Wow! It's the last day of January already! Time flies when you're workin' out and choppin' vegetables! I have to say that I'm actually surprised that I've been able to meet my goals so far. For January, I've lost 8 pounds this month, surpassing my goal of 5 pounds for January. Going back to day one of this blog, I've lost a total of 13 pounds since the "Feeling Fat" day!! I can't believe it! I have 12 more pounds to reach my goal weight. I am really excited that the scale has moved past where I thought it was stuck! I'm over half way through the 6 week body makeover challenge on the Active Workout for Wii. I've burned about 1800 calories for the month of January. I've been sleeping better at night, and I have a better attitude about things. I'm also able to "run" up the stairs without getting winded.
I had a Tupperware party 2 weeks ago and I ordered those fridge mates to help keep your veggies fresh. The cost of produce is so high that I want to be really sure that the produce stays fresh for as long as it possibly can! I spent a good two hours on Saturday washing and chopping vegetables and getting them in those containers. They are guaranteed to keep your stuff fresh for however long it says it will. With the moisture control setting they have on them, I'm sure they will work better than what I'm doing now.
I can't seem to shake the sweet tooth. I would love a good cookie or piece of candy or someting sweet. I've experimented with low-fat oatmeal cookies but they were high in sugar!! They got a bad grade from Calorie Count! :-( I had a friend make some healthy chocolate chip cookies and they were good! I've discovered that angel food cake is an excellent snack to have! I actually LOVE angel food cake! I've been resorting to chewing gum when I get the urge to snack on something sweet.
Goals for February:
Lose 5 pounds
Increase workout time on shceduled workout days by 15 minutes
Create a house schedule to stay organized
Tomorrow is a NEW day! And a new month....
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Clinging to Fat Part 3
This article I'm reading about the 4 stages of life when the body clings to fat has been helpful yet depressing. As I get older, I will have to work at keeping my weight down and pay attention to what I'm eating. When I started this new phase in my life, I decided to make it a change for the better - healthy living. With small changes in my lifestyle I should see my body trim down and become healthier. Right? Well, it's only been 19 days and I've lost 9 pounds and am beginning to see my stomach get a little smaller. These next 10 pounds will be hard - but I am willing and committed to see it through. I would like to see my waist again - better yet, just to SEE a waist would be wonderful! However, I am not going to snap back as quick as I once could since everything and anything you read out there says that as you get older, it gets harder to drop the pounds!
Weight Plateau #3: Hitting the Big 3-5. Once you hit your 30s your metabolism slows. No surprise there! How do they come up with these magic numbers anyway? (Like, when I was 35 and pregnant with #3, the medical community says - when you hit 35 - you have to have special tests when you're pregnant because you are now considered to be a higher risk for having a down syndrome baby)
So our metabolisms slow down which means that we're burning about 75 fewer calories a day than when we did at age 25. That adds up to 8 pounds a year (according to medical studies). For looking and feeling our best, the article says that we should gain no more than 11 pounds - for life - after age 18! HAAAAAA!!!!! How is THAT possible?
1. Cut what you eat by 25%. As I lose weight, I need to eat fewer calories in order to keep the scale moving down. The wonderful people at Calorie Count have set me up with fewer calories alright! 1300 calories per day seemed impossible, however the last 2 days I've only ended up with 900. I even ate out yesterday - at Subway - and I ate all day. When I get busy, though, I see that I tend to not eat as much and what I make to eat is healthy and filling....yet I only end up with 900, maybe 1,000 on a good day. I need to get more calories so my body doesn't think it's starving so I need to find ways to get more healthy foods into my busy days. These days it seems that I'm in the kitchen a LOT! Not for snacking, but for the preparation of meals and snacks. Eating healthy, I find, requires TIME! Time to work with fresh ingredients (not from a box with flakes and powders), time to chop, longer cooking times for entrees...I'm constantly cleaning up cutting boards, utensils, mixing bowls, etc.
