Wagon Jumpers - September 28 - October 4th, 2008 (Closed - Waiting List Available)
Welcome
(We are currently at 31 members. If you are interested in being the first name on the waiting list please read below and e-mail me)
Welcome to the Wagon Jumpers weekly thread. We are a group of CC members who have identified that one of our main challenges with achieving our weight loss, maintenance or general health goals is consistency.
This thread is designed to encourage long term commitment to our goals by publicly declaring them and asking the other members of this thread to hold us accountable.
Each member on this thread (listed below) has agreed to check into the thread at least once per week. If any member does not check in by the end of the week, we ask all members to politely and positively PM that member and encourage them to make a post and stay on track (or get back on track).
If you would like to be a member of this thread please see the guidelines below and send me a PM if you are still interested (there may be a waiting list).
Why is the participation capped?
The original idea of Wagon Jumpers was to create a close community where participants could get to know each other and hopefully form virtual-life and perhaps even physical-life bonds to create a support network as they attempted long term weight loss.
Over the first few weeks we experimented with an "open to all" concept and found that the thread became too long and confusing and as a result no one got to know each other and it became too much work for many members.
With a mid sized group (30) I am hoping to maintain the community and supportive goals of the original thread, and have enough people that if we are not all daily posters (as the only requirement is a weekly post) that the thread is still motivational and has new content day to day.
Interested in Joining?
General Guidelines for Joining
1. Are you a wagon jumper?
Do you know how to loose weight, you often have success but then you find yourself loosing interest in your plan, or sabotaging your plan. It's not the "how" to loose weight that is the problem, it's the "how" to stay motivated.
2. Do you have a long way to go?
This group is designed so that members can get to know each other and support each other. Ideally you are planning to be a CC member and part of this forum for at least 6 months or more to achieve your goals and hopefully stay in motivation for a further 6 months or more.
Yes. This is, a long term plan.
Still interested? Send Supersized a PM.
Wagon Jumpers Participants
Week 21 Riders:
Supersized (myself)
Week 20 Riders - Congratulations on 5 Months!:
Defrog3 - Injured, may not post - Check in Oct 5, 08
Week 18 Riders:
Week 17 Riders:
Week 15 Riders:
Week 14 Riders:
Week 13 Riders:
Week 11 Riders:
Week 9 Riders:
Week 6 Riders:
Week 5 Riders:
Week 4 Riders - Congratulations on 1 Month!:
Week 3 Riders:
Week 2 Riders:
Week 1 Riders:
New:
Missing In Action:
Missing In Action - 1 Week:
Missing In Action - 2 Weeks:
Current Membership: 31
Current Waiting List: 0
Outstanding Wait List Invites: 0
12 WEEK CONSISTENCY GOALS
(as set w/o July 27th, 2008)
By October 19th, I will be...
2/3 of the way through phase II of my plan. That is have 4 weeks left until I can say that I have been eating at 1500 cal & exercising 4x/week at 2hrs/day for 12 consecutive weeks.
Drinking 100oz fluid daily, at least 3 trips a week to the gym and 2 trips will include strength training!
Running 3 times a week consistently. I will also be drinking 4 500ml bottles of water every day in 12 weeks.
Or be on course to meet each of my monthly biking goals (August 240 miles, September 350 miles, and October 280 miles), and I will have done the 60 mile course of the NYC MS Bike Tour on 10/5/08, despite the nasty 2 mile hill that's right in the middle of the course!
Going to the gym for 1 1/2 hours 5x per week. Cardio for 45 min and strength training for 45 min.
I plan to have made going to the gym 3 times a week a habit.
I will be working out 3 evenings a week.
Working out 5 days a week.
Journaling my food intake daily and drinking a quart of water a day.
I will update my logs accurately and consistently, and exercise regularly; cardio 3x/week and strength training 3x/week
Working out 5x week. These exercise will include biking, running, dance lessons, weights, etc. I will be eating 24 grams of fiber consistent 1500-2000.
Previous Threads:
Wagon Jumpers - September 21 - 27th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 14-20th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers September 7-13th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 31 - September 6th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 24 - 30th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 17 - 23rd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 10 - 16th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers August 2 - 9th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 27 - August 2nd, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 20 - 26th, 2008
Wagon Jumpers July 6 - July 21st, 2008 (another, two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 22 - July 5th, 2008 (two week special!)
