Sunday, 11 July 2010
What Katie Did!
Alfie has fun with the hosepipe! He was so funny trying to catch the water, no fear whatsoever!
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Double your weight loss!! HOW?
There are so many habit changes we can make to lose weight, both large and small, but there's one simple thing that can actually double your weight-loss efforts. You don't have to wake up at 5 a.m. or give up cheese to do it, but you will have to take accountability for what you eat.
One of the largest and longest running weight-loss trials ever conducted, states that the secret to doubling your weight loss is simple: Keep a journal of everything you eat – that does mean everything, not just the bits you want to acknowledge!
Whether you write it down on a tracker, in a notebook, log it in your phone, blog it, tweet it, facebook it or use an online food tracker like Weight Watchers esource tracker, you'll be keeping yourself honest and your diet on track.
"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said the study's lead author Jack Hollis, Ph.D. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."
By writing down everything you consume it helps you to realise where your calories are coming from, and it gets you thinking about what you eat, which leads to accountability as well as a realisation of where those hidden calories are! Every trip to the fridge to make sure it’s still working, every biscuit you sneak, every extra glass of wine you have, the secret to success is - write it down.
I know it works because I started a blog in 2008 where I tracked everything I ate for 12 months and it helped me to lose and maintain my weight because I knew people might read it, but also because it made me think about what I was consuming. I was more aware not just of what I was choosing to eat but also how much of it, as portion control really is half the battle. A large number of my members assume a bag of chips is 7.5pts because that’s what they’ve read in an eating out guide, they fail to notice the weight of 175g in brackets by the side of it! I’ve weighed a bag of chips and they weigh roughly 1000g!
It’s also a good idea not to leave your food tracking until the end of the day either as you’re more likely to ‘forget’ some of what you’ve eaten! It’s better to try and track your foods as soon as possible after you eat them, both what the food was and how much of it. Other things you could include to help understand why you overeat is the time you ate which helps identify your meal patterns, as well as what you were feeling which can help you realise if you are eating because you were really hungry or just because you’re bored, angry, stressed or just because it’s there!
By taking a few minutes after every meal to acknowledge what you just eaten, you’re likelier to make small permanent changes to help your weight loss. And when you add up all these small changes, you’ll end up with one big change which hopefully will be doubling your weight loss!
One of the largest and longest running weight-loss trials ever conducted, states that the secret to doubling your weight loss is simple: Keep a journal of everything you eat – that does mean everything, not just the bits you want to acknowledge!
Whether you write it down on a tracker, in a notebook, log it in your phone, blog it, tweet it, facebook it or use an online food tracker like Weight Watchers esource tracker, you'll be keeping yourself honest and your diet on track.
"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said the study's lead author Jack Hollis, Ph.D. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."
By writing down everything you consume it helps you to realise where your calories are coming from, and it gets you thinking about what you eat, which leads to accountability as well as a realisation of where those hidden calories are! Every trip to the fridge to make sure it’s still working, every biscuit you sneak, every extra glass of wine you have, the secret to success is - write it down.
I know it works because I started a blog in 2008 where I tracked everything I ate for 12 months and it helped me to lose and maintain my weight because I knew people might read it, but also because it made me think about what I was consuming. I was more aware not just of what I was choosing to eat but also how much of it, as portion control really is half the battle. A large number of my members assume a bag of chips is 7.5pts because that’s what they’ve read in an eating out guide, they fail to notice the weight of 175g in brackets by the side of it! I’ve weighed a bag of chips and they weigh roughly 1000g!
It’s also a good idea not to leave your food tracking until the end of the day either as you’re more likely to ‘forget’ some of what you’ve eaten! It’s better to try and track your foods as soon as possible after you eat them, both what the food was and how much of it. Other things you could include to help understand why you overeat is the time you ate which helps identify your meal patterns, as well as what you were feeling which can help you realise if you are eating because you were really hungry or just because you’re bored, angry, stressed or just because it’s there!
By taking a few minutes after every meal to acknowledge what you just eaten, you’re likelier to make small permanent changes to help your weight loss. And when you add up all these small changes, you’ll end up with one big change which hopefully will be doubling your weight loss!
Day 5 Tracking - Continued
Breakfast 2 small slices hovis bread with spread 2.5pts (weighed both)
main meal
Pancetta, Crackers, Asparagus, low fat Primula, Mustard
5pts
snack & drinks
wine (7.5), crisps (2), chicken sandwich (4)
lemon jammie dodgers (6)
Pedometer points earned (1.5)
The lemon flavour jammie dodgers were delicious, I knew they would be, have been avoiding them since they were put on the shelves knowing I'd have to eat more than one, so mom and me shared a pack which is 4 each.
And my main meal was a bit of a concoction but I tend to eat what I fancy not what constitutes a normal meal! I've found the more I try to resist certain types of food the more I want them, so I have a bit of what I fancy when I fancy it and that tends to keep me on track.
www.thework.com
I was talking to someone last week about Katie Byron, an inspirational woman and it encouraged me to revisit her work as it helped me enormously in the past and still does as a quick reality check - just by asking myself "Do you know that to be truth" often makes me question my reaction or behavious
Her website www.thework.com has lots of information on it and also some worksheets to help you to question any beliefs you have. Including the Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet using the four questions and the turnarounds below. The Work is meditation. It’s about opening to your heart, not about trying to change your thoughts. Ask the questions, then go inside and wait for the deeper answers to surface. You can download the Facilitation Guide for helpful sub-questions too.
In its most basic form, The Work consists of four questions and your turnarounds. For example, your statement might be “[Name] doesn't listen to me.” Find someone in your life about whom you have had that thought, take that statement and put it up against the four questions and turnarounds of The Work.