2. Pump some iron. Fitness director Wayne Westcott says, "I see a lot of women in their 30s who come to me saying they can't shake those last stubborn pounds. Their biggest mistake is focusing on cardio and not spending any time lifting weights and building up muscle." Maintaining muscle mass (remember we lose it as we age) keeps the metabolism elevated but spending hours in the weight room is not needed. (Thank goodness!) Dr. Westcott did a study of 2,000 women who participated in a 2x a week workout (20 minutes of strength training and 20 minutes of aerobic exercise) and these women lost 4 pounds of fat but regained 3 pounds of muscle they'd lost during the aging process. One tip he shares is that it's OK to do one set but make sure the weight is heavy enough so that your muscles are fatigued to exhaustion after the 12th rep. I think the EA Sports Active for the Wii accomplishes this part quite well. The 6-week challenge I'm taking is set up with workouts that consist of aerobic activities, sports (boxing and squash so far), resistance bands to work muscles, crunches, and warm up and cool down stations. One day it may be more cardio and another day it may be more muscle training. And it's FUN!
One more tip I read and would like to share (for the women) - weigh yourself monthly. Hmmm....it's hard not to peek at the scale...to see if something has changed! But many people can get hung up on the numbers on the scale. Do you? I have. Did you know, our weight can fluctuate by about 5 pounds throughout the month because of diet and hormones. Do you ever get on the scale, see the numbers go up, then go on an eating binge? Well, it's suggested that we weigh ourselves monthly, on the 7th day of your menstrual cycle ( a week after your period starts) when you're least likely to have fluid retention.
Now, time to grab a glass of water and get moving! Get up and make it a great day!
Weight Plateau #3: Hitting the Big 3-5. Once you hit your 30s your metabolism slows. No surprise there! How do they come up with these magic numbers anyway? (Like, when I was 35 and pregnant with #3, the medical community says - when you hit 35 - you have to have special tests when you're pregnant because you are now considered to be a higher risk for having a down syndrome baby)
So our metabolisms slow down which means that we're burning about 75 fewer calories a day than when we did at age 25. That adds up to 8 pounds a year (according to medical studies). For looking and feeling our best, the article says that we should gain no more than 11 pounds - for life - after age 18! HAAAAAA!!!!! How is THAT possible?
1. Cut what you eat by 25%. As I lose weight, I need to eat fewer calories in order to keep the scale moving down. The wonderful people at Calorie Count have set me up with fewer calories alright! 1300 calories per day seemed impossible, however the last 2 days I've only ended up with 900. I even ate out yesterday - at Subway - and I ate all day. When I get busy, though, I see that I tend to not eat as much and what I make to eat is healthy and filling....yet I only end up with 900, maybe 1,000 on a good day. I need to get more calories so my body doesn't think it's starving so I need to find ways to get more healthy foods into my busy days. These days it seems that I'm in the kitchen a LOT! Not for snacking, but for the preparation of meals and snacks. Eating healthy, I find, requires TIME! Time to work with fresh ingredients (not from a box with flakes and powders), time to chop, longer cooking times for entrees...I'm constantly cleaning up cutting boards, utensils, mixing bowls, etc.
2. Pump some iron. Fitness director Wayne Westcott says, "I see a lot of women in their 30s who come to me saying they can't shake those last stubborn pounds. Their biggest mistake is focusing on cardio and not spending any time lifting weights and building up muscle." Maintaining muscle mass (remember we lose it as we age) keeps the metabolism elevated but spending hours in the weight room is not needed. (Thank goodness!) Dr. Westcott did a study of 2,000 women who participated in a 2x a week workout (20 minutes of strength training and 20 minutes of aerobic exercise) and these women lost 4 pounds of fat but regained 3 pounds of muscle they'd lost during the aging process. One tip he shares is that it's OK to do one set but make sure the weight is heavy enough so that your muscles are fatigued to exhaustion after the 12th rep. I think the EA Sports Active for the Wii accomplishes this part quite well. The 6-week challenge I'm taking is set up with workouts that consist of aerobic activities, sports (boxing and squash so far), resistance bands to work muscles, crunches, and warm up and cool down stations. One day it may be more cardio and another day it may be more muscle training. And it's FUN!
One more tip I read and would like to share (for the women) - weigh yourself monthly. Hmmm....it's hard not to peek at the scale...to see if something has changed! But many people can get hung up on the numbers on the scale. Do you? I have. Did you know, our weight can fluctuate by about 5 pounds throughout the month because of diet and hormones. Do you ever get on the scale, see the numbers go up, then go on an eating binge? Well, it's suggested that we weigh ourselves monthly, on the 7th day of your menstrual cycle ( a week after your period starts) when you're least likely to have fluid retention.