Wagon Jumpers June 15-21, 2008
Wagon Jumpers May 25 - 31, 2008
Wagon Jumpers May 18 - 24, 2008
Wagon Jumpers Week 1 (May 4 - 10)
Wagon Jumpers - Anyone Need a Lift? (initial thread)
As always all members are encouraged to tag this thread so that it is easy to find.
This Week's Topic:
The Language Of Health
We all do it, we want long term change, but we say diet. We fall off the wagon and say can't, or tomorrow, or beginning next week.
Positively or negatively, how does the language you use around your health and fitness goals affect how you think about your goals and their achievability?
Weekly Check-in
I did it! I completed week 2 of my 12 week phase 2. I should be feeling happier, but I am exhausted today. The election is kicking my butt. I was going to try to make it to the gym today, but I think I am going to allow my body the rest it needs and be proud of myself for making it to the gym on Monday.
I'm not doing great on my life-balance goals, but that has more to do with the election than with my health goals, the good news is that I am keeping my health and fitness goals going during the election.
This Week's Topic
I truly believe that language is a powerful tool. We don't always think about what we are saying, but whenever we say, or write something it has specific references in our mind. These references may not be the same for everyone, but there are cultural trends.
Diet, I'm still guilty of using this one. I do notice that I use it less. When I began this round (I've lost track of how many times I've tried to 'diet') I was using the word "diet" all the time. I noticed that I would get one of two reactions.
The first was that people would sort of acknowledge it, and then change the topic. No one wanted to talk about a diet. I figure this was either because they were a bit self-conscious themselves, or because they didn't want to point out that I may have said the same thing a number of times and no results were visible.
The second reaction I would get would be all the 'quick fix' advice I could handle:
"My Mother went on this diet where all she ate was cabbage for 2 weeks, and she lost XX Lbs!",
"My friend tried these pills, they're a bit hard to get here, but she lost her baby weight in like 3 weeks!",
"My sister swears by detox, she says it's the best thing she's ever done, now she's addicted to enemas and running marathons!"
I don't remember which "diet" conversation it was, but I realized that if the word 'diet' made people run, or give clearly harmful advice I was doing something wrong.
I also noticed that I used the word 'diet' like a confession. I didn't want to tell work mates and table mates at dinner that the reason I wasn't having dessert was that "I'm on a diet".... geeze how trite does that sound.
When I switched to language that sounds more like "I'm trying to be more conscious about what I eat" or "I'm trying to reach some new fitness goals so that I can join a rowing club in the spring". I've found a few things changed.
No one changes the subject anymore. Also, no one talks to me about pills, shakes or enemas (thank gawd for the last). I also don't say it like a confession anymore. I'll let whoever know why I'm taking my time with the menu, and they will often help me out. They'll tell me their own story, talk about their passion for organic or locally grown food. How they are also trying to learn more about their foods and their opinions on GMO's and GE's.
I'll also get to share fitness stories, it's amazing how many people are training for half and full marathons or recently joined some sort of sports league.
By changing my language I've opened up a positive door to have great discussions with people about a positive change in my life and in theirs.
Weekly Check-in:
Yikes. Last week was a terrible week. Last night I completely binged--my first time since becoming health-conscious in the beginning of July. I felt so awful afterwards, but at the same time I kept telling myself I just need to move on and learn from it. I learned that the taste of the food in the moment cannot even compare to how awful I feel afterwards and therefore it is not worth it at all. I felt so depressed afterwards and I just wanted to kill myself, although I know that's not an option. Other than yesterday, food-wise, I did ok last week. But I did not do any strength training this week (I used not getting enough sleep as an excuse for not exercising, which is not acceptable!). I technically consider my job my cardio-fix because it involves me walking around and being on my feet for a few hours. But I think I'm being a little too lenient there, and I need to make a conscious effort to get some 'real cardio' in my schedule. This week I am going to focus really hard on meeting my cardio and strength training goals (3x30 min for cardio and 3x1 hour for strength training).
This Week's Topic:
I agree with you, Supersized, about language being a powerful tool. In the past, whenever I told myself I was going to go on a diet, I was only motivated by the fact that it would only last a short time and then it would be over. Obviously that wasn't the right mindset. Also, when I was on a diet, I was extremely self-conscious about it and refused to tell anyone because I didn't want to be questioned by anyone--I thought I might let other people's opinions get in the way of my goals. Keeping it a secret was always really hard, and I always failed in the end.