Step 1 Is it true?
Step 2 Can you absolutely know that it's true?
Step 3 How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
Step 4 Who would you be without the thought?
I've really found this valuable on many occassions.
There are also lots of videos on the website to watch which are excellent.
The following info I have copied from the website about Katie Byron herself because she is a real inspiration;
How The Work Began:
Byron Katie became severely depressed in her early thirties. For almost a decade she spiraled down into rage, self-loathing, and constant thoughts of suicide; for the last two years she was often unable to leave her bedroom.
Then one morning in February 1986, she experienced a life-changing realization. There are various names for an experience like this. Katie calls it “waking up to reality.”
In that instant, she says,
I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered, but that when I didn't believe them, I didn't suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found that suffering is optional. I found a joy within me that has never disappeared, not for a single moment. That joy is in everyone, always.
She realized that what had been causing her depression was not the world around her, but the beliefs she'd had about the world. Instead of hopelessly trying to change the world to match her thoughts about how it should be, she could question these thoughts and, by meeting reality as it is, experience unimaginable freedom and joy. As a result, a bedridden, suicidal woman was instantly filled with love for everythinglife brings.
The Work, Katie's process of self-inquiry, didn't develop from this experience; she says that it woke up with her, as her, that February morning in 1986. The first people who did The Work reported that it had transformed their lives, and she soon began receiving invitations to teach the process publicly.
Since 1986, she has brought The Work to millions of people across the world, at free public events, in prisons, hospitals, churches, corporations, universities, schools, at weekend workshops, at her amazing nine-day School for The Work, and through the Institute for The Work
Her website www.thework.com has lots of information on it and also some worksheets to help you to question any beliefs you have. Including the Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet using the four questions and the turnarounds below. The Work is meditation. It’s about opening to your heart, not about trying to change your thoughts. Ask the questions, then go inside and wait for the deeper answers to surface. You can download the Facilitation Guide for helpful sub-questions too.
In its most basic form, The Work consists of four questions and your turnarounds. For example, your statement might be “[Name] doesn't listen to me.” Find someone in your life about whom you have had that thought, take that statement and put it up against the four questions and turnarounds of The Work.
Step 1 Is it true?
Step 2 Can you absolutely know that it's true?
Step 3 How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
Step 4 Who would you be without the thought?
I've really found this valuable on many occassions.
There are also lots of videos on the website to watch which are excellent.
The following info I have copied from the website about Katie Byron herself because she is a real inspiration;
How The Work Began:
Byron Katie became severely depressed in her early thirties. For almost a decade she spiraled down into rage, self-loathing, and constant thoughts of suicide; for the last two years she was often unable to leave her bedroom.
Then one morning in February 1986, she experienced a life-changing realization. There are various names for an experience like this. Katie calls it “waking up to reality.”
In that instant, she says,
I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered, but that when I didn't believe them, I didn't suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found that suffering is optional. I found a joy within me that has never disappeared, not for a single moment. That joy is in everyone, always.
She realized that what had been causing her depression was not the world around her, but the beliefs she'd had about the world. Instead of hopelessly trying to change the world to match her thoughts about how it should be, she could question these thoughts and, by meeting reality as it is, experience unimaginable freedom and joy. As a result, a bedridden, suicidal woman was instantly filled with love for everythinglife brings.
The Work, Katie's process of self-inquiry, didn't develop from this experience; she says that it woke up with her, as her, that February morning in 1986. The first people who did The Work reported that it had transformed their lives, and she soon began receiving invitations to teach the process publicly.
Since 1986, she has brought The Work to millions of people across the world, at free public events, in prisons, hospitals, churches, corporations, universities, schools, at weekend workshops, at her amazing nine-day School for The Work, and through the Institute for The Work
A little book of happy.
I put this book together last year for a gift to my helpers and friends, I thought I'd share it with you. Even if you don't want to purchase a copy you can read it online.
to view it click here
July 10th 2010 today's email
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Unknown
I'm not suggesting any of my members have a drink problem, but yesterday I was asked how many points in a 70cl & a litre bottle of Bacardi! Let's now mess about with pub measures eh!! Just for the record the answer is 70cl = 22.5pts & litre = 30pts ;-)
I had a smashing day yesterday, I didn’t rush to get my paperwork done, I messed about on facebook, booked a winter weekend break with my pals and generally had a nice steady morning. Katie came round for a coffee then mom and me nipped to Essington fruit farm she had a scone and cream and I had a cup of tea!
Did you know those Chunky Kit Kats that are on sale everywhere are 6pts how do I know because I stupidly ate one and I don’t even like chocolate that much but it was there! However and I know we shouldn’t weigh ourselves other than on weigh day I have hopped on this morning and it’s looking promising for a loss on Monday if I behave the rest of the weekend.
Today’s quote is so very true; I believe that you create your world through the perspectives that you choose to hold.
So with that in mind, here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Speak in Positive Terms - When you think and speak in a judgmental or negative way, you produce negative results. The opposite is also true. By replacing negative language with positive speech, you will find your thoughts clarified, your speech uplifting, and the response of others rewarding.
As someone who’s had problems with my weight for a very long time, the journey to love my body has been turbulent to say the least. I know what it’s like to look in the mirror and cry, or wish that I had been born in someone else’s skin. But I also know that it’s possible to move beyond that mentality. Great progress can be made by employing these small shifts in consciousness, perspective and action:
> Apologize to your body for the many negative things or thoughts that you may have expressed against it.
> Change your body dialogue. Commit to only using words of love when discussing your body publicly or privately.
