Setbacks

I've never been afraid to fail.

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.
Michael Jordan

The important thing is to realize that temporary setbacks are not permanent failures. Successful people recognize that we all experience temporary setbacks that require us to reevaluate our performance and take corrective action to achieve success.

They know that adversity is never permanent.

Correct your course, get your act together, put on your big girl panties and do everything it takes to win - that is how you succeed!

Emperor Penguins

Emperor Penguins are some of the most social and well traveled animals in the world as shown in recent big screen movies like Happy Feet, Surfs Up and March of the Penguins. Their unique habitat and way of life is not duplicated anywhere in the animal kingdom. Once an egg is born an unusual phenomenon occurs. The mothers gently transfer the egg on the top of her feet to the top of the feet of the father.

The males then shuffle into groups. Their eggs still tucked above their feet. To survive they must generate their own heat by huddling. Speeding up the action, reveals an unparalleled display of sharing as each penguin works its way to the warmer center. Emperors are the only non-territorial penguins and they have to be. If they lose the huddle for even a moment, precious heat escapes.

Their greatest test lies ahead—winter blizzards. The temperature plunges to seventy-five below zero. The birds at the edge of the huddle bear the brunt of hundred-mile-an-hour winds and shelter those taking their turn in the middle.

The penguins huddle together, tighter and tighter in what looks like hump after hump of snow-covered, black, furry mounds in concentric circles. Their senses tell them their personal survival depends on their fellow penguins. Their instincts tell them the next generation, tucked safely between belly and feet, needs them to endure.

In many ways we are like Emperor Penguins. We've hatched this egg (our desire to lose weight), and now it's up to us to keep it safe until it hatches (reaching our goal weight). And just like the Emperors we can huddle together to keep our egg safe. Here are ways we can do it:

1. Keep to the 5&1 religiously - like the Emperors if we step outside the huddle we loose precious energy or face certain "death" of our egg. I like the saying, "Cheating only keeps me fat longer". Each bite we take out of the "huddle" throws us out of fat burn, sabotaging all the work we've done!
   
2. Report in each week to your Health Coach. Reporting each week allows us the opportunity to take our turn in the center of the huddle. All week we've been out in the blizzard and it's time to come in from the cold. Your Health Coach has been where you've been! We've survived the winter blizzards and lived to encourage, strengthen and support you!
   
3. Take advantage of all the support available.
1. Client.Powerlosers.Com
2. Support In Motion
3. Weekly Support Call Schedule, Support Center Information
   

Working together, taking turns incubating, feeding, shielding, and teaching we can survive the long winter of our "egg's"journey.

Stress

Ever had one of "THOSE" days?

Maybe a better question is who hasn't had one!
We all have stress - it's how we deal with it that sets us up for success in our weight loss

I'd like to share with you an article written by one of our team members - Dan Morgan. Dan is a wellness spokesperson for his company and writes a monthly article for the company newsletter. He's given me permission to share it with you. Check out how Dan deals with his stress:

Hello again! I have made it another month in my quest toward my commitment goal to lose a total of 114 lbs. by January 31, 2011. This past month it has been a little rocky and a little slow for weight loss. My weigh-in this morning was 220 lbs. My goal still remains at 195 lbs., but I have added a commitment goal of an additional 10 lbs.

Occasionally, I find myself wanting to binge eat if my stress level has been above normal for my day. The key to my success is realizing my weakness -- similar to a smoker realizing their weakness -- to use food to comfort me after a bad day. I also know that this is a lifestyle change I must embrace to keep the weight off. I must continually be aware of this moving forward in my quest.

Recently, I met with my doctor, who (I must say) was ecstatic about my results. Since my first visit with doctor, I am off two of my medications for high blood pressure. The key to my weight loss is that I eat six small meals per day approximately every 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

I am still playing racquetball and have just started playing in a competitive league. Then, in October, I am attending the “Fran Davis Racquetball Training Camp” to increase my ability level. Racquetball is my way of saying NO to the boring treadmill that in the past has lost my interest and become a great clothes hanger.

