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This program is about weight loss, but it could just as easily be about any single aspect of your life that you want to improve, work on or eradicate. For me, losing weight was my biggest battle. Until I did that, I could never have the life I wanted. I needed to lose weight and tried everything I could to get there, including trying a variety of programs, almost nonstop (when I wasnt pregnant) for ten years.
Yet despite my very best intentions, I was still the same size as I started out, at times even more! And it wasnt for lack of trying, I can tell you. For ten long years, through children, marriage and work commitments, I gritted my teeth, summed up all the will power I could and starved, sweated and, in some cases, screamed my way through almost every diet and weight loss program out there. And they still didnt work. Talk about feeling cheated! What I found was that they all had something missing, or they just didnt work for me. Its not as if I asked for all that much, either. I just wanted something that was easy and that any mom could do. I have a 13 year old, and two little ones, four and six now. Its an understatement to say that they keep me busy.
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I know that there are many other moms out there like me - in their endeavor to lose weight, they start on a weight loss program and half way through, lose steam. Thats happened to me. Ive also tried a structured program, thinking that it would help discipline me, but that just lost its charm after a while and I was soon back to my old self. I started to think that, like Brad and Jennifer, some things just arent meant to be. Think about it...There may be many weight loss programs out there, but are they worth it? Do they have the sizzle that they claim to have? Or does the sizzle, fizzle off, in no time? Can you relate to this? Then you must read on
The truth is; it never dawned on me that my weight problems may not even have anything to do with my weight per se, but might instead have everything to do with my thinking. That was a revelation. Who would have thought? And thats when I realized the simple truth I could continue to
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In order to create the perfect weight loss program for me (and every other aspiring dieter out there who wants long-lasting results!), I looked at every program that I could find, and made notes about what I didnt like about them. I then looked at coaching books that talked about change and how to make permanent changes in your life. I realized this probably meant that there was a way to put the two together.
My friends were the same. They had tried programs that they thought were going to work and they too kept struggling with their weight. Most people start a weight loss program by using one that makes them starve themselves, or make them do hours and hours of exercise. With the best will in the
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I made sure my weight loss program solved this problem. I decided that if all these other people could write a program that did not work, I could write one that DID. So I wrote a 52 week program with FREE coaching to help you lose weight and keep it off.
Inside my 52 Week Coaching Program for Weight Loss, you will find SIMPLE things that you can do each month to make a real difference to your life. These small things will lead to your own creations over time and you will find that your weight just falls off.
I will not lie to you; you have to create the life you want, step by step. You will have exercise and proper nutrition as part of the 52 Week Coaching Program for Weight Loss, but not in the way you think. I will teach you to have fun and get the best out of your life and your world.
And, best of all, no will power needed! I say again, no will power needed! With my 52 Week Coaching Program for Weight Loss, you wont believe just how easy it is to train yourself to do the right thing.
My program is so effective that you can now read on, and START TODAY. At the end of my program, you will find that weight loss is no longer a negative chore. Instead, it is a way to live your life more fully. You will stop guessing and fully understand through my step-by-step tactics just how easy
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There are six stages of change and each one can explain why you react to change in the way that you do, how to accept it and, in some cases, how to get over it. Here we look at each stage in turn so you can understand and recognize each as you go through the plan. Youll hear me refer to these stages often as we go through week by week.
Precontemplation (Resisting Change) This is the initial stage, when the natural inclination is to resist moving away from the comfortable groove we have created for ourselves. We know and understand that change is needed, but find ways to rationalize why it cannot happen. A typical example of this is finding you are overweight. You know it is bad for you, but find reasons why you cannot do anything about it you have no time to exercise, your job causes you to eat out a lot, you work so hard you deserve to relax with junk food on holidays and so on. Sound familiar?
Understanding this reticence is the first step to overcoming it. It is harder to continue this behavior once you realize why you are doing it. Once you appreciate that you are being precontemplative and what it is doing to you, you can then move on to the next stage.
Contemplation (Accepting That Change Is Needed but Not Willing To Do Anything Immediately) In the contemplative stage, you accept that there is a problem that needs to be dealt with. In this stage, you try to see what caused the situation in the first place and begin to look at solutions. However, being a contemplator does not mean that you are yet ready to change. For example, at this stage, I accepted that I needed to lose weight, but had no plan as to how to proceed. Should I exercise, diet or do a combination of both? I was undecided.
Being contemplative is far from being ready for change. It often happens that you will accept the need for change and then place it on the agenda for the future often a future that will never come. Once again, an understanding of what the contemplation stage is and the acceptance that
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Preparation (Accepting That Change Is Needed Immediately) Having accepted that the need for change is immediate, you are in the preparation stage. Now you are looking beyond the problem to the options before you. You are examining dieting, jogging and going to the gym as options and weighing the pros and cons of each. However, since you have not yet embarked on any course of action, it is still possible to revert to an earlier stage. This is why making a public commitment to the change you are going to undertake is important. It places you in a position where slipping back is extremely difficult.
In this stage, you may already have started some background preparation for change, like counting your calories to see where your food intake needs to be modified. But again, this is not action only initial planning for it. In this stage, it is important to develop a detailed plan for change one that will guide you through the whole process. Its not enough to say you will consume 500 less calories a day. How can you do that without a plan? You must plan what you will eat, where it will come from, who will prepare it and everything else involved with your diet. If you plan to visit the gym, you must know which gym, what time of day, how often you will go there and what exercises you will be doing to achieve the change you want. Suddenly reducing your diet by half or running for 30 minutes a day with no long term plan will never lead to the results you want. In my 52 week program you will find help to plan all of these things.