Now that I am 'health-conscious' and I am watching what I eat, I feel less self-conscious. Plus, my goals are more broad now (live a healthier lifestyle, get in better shape, etc.) and they are nothing to be ashamed of. Having broader goals like this rather than restricting certain foods makes them much more achievable and gives me something to always be working toward--it's not something I can achieve in 2 weeks. Also having broader goals allows me to have control over their specifics, and I can tweak them whenever I find necessary--make them more or less challenging depending on how I'm doing.
I agree once again that changing the language has had a positive effect--goals seem more achievable and therefore I have more motivation to get there. And I know that there is no time limit (like I always gave my diets to achieve a certain weight), so it is easier to realize that I am only hurting myself when I slip up by making my ultimate goals further out of reach. By changing the language of my goals, I also feel much more in control, rather than a diet being in control of me.
To begin ' Hello everyone'. I am Amber a 25 yr old hairstylist. I have restarted my weight loss journey to a healthier me again. I have now lost 15 pounds in the last 2 months.
Topic of the week
I completly agree on breaking the language barrier we are giving ourselves with such things as ' No thank you I am on a diet'. I think that we all have made this decision to be the best to ourselves that we can be. We need to say no thank and be proud of the changes we are making in our life. I know for me it has taken me 2 yrs to come to terms with this. That is how long I have been at this.....Up and down my weight goes just like a see saw, but 2 months ago I made a stand and I think we can all do this without those barriers and restrictions.
Hi everyone,
I am also new here but not to the weight loss effort. About 6 years ago I had lost a lot of weight but managed to put it back on and a few more of it's friends
.
I started CC at the end of March and have lost about 40 lbs to date. That being said I need to loose at least another 50 and then reassess how I feel. I am taking the approach that this is a lifestyle change and not a diet. This is working so far I really can't say I have felt that deprived.
The language issue regarding dieting is very interesting. I think it does makes other people feel differently about you. "Oh poor (fill in name), she is missing out on (whatever treat is present.) Diet is a negative. I like the "lifestyle change" saying better. It sounds positive and that you are taking control of yourself.
Jen
My check in:
I started the New rules of lifting for women last week. I've been focusing on eating more - anywhere between 1600-2,000 calories daily. The hard part is making sure i get a 40-30-30 average, but so far i am doing really well with it.
I weighed today and am down 1.5 lbs! Yay. I went shopping this afternoon and grabbed a size 10 and a size 8 denim skirt to try on for fun. I couldn't believe it, but i fit into the size 8!!!! So you can imagine me doing my happy dance in the dressing room!
I am in such better spirits since starting this program, i'm very happy that i chose to try it out.
This Week's Topic:
I was always using the term diet (until last week!). I found myself talking about something at the office and i said "now i'm eating more!" and one of the ladies said "well thats not good!" but the thing is, it is! The book has completely changed the way i think about what i was doing before - yes it worked for me to get 20 lbs off. but i wasn't getting the definition in my muscles and i just couldnt get my body fat to budge. Now i can understand why, and i also wonder why on earth was i only eating 1300 calories? There's no way i could sustain that any longer - especially with as hard as i was working in the gym.
Since starting "new rules" I've found myself calling it my new "plan." I feel happier. I can see myself actually following through with this. I'm excited to get buff!
Hi everyone,
I'm new here but I hope to become a useful member of this group. I love the fact that all of you are talking so much about things- I think its very important to talk in order to successfully and healthily get to your goal body.
Which leads to the topic for the week- I cannot agree more @ the word DIET. Also I dont like to say "I'd like to lose x lbs" to people anymore.. that too seems to give off the wrong signals. People seem to either think I need reassurance "Oh- you look fine/healthy/wellproportioned" or worse indulge in self-pity "Look at me!!" (I hate the "look at me!". Each person is different and likes their body differently- but thats a different topic altogether. In an ideal world- we should not compare the sizes of our thighs etc.) Even for my personal motivation - fixing a number, while it is helpful to assess my goals, makes me fixate on the goal rather than enjoying the journey. Its definitely more positive to just say you are trying to live a healthier lifestyle - that you will hopefully continue even after reaching your goal weight/body.
