Celebrate and reward yourself!

Last week I talked about results, this week I need to be reminded on how to reward myself.  How many of you get a great report from the scales, the doctor or the measuring tapes and celebrates with food?  And if you are like me it is not good food it is the bad for you stuff that got us in this predicament in the first place!

I was so happy with the results of my measurements last week and this week I have been eating like crap, to put it mildly.  Seems as though I can’t get enough sweets.  So I started off feeling great about myself and now not only am I not real happy with myself I feel a bit sluggish too.  This always makes me think of a conversation I had with my Grandma, about always rewarding ourselves with dessert.  So here is a reminder for us all about celebrating our successes.

6 Suggestions on rewards:

1. A day of rest and relaxation, get a massage or just let yourself relax.
2. Buy yourself something such as a new pair of shoes or something that has been on your wish list even something to help continue to your overall goal
3. Share your success! And accept the compliments.  Everyone likes a pat on the back once in a while.
4. Spend a day doing activities with the family. Go bowling, skating or to a movie.
5. Do something you enjoy but rarely have time to do.
6. Reflect on your journey.

Here are some reasons to celebrate:

1. Clarity – if we set measurable goals it is clear reason to celebrate
2. Motivation to continue – We get a sense of accomplishment when we meet a goal and if we reward/celebrate it makes those successes stand out and make you want to reach the next goal.
3. Creativity – a sense of accomplishment makes us feel good which frees up creative thoughts within and when we feel good we are more positive.
4. Quicker results – All the above combine to keep us productive and lead to quicker results because we stay focused.

That was a much-needed reminder for me!  It is easy to slide back into old habits, if we keep this up pretty soon this will be an old habit.  Stay focused, what is your next goal?  I would love to be able to share some of your successes; you can email them (fitness@lenoxia.com) or stop in and share.  Hearing other people’s successes is great motivation also!  I have heard probably at least 5 times this week people mentioning that they can tell they are making a difference and it never gets old. Great job, and keep up the good work!

Results!

Each week I talk about different obstacles on our journey.  It is high time I talk about some milestones.  Very seldom have I started a “diet” and taken measurements other than my weight.  You have heard me talk before about trying not to get so wrapped up in what the scales say because there is so much that goes into what you weigh.  A few times I have actually forced myself to take measurements only to not think of it again until the next time I start a “diet”.  Last year about this time I started an 8-week Fitness Challenge, which began with a fitness assessment including taking measurements, weight and performing a series of exercises.  Once again I didn’t really take my measurements at the end.  Well the other day I had a couple of members who wanted to take measurements so I took mine too.  I retrieved the assessment results from last year and then compared.  My weight change was 7 pounds.  Ok now normally I would look at this and think…A whole year and I only lost 7 pounds!  This is where the measurements show a better picture.  I lost a total of 9 ¾”! Including 2” off my waist, 1 ½” off my hips and 1 ¼ off each thigh (which have always been tree trunks).  Now I ask myself why I never followed through to take end measurements.  I wonder if I had, if it would have made a difference in my attitude towards making healthy changes.  And I wonder this because I put so much focus on what the scales said.  How many of you will get up in the morning and step on the scales to either find that you only lost one pound this week or you gained ½ of a pound?  Instantly you feel discouraged and helpless, right?  And then go get a donut for breakfast and spend the day gorging on chocolate and self-pity.  Oh yes I have been there plenty.  This could have very well been my perception of looking back at my weight had I not taken measurements.  Really, a whole year and only 7 pounds?  I can remember losing that in a week.  By seeing the measurements I felt like I can actually say “muscle weighs more than fat” and not feel like I was making an excuse.  We all know it is a fact that muscle does weigh more than fat, it also takes up less space than fat.  It becomes an excuse when deep down you know the reason you didn’t loose is because you ate at McDonald’s twice this week and three servings of a cheesy pasta dish not to mention the snacks.  Check out the picture at the top of five pounds of fat vs. five pounds of lean muscle: Imagine you could actually weigh the exact same as you do now and be about ¾ your size.