> Remind yourself that it is through your body that you are able to experience the world.
> Thank your body. It is a gift.
> Make a list of all the things that your body does for you. Your body is very powerful.
> Do something nice for your body.
> Eat something that your body enjoys or engage in physical activity. What does your body want?
> Recognize that your scale doesn’t measure self-worth.
> How much time and energy do you spend scrutinizing your body in the mirror, thinking about it negatively or complaining about it with friends? Think of what you could accomplish by freeing up that time and energy.
> Exercise. Do it to honor your body, and not to look like a super model!
> Ask yourself: “If I had one month to live, how important would my body image be?”
> Remember that fashion and fitness magazines only show a small sliver of beauty.
> People come in all shapes and sizes, and we’re all beautiful expressions of this universe in our own ways. Dare not to compare your body.
> Treat your body like it is sacred. Because it is.
> Who do you admire most? Ghandi? You’re mom? Martin Luther King? Does their physical appearance determine that admiration?
> Accept your body as it is now. You may be committed to a healthier tomorrow, but true change comes through acceptance and not resistance.
> Changing your body isn’t the same as changing your perspective of it. Change the inside first.
> Celebrate the changes in your body as you age. Hair loss, graying and wrinkles are marks of your progression through life – they are badges of honor that can be worn and embraced proudly (even if others don’t reciprocate – that’s their path, not yours).
> Don’t reinforce body image ideals in others. Don’t compliment people for the tightness of their abs so much as the brightness of their laugh.
> Recognize that life is too short to hate your body.
If these tips seem like too much to handle, try employing just one tip each day for the few weeks. And don’t beat yourself up if you fall off-track. We all do. It’s part of the journey.
Where are you at in your journey to love your body?
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
I'm not suggesting any of my members have a drink problem, but yesterday I was asked how many points in a 70cl & a litre bottle of Bacardi! Let's now mess about with pub measures eh!! Just for the record the answer is 70cl = 22.5pts & litre = 30pts ;-)
I had a smashing day yesterday, I didn’t rush to get my paperwork done, I messed about on facebook, booked a winter weekend break with my pals and generally had a nice steady morning. Katie came round for a coffee then mom and me nipped to Essington fruit farm she had a scone and cream and I had a cup of tea!
Did you know those Chunky Kit Kats that are on sale everywhere are 6pts how do I know because I stupidly ate one and I don’t even like chocolate that much but it was there! However and I know we shouldn’t weigh ourselves other than on weigh day I have hopped on this morning and it’s looking promising for a loss on Monday if I behave the rest of the weekend.
Today’s quote is so very true; I believe that you create your world through the perspectives that you choose to hold.
So with that in mind, here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Speak in Positive Terms - When you think and speak in a judgmental or negative way, you produce negative results. The opposite is also true. By replacing negative language with positive speech, you will find your thoughts clarified, your speech uplifting, and the response of others rewarding.
As someone who’s had problems with my weight for a very long time, the journey to love my body has been turbulent to say the least. I know what it’s like to look in the mirror and cry, or wish that I had been born in someone else’s skin. But I also know that it’s possible to move beyond that mentality. Great progress can be made by employing these small shifts in consciousness, perspective and action:
> Apologize to your body for the many negative things or thoughts that you may have expressed against it.
> Change your body dialogue. Commit to only using words of love when discussing your body publicly or privately.
> Remind yourself that it is through your body that you are able to experience the world.
> Thank your body. It is a gift.
> Make a list of all the things that your body does for you. Your body is very powerful.
> Do something nice for your body.
> Eat something that your body enjoys or engage in physical activity. What does your body want?
> Recognize that your scale doesn’t measure self-worth.
> How much time and energy do you spend scrutinizing your body in the mirror, thinking about it negatively or complaining about it with friends? Think of what you could accomplish by freeing up that time and energy.
> Exercise. Do it to honor your body, and not to look like a super model!
> Ask yourself: “If I had one month to live, how important would my body image be?”
> Remember that fashion and fitness magazines only show a small sliver of beauty.
> People come in all shapes and sizes, and we’re all beautiful expressions of this universe in our own ways. Dare not to compare your body.
> Treat your body like it is sacred. Because it is.
> Who do you admire most? Ghandi? You’re mom? Martin Luther King? Does their physical appearance determine that admiration?
> Accept your body as it is now. You may be committed to a healthier tomorrow, but true change comes through acceptance and not resistance.
> Changing your body isn’t the same as changing your perspective of it. Change the inside first.
> Celebrate the changes in your body as you age. Hair loss, graying and wrinkles are marks of your progression through life – they are badges of honor that can be worn and embraced proudly (even if others don’t reciprocate – that’s their path, not yours).
> Don’t reinforce body image ideals in others. Don’t compliment people for the tightness of their abs so much as the brightness of their laugh.
> Recognize that life is too short to hate your body.
If these tips seem like too much to handle, try employing just one tip each day for the few weeks. And don’t beat yourself up if you fall off-track. We all do. It’s part of the journey.
Where are you at in your journey to love your body?
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Day 5 Tracking
Well yesterday ended up like this;
Sushi 3.5pts
Sushi 5pts
couscous 2.5pts
wine 3pts
lager 2pts
Chunky Kit Kat 6pts
total = 22pts
Pedometer points earnt 3.5pts
I know that probably isn't the healthiest menu in the world from a body point of view, but from a mind point of view it was extremely healthy because it was what I fancied and by not depriving myself of what I want to eat, I'm getting back to my goal after my blip late last year without too much effort.
And I feel great, I'm sure walking the dog has really helped too.