Anyway, I have been working on the last '10 lbs' for about 1 year now - I go down and then back up. At 135, I am currently at 15 to 20 lbs more than I need on my small 5'2" frame. I'd love to go from chubby to lean (skinny is also on my list of words that need rethinking) and stay that way!! And I hope the way there will be a lot of fun!!
Alright, thanks for forming this group.. Ill be around..
No one changes the subject anymore. Also, no one talks to me about pills, shakes or enemas (thank gawd for the last). I also don't say it like a confession anymore.
Super, very well said!
I try not to say, "diet," because for me it is a 4-letter word (almost as bad as eating butter cream cake icing--I gain weight just by saying it! So I've been using the more "healthful" language, too. I feel healthier when I make healthier choices, and when I verbalize them, it just strengthens my intention to choose healthy.
Although, I wish my healthy choices would turn into weight loss more quickly. I've been bouncing around the same weight and size since the end of July. I'm ready to make a move already!! Admittedly, these past 2 weeks since the bike accident have been hard (I didn't work out the first week after my accident, and last week I took it nice and easy and SLOW; my peroneal nerve still hurts, though!), but *sigh* I'm getting into that dangerous plateau area where I tend to get frustrated and just throw in the towel. I WILL NOT DO IT THIS TIME!!
So even though I've been less than diligent of my eating and exercise habits in the past 2 weeks, I'm getting back on the wagon. In fact, today was a good day calorie wise, so I'm psyched about that!
Hi, everyone. I'm sorry I didn't log in last week. I have been conscious of my eating, but I haven't worked out in at least a week (ouch) because of a particularly nasty allergy season and adjusting to my new temp job (yay). My wedding is officially less than a year away as of Friday last week, and I need to be consistent if I'm going to reach my goals.
As for the topic this week:
I try to avoid "diet" as much as possible since its definition has unfortunately become 'something you do for about two weeks in an effort to lose weight that makes you feel terrible.' However, I've found "lifestyle change" is just as scary to people, though I'm not sure why.
"I'm watching what I'm eating" and "I'm trying to be more active" do seem to be the best phrases for broaching the topic, it doesn't put people off or weird them out.
I definitely agree with everyone elses' posts... i don't even use the word "diet" anymore. Its not a short term fix, its a lifetime change in the way I think about and view food and exercise. I'm just one of those people who have to think more about it and decide do I "reallY' want to eat this? While there are others who can eat anything and not exercise and not gain a lb..... we're all different and its going to be a different experience for us all.
Sorry about the recipes link not working last week..... I'll post some recipes in my posts. This week is Roasted Chix & Cannellini Bean Salad...which is what I have for lunch today. Cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, are smaller than Great Northern beans and add just the right texture. The fat may seem high, but you're getting great legumes and extra virgin olive oil.... I take this salad and put it over a LARGE bed of mixed greens.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)
Salad:
- 2 cups coarsely chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/3 cup sliced fresh basil
- 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
To prepare salad, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently to combine.
To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad, tossing gently to coat.
Calories: 369 (25% from fat)Fat: 10.1g (sat 2g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.7g) Protein: 29.2gCarbohydrate: 41.5gFiber: 9.6gCholesterol: 45mgIron: 4mgSodium: 342mgCalcium: 117mg
I made this last night and portioned it into 5 ziploc bags so I can "grab & go"... I think this would be fabulous on a piece of whole wheat Baguette too!
Hey, sorry for being MIA last week. It's been crazy and we just got hit with Kyle so lots going on. I will post more after I read through all the threads. Not doing great with my goals but I think I have identified the issue and I will work to correct it.
Raven
Sarah Good job on forgiving yourself for your binge. I think accepting that we will "slip up" is part of healthy living choices. In fact, I think we should "slip up" every so often. Indulgence is part of life, and I think it's healthy when we recognize and indulgence as... and indulgence. There's nothing wrong with saying "I had too much food today, or I made poor food choices". All you are doing is reinforcing for yourself that there are healthy and unhealthy choices. Not thinking there is "diet food" and "cheating food". If the recognition of an unhealthy food choice is followed up with "I don't feel well when I make unhealthy choices" then you will be less likely to indulge in them, or at least to allow yourself them only in moderation.