In closing, let me say, I must continually take ownership of this process. This is my healthy lifestyle change, and my will to continue to be happy and healthy for my family, my children and my grandchildren. I wish each of you the WILL to do the same.
Kind regards,
Dan

If you don't have stress it probably means your dead! So learn what your stress triggers are and how you can deal with them. Take ownership of your lifestyle and your choices - no more blaming it on "Mother Nature", hormones or aliens invading your body! Work the plan and the Plan will WORK!!

The Tribbles Tree

When I was a kid growing up the Tribble Family lived down the street, right on the corner. When I was about 9 or so I got a new bike and started learning how to ride it. I was terrible!! And to make it worse, back in the dark ages and before dirt, they didn't have training wheels! (see the photo of some cool kids with training wheels AND Helmets!)

Like all good parents, mine decided they would teach me how to ride my new bike - btw it was a pink and white Huffy! I had tried it out a little on my own and was moderately successful - meaning I could go about 20 feet before crashing. I figured out that I could balance the bike against the front fence, hop on and start pedaling, go 20 feet then crash - maybe that accounts for some of the loss of brain function I have!! But I digress......

Back to the parents teaching me how to ride. On that fateful day we all gathered out in front of our house and my dad started pushing me and running along side me to help me learn to balance, then he would let go and let me do it on my own, but catching me if I started to fall. After 3 or 4 tries he decided I was "experienced" enough that he wouldn't go with me this time.

Dad gave me my big send off and I started pedaling like mad! With the family cheering me on and screaming "pedal Lynn, pedal faster" I was going to ride this bike by myself or die trying! I made it down the street pedaling my heart out only to come to the end of the street where I knew I had to stop or I would ride into a busy street. I had 2 choices: 1) put my brakes on and try to stop or 2) put my brakes on and turn. The problem with either choice was I hadn't been taught how to do either! We were so focused on teaching me to stay upright and to ride that no one had bothered to teach me how to turn or stop!! Minor detail??

So here's where the Tribble's tree comes in. Remember the ride or die trying sentence a few moments ago? Well, I was going so fast that when I tried to use my coaster brakes I didn't realize I would end up turning too. And that's when it happened - I killed the Tribble's Tree! Yes, I AM A TREE KILLER!! Mr. Tribble had planted a small sapling in the front yard that ended up breaking my fall. A tree gave it's life so that I, the helmet-less, training wheel-less young bike rider could live!

You're probably wondering why I would tell you about the Tribble's deceased tree. From the story of the tree we can learn:

• Weight loss is like learning to ride a bike. You have to learn to balance your life in order to be successful. Eating 6 healthy meals a day is so different from what most of us have done in the past. Yes, we may have eaten 6 (or more) times a day, but it probably wasn't healthy, and no french fries are not a vegetable!
  
• Using replacement meals, like the ones we use, is like using training wheels. It makes our weight loss "ride" easier. Yes, you can learn it on your own, but it's a lot harder, and you'll find yourself crashing - a lot!
• Having a coach is like having your parent run along side you as you learn to ride on your own
  
• Like training wheels, at some point you may decide to take them off - and that's ok. My words of caution: make sure you have mastered the fundamentals of riding, like stopping and turning, BEFORE you take them off!!
• If you find yourself crashing because you took the wheels off too early - you can always put them back on
• And finally, watch for the trees in your path. Don't become a Tree Killer!

Some of you are pedaling for all your might right now! Congratulations! Remember, you have more than one set of training wheels you can use if you need them - I'm your training wheels too - and I'm there for you anytime you need me. I've crashed - a lot, and I'll continue to crash, but I've also been successful, I'm having the ride of my life and I'm willing to run next to you and catch you if you fall! BTW: Thanks for riding along with me!!

Biafra and Sirens

Growing up in the days following the Great Depression and major World Wars my mom made sure we were members of the "Clean Plate Club". She didn't actually call it that, but that's what it was. You couldn't leave the table with food on your plate no matter how much you hated it! I remember one time sitting there crying for what seemed like hours because I couldn't leave the table till I finished my soup - it had cooked tomatoes and celery - which I hated and still to this day have a hard time getting down sometimes.