I've got some roast beef in gravy I think I'll have later with lots of veggies, might even stop off to get Yorkshire Puddings we'll see. I haven't had a proper Sunday type dinner in ages so maybe I'll make the effort and even buy fresh vegetables, ooo I'm feeling purple sprouting if I can get it or broccoli if i can't and green beans. Mmm, I'm drooling now....
Sushi 3.5pts
Sushi 5pts
couscous 2.5pts
wine 3pts
lager 2pts
Chunky Kit Kat 6pts
total = 22pts
Pedometer points earnt 3.5pts
I know that probably isn't the healthiest menu in the world from a body point of view, but from a mind point of view it was extremely healthy because it was what I fancied and by not depriving myself of what I want to eat, I'm getting back to my goal after my blip late last year without too much effort.
And I feel great, I'm sure walking the dog has really helped too.
I've got some roast beef in gravy I think I'll have later with lots of veggies, might even stop off to get Yorkshire Puddings we'll see. I haven't had a proper Sunday type dinner in ages so maybe I'll make the effort and even buy fresh vegetables, ooo I'm feeling purple sprouting if I can get it or broccoli if i can't and green beans. Mmm, I'm drooling now....
Friday, 9 July 2010
Day 4 - Tracking
Well Friday morning just disappeared and before I knew it, it was noon and I hadn't eaten nor did I feel overly hungry so for brunch I had a pack of Sainsbury's Fish Sushi for 3.5pts, delicious. which leaves me plenty for the rest of the day, it's 3pm now and I'm off to dog training later so won't get back till 6.30, so that means I can have a scrumptious tea and a glass or two of wine.
I'm not going to decide before I go what I'll have because I like to eat what I fancy at the weekend but less of it than I ate in my fat old days!
So as I won't be online now till tomorrow, I finish off this tracking on tomorrows.
I'm already at healthy on my pedometer though which is a bonus, I took mom to Essington fruit farm for a cream tea and I just had a cuppa tea, how angelic was that!
I'm not going to decide before I go what I'll have because I like to eat what I fancy at the weekend but less of it than I ate in my fat old days!
So as I won't be online now till tomorrow, I finish off this tracking on tomorrows.
I'm already at healthy on my pedometer though which is a bonus, I took mom to Essington fruit farm for a cream tea and I just had a cuppa tea, how angelic was that!
July 9th facebook email
The first step towards the solution of any problem is optimism. John Barnes
Well we woke up at 4 for Alfie to go out but then I managed to go back to sleep and lie in till just before 6 so that’s good news unlike the tea I ate last night!!! 3 burgers and roast vegetables 14 points in them, they were lush but o dear that swallowed all my points up didn’t it!!!
I ended up having 33pts – hey ho, I’ll attempt to balance it out today and pull back a bit over the weekend. At least the burgers have gone, they were reduced and I was starving! They didn’t have any cooked chickens – are you feeling the valid reasons!! NO of course not, all excuses and I knew exactly what I was doing and last night I chose not to stick to my diet! I did however stop myself going to the yellow chip shop in Willenhall and also to the other Sainsbury’s to try and get a cooked chicken in addition to the burgers so for that I’ve given myself a big pat on the back.
Thursday nights for me are always a challenge because it’s a long day and I’m hungry, I need to start having a small meal around 3.30pm before going to my meetings to stave off the hunger until I get back so I’m not doing the lobster hands and thinking what can I eat now! The trick is to identify your weakness and danger times and work out a strategy to deal with them.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Act the Part - As you go through your day, act as if you have attained your goal. Be that kind of person in your words, behaviour, and attitude. As a result, others will begin to see you as you want to be, creating a wonderful circle of reinforcement.
Don’t wait until you’re at goal to be the person you want to be and do the things you’d like to do – START RIGHT NOW!
Remember “Doing is becoming”
Take back your power! I truly believe you become your words, a friend said to me the other day when we were chatting by text that some people can’t help being sensitive, I think we can, I believe you can be anything or anyone you want, the only person that can affect your thoughts is you! No one can hurt you but you; no one can control or influence you unless you give them permission! If you accept and love yourself no one can touch you because you are content and happy.
Think about it;
No one can hurt you.
No one can tear you down, unless you give them power over you to do so.
No one can hurt you*, unless you let them.
No one can deflate you, without your permission.
No one can tell your truth, without your okay.
No one can make you angry, unless you give them that ability.
No one can define you, without your authority.
And likewise, no one can inspire you, inflate you, teach you, encourage you or motivate you unless you bestow upon them that power.
Doesn’t it sting, a bit, knowing that all the pain* and all the suffering you ever caused yourself was self-inflicted? Of course, you’re causing that sting, too. Maybe you had to experience the pain and suffering to get to where you are today.
I think about the many times in my life, especially when I was a teenager, when I was angry. Angry at my family, my friends, my boyfriends… A lot of anger. A lot of blame. Today, I look back and realize that it was I who let myself become angry. If someone gives you a gift of their anger, you don’t have to accept it. They can keep it. And they will own it, not you.
You’re invincible. Unless, of course, you choose not to be. Most of us, consciously or unconsciously, make the choice to give away our personal power to people, words, situations, relationships and the like.
Here’s to making choices that invite peace and love into our lives, the lives of the people around us.
*non physically, of course
Today I am grateful for days that are longer than nights, the birds outside my window, the tired, angry man that I see each morning on my walk and that won’t say hi back to me, , and red wine!
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Johann Wolfang Von Goethe
Or less profound Nike has it right…
Just do it!