Personally I figure there is no way I'm giving up my Cherry Nirvana (soy) ice cream. It's the tastiest stuff on earth. But, it's okay for me to have 1/2 a cup on Sunday evening, and save the rest for another time, no need to have the whole pint.
Amber Welcome to the Group! Don't worry about taking 2 years to come to terms with choosing healthy living. It's taken me at least 4 years, and it's not a race and it's never too late. I think that's one of the best things that I like about this group. We tend to draw people who have been there done that and are now seriously committed to their goals and are changing the way they are thinking about their goals and in turn fostering that change within this group.
Jen Welcome to the Group! Feel free to ask any questions you need to about CC navigation, I think many of us are old hacks at the CC platform. Great job on the weight loss to date! I think the goal always is for this to be manageable, to fit into your life and to not feel deprived. I figure as soon as I feel deprived I feel like it is a chore. Then I don't do it. I agree that diet language has bread a culture of depravation and sympathy. Diets are "hard" you are "going without" whereas eating healthy and being health conscious denotes a choice on if to have the treat, and it's not a zero sum choice, you can choose if, and if so, how much to have. That is personal choice, and it teaches moderation and what works for you.
MsMeg Congratulations on the Size 8! It's interesting that you mention eating more. I'm eating less right now because I still feel I'm in a 'fat burning' stage where I can still have significant gains from calorie reduction and basic physical activity. However, I know that I as I get closer to my goals then I need to get more efficient fat burning tools, simply being active won't do it. Everything I'm reading right now suggests that muscle building is critical. It burns fat and tones the body. One of my goals is that I want to be able to wear a fitted skirt or pants, or belt without my tummy puckering or flopping over (even a bit). I know if I want that what I need is muscle to support the tone in my frame. Everything about muscle seems to be eat more to give those muscles fuel otherwise when I do my cardio I'll burn muscle not fat, and I need that muscle for fitness and image goals.
Carabo Welcome to the group! I also agree with getting away from "I want to loose _____ or I want to be a size ____-" Although I think we're all guilty of saying it sometimes I realize that what I want is to look in the mirror and see the strong, intelligent and put together woman that I know is in there. What I want, is to go into a clothing store and not to have to wonder if they carry sizes as large as mine and skulk to the back of each row to see. I don't know if I will feel that at 150 lbs, a size 8 or a size 6. But, I do know it's getting closer all the time. I like the word "lean" as well. I think of swimmers, divers, rowers (I like the water) and people who are powerful and fit when I think "lean", think of starvation, depravation and bad body images when I think "skinny".
Defrog Welcome Back! You are up and around quite fast, don't push yourself too far. You can get back on that wagon that you were pushed out of. You're allowed to get well, now it's time to take wellness to the next level. Did they every catch the driver who hit you?
The Vitamin Dominatrix I agree that "lifestyle change" can be a bit cliche. I use it as a mental image only. A reminder that I am changing how I live my life and the choices that I make. My 'outdoor' voice is about 'becoming food conscious', 'healthy eating', 'healthy living', 'achieving fitness goals'. I'm continuously surprised not only by how these phrases don't "weird people out" but actually engage them and encourage them to talk about their own journeys.
Susan I plugged your recipe into CC's Recipe Tool so that people can click on it here, tag it or just put it in their log if they try it:
Susan's Roasted Chix & Cannellini Bean Salad
It came out to slightly less calories (357) on here than from you, but I find every site is a bit different.
Raven Welcome back! How bad is it out there? My little brother is in Victoria, I can never get him on the phone anyways. What is the issue? Care to share? Please let us know your solution as well.
I made it to the gym this morning. I really didn't want to but I managed to get up and go, and made it early enough that I wasn't even a bit late for my morning conference calls.
The election is continuing to take up every bit of my spare time and more, I know I'm going to be very tired and worn out by the end. There is a lot of pressure for me to take my morning exercise out, but I am choosing not to as I think keeping the exercise in is what is giving me the energy to continue with the rest. I think I would simply be a walking zombie without it.
Can't vs. Choose Not To "Can't" is another word I've banished from my vocabulary as it relates to eating, exercising and actually a lot of other areas of my life. I used I Can't because ______ a lot.