I remember Mom using such motivations as "There are starving children in China who would love to have this to eat". To which I was thinking, "Well send it to them!" or "Why don't you go cook for them then?". Ooh, I was a rebellious soul!

Later on I used the same, less than successful, motivation on my own children, only by then it had changed to starving children in Biafra. Does anyone even remember Biafra and the images of children suffering from starvation and malnutrition caused by the civil war? Let me tell you those images were powerful!

I recently sat down to a beautiful dinner at well known steak house. My tender and juicy fillet, cooked "just right" as Goldilocks would say, surrounded by the roasted asparagus and steamed broccoli. A perfect Lean and Green. I had chosen wisely.

But there IT was. Sitting innocuously off to the side. Perfectly golden brown. Fluffy. Innocent in it's own simplicity. I hadn't asked for IT and IT certainly wasn't in the description of the meal on the menu card or I would have asked to have IT removed, but there IT was! Granted IT was small, maybe only 2 inches square by 1 inch high, but for the power IT had over me IT could have been the size of an aircraft carrier and IT wouldn't have made a difference!

It was with this internal brain tape of "cleaning your plate because others were starving" constantly running that when I had finished my meal I just couldn't leave well enough alone. IT started calling to me! That siren song [ of several sea nymphs, part woman and part bird, who lure mariners to destruction by their seductive singing]. I was about to go under!

All of us are going to face temptations while we journey our way to being Healthy. For some it's going to be a small IT. For others IT will be huge! What ever IT is for you, identify IT. Plan for IT.


Remember Ulysses, in Homer's Odyssey, who planned for his encounter with the sirens. He had his crew's ears stopped with wax and himself lashed to the mast of the ship in order to survive. No amount of pleading with the crew - who could not hear his cries - would allow them to release him. Yes, people IT can be that seductive.

Take a minute to contemplate how you've been responding to the sirens. Are your ears stopped? Are you lashed to the mast? or have they invaded and you are about to go under? Remember you can change your mind tape!

A Case of Mistaken Identity

You've probably heard a version of this fable:

After touring the barn and the orchard beyond, the two men started back toward the house when the ranger noticed the hen house and chicken coop built against the back of the barn. He couldn’t help but smile at the way several dozen baby chicks were scratching and pecking in the dirt right along with their mothers. There was also a rooster and a couple of half-grown turkeys. Just as he was about to look away and follow the farmer back toward the house, his eye caught the movement of a huge bird just emerging from the shadows alongside the chicken house. At first, the ranger mistook it for a full grown turkey due to its size, but then he all but gasped as he recognized what kind of bird he was looking at. It was a huge bald eagle, one of the biggest and most beautiful bald eagles he had ever seen in all his years in the mountains!

Seemingly oblivious to everything around him, the eagle was turning his majestic white head from side to side, peering at the ground, first with one eye and then with the other. Every now and then he would stop his awkward gait and scratch in the dirt like a giant chicken, even though his giant talons dug deep grooves in the earth instead of just scratching the surface like the hens around him.

“Wha . . . what? It’s an eagle!” he stuttered as the farmer chuckled at his shock.

“Yep. Found him in the mountains a couple of years ago, just a chick. Apparently his mother had been killed and the other chick died. We barely saved him, but he pulled through. We brought him home and put him in with the chickens and he’s been living with them ever since.”

The ranger watched in amazement as one of the hens got upset at the eagle for getting too close to her chicks and flew at him in defense. The giant bird ducked his head and ran awkwardly away from the hen.

“Do you keep his flight feathers clipped to keep him from flying away?” the ranger asked.

“Goodness, no,” answered the farmer. “No need to. He’s been with the chickens so long he doesn’t know he can get off the ground any farther than they can. Sometimes he’ll start to spread his wings and all the chickens get frightened and start making such a fuss that he tucks them right back in again. I think it scares him to have them react like that. We’ve never had to worry for a minute about him taking off.”