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It is important, however, not to let the means become the end. Dieting or exercising is not the change you want losing weight is. Allowing the action for change to become more important than the change itself, will mean that you lose focus and become unsuccessful. Always remember in this stage that you are progressing, but progress is not your aim. Results and change are.
Maintenance (Change Has Been Achieved, But You Need To Maintain) What happens once you reach your desired weight? If you stop your dieting or exercise, you will revert to where you were. The failure of all too many weight loss programs! Thats why you need to enter the maintenance stage. The change has been achieved, and no more is required. You are at your target weight. So now, you modify the actions you took to make the change happen, making them now work for you as you try to retain your weight loss. This is where other weight loss plans stop. Mine doesnt. In the 52 Week Coaching Program for Weight Loss, you will find tips, hints and advice on how to retain your new figure and lifestyle well after your target
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Unless you commit to this maintenance stage, the change will be lost and you will revert to the precontemplative(first) stage, where you tell yourself that your attempt to change was doomed to failure because of things beyond your control. I learned this the hard way; as I mentioned earlier, one reason why crash diets fail is because they do not address the issue of what to do when the diet is over. Maintenance is like consolidation the longer you maintain your change, the more solidly entrenched in your life it becomes.
Termination This is the final stage of change. Now you no longer have to lose weight that was the past. You are just slim. This is the new you and there is no danger of putting the weight back on. Because you have spent time in the maintenance phase, you know how to keep the weight off and your bad habits at bay. Life has surely changed forever.
Please take note of these six stages of change and over the next weeks, see how they play out. Well refer to these often in your 52 week plan.
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Phase Three: Weeks 29-52: Building on the lessons learnt in phases one and two, Phase Three gives you time for reflection. Here youll look back at how far youve come and look forward to maintaining your lifestyle change. This is the time to look deep into your psyche and get rid of those barriers to long-term change, to remove that self-sabotaging behavior that will otherwise send you right back to the beginning. Using self administered techniques, Ill show you how to truly make the new you last.
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Let's start by getting the coaching part of our program off and running, so that you can see what this is going to be like. We want to first discuss what you're going to do, and how this is going to work. This program is about looking at those things that keep you stuck where you are, and do not move you forward. What do you want out of your life? What do you need to do to get there? These are some things to think about in the coming weeks.
One of the challenges we will give you this month is to think about the old habits that you have, that you want to break. What are the new habits that you want to create? There are several ways that you can begin to change bad habits and acquire new ones that we will be discussing this month.
But first, what's your motivation? If you have picked up this 52 Week Coaching Program on Weight Loss then it is probably on your mind; you want to do something different with your life. You already have the motivation to do it because you've taken the first step. Pick up a pen and write it down, commit it to paper. Write down your motivation. Already starting to think of reasons why you shouldnt, cant or wont do this
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Make a start and write down your motivation. Good, now look at what you have just written. Is it realistic, optimistic or downright impossible? When some people decide they want to lose weight, they put too much emphasis on the weight loss itself. If they do not lose what they want to lose within a certain amount of time, they think they have failed.
Failure is only there if you did not try. Take it from Thomas Edison. We have light bulbs because of him, but it took him thousands of failures before he got his project to work. He is always quoted as saying something to the tune of I haven't failed. I just found 10,000 ways that it didnt work. Edison obviously never saw failure as we perceive it today. Instead he saw it as a way to get success. Its all too easy to predict failure and never try as a result. Recognize your inbuilt hesitation and make the choice to move past it.
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Week 2: Motivation/Inspiration
If you have been a person who traditionally struggles with their weight, it is time to stop struggling. You are not alone, but there is a different way to look at the situation. Your weight is a part of your life, but it is not the only part of it. So, take stock and make sure you inject some fun into your everyday: likewise, combat any precontemplation jitters by looking for inspiration in the greats. Here are some things you can do to get started: Go to the library and research books on something fun. If you have a hobby or are looking for one this is a great time to find out more about it. Get a book about people who have triumphed over adversity. People like Wilma Rudolph, Einstein, Thomas Edison and others had something that made them different from the rest of the world, and they overcame it to achieve. Check out meditation tapes. This is so that you can research and understand more about it. Take everything back home and go through it. Decide what you like and what you don't like. Have a great dinner and remember that your weight is only part of your life -- not all of it.
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Tip: Be inspired by what other people do -- take their inspiration and turn it into something that works for you. As an example, Hilary Clinton has come a long way in her political pursuits. She had to deal with her husband Bill's digressions, the loss of the presidency and many things we don't know. She never let anyone stop her from her pursuit. Now, she has the very big job of Secretary of State. She understood it was her journey and no one else's. You too must understand that this is your journey and yours alone. If you want permanent change for good you will want to find your motivation from within and carry it on through the 52 week program. Remember: Don't go through life, grow through life. Eric Butterworth
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Change is best done in small steps. When you first think about managing your weight take little measures. A common mistake is to try to change too much too soon. You might want to start out by taking your measurements so you will have a baseline of information to work from as you move towards your goal weight.
Start a journal. This doesn't have to talk about food but it can talk about your journey to your ideal weight. Put lots of pictures and things that make you laugh into it. Start it like a scrap book in a 3-ring binder. Put things that make you happy in it so that you have something to go back and look at if you are feeling a little down.