I can't, I'm too busy
I can't, I'm too tired
I can't, I'm too sore
I can't, I have too much work to do
I can't, I'm sick
For the longest time I had it in my head that if I could not use the word Can't then I had to use the word Can and that would send me into a frantic tailspin. I just didn't think it was realistic to eat right and exercise when I was too busy, when I was too tired, sore, too much work or sick. Realistically I new that I could not be 100% all the time in my exercise and food goals. I needed Can't because I needed the power to say "no" sometimes.
Then I realized that if I need to say no sometimes that was a choice. I was choosing to recognize a hectic schedule that needed to be fixed, choosing to recognize that I had not rested, that I worked my muscles too hard the previous day, that I have deadline pressure or that I am sick.
I managed to ditch "Can't" and brought in "Choose Not To"...
I am choosing not to exercise today, because it does not fit in my schedule.
I am choosing not to exercise today, because I am exhausted.
I am choosing not to exercise today, because I am in too much pain.
I am choosing not to exercise today, because I have a deadline I need to meet.
I am choosing not to exercise today, because I am sick.
When I phrase it as a choice in my mind it becomes a positive action that I have control over. If I am continually choosing not to exercise for various reasons then I need to ask myself where my fitness goal fits into my priorities. If I think it needs to be higher then I need to make other choices.
What is in my life that is making my schedule too busy for exercise, what can I do to change that?
Why am I so tired, is it because I have not exercised in so long, or because I need to take more control of my life and my time commitments.
Why am I in pain, what did I overdo, how to I make sure that I do not do that again.
Do I have too many deadlines, where do work and health fit into my overall vision for my own life balance. Work is a choice as well. How important is my job, what do I expect for free time?
Am I sick often? If not, rest it's the best choice to have energy soon. If so, what can I do about that?
Making choices in our lives is not a zero-sum game. Choice is diversity, it is balance, it is power. "Can't" is giving away your power. Choose to take control.
Sara.
WEEKLY CHECK IN:
Definitely better than last, but I still ate a bit too much yesterday. Went to a chinese buffet with a friend. After a plate I was full but she said: "is that all you're going to have?" so I went for seconds (she also did as well).
I have two minigoals now: the first one still is not eating in front of a screen for a whole week (messed it up on saturday, watched a mad men episode while having dinner) and the second is making sure that during a whole month at least a third of my social activities are not food centered. This next saturday I'm planning to go jogging with a couple of friends, and we're so excited because it's nice to do something different aside from the usual starbucks meetup.
Positively or negatively, how does the language you use around your health and fitness goals affect how you think about your goals and their achievability?
I tell people that I'm just watching what I eat instead of saying: "Oh, I'm doing the ____ diet". I'm in media studies so most people I know are dieting so usually in hallways is common to hear the terms "cabbage diet", "green tea" "asterics diet" "britney diet" "fruitoftheday diet" and the "syrup diet". The last one was almost like an epidemic. For a few days people were eating only green vegetables and this crazy syrup, but after a week they started fainting!
It is really deppressing watching size 0 girls calling themselves cows. But since June I'm starting to sorround myself with nice people who are clever enough to distinguish between media and real life.
I like what carabo said about the pitfall of "fixating on the goal rather than enjoying the journey". It's rather similar to what I said to myself when I found this group, "slip into something comfortable". Meaning that its not something I am forcing myself to fit into a high expectations mold where there is a high probablility of losing myself in it.
Words to rethink... the word "diet" makes me think of one thing. SHORT TERM. And that, I believe, is what we are not trying to accomplish. So I do have a question, what word would we use to describe what we do? I know it's a lifestyle, but I need to replace that negatively connotated word, "diet"!
I can think of one word that I have been practicing some. I need to do this more, but the word is moderation. And this goes with not only regard toward food, but toward exercise (so I don't over do it), and alcohol, and staying up late, spending, working too much, etc. Because I work for myself, and because it's an online job, cutting my computer time is rough. SO you may see me posting more than most... LOL! I will try to temper that to "moderate"... LOL! But, the word "moderation", when I properly remind myself, actually works.
Weekly check- in:
Last week I did my one workout, and logged most of my foods. I was gone this weekend, and was writing it all down, but I lost the index card I was using! Oh well, at least I tried, and I did make a best effort at remembering it all, and got it in best as I could.. funny how having written it, gave me excellent recall!