Now, time to grab a glass of water and get moving! Get up and make it a great day!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Clinging to Fat Part 2
Yesterday, I wrote about an article I'm reading concerning weight plateaus while still dieting and exercising and why women reach those plateaus. Life happens! Part one was about post-pregnancy weight and how it sticks like glue because of our biology, our body make up. BUT, there is hope and there are ways to defeat these stubborn pounds during these plateaus (baby rolls included) with diet, exercise, and behavior.
Weight Plateau #2: Extreme Stress. This is an area I've had to manage for most of my life. I had to learn how to manage stress at an early age (12 or 13) and I was not always successful. I'm not sure I am that successful now, considering that a lot of articles I read about weight gain are due to stress and last time I looked in the mirror...I must be REALLY stressed! It's a fact that stress - a new job, a family crisis, or everyday hectic lifestyle - makes it hard to lose weight...especially those last 10 pounds. Even if you're nervous, or uptight, anxious and don't feel like eating very much - they won't go away! Christine Northrup, OB/GYN and author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, explains that when you're stressed, your adrenal gland secretes the stress hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite and also stimulates your body's release of the fat-storing hormone insulin. The result is that your body holds on to its fat stores as hard as it can, even if you're eating less than before. There you go....stubborn pounds! And I thought I was stubborn. And despite all my best efforts I may be sabotaging my weight loss attempts by unconsciously overeating - wolfing down everything on my plate. (gotcha! I've DONE that; eating really fast then going in for more) Stressed women are more likely to snack on comfort foods like chocolate and chips. Ms. Northrup says, "It's a form of self-medication, because those high-carb foods raise serotonin levels, the chemical in your brain that boosts mood." This is depressing...where's that raspberry cheesecake coffee creamer for my coffee??
What's a body to do?
1.Go for a walk. Exercise is exactly what I need when I feel stressed. (so they say) Research shows that people ages 20-45 with symptoms of mild to moderate stress-induced depression were reduced by almost 50% when they participated in 30-minute aerobic sessions 3-5 times/week. I'm exercising 4 times a week and I do feel more relaxed.
2.Sip green tea instead of java. Did you just curl up your nose like I did? Hmmm....I'm not much of a tea drinker, but (they say) green tea is better for you because it has less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee and even regular black tea. Green tea contains catechins, which may trigger weight loss by increasing the body's metabolism. A Japanese study found that people who drank a bottle of green tea daily lost 5.3 pounds after 3 months, while those who drank oolong tea only lost 2.9 pounds. So...does this green tea count as one of my 10 glasses of water I'm supposed to drink every day?
3.Say goodbye to salt. Salt raises blood pressure, which raises cortisol levels even more, which causes a cycle of overeating that I just want to get off of! The daily allowance for sodium should be around 2300mg/day. The calorie count website will analyze your food intake for the day (click on Analysis) and give you a reading of what your salt intake is along with carbs, fat, protein, etc.
4.Sit down and savor your meal. Oh I'm bad here too, but not on purpose. Throughout the day, I'm constantly feeding everybody else with breakfast, lunch, and snacks that I just eat (correction - inhale) my sandwich while tending to everybody else, never sitting down. And yet, another study found that when 6 women were asked to sit down and eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and stop when their food no longer tasted as good as when they took their first bite, they lost an average of 8 pounds!! The doctor conducting the study said that our bodies will 'intuitively know' how many calories you need and will dampen your taste buds once you've had enough. I'm sorry, I just have a hard time processing that. Really???
Bottom line: less stress means less likely to overeat. That adds up! I have learned that lack of sleep will add to the stress, which adds to the bad choices made during the day. I read about a woman who got extra sleep at night...going to bed earlier...and she lost weight. I don't remember how much she lost, but the extra sleep helped her to be more alert, more relaxed, had more natural energy, and she didn't 'feel hungry' as much. I know when I get a good night's rest I don't reach for the coffee as much as when I'm sleep deprived. I guess my body is hungry for sleep rather than being hungry for food. Instead of pushing caffeine in my body, I should take a nap or go to bed at a decent time. It will actually help shed the pounds. Also, keeping things in perspective and actually forcing myself to take 15 minutes just for me has really helped in the last few years with my stress levels. I certainly haven't arrived at a perfect Zen state - but I'm not stressing over it!