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Day 3 - Tracking
Breakfast
Turkey Rashers (1) egg (1.5) bread (1.5) tinned tomatoes, delicious for 4 points
Lunch
1/2 sandwich (1.5) , smoked salmon (4), lettuce and tomatoes
Weight Watchers Thai Chilli Bakes (1)
Tea
3 Sainsbury's taste the difference burgers (14) 4.5pts each - ouch!2 slices toast (3)
roast peppers and cherry tomatoes
wine (6)
earnt 3.5pts on my pedometer but still went over today 33.5pts in total!
I always tend to struggle on a Thursday because I'm genuinelly hungry and tired by the latter part of of the day so I think next week I'll aim for adding a small meal about 3.30pm before going back out to work.
How cool is this!
I can just type a blog update without having to log into the blog account from google homepage! Wicked, unfortunately it doesn't work from my iphone though - boo! Never mind, still impressed ;-)
8th July 2010 facebook email
The secret of getting ahead, is getting started. Sally Berger
135lb lost yesterday, it never fails to make me smile when I add up the weight loss, I’m always so proud of everyone.
Well I was up at just after half four this morning and I’ve realised it’s not just because of Alfie that I’m waking, it’s because I’m waking full stop! At least I don’t feel tired and I’m making a conscious effort to get to bed a bit earlier because of it.
Yesterday I realised something you write in jest can be taken totally the opposite way! When people can’t hear you saying the words and see your face then they can read all sorts of things into it that weren’t meant. It’s reminded me to think before I type in future or better still write nothing at all! ;-!
Roast vegetables were the main theme in my meals yesterday, I had veggies in the fridge that were about to go off so I roasted them all, had them with a Jacket Sweet potato for lunch and some Philadelphia light then for tea I had a ham and roast veggie toastie which was surprisingly very nice.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Observe Your Attitude - Your attitude plays a huge role in your success. Are you determined and excited about moving ahead with your new goal, or are you resentful and easily demoralized? Are you eager to be on this new path of self-development, or do you see this as an overwhelming chore? The more you face the task with anticipation, expecting a good result, the more successful you will be.
Paying attention to what you think means that you’re practicing the art of self-observation. You can catch that inner voice as it speaks to you. What is it saying? Is it helpful or not? Learn to recognize your inner critical voice.
At first you may notice your inner critic talking after its happened, you are likely to hear it saying something like, “You did it again, your hopeless, why can’t you just say no!”
So whenever you hear that voice saying anything negative about you, congratulation yourself for noticing because that means you’re making progress because in the past you would have listened to that negative inner dialogue and not even have noticed it.
After a time you will be able to realise it’s about to start talking and you can shut it up before it gets chance, whenever I caught my inner critic about to give me a hard time, I’d reply “I’m only human and I’m doing my best – so shut up!”
Eventually, with a lot of practice, you won’t even give your inner critic change to think about saying anything! Instead you make a positive comment such as, “I enjoyed my overindulgence now I’m going to enjoy eating healthy for the rest of the week”, remember slip-ups are ok, mistakes are good because you can learn from them. Anyone who’s never made a mistake – never did anything!
When you listen to your inner dialogue and choose the more positive and realistic attitude you become a resilient person. Remember: Attitude is the key to resiliency.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
135lb lost yesterday, it never fails to make me smile when I add up the weight loss, I’m always so proud of everyone.
Well I was up at just after half four this morning and I’ve realised it’s not just because of Alfie that I’m waking, it’s because I’m waking full stop! At least I don’t feel tired and I’m making a conscious effort to get to bed a bit earlier because of it.
Yesterday I realised something you write in jest can be taken totally the opposite way! When people can’t hear you saying the words and see your face then they can read all sorts of things into it that weren’t meant. It’s reminded me to think before I type in future or better still write nothing at all! ;-!
Roast vegetables were the main theme in my meals yesterday, I had veggies in the fridge that were about to go off so I roasted them all, had them with a Jacket Sweet potato for lunch and some Philadelphia light then for tea I had a ham and roast veggie toastie which was surprisingly very nice.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Observe Your Attitude - Your attitude plays a huge role in your success. Are you determined and excited about moving ahead with your new goal, or are you resentful and easily demoralized? Are you eager to be on this new path of self-development, or do you see this as an overwhelming chore? The more you face the task with anticipation, expecting a good result, the more successful you will be.
Paying attention to what you think means that you’re practicing the art of self-observation. You can catch that inner voice as it speaks to you. What is it saying? Is it helpful or not? Learn to recognize your inner critical voice.
At first you may notice your inner critic talking after its happened, you are likely to hear it saying something like, “You did it again, your hopeless, why can’t you just say no!”
So whenever you hear that voice saying anything negative about you, congratulation yourself for noticing because that means you’re making progress because in the past you would have listened to that negative inner dialogue and not even have noticed it.
After a time you will be able to realise it’s about to start talking and you can shut it up before it gets chance, whenever I caught my inner critic about to give me a hard time, I’d reply “I’m only human and I’m doing my best – so shut up!”
Eventually, with a lot of practice, you won’t even give your inner critic change to think about saying anything! Instead you make a positive comment such as, “I enjoyed my overindulgence now I’m going to enjoy eating healthy for the rest of the week”, remember slip-ups are ok, mistakes are good because you can learn from them. Anyone who’s never made a mistake – never did anything!
When you listen to your inner dialogue and choose the more positive and realistic attitude you become a resilient person. Remember: Attitude is the key to resiliency.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Day 2 - Tracking
Well I made it through day one and ended on 18pts after my red wine. So here's to a successful day two also! I must say the bran flakes didn't seem to keep me satisfied very long, my stomach was soon rumbling or was that because of the lack of water I've been drinking, not sure!