This week, WEEK ONE of my first 12 week journey; Nutritionally (N): I will maintain an average of 2000 calories per day, and I will drink at least 48 oz of water per day. Exercisely<--(hehe new word!) (E): I will stretch and do my pilates video twice (45 min), and take one 45 minute walk if I am not too sore from the video. Mentally/Emotionally (M/E): I will log all my foods. Word of the week: Moderation; Action of the Week: Small bites
M/E is the most difficult for me, so I will post notes where I can be reminded of what I am supposed to be doing. And oh yeh, I need to measure. (My waistline that is... among other "things" LOL! Not looking forward to that one!)
Hope you all have a wonderful week, and I am so excited to get started! Thanks again Sara for all the great advice, and hope your schedule lightens up a little so you can have some reprieve!
~Julie
My water intake for the weekend rocked! I was able to exercise at home for an hour on Sat and Sun. Weekdays are better for me with the whole 12 week plan..I have to plan my meals for work, and exercise is always right after work...so I am in a routine there on the weekends it tends to be a free for all at my house where trying to relax and unwind certainly doesn't include exercising for me...have to sort of bully myself..
I do not use the word diet at all anymore..with all of it's negativity I do not need that in my life. when I first started on this journey I didn't really go out anywhere, as I had to sort of detox myself from greasy, fat-laden food. Now that I think I can get a handle on eating out, I usually don't mention my new lifestyle..but if it does come up I say I am trying to eat healthier.
Can't...I have to admit that has been my crutch...i need to rethink and retool my attitude to help me on this quest.
I am going to the gym again this afternoon, haven't been in a week because of the craziness that seems to hover around my house..looking forward to that eliptical machine again..and I can't believe that I have gotten to the point where I am looking forward to exercising.
Sarah...thanks for plugging in the recipe, I hadn't thought of doing it that way!
I think what strikes me most about reading all the posts here is I finally have found others who probably feel the way I do.... I can tell you everything about loosing weight, what works, what doesn't, why it does and doesn't, what exercise, etc..... its the putting it into practice that takes more discipline. I've often joked with my husband, I'd be a great weight loss coach because I know everything about it, I just have a hard time putting it into play...LOL
Hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday! Keep up the great work. Even if you think you've stumbled, realizing it instead of continuing the downward spiral IS success!
Ana Buffets are my downfall, it's hard because my partner loves them. He'd like to eat at Indian and Chinese buffets every day of the week if he could. Luckily I've turned him onto a bunch of good local food restaurants so I generally keep him away from them. I already loved the not eating in front of the screen goal I think that is such an important psychological break, I know I'm struggling with that myself. I also started getting at least one or two friends together as I can for tennis, or swimming, or anything that isn't eating or sitting on our butts. It's great to have someone to be accountable to, to do something physical and we all are actually getting a lot closer over it.
Julie I don't think you want to replace the word diet with another word. It's interesting how we use "diet".
I am on a diet
I think about this for a second. That sentence makes absolutely NO sense if you really think about the literal meaning of "diet". All diet means is a pattern of food consumption. We are all on a diet all of the time, otherwise we'd be dead. So if that sentence doesn't simply mean "I am consuming food on a regular basis", then we have to move away from the literal meaning of "diet" and think about the social and contextual meaning of "diet" which has come to mean a change in habitual eating patters usually by means of restricting amounts of food or limiting ones self to only certain foods.
As soon as we think of words like "limiting" "reducing" or "restricting" that creates the negative impact of feeling deprived and then we fail at the diet and the more people fail, the more diets become short term referenced where one is either consuming food on a regular basis in their habitual fashion or "on a diet".
So, instead of thinking what synonym you can use to replace "diet" think about what you are actually trying to do. When that resonates with you then try using that.
The key is to make it an action rather than a noun. A diet has become a noun. "I am on a diet" has roughly the same connotation as "I am on a plane".... a diet has ceased to be an action and started to be a thing that we consume.
So, what actions are we taking?
I am changing the way I eat.
I am trying to be more health conscious.
I am making healthy food choices.
I am increasing my fitness level.
Figure out what works for you. I also agree that moderation is a very important word not only for our health and fitness needs but for life as well (just look at what a lack of moderation has done to our financial markets).