“But . . . but . . . what about his instincts, his ancestry, his heritage! He’s an eagle, not a chicken!” the ranger blurted.

Once again the farmer smiled as he started to turn away. “Well you know he’s an eagle and I know he’s an eagle, but the deal is . . . he doesn’t know he’s an eagle.”

Are you like this Eagle - you've been scratching with the chickens so long you've forgotten how to fly?

When you start to fly and the other chickens raise a fuss do you pull back your wings?

Do you really believe you are a chicken even when all the signs say you're not?

Have you even gone so far as to say I've always been this way, I'll die this way?

Eagles soar high above other birds. Therefore, eagles must be willing to fly alone.

Chickens, on the other hand, are content to scratch along the ground with other chickens.

Which will you be?

A Wise Yogi

A wise Yogi once said - It ain't like football. You can't make up no trick plays.

Of course I am speaking about the great Yogi Berra.

Yogi was also a talker behind the plate. He used to talk to the opposing batters in order to distract them. Hank Aaron tells the story about the 1958 World Series, with Yogi behind the plate. Yogi kept telling Aaron to 'hit with the label up on the bat'. Finally Aaron turned and said "Yogi, I came up here to hit, not to read."

Staying on plan ain't like playing football! You can't make up no trick plays! The game is played straight, no fakes, misdirections or "hotdogging". At times you may be blindsided, blitzed and even roughed up. You may even come up against someone trash talking you from behind the plate [or across the plate at the buffet], but like Hank, you aren't here to read [other than your Habits of Health book!] but to hit it out of the park.

Dr Seuss's Plan for Life

You've got brains in your head.
You've got feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

Dr. Seuss' classic book, Oh, The Places You'll Go!, is an incredible allegory* for our weight loss journey. Lets take a closer look at it to find out how we can use those principles to succeed.
*[A story that has a deeper or more general meaning in addition to its surface meaning. Thank You Dictionary.Com]

Dr Seuss' Plan for Life	Your Plan for Life
Brains in your head and feet in your shoes	5 & 1 Plan
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.	Life gets in our way if we let it
Un-slumping yourself is not easily done	Immediately get back on 5 & 1! And remember that it will take about 3 days to get back into fat burn – so choose wisely!
You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”	Just say NO! It's YOUR plan – own it!
How much can you lose? How much can you win?	The choice really is yours
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind	Set your goal weight now and don't look back
Everyone is just waiting. No! That’s not for you!	You no longer are stuck. You have hope! Yes, you can turn your “inner” skinny self into your “outer” self
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.	You will get scared. You will have to look yourself square in the facr and ask yourself, “Can I really do it this time?” The answer is YES, if you are a mind-maker-upper!
Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.	You will always be making choices. Make sure your choice supports YOUR goal

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!

Diet Food vs REAL Food

If given a choice would you rather eat "diet" food or "real" food? I'm asked this questions a lot and it seems like the follow up comment is always, "I could never eat powdered food the rest of my life! I want to eat "REAL" food!". To which I just chuckle to myself and say to them - I understand.

What people don't realize is that majority of the "real" food they are consuming comes to the retailer in the form of powdered food. To give you an example - I was at Fudruckers for dinner (great place to get a good bison burger and salad btw) and noticed that you could buy their rolls pre-made or you could take home a bag of roll "mix" (aka powdered rolls). My son worked in the bakery of a large retail chain and all their "fresh" bread and rolls, cookies, brownies, croissants, etc. were made out of mixes (aka powder) re-hydrated, baked and sold as "fresh baked" to the end consumer. (Silly me - I had visions of those little baking elves carefully measuring out ingredients like I did at home!)

Magically it had become "real" food to the end consumer!

Our little foil packets come to us as "diet" food and magically we can produce "real" food!
It's amazing!!
What's really amazing is that these little foil packets can change your life!

So I thought we'd take a look at a day of "diet" vs "real" food at my house.