Here are some other things you can do: When you get up in the morning take a big stretch. Stretching is part of getting ready for exercise. Walk around your back yard or garden.
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You don't have to do any of this alone. You can get your family involved. In fact, its probably a good idea. Change isnt easily done in isolation; when you change, your family will have to also change in ways that they can't imagine now. Your kids will love it if you can find ways to play games with them that turns walking into an adventure. Ask a friend, your spouse or your significant other to walk with you for more fun and someone to talk with along the way.
Janice started this program and bought an above ground pool for her backyard. During the summer months she and the kids had a place to swim all the time. When it got colder she went to the local recreation center and the kids took part in swim classes while she attended adult swim. Everyone had a great time and lots of things to talk about when they left the pool.
If your family doesn't jump at the chance to work with you right away don't get discouraged. Discouragement doesn't have to be all your life; it only happens for the moment. If Oprah Winfrey had let discouragement stop her at any time in her life, she would not be where she is today. The more you
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Remember: "If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results." Jack Dixon
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Everyone has them. You know those things that you do day after day that get you nowhere. Things like not eating breakfast, having soda with every meal (even if it is diet), eating chocolate when you feel a little down or biting your nails. Whatever it is, your habits are what have gotten you where you are now. This might be a time to take a look at your eating and drinking habits to see where you might want to make changes. As painful as this can be, remember that no one will see this but you.
Write them down in your journal. Watch yourself all week to identify those little habits that cause problems some you may not even be aware of. Here are some habits you might think about when you are breaking free:
Not drinking enough liquid--drinking water or other low calorie liquids are very important to weight loss. This is a little step you can make. If you don't like the taste of water, try distilled. Add a little lemon or lime juice to make it more refreshing and tasty. Try other low calorie and sugar free drinks. Drink herbal teas --they are tasty hot or cold. Stay away from diet and other sodas because they can make you gain weight.
Standing on the scale too often--many people become obsessed with the scale only to find out that their weight fluctuates on a moment to moment
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Eating fast food - most people are busy and they don't have time to stop and eat. Fast food is easy, somewhat tasty and always available. Fast food adds sugar and chemicals to its food in order to make it tasty. This adds weight and other things to your body that are not nutritionally good. Better to take fruit or veggies or other healthy snacks with you instead.
If you want to change for good you have to be sure that you break free of the habits that hold you back. After all, you can't lose weight if you are constantly creating more of it. If you want your life to change for good you have to be active in that change. You have probably heard the saying the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This is why its a good idea to break free of bad habits, so you are moving your life forward instead of spinning your wheels.
Many people say that it takes 30 days to change a habit. I've found that it depends on the habit and how ingrained it is or how much you enjoy it. Some of my habits took more than 30 days while others took less time. It all depends on how much I liked the habit as to how long it took to overcome it. You may find the same. The point is that if you want to see permanent change in your life, you will want to remember these two key points:
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Remember: "First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you." - Rob Gilbert
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When you decide to lose weight, at some point in time, you will need to plan in order to get yourself psychologically ready for changing your habits. The purpose of planning is to get everything ready so that you have a basic plan. This is the phase where it is important to think about what you want to do and how it will impact your life. Remember the Preparation Phase of change mentioned at the beginning of the book you are here now. Having accepted that the need for change is immediate, it is important to develop a detailed plan for change. Not least so you dont fall back into earlier phases of indecision or reticence. Ive found that nothing works out well for me if I dont plan in advance. It could be something as simple as planning and preparing for the week. Planning is like trying a new recipe. The first couple of times you will do it exactly as the recipe says. Once you understand it, you will start to experiment with adding a little of this, taking out a little of that and generally finding out what makes it delicious for you. This is what you will do as you plan your weight loss. It's all about clear thinking. Develop clear thinking so that you will always know what you want. The more you plan, the more you
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Some things you might consider doing in planning include: 1. Decide if you want to keep a diary Many weight loss programs have advised keeping a food diary. I did start it, but got fed up of it pretty soon. What worked better for me was keeping a general diary. It was good fun as well. After a couple of months, I would look at it, and reminisce about those days. Many people turn this into an eBook later that talks about their weight loss journey. And thats exactly what inspired me to write this program as well. I had put down my thoughts and ideas as to what was working for me and what was not. And then I started seeing things that were actually working for me. 2. Develop a plan of action -- decide what you will do, and when. This plan can include the things that are necessary for you to make the changes you want to make. 3. Research - Take some time to research about weight loss and the different types of things you want to do. I say do some research, because once you do, you get inspired reading peoples success stories. Its great motivation. Decide on which aspects will be most effective for you. 4. Make a list of those people who you can count on to be supportive and not judgmental. If you do not have people in your life like that,
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As you think about your weight loss, also put in some fun things to do when you have achieved certain goal weights. This will keep you going as you reach each level and it can be a fun way to set up a little competition with yourself. Beware of your bad habits here however if your traditional treat is a slap-up calorie-laden meal out, you will want to think of other options. Some fun ideas include: Taking a dancing class just to see how you like it. Finding an exercise that the family can do together each week. Take the kids on a walk to the library or to a bike ride to the park. Weight Watchers has a Family First program that is worth checking out Take a nutrition class with the entire family so they can understand how to eat better
These are just a few of the fun things you can do with your family so that everyone learns. Remember: Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now Alan Lakein
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Inspiration is a funny thing because it works differently for different people. As an example, some people are inspired by quotes and others are inspired by what people do. What creates inspiration for one person may not create the same inspiration for someone else.
