Day 100!

The last day of 100 days of weight loss by Linda Spangle

Spangle claims and it rings true for me too that dieters say, " I know what to do, I just don't do it."
Right now I am feeling so high, motivated and focused on my goal. Like everything else you tend to slip over time. So you must have a way to remember what you have learned.  All I have to do is reread this blog and all the reflections that I have written on the 100 days of this book.  I am a long time journal writer so I will write reflections monthly like I always do and add a top 10 lessons that I will remember about being successful at maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Other ideas that work- making a poster, making wallpaper on the computer, make an audio CD or a podcast.
Make your foundation guidelines on how you will live your healthy lifestyle and proclaim-

THIS IS HOW I LIVE!

NEVER GIVE UP!
YOU CAN LIVE THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 90% OF THE TIME!
BELIEVE IN YOU!

Living life to the fullest,
MER

Day 97- Use what works

My thoughts on 100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle

Spangle asks, "What worked before? What did you do to stick with your diet program? How did you keep yourself on track, even thorugh the difficult days?

I really had to think about this. How did things that I have struggled with become habits of mind, routine and rituals that I do daily now?

On Exercise-

• The night before I put on my workout clothes and sleep in them so I have no excuse, but to get up and workout.
• I set my alarm 5 minutes before I have to get up. So when the alarm goes off I have 5 minutes to wake up and get going.
• I have set days with the bootcamp ladies at the park and being accountable to other people has helped me stay consistent
• I feel awake and ready to face the day after I have worked out in the morning. I like that the blood is flowing to the brain and I feel like I can handle anything
• If I am working out alone. The night before I set up the DVD so I know what I am going to do. I am not a morning person so it is best that I make the decision ahead of time or I won't do it.

On Eating Breakfast-

• I used to skip breakfast everyday and then, binge at 10:00am in the breakroom because I was starving
• Instead of rushing around getting ready I set everything up the night before so that I can sit and enjoy my breakfast with my son
• I tried new foods for breakfast- steel cut oatmeal, museli, hard boiled eggs, peanut butter on whole grain toast

On Portion Control-

• I track everything I eat
• I measure out everything that I eat
• I check the calories on an item before I eat it
• I serve my food on a smaller plate so the portions have to be smaller
• I ask family to support me since my spouse does most of the cooking

On Getting a Handle of my Emotions and Stress-

• I go for a walk
• I drink my water or have a cup of tea
• I chew gum to "chew" on the issue- 11 calories burned in an hour chewing gum
• I do some deep breathing exercises
• I journal my frustations
• I practice my ukulele
• I talk to Mo
• I distract myself by reading or commenting on a blog or rereading my own posts or Mo's
• Look at my vision board to get myself refocused on my goal
• I look at my own self-talk that I have on a 3X5 card to remind me that I CAN DO IT! NEVER GIVE UP!

As I reflect the journey that I have gone through in the last year. I really have to give myself a pat on the back for I have come a long way. It is funny that at first I was disappointed in myself because I have not progressed with my weight loss as much as Mo, but that was because I am going through what I call "invisible" growth. The wheels have been turning on the inside and making this work more pernament so that I can make this a real healthy lifestyle change.  I just had to remember all the strategies that have worked and make them a part of my life forever.  For everytime that I take a step forward I am making progress and that is what I want to do for now and forever from this day forward until the day I die and go back to being part of the earth. 

Spangle encourages all of us to-

Remember what use to work
Pull out the best strategies back off the shelf
Put them into your program again and again

TAKE ACTION TODAY!
DO WHAT WORKS!
YOU CAN DO IT!
BELIEVE IN YOU!
STAY FOCUSED!
STAY STRONG!
NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Being reflective on the journey,
MER

Day 80-Get a New Title

Reflections from 100 days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle

What do the words- "fat, lazy, failure, fat slob, pig" make you see in your minds eye? For me it brings a negative picture of myself. So Spangle says that the brain does not recognize the difference between negative and positive images so it will assume that you want to look like a PIG!
In this new year it is time to create a new and improved picture of yourself. This will help you focus on your goals and as the reading says it will make you focus on your potential instead of your mistakes. It is time to redesign the new you moving forward and making progress. Come up with a new name for yourself one that is happy, positive and makes you smile every time that you say it to yourself. Suggestions from the reading and I am not sure I like them, but here it is- sexy mama, hot babe, power woman. Maybe "beautiful healthy mama" will work for me. The other big idea is that you pick something that describes you without describing your weight or size. Use this new name whenever you are deciding how to manage your life challenges. So when dealing with a stressful day I can ask myself, "How would beautiful healthy mama handle this?"

Here are some other phrases to use to describe yourself-
I am a fit person!
I am a healthy person!
I am a balanced person!
I am a strong person!
I am a solid person!

Tell Beautiful Healthy Mama your new name for this next year-
Working from the inside out,
MER

Day 1- I used to be that way...

I want this healthy lifestyle to work so I bought us this book 100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle.
Today is Day 1.
The title is " I use to be that way..."
The gist of today's reading is to change your thinking by stating what you used to do and how you are going to be different.
Here is the new message that the book starts you off with-
"I used to be that way, but now I am different."
Then, the assignment is to make up new ending because "now that you are different you can do anything!"
Here are my new endings-

• I used to graze and pick at food even though I was done eating, but now I start cleaning up the food and putting it away instead of sitting there and eating it.
• I used to eat mindlessly when I am stressed out, but now that I am pausing and thinking before eating I figure out what my needs are.
• I used to buy junk food, but now I make healthier choices with the foods that I buy by planning meals and making a list of good foods.
• I  used to not drink enough water during the day, but now I keep a water bottle with me all the time and I drink enough water to keep my body healthy. 
• I used to not be motivated to workout, but now I love working out in the morning and starting my day with time for me first.
• I used to not write my plans and goals down, but now I write my goals and I review my plan weekly.
• I used to be too busy to take care of myself, but now I realize how important it is for me to take care of myself so that I in turn can take care and support others. 
• I used to think that I could never change, but now I want to change and believe that I can!

It takes 90 days to change a habit and make it part of you. These new statements will be read often so that they will become new habits of mind. I know I can succeed. I know I can make this happen. It is just a matter of time.