Today's Diet Food Menu

5- Foiled packets of Pancakes, Chocolate Pudding, Banana Pudding, Chocolate Shake, Brownie

Today's REAL Food Menu

Breakfast

Chocolate Chip Crepe with warm Syrup





Second Breakfast

Chocolate Frosty





Lunch

Tropical Punch Slurpee







Second Lunch

Chocolate Cookie "Ice Cream" Sandwich






Ap`eritif

Raspberry Limeade







Dinner

Beef Shish Kabab's with Grilled Romain and Green Beans





Snack

Banana Pudding with Chocolate Cookie

Gastronomic boredom leads to lots of unhealthy eating.
If you don't make improvisation and experimentation part of your eating life,
you are sure to find yourself in an eating rut.
It's as bad as a romantic rut - losing that spark - and just as likely to get you in trouble!
Mireille Guiliano
French Women Don't Get Fat

So, if you're still licking that shaker cup clean and feeling a little deprived, just scoop the pudding into a fancy glass bowl, get out the silver spoon, sit down at the table and enjoy REAL food!

BTW - I won't tell if you just mix up the brownies and eat the batter (:

The Incredible Shrinking Couple

The Incredible Shrinking Couple!
150 pounds lost!

Priceless

With fire alarms blaring at my mom's apartment complex, she
grabbed her favorite bathing suit and ran out.

"A bathing suit?" I said later. "Of all the priceless things
in that apartment, that's what you chose to save?"

"Material things come and go," she said with a shrug. But a
one-piece suit that doesn't make you look fat is impossible
to replace."
(Good Clean Fun)

Isn't that the truth! I know you guys out there are shaking your head but just think of it this way - it's like trying to find a really comfortable easy chair. One's too small, one doesn't have a "lounge" feature, one's too flowery and it's not leather or it's "pleahter".....you get the picture.

Finding a weight loss program that works and is easy to do is like finding that perfect swimsuit or lounge chair - truly priceless! Once you find it DON'T LET IT GO!! Hang on to it with all your might!

Life of Gaga

My gym uses some really upbeat and fun music in their workout areas and classes. We sweat away to pop divas like Beyonce with her "Single Ladies" and Lady Gaga's "Poker Face".

Ah, Lady Gaga what can you say about her.................
Words like creative, weird, original, outrageous and kooky come to mind.

But I think she's brilliant!

This is me on a normal day. I wake up in the morning and make my hair bow,
and I put my catsuit on,
and I call up everybody in the Haus of Gaga, and I say,
"How are we going to be brilliant today?"

Lady Gaga

So Wake UP!
Get your cat suit on,
make that hair bow (tutorial)
And be BRILLIANT today!!

Fillet of Elephant

The best way to eat the elephant standing in your path is to cut it up into little pieces

African Proverb

How do you drink like an Elephant? An African elephants drink as much as 50 gallons in a single day. They drink at least once a day and in the wild, though they live in a variety of habitats, from thick jungle to open savannas, they are never far from water.

If an Elephant can drink up to 50 gallons a day, how hard is it to drink our measly 64 oz. (1/2 gallon) of water each day? To me it's like trying to eat an Elephant! It's HUGE and I get very overwhelmed by the thought!

This is our Elephant - the 2 liter or 67 oz bottle - on the right
1 of these a day in addition to our shakes, soups and other meals with water
It's the big Elephant in the room and no one wants to talk about it!

To conquer my Elephant I've discovered my
"Fillet of Elephant"
That small, tender and juicy morsel -
the 8 oz water bottle - on the left

12 swallows and I'm done! 8 of those a day - easy peasy! I can enjoy fillet 8 times a day! And to make it even easier I freeze just a little water in them to make them cool and crisp each time I reach for one. To do that I lay them on their side in the freezer. The ice melts quickly and keep it "just right" as Goldilocks would say - oh, sorry for mixing my proverbs and my fairy tales.