A good idea is to post inspiring quotes around your house where you can see them, so they can keep you going when you are feeling less inspired to continue the work. Another idea is to keep a 3-ring binder of success stores you see in the news. They do not all have to be about weight loss but more about what people have done to inspire their success. Here are some to get you started:
Harriet Beecher Stowe Quote When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.
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Benjamin Mays Quote The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.
My Take: Benjamin Mays was an educator and a Doctor of Philosophy. He was the president of a college. His quote is particularly poignant because if you are wandering around without goals you will never know when you reach them. This is a great quote when you want to remember that gaining weight didn't happen overnight, so losing it will be a process that takes time.
Calorie Counter Website Quote of the Day You will reach your goal for sure if you break a complicated task into small actionable steps. Do just one step at a time. To get started, choose something you know you can do easily. That can get the ball rolling for getting more done. These small steps will get you where you need to go.
My Take: This is a great quote and one to put all over your house, so that you remember this as you go throughout your coaching program. This can help you value what you are doing more.
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Have your kids help put the quotes up around the house. This can be inspirational for the whole family and it might get them motivated to change something they have been working on.
One more thing: inspiration is like our relationships: some will come and go while others will last a lifetime. Take the things that inspire you and let go of the things that hold you back.
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Now is the time to start getting into your weight loss plan. You've made your list and you have begun to take little steps already. Now it is time to really get into it. Remember that you are taking steps towards a stronger
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1. Learn to breathe better -- Your body needs oxygen to your cells and most people are shallow breathers. Take five minutes out of your day to sit down and focus on your breathing. Your schedule is hectic, I know, even taking off five minutes can be difficult. But try and find time to do it. During this time focus on your breathing -- inhale deeply, exhale slowly, and repeat. Do this several times. Use this exercise to relax when you are stressed or just to get your body in the habit of breathing more easily. Check how you feel afterwards by making a mental note. It sure works wonders for me. 2. Take a walk -- use your neighborhood, your backyard or the walk in front of your house to take a short 20 minute walk. Focus on walking at a leisurely pace and on breathing easily. Notice how you feel afterwards. Do this as many times as you want to. Whenever I feel things getting out of hand and too much to handle, I just take off to my backyard, and walk up and down. It helps me get a grip on things. 3. Talk to your friends about it -- If you have friends or family that are supportive of your efforts, have a conversation about what you are doing and how it makes you feel. Sometimes they can give you inspiration about certain areas where you feel stuck or as if they are not moving. Try and avoid people who are negative and have nothing good to say. 4. Spend time alone -- sometimes it is a good idea to spend time alone. Go to a movie by yourself, sit in the mall and people watch, go out to the park and just take time to be with yourself and contemplate
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Instead of counting calories, I found something that helped me change my diet in easy ways.
Here are some hints to how to change what you currently eat:
1. Take a look at the food you currently have in your home. Is it nutritious or full of chemicals and calories? If it is like most homes it is the latter. When your house is full of chips, processed foods and lots of sugar, you can take simple steps to change it. 2. Put more fruits into your diet. If you look at any nutritional program you will find that fruit comes up as a better way to eat. Fruit gives you energy and can fill you up. Some fresh fruits are sweet enough that they take away the craving for sweets. Fruits also provide antioxidants and other nutrients that your body needs. We encourage our kids to eat fruits all the time, but do we do it ourselves? No. 3. Eat more veggies. Many people do not like eating veggies but you can experiment because there are so many types around. Instead of trying to put several veggies into your diet at once try for one or two a week. As you get to know them you will find some that you like and others
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Instead of trying to change your diet quickly, do it gradually. This will help you see how your body responds to this change over time. It will also help you identify new foods that you love. Ditch the processed foods as soon as you can because they carry chemicals and are high in sugar content. I know, I know, processed food seems the easy way out, especially after a hard day. But its the same as putting your money down the drain. Theres simply no good in eating processed food!
Also, if you can, try and get some whole foods and organic foods. They taste better than the irradiated foods and they keep you full longer.
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Now, nutritional food can be found in many different locations, but you have to look for it. The challenge with nutrition is that it means that you have to cook it instead of buying it out of a box. Whole foods like meats, fish, poultry and a little pork are better if they are organic. In most cases, you will find that they are tastier and will stay with you longer to keep you from getting hungry.
Vegetables and fruits that have not been irradiated taste like real food. These are the type of foods that will help you in your weight loss program. Here are tips for finding the best food:
1. Whenever you can, buy food that is fresh. Go to a green grocer if you can or an organic food market to get fresh meats and vegetables. Although this may be a little more expensive than the regular grocery store, it is usually free of harmful chemicals and will taste better. 2. When you go to the regular grocery store look at the packaging before you buy it. Some meats will have been radiated and these can be detrimental to ingest. Check the sugar content on packaged meals and
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A good way to make sure you buy nutritionally is to create menus for a week at a time. I found this to be particularly helpful to me. This will also tell you what to buy, and it will keep you from buying some of the less nutritious foods.
Use the Internet, you can find a lot of shopping lists that you can use that will help you to create more nutritious meals. If youre running out of ideas where recipes are concerned you can find these on the Internet as well.
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Your comfort zone is the place where you feel comfortable. It is the weight that you have been at for a very long time and it is all the things that you have done or not done to get you to this place in your life.
You might be in a dead-end job, you may have found that you no longer like your life circumstances or it could be that you looking for ways to simplify your life. No matter what it is that you are seeing now, it is time to leave your comfort zone and do more for your life.