I do hear a lot of people say that they pay attention to how clothes fit or can tell when they have to buy smaller sizes.  In this case this still wouldn’t have saved me from the disappointment because I still wear the same size, I suppose they were possibly the wrong fit before…

So if you would like to have another form of measurement than just the scales try this fitness assessment.  Take your measurements at your chest, waist, hips, thighs, and biceps, be sure to write them down with the date.  Then time yourself for a minute each and track how many you can do of crunches and push-ups.  Write it down.  Now see how long you can do a wall sit (lean against a wall slide down to a seated position with legs @ 90) be sure to write it down.  Now run or walk a mile and write down your time.  Reassess this every month to two months.  Keep in mind the longer you work on something the better the results.  Remember to have reasonable expectations and not set yourself up for failure.  Also everyone starts somewhere, DO NOT COMPARE yourself to your friend or even yourself 5 years ago.  What is now is what it is!

Begin or continue your journey of healthier living with nutrition and exercise.  Don’t forget to follow through to the post assessment.  It really does make a difference!

Accepting Compliments

Have you ever really thought about how you take a compliment?  This is something that I have been working on (well on and off).  If you are like me, so often when someone compliments us we brush it off “Oh it was nothing”, “I had a lot of help” or somehow we try to convince the person giving the compliment that they must be insane.  It’s kind of like when you spend the whole week cleaning the house for company and when they get there the first thing you say is “Sorry the house is such a mess!” When you are really thinking “I have worked my a$$ off on this house you better notice how clean it is!” It’s a good thing people really are not mind readers sometimes.  Why is it so easy to dismiss a compliment but the minute someone says something negative it must be gospel?  I have something that I have been working really hard at for quite a while and I hear great things about it, then one person who knows nothing about this project smarts off a derogatory comment and it has me stewing for weeks.  When I get a compliment it puts me on cloud 9 for about 20 seconds just long enough for me to say how it could be better and then one negative comment that I know is crap hangs there for weeks.  Does this make sense? Absolutely not!  How do we get this way? Or a better question is how do we change this way?

This same habit plays havoc on many things in our lives including our quest to be healthier.   It seems like sometimes you can loose 30 pounds before someone takes notice and the minute they do… the first thing we say is “I have got a long way to go” When we should be saying “Thank you it is not easy but I am working on it and I feel great thanks for noticing” Now when you slip a little and gain back 5 pounds or wear the wrong outfit that just isn’t that flattering and someone comments “wow she/he is really packing it back on” Even if you have not gained anything back your confidence takes a nose dive and your progress slows or even vanishes.  Or maybe you had gained a little back it is so much harder to start again because you have that one comment lingering and it must make you worthless. (That was sarcasm by the way) Well guess what! You are probably being harder on yourself than the person making the comment and the only person who can value your self worth is your self.  Words are just words your thoughts give them meaning.  Making healthy changes or working on a project are likely to always need improving but the progress you have made is outstanding!  The day we stop improving or learning is the day we die.  I am not ready to call it quits just like I am not going to let this comment slow me on the road to success.  It doesn’t matter where you have been or where you expected you would be, you are what you are right now and you are shaping your road for the future.  It is your choice and only your choice of what kind of road it will be.

Life’s Hectic

Life is getting very busy around here! Some days I feel a bit overwhelmed and just want to hideaway for a day but of course that would only make tomorrow worse… When life gets busy it is very easy to let our healthy habits venture slide to the wayside.  We tend to slip a little and then get disappointed and fall off completely only to regret it ten fold when we come to our senses.  It seems to me the only thing that keeps me grounded right now is my workouts.  Thank goodness letting that slip really isn’t an option for me because before Your Life Fitness that is one of the first things to go just like it is for most people.  I am becoming a firm believer in the stress relief of exercise, I always believed it but just didn’t really make it top priority.  Now my workouts are very refreshing and it just seems to stop the world for that time and I have more energy.

Here are a couple of tips to help you fit your workouts in on such a busy schedule.

1. Workouts do not have to be 90 minutes long!  A brief 10-15 minute workout can be very effective especially when it is either that or nothing.
2. Find a workout buddy.  It is harder to cut it out when someone else is depending on you.  Find a class to join where people are expecting you.
3. Schedule workouts 2-3 days a week.  So many times we pencil in a workout for everyday of the week and then feel overwhelmed by adding that much more on our list.  By making our goal more attainable we put less pressure on ourselves and still benefit greatly from exercise.
4. Split your workouts into 3 parts.  It is still effective to workout 10 minutes in the morning; maybe a brief 10-minute walk on your lunch, and 10 minutes while supper is in the oven.  These days we have become great at multi tasking.
5. Make a list! Write down a list each day and prioritize what you need to do.  No matter how small the task write it down.  By making a list we eliminate the time we spend thinking about what to do next. (I know I am not the only one who does this)  Also being able to cross off tasks on your list and see how much you are getting done can be very motivating.  Be careful not to go over zealous either; be sure you are being reasonable in your expectations.  And put your workout on your list at least 2-3 days a week.
6. Slow down! I saved this for last because it is probably the hardest and if we were able to do this we probably wouldn’t need the tips above.  That being said you are 10x more effective when you are well rested so be sure that you are allowing your body to rest also.

