WEEK 12 THE BEGINNING

Have you ever heard of "start with the end in mind"?  Well, for me, it is "start with the beginning in mind".  This is only the beginning of the process of changing our lifestyle habits forever.   This week we get to start the rest of our lives.  By now, a lot of the things we have changed for the better have become habits.  We also get to start again with those habits we don't like that we just didn't change.  Today is the first day of the rest of your life!!!

Sometimes we lose the battle, but we can still win the war.  This is a forever plan, not "ok, glad that's over"!!!!  If we don't enjoy eating the foods we love, how can we ever stay on the plan?  I lost weight, feel great and still ate the foods I loved.  There was one thing that I remained consistent with and that was NO SUGAR.  Even then, I still have sugar in my tea, the odd muffin which has chocolate chips in etc.  What I proved to myself was that I could make a positive change for the better and make it permanent.  What ONE change have you made that you will carry on? 

So last week we talked about finishing strong...boy was I far off that mark.  This week I am one week late and don't have any great words of wisdom!!!!

I will end on this note:  the dreaded PLATEAU.  Have you shed a few pounds only to stop losing or gain a few?  Do you feel frustrated and want to throw in the towel?  We have all been there.  It is really just a test.  Can you persevere?  Are you looking at it realistically?  Our weight fluctuates all the time due to hormones, what we eat, how much water retention we have etc etc etc.  There are so many variables, that our weight will never be a straight line...Whether that line be straight, upward or downward!!! 

It is important to be realistic and not let a few lbs or the lack of losing a few lbs throw you off course.  I had to be realistic with my plateau.....when I really took a good look at it, there were so many LITTLE things I could do to make a BIG difference.  I could exercise more.  A friend of mine who is training for a 1/2 marathon said to me, 3 days a week is maintaining, 4 days or more a week is progress!!!  I could drink more water.  We all don't drink enough water!!!!  I could eat less carbs and less salt to reduce water retention.  I could write down what I eat so I know exactly what I am eating.  Once you are true to yourself and honest with yourself, you will find the gaps.

What will your beginning look like?  Mine is starting all over again so for me it's week 1!!!!   For the rest of you......Please tune in again for the new blog......foreverbetter!!!!

Week 11 STAY THE COURSE

I was feeling down in the dumps last week, so totally skipped over week 10 LEARN.  What I learned is that after 10 weeks, it is hard to stay focused.

So that is why I am excited about Week 11 - Stay the Course.  Perfect timing.  Only two weeks to go!!!  Back on track, back on the treadmill and looking back!!!

What worked?  For me, the scales have been depressing.  About 10 lbs lost....not bad,  all how you look at it.  When I pick up a 10lb bag of potatoes, I realize that is a LOT of weight gone.  However I was hoping for more.  Then when I started to look beyond the scale, since this is not a diet, I realized all the positives;

I am still chocolate free...and no cravings...Valentines and now Easter...no problem.  Sugar, well most of the time I skip it, but have had a glass of wine or two, and a dessert (bananas flambe!!) when we were away.  However, overall,  I feel great!!!  I am fitter...have better cardiovascular endurance, I have less mood swings, clothes fit better...so many positives.  And I do not feet overwhelmed or deprived!!! 

I look forward to next week, because after all, this is just the beginning of a new normal way of living!!!!!

It takes 21 days to change a habit.  For slow learners like me, it takes 10 weeks, but I have learned that I can do it and so can you.  Decide to be better, make better choices, don't get discouraged, start anew each and every day, don't deprive yourself of anything (I will eventually have chocolate again...but why now if I don't miss it and don't crave it?!!)


It seems like it has all gone so fast!!!

Thanks for following my blog.  Stay tuned for the final week 12 and where we go from there!!!

Week 9 LIVE

From what I have heard, we have all been "living it up" a bit too much!!!  Please read the article titled it's the last 2% that counts on the blog site.  It's all about finishing strong!!!

I have fallen behind, but I plan to finish strong....back on the treadmill, back on the plan, reviewing the lessons, staying away from sugar, etc.  Read the weeks plans over again and find out where you are the weakest and start there.  For me, it is exercise and writing what I eat down!!!

This blog has been all about discovering myself; my strengths, my weaknesses, my highs, my lows.  It has kept me accountable.  It is my hope that on my journey, you have learned something about yourself and are willing to make some changes to a better life. 

This is NOT a diet plan and is not all about food!!!  It is the whole package!!!  Do you feel better?  Did you set a goal and achieve it?  If not, did you reset it?  Are you exercising more?  Have you learned something you didn't know before?  Are you reading the right books?  Please see the recommended reading list on the blog site.

This is about LIVING, enjoying life and making the most of every day!!!  We are human BEINGS, not human DOINGS.  Remember to hit the space bar of life and pause for a while.  Make time for you!!!  Have a bath, have a glass of wine, buy yourself something new!!!  Just don't over do it or "live it up" too much!!!!

Good luck and please join me in finishing strong!!!