I remember, I had my own comfort zone that I needed to breach. I am a firm believer in sticking to a strict schedule, yet I was constantly telling my kids how we had to be flexible with things. You see, my husband works on shifts, and sometimes hes not always around when the whole family is together. My comfort zone is naturally when my husband is with me, so we were constantly putting off things until he returned. This was frustrating for the
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Here are some quick tips to move forward: 1. You don't have to change everything at once. Take small steps towards change and it will show you how to take it further.. 2. Pick small things first that you can change immediately. Small changes will lead to larger changes later. 3. Decide what is most important to change. You don't have to change every aspect of your life but you do need to know which aspects are most important for you. 4. Look for change not just in weight loss but check to see if there are other changes you want to make. This may be the time to at least start thinking about other areas. Perhaps the two go together; if you are unhappy or unfulfilled in one part of your life, it is very likely to spill over into other areas as well. Perhaps it is directly contributing to a habit you need to break eating chocolate when you feel down, for instance. 5. Create a plan as to how you will move forward. 6. Take one step at a time and change at least one thing a day or one thing a week. This will give you momentum. You are getting ready to enter the Action Phase of change. Remember: The key to change... is to let go of fear. Rosanne Cash
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1. Start out by walking a bit. You can walk around your backyard if you have one, down the block or out to the mall. The beauty of walking is that you can walk just about anywhere just to do something. Walking is long recognized as a healthy form of exercise, helping you to burn calories without doing anything too strenuous. You may want to start walking now and introduce further exercise later. 2. Change little habits like taking the stairs instead of the elevator when you can. Walk to work if you live near it instead of driving. Get a bicycle and ride your bike to work if you can. These are small things that youve probably heard before, but they do help. 3. As you start walking start exploring other activities that you might enjoy. Check out the local YMCA or recreation center for programs. Learn to play tennis, racquet ball, swim or take a fitness class in something that seems like fun. These are short classes to get you started. Find something that you enjoy.
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Think of exercise as an activity rather than as a chore. In fact, the U.S. Department of Human Services has created Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that gives great ideas for activities for each age group. Check them out!
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Counting calories is a matter of choice and some people have had a bad experience with them. I personally dont like doing it. For some people counting calories seems too much like dieting and they will not do it for long.
When you ask the experts, there are all different kinds of ways to work with carbs and calories, but the truth of the matter is that you do not have to watch calories if you make sure that you eat a healthy diet.
Think about it this way: your body needs so many calories to keep it going and it is true that your body will need to burn more calories than it takes in if you want to lose weight. However, this is not a reason to stress. Instead of worrying about counting calories make sure that you eat a healthier diet all the way around. There are several ways to do this:
1. The Food Pyramid by the United States Department of Agriculture gives a simple breakdown of the types of foods that you should include in your diet every day. Study this guideline to make sure you get your daily nutrition.
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The point is that if you start eating healthily and ridding yourself of bad habits, you can be sure that you will lose weight without driving yourself crazy by counting calories.
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Massage! You haven't lived until you have had one. This is one of the best ways to pamper yourself on the planet, and by week 13 its time to take yourself out for a day of pampering. Most big cities have day spas and you can get a package that includes massage, facials, getting your nails done and more. Spend the money. You're worth it. My rule is: take the kids to grandmas once a month and take yourself for a full day of pampering. Sometimes, its difficult being a mom and having a family to look after, and I find that people do not appreciate me as much if I dont appreciate myself. When I am fully in appreciating mode, other people appreciate me more. Weird I know, but that's what I see happening again and again. When I feel underappreciated, upset about something or just kind of dull, I pamper myself with a trip to the spa. People say you should take care of your Self first -- they even tell you when you are on an airplane and something happens to put the mask over your face first and then over your kid's face. There is a reason for that -- you can't take care of them unless you take care of you first. So, that's the deal with taking care of yourself with a day of
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Ahhhh. There is nothing like a big, long, stretch. I do it first thing in the morning before I get out of bed. This is how I begin my day. As I stretch, I begin my deep breathing. I hope you are stretching before doing any exercise because it loosens up the muscles and allows your body to understand that it is about to do a lot more movement. It is a good idea to stretch before going out for a walk or any other activity. I love to stretch my body as far as I can. I will stand and stretch my arms and hands up to the ceiling. I love to stand on my toes to get the fullest stretch. I stretch my legs in a straddle and then do bends: arms out, bend down, bend up -- like a ballet dancer. Stretching is important and it gets me relaxed and ready for my day. Your task this week: Try stretchingsee how it works for you.
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I know what you're thinking. Cardio seems like a pain, but it can be a lot of fun. Most people go to a gym and get on a stair climber or treadmill or they get one of these torture devices at home. You can do that, but there is an easier way. What I learned when I got to this part was to do the things I love to do, and it works just as well as walking on a treadmill.
I choose different things that are fun: Jazzercise, water aerobics, tennis, swimming for fun. All of these things get my cardio up in no time and I enjoy doing them. I love music so jazzercise and water aerobics worked well for those.
I just learned how to play tennis so I am never going to be a pro but I have a few people from my class that I go out and play with sometimes. These are all great workouts for me. I don't worry about what people say about how you must do so much blah, blah, blah. I just found out what worked for me and I continue to do those things. Everyone is different so I encourage you to move forward and embrace your life.