Believe me I am not perfect at these tips and they are meant to remind me as well as you.  I also need a constant reminder that the more I take care of myself the more I am able to take care of those around me.  This week is going to require a lot of focus for me and after writing this; my list is the next thing on my list!

Have a great week!

Diet = Deprivation, Healthy Habits = Satisfaction

If you look up the word “diet” in the dictionary it states: diet – n. the usual food and drink of a person or animal.  In the American language we use it as a verb meaning: to eat or drink according to a regulated system in order to loose weight.  (Actually in the website dictionary I used) Definition and what I hear when saying the word “diet”: torture, cutting our many things I enjoy and feeling hungry.  This my friends is why I refuse to “diet” ever again! I am positive that I will always make adjustments to my usual food or drink but telling myself I am going on a diet is like setting myself up to gain weight in the next 6 months.

The hardest thing about adjusting your food intake as a spouse, parent or friend for that matter, is “I still have to fix something for the rest of the family” or “my friends are still eating what ever they want.” I don’t think I have met anyone who hasn’t had this problem.  But is it really a problem, an excuse or just a distorted perception?  Think about it. If we are making changes that are really healthy, are going to better our health AND making changes that are going to last, aren’t these changes good for everyone around us?  And now that you are laughing saying “My kids/husband won’t eat that” stop and think how long are you going to stick with these changes if you are sure you are in this alone?  And when you stop chances are you are going right back in the direction you are now or when it was that you decided you needed a change.  So how about changing your habits on how you prepare the food you eat now? And how much you eat?  There are so many alternatives to so many ingredients.  If you prepare a meal vs. convenience food such as chicken nuggets or take out, it is a pretty good chance that you are already making a difference.  Most of the time you can make changes no one will notice unless you point it out.  I changed to using whole-wheat pasta and no one noticed…my husband notices when I use season salt (which I don’t anymore) and he didn’t notice and likes it.  I also don’t buy white bread in fact I haven’t for so long that I did once because it was on sale and I am a sucker for a sale, and my kids didn’t like it!  When I make a cake I use applesauce instead of oil.  There are 50 calories in 1 cup of applesauce vs. 1927 in a cup of vegetable oil! You can also make cookies with half the amount of sugar and still get the same consistency most people would never guess that, I didn’t.  Obviously these examples should still be consumed in moderation but moderation I can do, eliminating forever not so much.  Another trick is to make your spice cabinet your friend!  It is amazing how blah the convenience food can be when you start learning how to use different spices and cutting a bit of salt.  I could go forever on this topic if you are interested in more you should join the Healthy Habits weight loss program starting January 24^th.

So the main point is as we learn to eat healthier we should be teaching our kids the same habits and we can do so without the torture and deprivation.  Healthy Habits is about so much more than just weight loss, they affect our bodies on the inside and out more than you can imagine!  Even mentally for that matter, but that is another article.  Have a good week!

Oh and by the way I made my goal of staying at the same weight or less through the holidays.  I was up a couple of pounds through them but quickly reversed and I am actually .2 lighter!  Doesn’t sound like much but in the weight loss world sometimes it is huge!

Believe

This time of year it seems as though we really start getting health conscious.  Is it the idea of a new year is a fresh start or is it that we are disappointed with our will power with Holiday Goodies?  I must say that my will power with the goodies is non-existent and boy can I tell.  I have been off my game the last couple of days.  My motivation and energy level is minimal, my focus is scattered and my balance...well lets not talk about that.  A couple times in fitness class you would have thought I hit the sauce before class but I promise I didn’t!  I may have been a little too flexible with my goals this season.  I am not so disappointed that I indulged but I am pretty ready to get back on the road.  Christmas is not even here yet.  I suppose that is a good thing but I am sure that it won’t keep me from sampling (nobody judge how I measure a sample).