Breakfast
1 poached egg, 1 slice wholemeal bread, 1/3rd tin plum tomatoes = (3)
Snack
2 slices boiled ham (1)
Lunch
Sweet potato (4), philidelphia light (1) roast vegetables (0)
Tea
Ham & roast vegetables toastie (5)
Potato Bakes (1)
Wine (4)
total = 19pts
Also earnt 3.5pts on my pedometer which is always a bonus! I've been tired today, don't think its the food, I think its a combination of things, getting up at 4.30am doesn't help of course. What I have noticed is I'm not thinking about food apart from when its time for a meal and that's always a good thing, it's difficult not to think about diet and food constantly when it's what you do for a living!
Breakfast
1 poached egg, 1 slice wholemeal bread, 1/3rd tin plum tomatoes = (3)
Snack
2 slices boiled ham (1)
Lunch
Sweet potato (4), philidelphia light (1) roast vegetables (0)
Tea
Ham & roast vegetables toastie (5)
Potato Bakes (1)
Wine (4)
total = 19pts
Also earnt 3.5pts on my pedometer which is always a bonus! I've been tired today, don't think its the food, I think its a combination of things, getting up at 4.30am doesn't help of course. What I have noticed is I'm not thinking about food apart from when its time for a meal and that's always a good thing, it's difficult not to think about diet and food constantly when it's what you do for a living!
Alfie Doodle Longsden
Isn't he just beautiful! Yesterday he worked out what his tinkle is really for as he introduced it to his toy duck!!! He's almost 6 months old now and has doubled in size since we had him. I can't believe how quickly he's grown. Can't wait for him to get to a year old so we can go for longer walks together.
July 7th facebook email
In a full heart there is room for everything, and in an empty heart there is room for nothing. Antonio Porchia
5am ;) and I’ve already walked round the block with Alfie, but at least I got 6½ hours sleep and I feel much more awake than yesterday. I’m very aware of the fact I’m not drinking enough water, so will make a conscious effort to rectify that today. Stuck to my 18 points yesterday and earnt 3½pts on my pedometer, tracking it on my blog helps me stay focused too, so I will continue to do that from now on.
Yesterday was another good weight loss day in my meetings with 215lb being lost and my second gold member of the week – yay how cool is that, everybody’s getting focused. If you’re reading this and haven’t been to your meeting for a while maybe it’s time to get back, remember nothing worth having comes easy!
Food find of the day; Co-op chicken crown in gravy from the cooler on offer at the moment 2 for £7, microwaves in 10 minutes, only 3pts for ½ packet, or 6½pts for the whole thing. It’s very nice and perfect if you want a Sunday dinner kind of meal without the hassle.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Visualize Your Perfect Day - Every Day. When you first awake, take two minutes to visualize what life would be like for you if you were already embracing your new habit. See yourself moving through your daily activities as that person - strong, powerful, and in control.
WHY! Because did you know that your brain cannot honestly differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary! Your mind operates in pictures and once its sees a clear picture, your subconscious accepts it as fact.
Don’t believe me? Think about the last time you had a nightmare and woke up, your heart was pounding, you may even have been crying. At that time your mind didn’t realise that it wasn’t real, your mind did what it knows to do which is take mental images as fact and respond accordingly to the visual images in your head.
You can use visualisation at any time but last thing at night and first thing in the morning is good. Before you go to sleep, spend a few minutes to visualise yourself at goal, what you look like, what you’ll be wearing, how you’re talking and acting around other people. Let your imagination soar, let you mind fully believe that you are capable of experiencing what you saw and use your emotions to help motivate you to towards creating it. By visualizing what you will look like, feel like and behave like when you’ve achieved your goal, your sowing the seed of thought in your mind and motivating yourself to move towards that goal.”
Again in the morning before you get out of bed visualise your day ahead, create vivid images in your mind of how you will cope with different scenarios that might crop up throughout your day.
How many of you do this already, the only problem is your probably creating mental pictures of the worst possible outcome. What’s likely to happen when Friday arrives and you’re off work at the weekend! So this Friday take a moment to visualise you staying on track, making wise food choices, maybe getting a little active.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
5am ;) and I’ve already walked round the block with Alfie, but at least I got 6½ hours sleep and I feel much more awake than yesterday. I’m very aware of the fact I’m not drinking enough water, so will make a conscious effort to rectify that today. Stuck to my 18 points yesterday and earnt 3½pts on my pedometer, tracking it on my blog helps me stay focused too, so I will continue to do that from now on.
Yesterday was another good weight loss day in my meetings with 215lb being lost and my second gold member of the week – yay how cool is that, everybody’s getting focused. If you’re reading this and haven’t been to your meeting for a while maybe it’s time to get back, remember nothing worth having comes easy!
Food find of the day; Co-op chicken crown in gravy from the cooler on offer at the moment 2 for £7, microwaves in 10 minutes, only 3pts for ½ packet, or 6½pts for the whole thing. It’s very nice and perfect if you want a Sunday dinner kind of meal without the hassle.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Visualize Your Perfect Day - Every Day. When you first awake, take two minutes to visualize what life would be like for you if you were already embracing your new habit. See yourself moving through your daily activities as that person - strong, powerful, and in control.
WHY! Because did you know that your brain cannot honestly differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary! Your mind operates in pictures and once its sees a clear picture, your subconscious accepts it as fact.
Don’t believe me? Think about the last time you had a nightmare and woke up, your heart was pounding, you may even have been crying. At that time your mind didn’t realise that it wasn’t real, your mind did what it knows to do which is take mental images as fact and respond accordingly to the visual images in your head.