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I also go to Amazon and find ones I like, and then see if I can get them in the library. I get a bunch of them, take them home and try them out (our library gives you three weeks on these items) and then buy the ones I like. This way, I get a variety of workout videos and I don't have to worry about getting bored (which I do easily). I like to concentrate on certain areas. As an example, I took out several stretching videos to find the ones I liked. Then, I took out several cardio ones. I also have them for using the fitness ball and the fitness resistance bands. I pick the ones that work for me because I love mixing up my routines! So, my challenge to you this week: Go to the library, get a library card (if you don't have one already) and browse for fitness videos. Take a few home, and see which ones you like.
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You can take a trip to the grocery store going a different route or you can sing in the shower if you have never done that before. These are just things to change your focus a bit and make you feel good. Life is about feeling good and it should be about doing those things you love. Doing something totally different will generate new creative ideas. You never know what will come up! Whatever comes up, no matter how crazy, go do it! I have found all kinds of interesting things to do when I am in my do something totally different mode.
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In the old days (according to my mom) they used to say that people did not lose weight if they still had fat between their ears. What they meant was that if you are still thinking like you are a fat person, you can't embrace the new you. I thought about these things and made my moves forward. This is the point in my program that I want you to think about how you can modify, diversify and make everything in this program work for you. Don't be afraid to experiment with your own ideas in addition to what you learn here.
Quick recap: Look back again at the six stages of change to see how far youve come. Youre past precontemplation, well through contemplation. Youve made plans in the preparation phase (although this can be revisited often) and youre well into action now. Four of the six stages of change. Action, of course, accounts for the biggest period of change so far.
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I also play a lot with my kids. They are always creating fantasy adventures of which mom is a part. We spend a lot of time running around our backyard chasing each other for no good reason. They love running and I get my exercise. I do not plan for the weekly exercise except for a tennis date or a day I want to go swimming. So I say to you -- don't worry about planning it weeklyjust get out there and have fun. By doing it this way you won't beat yourself up if you miss a day.
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You know how your mind goes all over the place a lot of the time? This used to bother me because I thought it was a bad thing that couldnt be fixed. Every time I wanted to move forward I lost focus with these negative thoughts. Then a friend of mine taught me to hold my focus. She had been studying different religions and had learnt the art of keeping her focus on the things she wants. So, I decided to try it. Instead of being caught up with what wasn't working, I shifted my focus to what I was doing in the moment. I become the observer of the world around me and realized that things weren't as tough as I thought.
I check in with my physical body to see what it needs and I make sure that I eat when I need to do so. I also check in with my thoughts to see why my mind has gone too negative, and I correct it with something positive. I don't want you to think that I do this perfectly because I don't, but I find that when I can do it I benefit in wonderfully positive ways.
So, my challenge for you this week is to take a few minutes out of your day to stop and focus on your present moment. See what happens.
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I eat an enormous (at least for me) amount of veggies and fruits now. I snack on the stuff. I have learned to eat all different types of veggies by introducing a different one into my diet each week. I have found that brussel sprouts and broccoli don't taste too bad if they are steamed. I now love asparagus and artichokes. I also have found that you can roast roots like Rutabaga, carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes to make a wonderfully tasteful dish; add a little olive oil in the pan before you roast. Experiment: if you hate the thought of eating more vegetables (and a lot of people have negative connotations after being forced to eat them as a child), find unusual or different ways to serve them up. Same for fruit. Fruit is seasonal for fresh fruit but I love organic frozen fruit. I like to make smoothies from them or eat them with a little low fat ice cream or topping.
Eating more veggies and fruits decreased my need for a lot of meat. I have added poultry and fish (which I never liked) to my diet and I lost my weight and am keeping it off by following these habits I created. This week, my
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Walking is something we do every day and some people walk for exercise. I walk because it is necessary, but I walk with purpose. Try this the next time you go out for a walk whether it is for shopping or just because you want a walk: hold your head up, put your shoulders back, and swing your arms naturally. Walk assertively and put a smile on your face. Put a little attitude in it. Do it for the heck of it and see what happens for you. When I started walking with purpose I found I had more confidence. Now I walk with purpose when I feel down or anxious and anytime I just want to feel full of myself. As well as the health benefits of regular exercise, it is a great ego booster because of the looks you get from other people! Have fun!
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Week 23: Take the Guess Work Out of Your Heart Rate
I have to tell you that I hated having to stop and take my heart rate to make sure it was at a certain level as I did exercise. I thought that was a pretty dumb thing to do. But all the fitness books and fitness trainers say that you have to be in the zone while you exercise to burn your fat. Well, I do believe this but I hated having to stop, put my fingers at my neck and take my pulse. I just stopped doing it because it was confusing and I wasn't in the mood. I never was sure whether it was accurate and sometimes I couldnt find my pulse! I knew there had to be a better way and I finally found it: A heart rate monitor. This is really a great gadget. It looks like a watch and you wear it on your wrist. It keeps track of your heart rate for you and all you have to do is push a button to see where you are at any time. This is way more effective for me and I can stay in the zone a lot easier. I recommend that you buy one and try it out the next time you do your cardio.
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Halfway there!
Give yourself a round of applause. You have just passed the halfway point in your program and made several changes to your life. These changes are just the beginning, so this month we're going to look at change on a deeper level. This month we are going to start exploring the stages of change that weve already talked about in more detail, looking at how you can move through these changes easily. For now, continue all the things you have been doing while you think about these stages of change. Let's get started.