One thing I love about being in a public business vs. a cubicle is social interaction.  I never realized how much of a social being I am, or maybe I just never admitted it to myself.  I am pretty sure my children come by it honestly.  Anyway I love talking to people and lately I have listened to a few people who are having the same type of issues.  I believe I will place it in the peer pressure category or maybe the misery loves company category.  We all know someone who seems to want to squash every bit of success we may accomplish.  And I am sure to some point we all do this to someone else.  Why is that?  Are we so afraid that if someone else is succeeding that we must be failing or are we afraid of being left behind? On the other hand sometimes we feel like someone is constantly trying to “one up” us, kind of like “keeping up with the Jones’” syndrome.  One story I have heard is this person was accused of being selfish because they have so much focus on exercising and being healthy. Can you believe it?  I believe this couldn’t be further from the truth.  If you don’t take care of yourself, you will not be able to take care of anyone else.  Another story is (and this is a very common one) we sit around and talk about the effects of overeating or making not so great choices, “I feel bloated, I am just so tired all the time, I can’t get myself motivated, I’ve gained 10 pounds….” Then if there is one person in your group who is “skinny” and exercises regularly and that person pipes into this conversation it’s like that person is a Nazi! How dare they complain I mean look at them!  First a little defense, these people (the Nazis) are likely working their ass off or taking action for a healthy lifestyle. And, skinny does not necessarily mean healthy just as “fat” doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy. Relax and let me explain the last part I can feel the rebellion or the excuses forming on that one.  Being overweight definitely takes a toll on your organs but it is possible that a person who is 15 pounds overweight and active has a healthier heart than the 120-pound person in size 2 jeans who leads an inactive lifestyle.  Let’s turn the table a bit…these people (and we have all been on this side, including me) that are measuring themselves against others, we will call them the haters, it is likely they are envious of the “Nazi”(oh now I don’t like calling them that).  If I am sitting here feeling miserable next to someone who is obviously in great shape it is likely that I do not believe that I could be in his or her shoes.  It’s like me sitting in my house (which is currently a disaster) grumbling about anyone whose house is cleaner than mine, you get overwhelmed by the thought of all the effort it will take to get “there”.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is just like maintaining a clean house…you always have to work at it.  I have a saying on the wall in the fitness center “just because you don’t see results in a day or even a week, don’t give up.  You may not see changes but every smart choice you make is effecting you in ways you’d never imagine.”  You have to believe in yourself first and once you do the rest falls into place and you have to STOP measuring yourself by looking at someone else. I believe you can do it, now its up to you to believe!

Merry Christmas!

Holidays

In just a few short weeks the hustle and bustle of the Holidays will be behind us for yet another year.  It seems to go by in such a blur anymore.  So how are you doing on your journey?  The Holidays can be a very hard time to not loose focus.  As you know I am a firm believer in making changes you can live with and to not feel deprived as we make this change.  I actually weighed the other day, I had been putting it off because I knew I wouldn’t like the outcome but as it turns out I am down a pound from the beginning of the Holidays.  If you remember my goal was to either stay the same or loose and just not let it creep up…so far success.  Now to just make it through Christmas!

Next is the New Year’s Resolutions! Do you make one?  The New Year makes it feel like it’s a fresh start what better time for a new you?  I am not talking about fad diets I am talking about lifestyle change.  I get so frustrated seeing people try and then fail at fad diets and sometimes I wonder why it bothers me so much its not like I haven’t tried them all.  I have been coming to a realization lately and I think it may be why the fads (especially the ones that have failed me) drive me crazy.  For the first time I think I have found success and I am comfortable.  I have lost weight before in fact the first time I lost weight I was down about 15 pounds from where I am now.  I was tickled to death to finally buy smaller clothes!  But when the pounds came back (with friends) I felt even worse than before.  I had a taste of not being the “fat” one anymore and I liked it but I hadn’t made changes I was comfortable with I went back to my old ways and before long I was bigger than I had ever been.  So not only did I feel “fat” again I also felt like a failure.  I really feel this time is different.  And I think that is because I am not doing anything that I am not comfortable with, I don’t feel like an outcast when dining with friends, and I don’t feel deprived which I often had in the past.  Its not easy and I absolutely still have days that I want to crawl in a hole and block out the world.  The scales aren’t telling me that I am “normal” still but everything else is, I feel good, my blood levels are in check and I have the energy to play with my kids!  Sometimes not the patience but you can’t have everything. J How about you?  Are you ready to reach the point that you can feel good and live with it? Remember its not about being the skinniest but healthy is good.  Enjoy the season!