Weight Plateau #2: Extreme Stress. This is an area I've had to manage for most of my life. I had to learn how to manage stress at an early age (12 or 13) and I was not always successful. I'm not sure I am that successful now, considering that a lot of articles I read about weight gain are due to stress and last time I looked in the mirror...I must be REALLY stressed! It's a fact that stress - a new job, a family crisis, or everyday hectic lifestyle - makes it hard to lose weight...especially those last 10 pounds. Even if you're nervous, or uptight, anxious and don't feel like eating very much - they won't go away! Christine Northrup, OB/GYN and author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, explains that when you're stressed, your adrenal gland secretes the stress hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite and also stimulates your body's release of the fat-storing hormone insulin. The result is that your body holds on to its fat stores as hard as it can, even if you're eating less than before. There you go....stubborn pounds! And I thought I was stubborn. And despite all my best efforts I may be sabotaging my weight loss attempts by unconsciously overeating - wolfing down everything on my plate. (gotcha! I've DONE that; eating really fast then going in for more) Stressed women are more likely to snack on comfort foods like chocolate and chips. Ms. Northrup says, "It's a form of self-medication, because those high-carb foods raise serotonin levels, the chemical in your brain that boosts mood." This is depressing...where's that raspberry cheesecake coffee creamer for my coffee??
What's a body to do?
1.Go for a walk. Exercise is exactly what I need when I feel stressed. (so they say) Research shows that people ages 20-45 with symptoms of mild to moderate stress-induced depression were reduced by almost 50% when they participated in 30-minute aerobic sessions 3-5 times/week. I'm exercising 4 times a week and I do feel more relaxed.
2.Sip green tea instead of java. Did you just curl up your nose like I did? Hmmm....I'm not much of a tea drinker, but (they say) green tea is better for you because it has less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee and even regular black tea. Green tea contains catechins, which may trigger weight loss by increasing the body's metabolism. A Japanese study found that people who drank a bottle of green tea daily lost 5.3 pounds after 3 months, while those who drank oolong tea only lost 2.9 pounds. So...does this green tea count as one of my 10 glasses of water I'm supposed to drink every day?
3.Say goodbye to salt. Salt raises blood pressure, which raises cortisol levels even more, which causes a cycle of overeating that I just want to get off of! The daily allowance for sodium should be around 2300mg/day. The calorie count website will analyze your food intake for the day (click on Analysis) and give you a reading of what your salt intake is along with carbs, fat, protein, etc.
4.Sit down and savor your meal. Oh I'm bad here too, but not on purpose. Throughout the day, I'm constantly feeding everybody else with breakfast, lunch, and snacks that I just eat (correction - inhale) my sandwich while tending to everybody else, never sitting down. And yet, another study found that when 6 women were asked to sit down and eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and stop when their food no longer tasted as good as when they took their first bite, they lost an average of 8 pounds!! The doctor conducting the study said that our bodies will 'intuitively know' how many calories you need and will dampen your taste buds once you've had enough. I'm sorry, I just have a hard time processing that. Really???
Bottom line: less stress means less likely to overeat. That adds up! I have learned that lack of sleep will add to the stress, which adds to the bad choices made during the day. I read about a woman who got extra sleep at night...going to bed earlier...and she lost weight. I don't remember how much she lost, but the extra sleep helped her to be more alert, more relaxed, had more natural energy, and she didn't 'feel hungry' as much. I know when I get a good night's rest I don't reach for the coffee as much as when I'm sleep deprived. I guess my body is hungry for sleep rather than being hungry for food. Instead of pushing caffeine in my body, I should take a nap or go to bed at a decent time. It will actually help shed the pounds. Also, keeping things in perspective and actually forcing myself to take 15 minutes just for me has really helped in the last few years with my stress levels. I certainly haven't arrived at a perfect Zen state - but I'm not stressing over it!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Clinging to Fat Part 1
So I'm reading another article about dropping the most stubborn pounds. It talks about 4 stages of life when your body clings to fat: Post-pregnancy, hitting the big 3-5, extreme stress, and perimenopause. Oh great! That's not encouraging. I fall into ALL 3 of those. What's a body to do about that? Who hasn't hit the weight rut: after a few weeks or months of the pounds flying off -bam- up against a scale that won't budge?? Ugh. That's been my story for the last year or two. So what's going on?