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My challenge to you this week: Reflect on the changes you've made in your life thus far. Don't just look at the weight loss changes, but all the things that
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Think about your own examples of this. You should have already have given it some thought earlier. Now think about all the things that held you back specifically. Was it simply fear of failure, as is common in the preconception stage, or was it something more? Write a list of all those things that made you worry or fear change. This is a useful list to keep nearby for whenever you want to change something else about your life; chances are, the same fears may still apply. Once you recognize that, you will already know that you can overcome them youve done it here, havent you?
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I also continued my research on change so that I could be sure that it was something I wanted. I know it sounds crazy to take so long but many people feel stuck most of their lives. It is difficult to look at yourself and realize that you have kept things inside a comfort zone that is now crumbling. I looked at the commitment it would take for me to change and it seemed overwhelming, what with the demands of family on top, but I decided to make the change anyway. I began to listen with new ears and see with new eyes. This was the greatest help to my self-esteem. Add to your list from last week. If you havent already, list the negative people that you currently surround yourself with, whether friends or foe. Have a long, hard think about these people can their behavior be turned
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Spend some time really thinking about what you have finally figured out too; this program should have taught you a lot.
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Your challenge for this month: Look at these stages and see where you are in the process now. If you are stuck in one of these stages, resolve to take action on the next stage as soon as possible.
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At first I thought the holidays were going to be the worst time for me because I couldn't eat anything. You know, I worried and fretted about this a good couple of months. I realized I was mostly afraid of being laughed at, or ignored because I had changed my eating habits. I came upon an idea to turn it into an adventure instead of drudgery and it works very well. Instead of taking large portions, I get a small saucer and I take a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I taste everything I want to taste. I am fully conscious of what I am eating so I start by smelling the aroma, and then by taking a little taste and savoring it, I eat the rest of the portion. It may sound silly, but it works very well. I eat what I want, when I want and by savoring the food I get the full experience.
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Your challenge this week: Take a small portion of any food that you really love. Smell it, bite into it, savor it. Roll it around in your mouth and take your time swallowing. This method of food tasting is almost as good as an orgasm!
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Week 33: Eating At Family Gatherings Without Blowing Your Food Plan
Families can be worse than friends when you make a change in your eating habits. They want everyone to get lots of food, and when you take a small plate they sometimes get upset with you. They think a small plate means you are being polite instead of enjoying the food. My rule: Tell them ahead of time. Tell them that you are not going to eat a lot and that you are going to bring some of your own food. That's what I do. At first they wanted to challenge me on it, but I held my ground. Now they just accept that I am going to bring my own snack packs of food and eat a little of what they offer. At family gatherings I use my small saucer and taste idea. It really works for any occasion. In my snack pack I take fruit, nuts, raw veggies so when everyone else is eating, I eat. Instead of cookies I might take a quarter of one and then add my fruit to it. I've learned to eat the way I want to and ignore what other people think. Its a very useful skill to learn.
Your task for this week: Talk to your family about the changes you are making but be careful to do it in an assertive but not aggressive way. If you are wimpy about it they will try to push you. If you come from a place of power (using your now moment strategy) they will understand. Telling them ahead of time really works!
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As you move through the holidays your next step will be to look towards the New Year. By now you're feeling and looking better than you have in years so it's time to look for more. I used this time to create the look I wanted in my body. I had lost a significant amount of weight by this time, and now I wanted to sculpt something different. It wasn't about getting into that fitness geek stage but I wanted to have a shapelier figure. I also decided I wanted to try other activities so I learned racquet ball, ice skating and tried to learn how to ski -- that one just didn't work out. Uhhhh.I upgraded my exercise and thought about going back to school.
During this week it's time to decide what you want to do next for your life. Do you want to go back to school? Climb a mountain? Entertain the President? What is interesting and fun to you? This is the week to explore those areas that you will put into action in the next few weeks.
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I think resolutions are about learning not to play games with your Self, and embracing life to the fullest. The only way you embrace life is to be active within it. Being active in your life goes back to the Now moment. You can be involved with nature around you, with volunteering for a cause that makes sense to you or with your family in new ways. We get so busy with our lives that we forget to stop and smell the flowers. All of these things help generate a better life and your weight loss will help you do all of these things.
Your challenge this month - Think about two or three things that you can resolve for your Self for the New Year. Make them things that you can commit to over time that are not pressure sensitive. In other words, they are
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How could I do this on my own? Would I have to go to therapy? What would that look like? I started with a self-evaluation. A self-evaluation is just taking a look at your life and looking at what you want it to look like in the future. For me it was a full and loving life. My life would be full of opportunity, it would be open to possibilities and I would be very active. By doing this self-evaluation I was able to make a stronger commitment to my own change. I made a list of all the benefits I would get from change and kept it by my computer so I could add to the list when I found another benefit.
This stage encourages you to stop the behavior that holds you back and embrace those behaviors that move you forward. For me, this meant stopping old behaviors but also getting rid of old beliefs about myself and my situation. I started looking at my old behaviors as opportunities to find
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The bottom line for this stage is to make the commitment to your Self for change in such a way that you won't turn back no matter what. Change within yourself has to become a priority and it has to start with small steps. It means that you: 1) Believe in your full ability to change and 2) You embrace the change for your life.
This also means you develop a faith in yourself and it will surely bring out your confidence that your life will be better because of the change. This is how I began to move forward and followed my life to where I am now. This week, its time to make even more change as it relates to any problems you might have left. Dont get me wrong, you'll always have problems, but how you perceive them will determine how they affect you. I have a couple of friends who believe in eastern religions and they have taught me many things. I could not have done this stage without them because they helped me find answers.