Yes, that's a chocolate shake getting ready to be a "frosty" in a few hours

To spice up your fillet of Elephant, try sparkling water with a twist of lemon or lime. Perrier or my favorite San Pellegrino are wonderful served with dinner - it turns a Tuesday ho-hum into to a Tuesday hummy (humming+yummy)! Buy low or zero sodium seltzer or soda water and sugar free syrups like Torani or DiVinci brands. I fill a large glass half full with crushed ice, add a splash of sugar free raspberry syrup and fill with seltzer water and I think I'm in heaven!

No matter how you serve it
you really can
Eat [or in our case] Drink an Elephant!

Don't Put Your Finger In Your Eye!

Ouch!! I was working on a new Chili Relleno recipe so I cleaned some fresh chilies for dinner and didn't wear any gloves - gloves are for sissies! Later on I forgot and then rubbed my eye - DOH!!! What was I thinking??

Well, I was thinking that for a born and bred Arizona girl chilies are a way of life and we use them all the time. Sometimes we get a little slack in handling them.

Boy was it a wake up call! What I really learned was we can't be slacking in handling our lives. Especially in regards to our weight loss goals.

So my take away from this experience is - be aware of everything. Wear your "gloves" when you handle something toxic - like a party, family gathering or dinner out.

You may save your eye!!

16 Laps Doing a Dead Man Float.......

yohoho and a bottle of diet root beer!! 15 laps doing a Dead Man's Float, yohoho.....................................You get the idea even if it doesn't rhyme.

It all started the year they built the new pool for the high school. It was a beautiful facility with a kiddies pool and a ginormous laned pool with a roped off "deep end" for the low and high dives. Best thing about it - they were going to offer free swimming lessons to the public!

Up until this time we had been swimming in a stock tank my dad had brought home. There it sat on our back porch - this huge round metal tank about 3 feet high filled with water and the neighborhood kids splashing and having fun. Our favorite part was to get everyone to the side and then we would all swim or run around the edge which would start a swirling motion with the water and we'd all stop together and get carried by the swirling current of water! That was the best!

So the year the pool opened my mother signed my sister and I up for the free swimming lessons. Every morning for two weeks my sister and I would put on our swim suits, grab our towels, put on our zori's* and walk over to the pool for our lessons.

Did I mention it was in Phoenix, in the summer where the pavement was so hot if you stopped your zori's would melt to it? Did I mention that we had to walk about 3/4 of a mile to the pool and that part of that walk was across a vacant lot where "sticker" plants covered the ground and every time you stepped on one it would stab your foot through your zori? Sorry I digress.

Once at the pool we would go through "testing" to find out which group we would be assigned. I hated testing! It was during testing that I learned a few things about myself:

1. I'm afraid of water
2. I'm claustrophobic and water on my face terrifies me
3. That because of #1 & 2 every year I was put into the beginners group.

Well, spending so much time in the beginners group all those years I learned some very valuable skills. No, I never learned to do a front crawl or a butterfly, but I was the best darn floater in that pool!!

Turtle float? Childs play! Treading water? Oh please - can we say beginner!! Back stroke? Easy peasy! Dead Man Float? There's no one better! See I figured if I was ever in a situation where I had to save myself in water I'd better have a backup plan - since by "their" definition I couldn't "swim".

Which brings me back to today. Today I did 16 laps (1/4 mile) in the gym pool! Ok, I admit I "wrupfl'd" them - a combo of walk, run, paddle & float, but I did it! No, it wasn't pretty, no it wasn't really "swimming" by "their" standards but it worked! It got the job done.

Today you may have to "Wrupfl" it. You may have to make adjustments. You may have challenges. You may have fears and anxiety about going off plan or succeeding on the program. The key will be to just do it. Do it even if it isn't pretty. Do it even if "they" say it's not regulation. Even if you have to stay in the beginner class every day for the rest of your life - JUST DO IT!! What ever it takes. By doing it you just might be able to save your life!!

*Originally flip-flops were called zori's after the Japanese sandal style.

Original Post Date: Jul 20, 2010

Free Cake Tomorrow

FreeCakeTomorrow!

I bet that caught your attention didn't it! My brother had a sign in his pizza restaurant that read, Free Beer Tomorrow. It always made me smile, especially when the college kids would ask what day the free beer would be available ~ not comprehending that tomorrow never came.