You can use visualisation at any time but last thing at night and first thing in the morning is good. Before you go to sleep, spend a few minutes to visualise yourself at goal, what you look like, what you’ll be wearing, how you’re talking and acting around other people. Let your imagination soar, let you mind fully believe that you are capable of experiencing what you saw and use your emotions to help motivate you to towards creating it. By visualizing what you will look like, feel like and behave like when you’ve achieved your goal, your sowing the seed of thought in your mind and motivating yourself to move towards that goal.”
Again in the morning before you get out of bed visualise your day ahead, create vivid images in your mind of how you will cope with different scenarios that might crop up throughout your day.
How many of you do this already, the only problem is your probably creating mental pictures of the worst possible outcome. What’s likely to happen when Friday arrives and you’re off work at the weekend! So this Friday take a moment to visualise you staying on track, making wise food choices, maybe getting a little active.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Day 1 - Tracking
Well I've worked out that if I don't keep a close eye on what I eat then I eat too much because I do it unconsciously. I want to get back to my goal for the beginning of September so I look and feel healthier, therefore I'm going to track everything I eat and use my blog as my journal. As I know others may read it, it might encourage me to stay to plan!
So I'm going to work on 20pts a day which is 18pt after my milk allowance of a pint of skimmed. Here goes!
Breakfast
45g branflakes 2ptsBreakfast isn't such an issue for me, I have to have something so I have the energy to get my work done but I'm not too fussed what it is, as long as its quick and convenient.
I've noticed that some weeks I have more energy than others, this week seems to be a tired week, so lets see if eating well helps that situation. It will be an effort to cook because when I feel like this it always is, but I shall make myself make that effort!
If my members can do it, then I should too!
Lunch (Main meal)
chicken, smash, vegetables and gravy - 7pts
Quick microwave stuff but edible, I was ravenous, or at least I felt I was so I just wanted something really filling, really quickly and it did the trick. I had it early 12ish and won't get my evening meal till nearly 9pm so I'll try and eat something light later.
I've just ordered my new iphone 4 on an 18 month contract, worked out it'd cost me £1.69 a day for 18 months including my calls etc so worth it, I spend that on wine! And if I manage to get £150 for my old phone then its only gonna work out at £1.42, does that make me a saddo cos I worked that out ;-) Just backing my phone up now to make sure its all done for when my phone arrives, must make sure I store all my numbers that are important just in case!
I could do with an extra few hours in my day or extra days in my week to do all the things I'd like to get done!
It's moms birthday today and Ian (my brother) popped round earlier, it's his birthday too, my other brother Terry and his wife have just called us from their home in Corfu, it's always lovely to catch up with them. My mom does make me smile, I can hear her moaning to herself downstairs she's lost her glasses and every other word is a swearword! Since she turned 70 (she's 72 now) she's had a rewind button installed, she'll tell you something then 20 minutes later press her rewind button and tell you the same thing again, it's quite funny but also quite useful as I have an awful habit of either not listening or not remembering so this way I get to hear it again as a reminder.
I'm messing about this afternoon, can't get my mojo going, so I've been using the new Picasa 3 software I downloaded to use with this blog to sort my photos, its fantastic has face recognition and is sorting all my images. Some wonderful memories in those folders and some freaky haircuts!
Tea
Weight Watcher Meal - Chicken Tikka Masala - 5.5pts
I've decided before going to work what I'm going to have for my tea so that I don't have to think about it, so that's a total of 14.5pts in food. which leaves me 3.5pts for red wine should I feel the urge ;) which is an almost definite!
I will confirm tomorrow if I managed to stick to that plan!
Lunch (Main meal)
chicken, smash, vegetables and gravy - 7pts
Quick microwave stuff but edible, I was ravenous, or at least I felt I was so I just wanted something really filling, really quickly and it did the trick. I had it early 12ish and won't get my evening meal till nearly 9pm so I'll try and eat something light later.
I've just ordered my new iphone 4 on an 18 month contract, worked out it'd cost me £1.69 a day for 18 months including my calls etc so worth it, I spend that on wine! And if I manage to get £150 for my old phone then its only gonna work out at £1.42, does that make me a saddo cos I worked that out ;-) Just backing my phone up now to make sure its all done for when my phone arrives, must make sure I store all my numbers that are important just in case!
I could do with an extra few hours in my day or extra days in my week to do all the things I'd like to get done!
It's moms birthday today and Ian (my brother) popped round earlier, it's his birthday too, my other brother Terry and his wife have just called us from their home in Corfu, it's always lovely to catch up with them. My mom does make me smile, I can hear her moaning to herself downstairs she's lost her glasses and every other word is a swearword! Since she turned 70 (she's 72 now) she's had a rewind button installed, she'll tell you something then 20 minutes later press her rewind button and tell you the same thing again, it's quite funny but also quite useful as I have an awful habit of either not listening or not remembering so this way I get to hear it again as a reminder.
I'm messing about this afternoon, can't get my mojo going, so I've been using the new Picasa 3 software I downloaded to use with this blog to sort my photos, its fantastic has face recognition and is sorting all my images. Some wonderful memories in those folders and some freaky haircuts!
Tea
Weight Watcher Meal - Chicken Tikka Masala - 5.5pts
I've decided before going to work what I'm going to have for my tea so that I don't have to think about it, so that's a total of 14.5pts in food. which leaves me 3.5pts for red wine should I feel the urge ;) which is an almost definite!
I will confirm tomorrow if I managed to stick to that plan!
6th July 2010 facebook email
Joy is the best makeup. Anne Lamott
Boo I gained 2lb yesterday, I really didn’t expect that! I’m hoping it was just a blip and will be gone by next week, but it has made me realise I need to journal everything not just the good bits, so tracker is open and on my desk and so begins another week ;-) As I said to someone yesterday, life is good and weight gain is just a side effect! We can and will rectify it.
