Getting Past Yourself

I'll start off by telling you my latest accomplishments.  I weighed in today and have lost another 2.2 pounds since last week putting me at 168.2!  This is the first time since my freshman year of college that I've been in the 160s.  I also moved up another belt hole!  I now am on the 2nd hole :)  Only 1 more to go before I need to start looking for a new belt!  I am hoping for next week to drop another 1.2 pounds to put me at 167 which is the 30 pound mark!!  It is a great accomplishment, but there is still much work to be done because even once I get there I still have 22 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight of 145. 

The number one thing that I have noticed about other people's journeys is this: lack of commitment.  If you want drastic results, you have to take drastic measures and stick to it!  I hear people saying how they want to lose weight, in addition to any number of other goals, but they are not willing to take the necessary steps to attain their goals.  A goal is a wish that you are actively pursuing.  If you aren't ACTIVELY going after something, then it remains nothing more than a wish.  There are two main obstacles that I have seen are getting in many people's way and I want to confront them head on: 1.) Making excuses, 2.) Rationalizing.  I'll attack the excuses first, since it is more common.

You want to achieve your goal?  Stop making excuses!  Everyone is busy.  Everyone has other people in their lives that may not be the most supportive.  Everyone would like an easy button.  News flash!  There is no easy button.  "It's too hot/cold outside to go for a walk or run."  Ok, then go to a gym where there is AC/heat, or even go to a mall and walk the inside perimeter.  "I have two kids."  Ok then tell your husband/wife to get off their tail and watch the kids while you work out for an hour.  I think they can manage.  Or better yet, join a gym that has a babysitting service (like American FAMILY) and work out WITH your husband/wife.  I guarantee you if you go to a gym and ask everyone who is working out what they currently have on their plate, you would be surprised at how much people are juggling and still make time to work out.  (Key words: MAKE TIME)  Someone busier than you is working out right now.  Right now.  As you read this, someone is working out.  Otherwise many gyms wouldn't be open 24/7.  Come on people!  Stop the excuses.  Go ahead and run them by me if you want.  I'll find an alternative for you.  Stop saying "I can't."  You can, you are just choosing not to. 

Rationalizing is probably even more dangerous than making excuses  because you're believing your own lies.  (Read: rationa-LIE-ze)  For example, you sit down and eat a bag of fat and salt (aka potato chips) and then you tell yourself, "it is ok for me to eat this fat and salt because I'll go for a walk later."  WRONG.  Eating bad is eating bad no matter how much work you put in at a gym.  So you go to Zumba class for an hour and then you go home and chow down on a bowl of chocolate icecream and you tell yourself, "it's ok because I just had a great workout."  WRONG.  Same premise.  What you put in your body is 80% of the weight-loss battle.  Exercise is the 20% that makes your body run more like a well-oiled machine.  You lose weight in the kitchen.  You get fit in the gym.  There is also the opposite rationalization in that you eat well all day and then go to the gym and only work out half way.  Bad idea.  Don't cancel out your great eating day by skimping at the gym.  Make yourself proud.  Eat well and then work out just as hard as you would if you sat down in front of the tv and drank a cup of sugar and carbs (aka pretty much anything at Starbucks).  Stop telling yourself "it's ok," because most of the time, it's not.  If you mess up, you mess up.  Own up to it and make it right.  Stop telling yourself that it's ok to be fat, lazy, and whiney, because it's not!  You're not doing yourself any favors when you're telling yourself these things, so cut it out. 

If you have a question about if something is an excuse, shoot me a line and I'll let you know, because it probably is and I can help you figure out an alternative.  And when you hear your inner voice saying "it's ok if I do this," give me a buzz and I'll tell you that it's NOT ok.  I'm here to help you all reach your goals as much as I know that you support me in mine.  My number is 804-677-9358 if you need it.  Don't be afraid to use it!  

The Importance of Calming Your Mind

Stress, as we all know, has a major negative influence on most every aspect of our lives.  It inhibits our mind from focusing on day-to-day tasks, it consumes us and prevents us from having enjoyable experiences, it can lead to arguments with loved ones, and it releases cortisol in our bodies which holds onto fat. 

It is imperative for everyday life to be able to think clearly, make good decisions, and have a feeling of inner peace and tranquility.  Impatience, worries, fears, and restless thoughts can obviously all have a negative impact on your frame of mind.  You must know how to calm your mind so that you can stay focused and have clear thoughts.  Here are a few things you can do to relax and get your head straight:

*Spend time doing something you love.  This can be anything that makes you feel good and whole, from shopping, to arts and crafts, to reading, or anything else that gives you a feeling of happiness and well-being.

*Focus on positive language.  I have mentioned this before, but it is important not to put yourself down using negative words and phrases.  Subconsciously your mind takes your words and internalizes them, so even when you are talking to yourself (which most of us do at some point or another) be sure to use positive language. 

*Exercise your body.  This is obviously what I’ve talked about for a long time, but exercise releases endorphins, which are a feel-good chemical in your brain.  Plus you’ll feel good about yourself for getting off your butt and being active. 

*Deep breathing.  Sit or lie down and put your hand on your belly.  Breathe in deep through your nose while focusing on your hand rising on your belly and then breathe out through your mouth, focusing on feeling the muscles in your stomach with your hand tighten as you push the last bit of air out.  Even 5 minutes of doing this can give you a calm feeling and relaxation. 