Well, the article goes on to explain that all dieters reach a plateau at some point. Could be a few weeks or a few months. A clinical professor of medicine at Cornell writes, "After you've lost a certain amount, your body thinks it's starving and sets up roadblocks that make it harder for those last pounds to come off." Here's something encouraging (NOT), "To make matters worse, the more weight you lose, the less effective your once successful diet plan is likely to be." Why??? The reason: As you lose weight, you may also lose muscle, leading to a slower metabolism. Here's the kicker - but it makes sense: So even though you're still eating the same amount of calories as when you started dieting, but because you weigh less, the nasty truth is you need to consume even less. Are you hungry yet? Unfortunately, these plateaus get even tougher over time. "Age-related influences - a decreased metabolism, shifting hormones, and lifestyle changes - contribute to weight plateaus." Okay, I'm depressed now. Is there hope when it seems that every calorie I eat has a straight-to-my-thighs attraction? YES! This article suggests that there's plenty I can do at these different life stages (which seem to be one big life stage for me right now) with diet, exercise, and behavior (huh?) to lose even the most stubborn pounds for good! Alright! Bring it!
Weight Plateau #1: Post-Pregnancy Pounds
Most women carry up to 5 unwanted pounds into their next pregnancy, according to most doctors. Most women are still trying to shake off those last ten pounds a year after giving birth. (I'm still trying 9 years later) In my case, take those 10 pounds and multiply it by 3 kids and that's where I find myself today. Losing 30 pounds will get me back to where I was when I started having children. So, why does pregnancy weight stick like glue? Biology. My OB/GYN says that after a woman gives birth, there's a dip in her levels of progesterone, the hormone that increases metabolism and allows you to burn more calories.
What to do with the excess baby weight?
*Check my calories. Am I still eating for two? Get my calories down to pre-pregnancy levels and make sure that I'm taking a multivitamin with iron and get plenty of fluids (8-12 glasses of water a day). Ugh! There's the water thing again! I have a friend that is on weight watchers right now and she tells me that you are supposed to drink water, in ounces, equivalent to half of your body weight. So that means for me: I have to drink 10 8-oz. glasses of water a day!!! "Dislike!!" It's hard to drink that much water - maybe I should get one of those hats that has the cup holders on the sides and the straws to your mouth.
*Don't eat my kids' food. Uh-oh. I like to think I'm eating well, but at the end of the day I always seem to 'forget' the chocolate chip cookies I grabbed in the kitchen or the extra macaroni I snuck off the kids' plates from lunch.
*Resume a daily exercise routine. Fitness? When am I supposed to squeeze THAT in around the 10 glasses of water. Move it on up the priority list and make it happen. Research from Cornell shows that overweight moms who exercised daily in the year after the birth of their first child were, on average, 12 pounds lighter than mothers who didn't work out. (oh...oops. Hope it's not too late) It also mentioned that these moms have a can-do attitude! Hmmm...sound familiar? See my January 1 post, "A Can-Do Attitude." The study said, "Instead of beating themselves up about not being able to get to the gym daily and then getting discouraged, they simply squeezed in a half-hour walk with their baby." A trainer I once worked with also said that you don't need a LOT of activity to take off the weight. Just activity...like walking. Which brings me to the last point.
*Buy a pedometer. I've been thinking about getting one of these. A pedometer is one way to help ensure that I'm taking 10,000 steps a day (that's equal to 5 miles of walking) which is needed to help promote and maintain weight loss.
3 out of 4 checks is not bad. There is hope for losing baby fat. YAY! I am going to check into pedometers...just one more check to keep myself on track! Do you have one and if you do, has it helped you?
Well, the article goes on to explain that all dieters reach a plateau at some point. Could be a few weeks or a few months. A clinical professor of medicine at Cornell writes, "After you've lost a certain amount, your body thinks it's starving and sets up roadblocks that make it harder for those last pounds to come off." Here's something encouraging (NOT), "To make matters worse, the more weight you lose, the less effective your once successful diet plan is likely to be." Why??? The reason: As you lose weight, you may also lose muscle, leading to a slower metabolism. Here's the kicker - but it makes sense: So even though you're still eating the same amount of calories as when you started dieting, but because you weigh less, the nasty truth is you need to consume even less. Are you hungry yet? Unfortunately, these plateaus get even tougher over time. "Age-related influences - a decreased metabolism, shifting hormones, and lifestyle changes - contribute to weight plateaus." Okay, I'm depressed now. Is there hope when it seems that every calorie I eat has a straight-to-my-thighs attraction? YES! This article suggests that there's plenty I can do at these different life stages (which seem to be one big life stage for me right now) with diet, exercise, and behavior (huh?) to lose even the most stubborn pounds for good! Alright! Bring it!