Rpete I think weekends are the hardest time for most of us because of the lack of routine. It's interesting how we can fall into step with a plan but as soon as the routine shifts the plan can go out the window. I'm trying to think of weekends as practice for vacations, which is typically when I fall off the wagon in spectacular fashion. I allow myself a few more calories on the weekends and if I do fall off then it's not the end of the world as long as I'm right back to it the next day. This is the key for me not letting things move into a slide.
Susan I know exactly what you mean. I can't remember when, but I came to this realization that there was nothing new that anyone could tell me about how to loose weight and get in shape.
Every so often I'd be in a group of friends and the subject would come up. I'd listen and know who had never had to try to loose weight before, who bought into fad diets, and who had good practical advice (usually not the person everyone was listening to).
But, I would stay mostly quite, because while I figured I knew how to do it, I'd realize I was often the most overweight person in the group. So, although I knew what to do, I obviously had not put it into practice. Then I'd be scared that if I tried to be the expert on this someone would point that out, and I had no good answer for why I had not put it into practice other than it's a long term journey, it's hard, and I had not managed to be consistent.
I was sure that would be followed up by whomever was touting the latest miracle diet and the optics of the fat girl arguing that proper nutrition and exercise are the way to go while the skinny girl promotes the newest shake/pill/enema of the day were enough for me not to lend more credence to her cause.
I'm finally at a point where people are seeing a dramatic difference in my size. I now get asked how I'm doing it. Until I manage to loose everything I want to, get into the shape I want to be in and stay there for a year I'm not giving any details other than "I'm eating healthier and exercising" which is, true.
I made it to the gym again this morning despite being out late at the all-candidates debate. We have another debate tonight which I'm sure will make it extra hard to get up tomorrow, I have a 9pm conference call on Wednesday which will make Thursday morning a trial, but if I keep my eye on being able to sleep in on Friday morning the night after the national leaders debate is on TV then I hope to pull myself through.
I Want to Be ____ lbs, or a size ____
I'm trying to banish these statements from my health and fitness language. I still use them a lot. I'm trying to remember that I am a person not a size.
Beyond that I have no idea realistically what weight I will "feel" healthy at. I realize I could be 150 lbs with great muscle mass and feel great, or 135 lbs with little muscle mass and still look skinny-fat and sickly. I've got some healthy weight ranges in mind, but I've decided that focusing on a distinct number as a goal will not be an end goal.
I figure I can use size ranges and weight ranges as success indicators but not as an 'end point'. If I find myself trying to drop below a size 4, I want to make sure my partner and friends do try to stop me. I have a history or anorexia and I know that a number fixation can turn into a 'just one-more-pound' mentality.
I find it very vague and abstract to say I want to be fit. But I also find it helpful. I keep looking at pictures of our olympic athletes or women who I think look fit but not skinny. I'm starting to really like the way I can see my calf muscles when I exercise and my thighs are thinning out. There are huge differences in my stomach, I think I've lost a 6-month fat baby, but there's still much work to be done there.
This is a tough one for me as I know that looking in the mirror and picking on flaws also has the potential to turn into a negative path, but for me I think I need to banish the numbers until I know I will not obsess over them.
Sara.
Weekly Check-in
I did well last week despite my monthly weigh-in with no weight loss. I sure feel good though. I have lost some inches here and there. This is a good lifestyle change, this CC thing.
I realize how often I don't get my daily goals reached. My goal over the next week is to be more specific in my exercise goals and to eat better in terms of choosing foods with a low GI (glycemic index). I also am choosing a higher ratio of protein foods for my food choices. I suspect I need to eat more along the lines of a diabetic person though I'm not diabetic. The two times I have been successful in losing weight and keeping it off for any time I did the Atkins diet and the Zone. They both limits carbohydrates. (Although I don't advocate either diet and wouldn't follow Atkins (I did it thirty years ago.), there are some components that may work for me.)
The word can't often means "won't." They both have some negative connotations. I like the expression, "I choose to..." brought up by Sara. Thanks. I've thought the same thing before, but somehow forgot it. The words we choose to express ourselves with have a huge influence on our actions.
This week, I choose to think about the words I use in my self-talk, and I choose to weed out those that are not supportive of my effort to become healthier.
Sometimes it's OK totext in a restaurant.
Text food Spaghetti to
HEALTH (432-584) for full calorie information. FREE!
Click here to start