*Enjoy nature.  This isn’t something I’ve talked about on this blog so far, but it is something in which I truly believe.  Being in nature has a natural calming effect on your body and mind.  Take time to look up at the clouds or the stars, take a walk through the woods or along a river.  Just take it all in and enjoy it!

Another form of relaxation that I learned from a former coach of mine is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation.  I like to do this if I’m having a hard time falling asleep or clearing my mind.  To do this, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group.  It helps you focus on your body, your muscles, and the physical sensations you’re feeling.  I generally start at my toes and work up all the way to my facial muscles, individually tensing each set of muscles for a slow count to 5 and then slowly relaxing them for about 10 seconds before moving on to the next set of muscles.  

Something else I plan on trying soon is yoga.  I’ve heard great things about it, and I’m interested to see what it can do for me.  If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know! 

Getting Closer!

I am proud to say that I weighed in today and lost another 3.2 pounds since last week!  Now, I know that this is the lightest week I have in my cycle, so that has something to do with it, but it is very exciting.  All my hard work is paying off and I can finally see some results!  People have been telling me for weeks that I look like I've lost weight, but now I can actually see it for myself!  And let me tell you, it's a great feeling.  I've lost a total of 25.4 pounds so far which means I'm over the half-way hump!  I have less left to lose than I have already lost.  And let me see if I can change some wording here...I have not lost weight.  I've gotten rid of it.  I don't plan on finding it again. 

I will say this again and again until I'm blue in the face if I have to...this is NOT a diet!  This is a lifestyle.  A healthy, fit, active lifestyle.  My goal is to be healthy, fit, and strong in both body and mind.  I'm not only building muscle and endurance, I'm strengthening my mind, pushing past barriers, and gaining self-esteem. 

I have 2 goals for the month of March in terms of my weightloss: 1.) I want to lose at least 1.7 pounds by next week so that I will be in the 160s, and 2.) I want to lose 4.6 pounds total for the month of March so that I will be at the 30 pound mark.  This is going to take a lot of focus, determination, discipline, and hard work, but I'm up for it!  Spring officially starts on March 20th which is 12 days from now.  That means warmer weather is well on its way whether I'm ready for it or not!  I want to wear a bikini this year and I want to feel good in it!  I've worn bikinis in the past and I always feel like people are staring at me and thinking "that girl needs to put some more clothes on."  But not this year!  I finally have my head on straight and I'm working towards a very attainable goal as long as I KEEP it on straight.  

Motivation is key.  Right now I'm motivated by the results I keep seeing, but I'm scared to death of hitting another plateau.  The thing to keep in mind is that you just have to keep going.  Just keep chugging along "toot, toot!" Don't give up on your goals because things get hard.  Push yourself to places you never thought you could go.  Make every day a day to be proud of.  Know that you deserve it, work for it, and attain it.  You can do anything you WANT to do (thanks Mom!), but you have to really want it.  And you have to want it for YOU.  Don't do it for anyone else.  Do it for you.  Better yourself.  You CAN!

Woohoo!

I have made it to the 20 pound mark!!  I have lost exactly 22.2 pounds since I started my weightloss journey, and let me tell you, it feels GREAT! My next short-term goal is to hit the 30 pound mark, and thankfully, it really feels within reach.  I have determined the major keys to my success, and I'll share them because even if you aren't on a weightloss journey, I think these keys can be to success of any kind, in any aspect of your life. 

1.)  Stay positive.  One of the most inspirational things I have read says that telling yourself you're fat doesn't make you thin.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have referred to myself as "fatty" or "chub-a-lub" or any number of other derogatory terms.  If you have a tendency to do this, make a conscious effort to stop it!  It doesn't help you, it doesn't motivate you, it doesn't do anything but keep that "fat" persona in your mind.  If nothing else, refer to yourself as "a work in progress."  That's what we all are anyway, just a work in progress. 

2.)  Push HARD.  I have found that even when I feel like I'm working really hard, if I tell myself to work harder, usually I am capable of picking things up another notch.  Your body and your mind are wondrous things and can do things that you probably never imagined.  So you're sweating really hard keeping it at 75 strides per minute on the elliptical?  That's great!  Now push to 80.  So you've worked up to lifting 110 pounds with your legs?  That's wonderful.  Now push to 115.  You'll see that you can do it.  Stop letting those mental barriers get in the way.  Your mind is going to tell you that what you're doing is good, and it is, but you can do better.  Remember that.  Now matter how good you are, you can always get better.  

3.) Make good choices.  This is the key to EVERYTHING.  You make choices and decisions thousands of times per day.  Focus on making GOOD ones.  Be proud of the choices you make.  Pick a V8 juice over a soda.  Pick a grilled chicken salad over a grilled chicken sandwich.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  When you think you're hungry, drink a glass of water and then decide if you're really still hungry, or if it's something else triggering the desire to eat.  Chew a piece of sugarless gum rather than popping some chocolate candy in your mouth.  There are MILLIONS of choices to be made, some harder than others.  The most important time to make good choices is when you're out with people who aren't working on the same thing you are, and it's easy to cheat.  Think about how guilty you'll feel afterwards if you give in to the tempation.  Or think about how good you'll feel if you resist and make a positive choice.  This goes for anything in your life, not just weightloss, but it is DEFINITELY key to weightloss. 

Take these things and use them!  And if you need any other motivation or support, just let me know!!