Weight Plateau #1: Post-Pregnancy Pounds
Most women carry up to 5 unwanted pounds into their next pregnancy, according to most doctors. Most women are still trying to shake off those last ten pounds a year after giving birth. (I'm still trying 9 years later) In my case, take those 10 pounds and multiply it by 3 kids and that's where I find myself today. Losing 30 pounds will get me back to where I was when I started having children. So, why does pregnancy weight stick like glue? Biology. My OB/GYN says that after a woman gives birth, there's a dip in her levels of progesterone, the hormone that increases metabolism and allows you to burn more calories.
What to do with the excess baby weight?
*Check my calories. Am I still eating for two? Get my calories down to pre-pregnancy levels and make sure that I'm taking a multivitamin with iron and get plenty of fluids (8-12 glasses of water a day). Ugh! There's the water thing again! I have a friend that is on weight watchers right now and she tells me that you are supposed to drink water, in ounces, equivalent to half of your body weight. So that means for me: I have to drink 10 8-oz. glasses of water a day!!! "Dislike!!" It's hard to drink that much water - maybe I should get one of those hats that has the cup holders on the sides and the straws to your mouth.
*Don't eat my kids' food. Uh-oh. I like to think I'm eating well, but at the end of the day I always seem to 'forget' the chocolate chip cookies I grabbed in the kitchen or the extra macaroni I snuck off the kids' plates from lunch.
*Resume a daily exercise routine. Fitness? When am I supposed to squeeze THAT in around the 10 glasses of water. Move it on up the priority list and make it happen. Research from Cornell shows that overweight moms who exercised daily in the year after the birth of their first child were, on average, 12 pounds lighter than mothers who didn't work out. (oh...oops. Hope it's not too late) It also mentioned that these moms have a can-do attitude! Hmmm...sound familiar? See my January 1 post, "A Can-Do Attitude." The study said, "Instead of beating themselves up about not being able to get to the gym daily and then getting discouraged, they simply squeezed in a half-hour walk with their baby." A trainer I once worked with also said that you don't need a LOT of activity to take off the weight. Just activity...like walking. Which brings me to the last point.
*Buy a pedometer. I've been thinking about getting one of these. A pedometer is one way to help ensure that I'm taking 10,000 steps a day (that's equal to 5 miles of walking) which is needed to help promote and maintain weight loss.
3 out of 4 checks is not bad. There is hope for losing baby fat. YAY! I am going to check into pedometers...just one more check to keep myself on track! Do you have one and if you do, has it helped you?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Full Steam Ahead! From Vision to Reality
OK! I've figured out the vision thing. Having a clear vision - knowing who I am, where I'm going and what will guide me on my journey - is the driving power to move full steam ahead. Just creating a vision is not enough. Now I've got to make it happen. "Vision is a lot more than putting a plaque on the wall. A real vision is lived, not framed." ~Ken Blanchard/Jesse Stoner
Now that I've identified my vision, I must start living it immediately. I must begin behaving consistently with my vision. Now that I know the right things to do, I can't wait to start tomorrow - I have to do the best I can with what I know, using the abilities I have at THIS moment. It's not easy...it means I will have to make tough decisions. But what I've learned thus far in my life is that the best thing for myself, my husband, my children, my friends, my family was to live my values and to make choices based on them!
Ken Blanchard/Jesse Stoner, in their book Full Steam Ahead, talk about establishing support structures. "We need to establish support structures that support the consistent practice of our values as we pursue our vision. Otherwise, our commitments fade into simply good intentions." How true! They define support structures as: the habits, practices, and processes that support your vision. My structures for healthy living would be eating right, exercise and accountability for example. Here is an excerpt from their book that rings close to home:
"One Tuesday morning, Jim was complaining about his increasing lack of stamina and recent weight gain. He attributed it to the effects of aging. I listened sympathetically for a while and then said, "Jim, I know that one of your values is health. What is your exercise program like?"
"Exercise program?" he asked.
"Yes," I chided. "What structure do you have in place that supports your value of health? I know you eat healthy food, so that structure is in place. And I know you play golf any chance you get. But I'm not sure what you do regularly for exercise."
