walk instead of watching TV, I'm making the choice to better my life through my health. Thinking about the pizza, it caused me to consider what motivates me to make the healthy decisions every day.
I am motivated internally by a mental picture of what a healthy "me" looks like. I have that picture in my mind every day. I love when the people who love me are proud of my success. Those of you who know Beth and me, know that we've been married for almost nine years and we don't have any children. I haven't talked to a doctor, but I am convinced that this was because of our health. I am motivated by the idea I could be a dad if I was healthy. Because of my success so far, I know how great it is to start feeling healthy and I want to share that great feeling with others who need it. Those people motivate me to keep going. There are times when these internal motivations just don't seem to cut it. During those moments, I talk to my wife who always knows what to say.
When a person is starting a healthy lifestyle change, it gets hard to motivate yourself at times. Find goals, ideas, or anything that will motivate you. And in those times when those goals just seem too hard, talk to a supportive friend or family member who can give you a pep talk.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
New glasses
(Beth)
On this healthy lifestyle change journey, I feel like it's about more than just losing weight. As we mentioned in the first blog, our minds had to change before we could change our physical bodies as well. I'm beginning to understand that my mind is constantly changing throughout this process. I feel like I'm in therapy!
I'm realizing that as an obese person, I didn't see myself or the world clearly. I couldn't even admit I was obese - I preferred the word "chubby." I am calling this wearing "obese-colored glasses." When I saw myself in the mirror, I saw a "normal" person. I lived life unaware of what I really looked like unless I happened to see a photo of myself. And I avoided that more and more as I gained weight. When I saw thinner, healthy people, I thought they looked too skinny or bony. I would have those thoughts like, "She needs to eat a hamburger." To me, "normal" was having too much fat on the hands and body.
Now my eyes are changing to wearing "healthy-colored glasses." I really hope this isn't offensive to anyone, but now I see what is and isn't healthy. I know having bony hands and feet should be normal. It shouldn't be normal to have so much weight around the middle of the body. And of course, on the other side of the spectrum, it's not healthy to be too thin either. Instead of suggesting that person eat a hamburger, how about we suggest they eat some lean protein, fruits and vegetables?
When we started this journey, I was afraid my mind wouldn't get used to seeing a healthy me. My fear was that my mind would sabotage me into gaining weight back. But now I know that as my body is changing and getting healthy, so is my mind and heart. True lifestyle change involves all three aspects.
On this healthy lifestyle change journey, I feel like it's about more than just losing weight. As we mentioned in the first blog, our minds had to change before we could change our physical bodies as well. I'm beginning to understand that my mind is constantly changing throughout this process. I feel like I'm in therapy!
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| From hohiho.wordpress.com. |
Now my eyes are changing to wearing "healthy-colored glasses." I really hope this isn't offensive to anyone, but now I see what is and isn't healthy. I know having bony hands and feet should be normal. It shouldn't be normal to have so much weight around the middle of the body. And of course, on the other side of the spectrum, it's not healthy to be too thin either. Instead of suggesting that person eat a hamburger, how about we suggest they eat some lean protein, fruits and vegetables?
When we started this journey, I was afraid my mind wouldn't get used to seeing a healthy me. My fear was that my mind would sabotage me into gaining weight back. But now I know that as my body is changing and getting healthy, so is my mind and heart. True lifestyle change involves all three aspects.
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