I changed my behaviors by just doing something different. At first, if I felt like I was resisting change, I did something different. I went to a movie, went for a walk at the Mall (and people watched) or sat down and wrote this program. I consciously changed my focus so I could get into the creative zone where answers happen. This also helped me put my program into perspective. I learned not to dwell on problems but to see them as
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When I began to change I found the kids and my husband more supportive than I thought they would be -- my husband even cooks sometimes! Relieving stress is very important and here are some ways that I use. I use a lot of laughter - just laughing from a little giggle, to a big guffaw. I start out with a smile, then a giggle and then the full laugh. Try it right now while you are reading this (even if people are around and they think you're weird!) Another technique I use is to stop whatever I am doing and come back to the present moment.
I can tell you that the present moment is all that is important right now and it's all that you need to think about so getting back to it should be a priority. If I am worried or stressed it means I'm in the past or the future and neither of these can help me NOW. Once I have come back to the Now moment I
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The next thing I have for you is to find a place to play. There are video arcades and other family places with lots of games and fun. Find one of these near you and go once in awhile. There is one where I am and I have learned to play video games and I'm pretty good with Skeeball. I can get lunch at my play palace and play games as long as I want.
Your challenge this week is to find one in your area and start to play. Also, laugh as much as you can.
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You don't have to spend a lot of money and you don't have to spend years doing it. Go in, get unstuck and leave after you're done. One of the best therapies you can use is Cognitive Behavior Therapy. This is what I used and it helped me change my thinking on a lot of levels.
This month we have looked at change on a deeper level. Now we move onto another area that is often forgotten: Organization.
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Move on to the other closets and get rid of old magazines (so what if they are National Geographic!), broken toys or tools that you were going to fix, the end table that your hubby put in the closet three years ago with the broken leg and [you fill in the blank]. You finished all your closets in these two weeks and now its time to reward yourself with a nice dinner out, a spa trip or a night of fun with your hubby!
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How does a married lady do this? I told you my family is supportive and they are on board with me. Because of this it makes life easier. We have a calendar on the computer that is synched to everyone's cell phone that has all our appointments on it. We negotiate some things (mommy time alone is NOT negotiable) and we work around things that come up like concerts or school plays. We do a lot of fun things together so no one feels neglected when mommy time comes. It may sound complicated but once we got used to it this works like a charm. Everyone knows what is going on and no one gets their feelings hurt if something can be changed.
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In the next few weeks I'm going to show you what I did to tone up, lighten up and maintain my fabulous figure for the rest of my life.
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Creating a stronger core will help your arms and legs do a better job for you when you are swimming, biking or doing other activities that need a more
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I found that the best way for me to do core strength training was to use my fitness ball. I have a video that shows me what to do to work in this area and I suggest that this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do core exercise. The ball is very stable which is important to me when I use any exercise equipment. This seems like a strenuous exercise at first but as you get into it you can literally feel yourself become stronger. Your back, knees and legs will thank you. Stretching also helps strengthen your core because your muscles get a chance to relax.
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Your task this week is to learn more about interval training and try it at least once this week.
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In order to maintain a new habit it has to become a priority. By this time in the program you've made your choices and you have made weight loss a priority. Now you just have to hang in there. You are going to be in social situations that will tempt you to return to the old eating behaviors so you have to be prepared for them when they happen. I had to confront certain issues with my family and friends head on because there are some who just want to keep you in the old place. You know the feeling -- when no matter how old you are you mother still treats you like a kid? I had to ignore many of them and take myself away from those who kept bugging me. I realized that I am the one responsible for changing myself and no one else has the right to influence my choices. This was a big revelation for me.
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This is the stage that was most emotionally surprising and revealing for me because I realized I had accomplished my goal. This was a goal that I had tried many times before and failed at. I knew I never wanted to go back to where I had been before but I wasn't sure what to do next. I knew it was a matter of staying motivated. The challenge is that when you are doing a program you are totally engaged in the process but when you are finishedit's finished. You were in competition with yourself for a while and now the competition is done--at least this phase if it. In my experience most programs say Sayonara at this point but they don't tell you how to maintain your loss. This is why I have incorporated it into this program because you need to know what to look out for and how to handle these situations.
During this final month I will tell you what to do to maintain your weight loss despite social pressures and in times when it seems as if your own selfesteem has gone to the toilet for a minute. Remember it is a matter of lifestyle change and that is a huge thing to do. We move into the maintenance and termination stage of change.
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When you have challenges like this it may be time for a mini-vacation, a trip to your play palace or a nice day out at the spa. These activities will clear your head, give you a break in routine and get you back on track. As long as
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I had to check my thoughts a lot in the earlier days. I spend more of my time in the Now moment today but that is not always how it is for me every day. I realized that it takes your brain longer to catch up with your weight loss than it takes your body. Checking my thoughts helped me realize that I wasn't being completely honest with myself at times. When I started to stress or feel overwhelmed, I had to stop, take a deep breath and pull myself back into the Now moment. Not always easy but it helped maintain my perspective and continue on my program.
This week be on the lookout for those thoughts that stop you. Pull into the Now moment as much as possible.
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All of these things help keep me sane and give me a purpose in life. I accept that life is about enjoyment and fulfillment and I do as much of both as I can.
Your task this week is to be aware of the things that set your Self free and what you can do to enhance your life even more.
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