He sheepishly admitted that he had tried several different approach to exercise but lost interest in them because they were no fun, or he was too busy, it wasn't convenient. I pointed out that these are all excuses and he admitted that they were.
"Is health really a value? I asked. "Or is it just an interest?"
He replied, "Yes, it's a value and I'm feeling bad that I'm not acting consistently with it."
As a result, Jim and Ken set up a structure that supported their values of health and they held each other accountable. Instead of their Tuesday morning coffee conversations, they started walking for 45 minutes. Not only did that structure allow them to get exercise, it built a better friendship between them. BONUS!
Setting up structures that support a vision is important in ALL areas of life. I know where I'm going and I have planned the course. The most important thing now is the step I'm taking right now - literally. Am I present? Do I see the sun shining on the snow? Do I hear my children talking at the breakfast table? Am I living my vision right now? Stop and think about that...As I was writing this, I was thinking about schoolwork for homeschool this morning in the back of my mind and my lesson for my Reformer's Unanimous meeting tonight. Throughout the day, I find myself thinking more about the future and not much about the present.
Vision really is lived in the here and now. What are you doing right now?
Now that I've identified my vision, I must start living it immediately. I must begin behaving consistently with my vision. Now that I know the right things to do, I can't wait to start tomorrow - I have to do the best I can with what I know, using the abilities I have at THIS moment. It's not easy...it means I will have to make tough decisions. But what I've learned thus far in my life is that the best thing for myself, my husband, my children, my friends, my family was to live my values and to make choices based on them!
Ken Blanchard/Jesse Stoner, in their book Full Steam Ahead, talk about establishing support structures. "We need to establish support structures that support the consistent practice of our values as we pursue our vision. Otherwise, our commitments fade into simply good intentions." How true! They define support structures as: the habits, practices, and processes that support your vision. My structures for healthy living would be eating right, exercise and accountability for example. Here is an excerpt from their book that rings close to home:
"One Tuesday morning, Jim was complaining about his increasing lack of stamina and recent weight gain. He attributed it to the effects of aging. I listened sympathetically for a while and then said, "Jim, I know that one of your values is health. What is your exercise program like?"
"Exercise program?" he asked.
"Yes," I chided. "What structure do you have in place that supports your value of health? I know you eat healthy food, so that structure is in place. And I know you play golf any chance you get. But I'm not sure what you do regularly for exercise."
He sheepishly admitted that he had tried several different approach to exercise but lost interest in them because they were no fun, or he was too busy, it wasn't convenient. I pointed out that these are all excuses and he admitted that they were.
"Is health really a value? I asked. "Or is it just an interest?"
He replied, "Yes, it's a value and I'm feeling bad that I'm not acting consistently with it."
As a result, Jim and Ken set up a structure that supported their values of health and they held each other accountable. Instead of their Tuesday morning coffee conversations, they started walking for 45 minutes. Not only did that structure allow them to get exercise, it built a better friendship between them. BONUS!
Setting up structures that support a vision is important in ALL areas of life. I know where I'm going and I have planned the course. The most important thing now is the step I'm taking right now - literally. Am I present? Do I see the sun shining on the snow? Do I hear my children talking at the breakfast table? Am I living my vision right now? Stop and think about that...As I was writing this, I was thinking about schoolwork for homeschool this morning in the back of my mind and my lesson for my Reformer's Unanimous meeting tonight. Throughout the day, I find myself thinking more about the future and not much about the present.
Vision really is lived in the here and now. What are you doing right now?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What Did I Say?
I had some fun with wordle today. I plugged my RSS feed from my blog into their site and it analyzes my writing to show me what words I use most. I use this for my wedding blog a lot and I thought I would try to see what my healthy living blog looks like. The words that are the biggest are the ones I use the most. I've only been blogging a little over a week, but so far - vision is the one that stands out the most. It really is important to have a vision in life and to set goals. Anyone can use wordle - it's not just for bloggers or business owners. Try it with something and see what you say!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Full Steam Ahead! The Vision
Someone once said, "You can't get to the future without being present." How true! But, how do you get to the future? By having a vision. Remember the IT3? Impact Today, Imagine Tomorrow, Inspire Transformation. Imagine Tomorrow is the vision. What vision do I have for tomorrow? Do I have one? I'm sure I do.
