Reject the Path of Patronization

Yeah, I know, it's been a long day.  Perhaps you woke up late for work, made a mad dash to get the children ready for school, barely having enough time to get a shower yourself.  You pack your lunch quickly, singing your own praises for purchasing those frozen entrees, as you throw one in your bag with some healthy snacks.  You grab a bagel thin and some low fat cream cheese, your purse (and in my case, book bag) and you rush out the door.  Maybe you work late in the evenings, or you have after work activities at church or clubs.  Perhaps, you go to school in the evening like I do.  Regardless, you've put in a full day, you missed working out that morning (or maybe you don't workout regularly).  It's 9pm - how are you going to get motivated to get on that treadmill or do that DVD for another half an hour???

I'll tell you how.  Change your mindset!  Rather than looking at your workout as just another difficult, hum drum activity that must be done before your day is finished; think of it as some "you" time.  

Tonight, as I was walking out of class, I started down the path of patronization.  It was only for a split second, but I did it.  You know the path, you know the words.

"You're tired. You've put in a full day.  Go ahead, you can skip it.  It's ok.  You earned it today.  You can always do it tomorrow."

Immediately I stopped and decided I needed a boost.  I plugged my HTC Hero (love this phone, highly recommend it) in my car's stereo, browsed to Rhapsody and cranked up Lady Gaga on the drive home.  It made me want to dance!  As I ate my fiber bar (snack after class) I could feel myself wanting to move.  By the time I arrived home I couldn't wait to get my workout clothes on and get on the treadmill, and that's exactly what I did.

Change is something that doesn't come easy.  It takes constant effort to bust through old habits and create new ones.  Negative speak can be your worst enemy.  I try to keep a few things in mind for when I fall into this type of rut.

1. Working out FEELS GOOD!  I have never felt as good as I do about five minutes after my workout.  My body feels relaxed, endorphins are flowing and I feel as though I can take on anything!
2. A half hour (or an hour on good days) to myself is an absolute treat!  Nothing is more isolating, lending more time for reflection, than putting in a pair of ear buds and just jogging.  It's time to think, reflect and plan. 
3. It's a vent of emotions.  I can let the music set the tone and air out some pretty hardcore emotions with each foot as it hits the belt of the treadmill.  What an amazing release of stress to just let it pour out of your body as you push harder and harder and how wonderful it feels after releasing all that anxiety, fear, anger or sadness.
4. It can be fun!  Yes, that's right, I said it, FUN. I never, in my life, found physical exertion fun. I hated Physical Education.  I never played sports.  I remember hating the walk home my sophomore year of high school.  However, I have a new found appreciation for exercise.  Sometimes, I imagine I'm dancing, other times, running a marathon.  At the end, I turn on an epic WIN song and feel like I truly am the champion!
5. I remind myself of my end goal.  Without exercise, I will not get to where I want to go.  I will not achieve the healthy, fit, thin me I so desire. 

Perhaps you have your own list.  What motivates you to get that workout in, even on the days you feel like you've done all you can do?

Lose for Good Lose-a-palooza

Today is Lose-a-palooza!  This is a one day, social media event to drive participation in the Lose For Good® campaign.

I love the fact that Weight Watchers always has these side "campaigns" which can really motivate.  It breaks up the weeks a bit, and helps on those days where self motivation may be lower.

I would like to encourage all reading this to comment to this blog with the words "Lose for Good."  For every mention on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc, Weight Watchers has committed to donating $1 to world hunger!  Your comment is one more dollar for the cause!  Please share this blog with your friends, encourage them to post a comment with the words "Lose for Good."  Such an easy, fun way to fight world hunger!

This week, as part of the Lose for Good campaign, I will be taking 8.4lbs of food to my Weight Watchers meeting (equal to my loss last week) which will be donated to a local food bank.

Today, together, we can do this!

Blip Buster Weeks

What the heck is a "blip buster week?" Well, it's the term I use for the week following a small (or not so small) gain.

Above is my Weight Watchers tracking chart, a great visual of what has taken place over the last 14 weeks. Of course, my "goal weight" is my 10% weight loss and not my ultimate goal weight, but it is far easier to celebrate these major milestones rather than wait until I finally get to the 140lbs I'm shooting for.

Following each of the weeks that I had a blip - I had a blip buster week. These are weeks that I saw substantial loss and continued to trend downward after putting on a small gain. Now, perhaps this is because the gain woke me up from straying slightly off program. Maybe I didn't drink enough water for a few days and I began to retain water, maybe I had started eyeballing portions rather than getting the measuring spoons or food scale out, perhaps it was just luck of the draw and the mitochondria in my muscles didn't produce the same amount of ATP making my body metabolize slower and hold on to more glycogen, storing it as body fat (why yes, I am an A&P student); whatever the reason, those weeks can and should be used as a motivation. Life happens, man. We have to flex. We have to move forward. From here on, I refuse to get down if I see a blip. In fact, I plan to get excited, because you better believe the scale the following week is going to be unbelievable!

These little dots on the grid are mere dots. One dot, without those around it, is meaningless. Weight loss is movement, the dot, the single weigh in, is stagnant. Focus on the movement, focus on the many dots and look forward to your blip buster weeks!

So, for those on this same journey, walking these same roads; embrace your blips and look forward to the bust, as it is often those weeks following a gain that you have the most to celebrate.

The Pesky Lab Coat That Saved My Life

Today is an amazing day! In May, the catalyst to my weight loss journey was this pesky lab coat that wouldn't fit. (Read about it here) It was too small, I could only button a single button and it was the largest I could find without it being custom made. It was this event, that made me say, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - CHANGE NOW!"

Today, I decided to try the lab coat on. I've done this a few times over the last few months, each time having one or two buttons that wouldn't fit, but still celebrating the obvious change in how it hung on my body and how the lower buttons inched closer to the holes.

Today, I was able to button each and every button, with a lot of room in the top to spare!

It appears I may need to purchase a new lab coat for Microbiology in January after all - a smaller one!!!

Lose for Good Goal - Week 1 Weight In

Last week I posted my story board with a six week goal set. 15lbs in six weeks. When I was setting the goal I questioned myself if it might be slightly too high. If one averages about 2lbs per week, is it really possible to eek out those extra three pounds over the six week period to hit that 15? I decided I would push myself. I can do it! And if I don't, whatever the loss, it's a larger loss than I would have had if I was doing nothing at all - so 15lbs is the set goal.

This morning, as I rushed around in a mad dash to get to all my Sunday morning obligations, running late of course, missing my actual Weight Watchers meeting - I ran in between appointments to get weighed.

To my surprise I lost 8.4lbs this week! So after one week with the goal of 15lbs, I've lost over half of it! Now, mind you, the week prior I had gained 6.4lbs - so I'm sure getting back on program and doing it perfectly this week really jump started my weight loss this week - perhaps in parallel to the first week on program. Regardless of what it is - I'll take it!

I will keep taking the steps I outlined on the story board and I will absolutely hit my 15lb goal in six weeks. Here we go!

I've lost almost 30lbs total since starting Weight Watchers. If you look at the picture, the yellow blob is 5lbs of fat. I've lost almost six of those yellow blobs!

Wow, what a wonderful feeling. I broke my 25lb mark again, I've lost over 5% of my body weight (now nearing my 10% mark) and I feel better than ever!

Ok, easy stats:
Week 14: 8.4lbs lost
Total gone: 29.2lbs