It’s moms birthday today, she’s 72 – I really hope I’m like her when I that age, complete with the rewind button and all! For those who don’t know what the rewind button is, its when she tells me something then presses her rewind button and tells me it all over again five minutes later. Actually I think that buttons on permanent pressed in sometimes ;-) and she’s bought the other old ladies in the street one too!
Yesterday was a good weight loss day, over 100lb lost in my meetings, most people have their holidays on the horizon so want to lose an extra few pounds so they can enjoy it.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Seek the Right Kind of Support - The help and encouragement of a buddy, mentor, or professional can go a long way—as long as they believe in you and your goal 100 percent. Choose friends and mentors who will never tear you down but always cheer you on.
Your meeting is the ideal place to find people to team up with. The better you get to know your Leader and meeting members, the more you’ll all feel like a team.
Support is vital when you are losing weight. The trouble is, sometimes those you want support from, turn out to be more interested in stopping your success on the scales. Sometimes it unintentional sabotage but it can still stop you losing weight if you don’t deal with it.
When you make positive changes like eating more healthily and moving more, your family and friends can react negatively, this isn’t necessarily because they are deliberately being mean to you, it can be because they have their own issues, so it’s important to understand why they are doing it. Then you can work out how to deal with the problem.
Some reasons that your other half may not want to see you lose weight could be that;
- They may feel uncomfortable with your growing confidence
- They could be jealous of you
- They may fear that they will lose the ‘old’ you
- They miss sharing things with you from the ‘old’ lifestyle
- They may be resentful of the time you spend at Weight Watchers meetings or following the plan online, down the gym or out walking
- They may feel inadequate if they have failed at weight loss themselves
- They may not fully understand your reasons for wanting to lose weight.
- They may associate giving you food with nurture or love
Experiencing these negative feelings, can cause them to behave in ways that sabotage your best efforts. They might make fun of your weight loss attempts, urge you to eat high pointed foods, criticise your plans, make unhelpful comments about what you’re eating or say general statements that leave you feeling deflated.
Now that you can see who your saboteurs are and why they do it, you can get yourself prepared to deal with them. Remember it’s your body, your health and your weight loss goal so give yourself plenty of positive self-talk and recognition for your successes so far. Think about the things you can say when faced with such a situation, practice saying them. If you’re offered a second helping or a pudding you could say “It was delicious but I’m full to the brim, thanks.”
Talk to your partner about why you want to lose weight and how they can support you, a lot of partners start to think all sorts of things when you begin to lose weight and regain your confidence. Be specific, tell them how to help, non-edible gifts, snacking where you can’t see them, attempting to cook a WW recipe together instead of the Friday takeaway. If you’ve never read “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” you should, or “Why men lie and women cry” both books are great for explaining our differences and the later book does it in a very witty way.
It’s also important to get partners to tell you exactly how they feel about weight loss and the changes that are happening. Ask them if they’d like to join you at a Weight Watchers meeting even if they just come once as a guest to see what it entails. They could sign up to your gym or accompany you on your daily walk. Get them involved and they may start to enjoy a new lease of life too.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Monday, 5 July 2010
5th July facebook email
Whoever acts with respect will get respect. Mevlana Rumi
Well Alfie woke me up at 3.30am! But I managed to go back to sleep once he’d been up the garden, so got another 2 hours which I’m very glad off as I feel a bit tired this morning, obviously an early night and 8 hours doesn’t suit me!
So another week begins, we are already half way through the year, I seriously can’t believe how quickly this year is going. The weekends just fly by, I had a lovely day yesterday at Shugborough hall learning to use my SLR camera, which I’ve had for about 3 years and never found out what all the buttons do. But now I know I can play around and take even more photos and scrapbook even more of them ;) All keeps me busy.
I’m not feeling confident about my weigh in today, although I haven’t been really bad, I haven’t been really good either! Yesterday lunch was provided and it was quite huge and was rounded off with a scone and clotted cream – not the best timing for being weighed today. Hey ho, there’s always next week, neither the scales nor me are going anywhere and I’ve really enjoyed cooking again this week, so at least I’m getting healthier and enjoying what I’m eating.
Here’s today’s habit changing tip;
Observe Your Attitude - Your attitude plays a huge role in your success. Are you determined and excited about moving ahead with your new goal, or are you resentful and easily demoralized? Are you eager to be on this new path of self-development, or do you see this as an overwhelming chore? The more you face the task with anticipation, expecting a good result, the more successful you will be.
Try thinking differently! If you’re saying that you want to lose weight, what you are really saying is that you want to be healthier. Becoming healthier begins in the mind. If you say to yourself, “I am changing myself into a healthier person each and every day with my choices,” you are telling your subconscious mind that you are choosing healthier foods and taking action to improve your health.
Thinking in a different way is a great way to help you lose weight. We become our thoughts; they control who we are and what we do. If we continuously think about how much we love and appreciate our bodies, we will begin to make the choices that reflect these thoughts. Our choices will begin create a new reality for us. We will no longer be the person who enjoys eating foods that are unhealthy and lacking in nutrition; we will become the person who wants to make wiser food choices to give our body the nutrition and energy it needs to make us feel good. Once our desires change, losing weight will not feel like a continuous uphill battle but a wonderful weight loss journey.
Remember Life Starts NOW!
Are you living yet :-)
Sunday, 4 July 2010
More Scrapbook pages
Spent a couple of hours scrapbooking yesterday, it really passes the time.
To see more check out my album - www.daisytrail.com/scrapbook.html?uid=22766
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