My vision for transformation began when I took a long, hard look in the mirror at myself personally, and as a mother, and as a wife, and gained an honest view of where I was at and what I wanted to do about those areas. Healthy living, in my book, impacts all of these areas of myself and not only will I benefit, but my husband and family will too. The important part of having a vision was to be honest about the current realities. In fact, an honest assessment of the present is as important as a vision of the future. So, I assessed myself yesterday with a measuring tape. Can't get any more honest with that!! When I saw my waist, hip, and thigh measurements I almost fainted. Knowing where I used to be and where I saw myself at now was just amazing to me. I mean, I knew...but now I KNOW!!
I have a vision for myself spiritually. In my "Can Do Attitude" post on New Year's Day, I'm making priority #1 God and giving this whole journey of healthy living to Him. Every morning is a spiritual assessment of where I'm at in all areas of my life: individually, wife, mother. Daily exercise in this area will build my spiritual muscles.
I have a vision for myself physically. By eating eating right and exercising I will have a healthy body. Pretty simple plan to follow, huh? Following this plan daily will build a healthy, and happy, body!
So, in order to fully achieve my vision for the future I must do an honest and accurate assessment of my current situation (the present). When focus is on the future without also looking at the present, my vision will not come to be. What happens when focus is on the present without a vision for the future? When focus is on things that are wrong in the present, then I become stuck in the present and all I do is complain or react. With this viewpoint, I am unable to be proactive and create my desired future. I, most likely, will give up. Does this sound like you, too? Holding the present without vision is like being stuck in the mud. So...don't do that!
Vision isn't just about the future. It's about the present. Moment by moment. The here and now. Learn from the past, plan for the future, and live in the present. In other words: Live your vision now.
Wow! Okay, so...if we are clear about our vision, and if we are honest about our present realities, we don't have to figure everything out. Things start happening on their own! I have figured out this much though: My vision needs to be about the quality of the life I want to live and not about the specifics. I read this recently from a woman who is a motivational speaker, "I've noticed people with similar goals/visions get attached to the specific goals as though they not only represented the vision but were the vision. And this confused them." Hmmmm....think about that for awhile.
So I ask myself (and you too): Is my present reality moving toward my vision? What am I doing to Impact Today?
My vision for transformation began when I took a long, hard look in the mirror at myself personally, and as a mother, and as a wife, and gained an honest view of where I was at and what I wanted to do about those areas. Healthy living, in my book, impacts all of these areas of myself and not only will I benefit, but my husband and family will too. The important part of having a vision was to be honest about the current realities. In fact, an honest assessment of the present is as important as a vision of the future. So, I assessed myself yesterday with a measuring tape. Can't get any more honest with that!! When I saw my waist, hip, and thigh measurements I almost fainted. Knowing where I used to be and where I saw myself at now was just amazing to me. I mean, I knew...but now I KNOW!!
I have a vision for myself spiritually. In my "Can Do Attitude" post on New Year's Day, I'm making priority #1 God and giving this whole journey of healthy living to Him. Every morning is a spiritual assessment of where I'm at in all areas of my life: individually, wife, mother. Daily exercise in this area will build my spiritual muscles.
I have a vision for myself physically. By eating eating right and exercising I will have a healthy body. Pretty simple plan to follow, huh? Following this plan daily will build a healthy, and happy, body!
So, in order to fully achieve my vision for the future I must do an honest and accurate assessment of my current situation (the present). When focus is on the future without also looking at the present, my vision will not come to be. What happens when focus is on the present without a vision for the future? When focus is on things that are wrong in the present, then I become stuck in the present and all I do is complain or react. With this viewpoint, I am unable to be proactive and create my desired future. I, most likely, will give up. Does this sound like you, too? Holding the present without vision is like being stuck in the mud. So...don't do that!
Vision isn't just about the future. It's about the present. Moment by moment. The here and now. Learn from the past, plan for the future, and live in the present. In other words: Live your vision now.
Wow! Okay, so...if we are clear about our vision, and if we are honest about our present realities, we don't have to figure everything out. Things start happening on their own! I have figured out this much though: My vision needs to be about the quality of the life I want to live and not about the specifics. I read this recently from a woman who is a motivational speaker, "I've noticed people with similar goals/visions get attached to the specific goals as though they not only represented the vision but were the vision. And this confused them." Hmmmm....think about that for awhile.
So I ask myself (and you too): Is my present reality moving toward my vision? What am I doing to Impact Today?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)