So make a sign. Put it up in your kitchen, on your fridge, in your cupboard or where ever it needs to be to remind you that if you stay on plan TODAY that you can have free cake, cookies, beer, pizza ~ whatever you want ~ TOMORROW.

See the key is we want it now! Not tomorrow, not next week, but Now! It's that inner BRAT screaming to get out. And often times we give up our tomorrow, our hopes and dreams of an ideal weight or optimal health, so that we can have it NOW.

Which reminds me of a story that they used to tell us in Vacation Bible School. I loved Vacation Bible School! I would go with our neighbor Mrs. Patterson and her kids each summer, and I remember the story they told us of Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:31-34) where Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of pottage (lentils). The reason he sold it ~ he was hungry. HE WAS HUNGRY??? He gave it ALL up, all the future had to give him, for food! Talk about a food addiction!!!

He sold his future of (fill in your word here like happiness, health, no medications, ideal weight) for a bite of (fill in your word here like pizza, bread, cake, beer)!!

The past is history,
The future a mystery,
Today is a gift,
That's why they call it the Present

Don't sell your future for a bowl of pottage or a bite of cake or pizza today! Take the gift of TODAY and keep it safe, knowing the future will bring you many more gifts if you hold tight to the Present.


Original Post Date: Jul 14, 2010

My Italian Job

I movies filmed in Italy! Beautiful sports cars driving down beautiful winding Italian roads. Shots of Venice, Rome and the Italian Alps. So the 'Italian Job' moves to the top of the list along with some of my other 'set in Italy' favorite movies like Oceans 12, Only You and Roman Holiday.

As with all great movies there are some quotes that make it into our everyday communications. Like, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a d**m!", "You talkin' to me? You talking' to me? You TALKIN' to me?" and who can forget "I'll be back!"? But I really love this quote from the Italian Job:

John Bridger: I feel so optimistic. How do you feel?
Charlie Croker: [shrugging] I'm fine.
John Bridger: Fine? You know what "fine" stands for, don't you?
Charlie Croker: Yeah, unfortunately.
John Bridger: Freaked out...
Charlie Croker: Insecure...
John Bridger: Neurotic...
Charlie Croker: And Emotional.

Every time someone asks me how I am and I answer - fine, or when I hear some one say they are fine I think of the Italian Job's F.I.N.E.

So I found myself struggling lately with being F.I.N.E. - freaked, insecure, neurotic and emotional about my weight loss. I had taken some time off from active weight loss and had been maintaining for about 3 months, but I wasn't happy about it. Then I realized I really hadn't made it to my goal yet. Yes, I was down 60 pounds, which in my former life would have been goal and then some, but my final goal was really still about 25 pounds away. And I knew I really needed to get there.

So I kept asking myself, why aren't you getting motivated? You can do this! You know the plan works! Why aren't you doing it? Everyone else is doing it! I'd really lost my mojo! When it finally dawned on me the other day that I was struggling with my inner B.R.A.T. Yes, I was beign a BRAT!

Me: Why are you struggling?
Myself: Because I want to! I'm being a BRAT!
Me: You know what BRAT stands for don't you?
Myself: Yeah, unfortunately.
Me: A Belligerent...
Myself: Rebellious...
Me: Antagonistic...
Myself: Twerp Throwing Temper Tantrums!

I didn't want to give up my comforts! I had worked so hard to loose the weight that I thought it would be okay to just cruise for awhile. A little "treat" now and then wouldn't hurt. Where have you heard that one before?!!

Bottom Line: I wanted what I wanted and I didn't want to be told no!

"No! You can't have those mint filled chocolate chips on your brownie!" You know fruits are not on plan during weight loss phase, even though it is summer time and the only time watermelons are good. Or, I love this one "Just this one bite (of bread, or cheese, or nuts, or whatever non-plan food) won't hurt".

Don't get done in by being F.I.N.E. or a B.R.A.T.! If your weight loss is not going as well as you'd like, you've hit a "plateau" or you're struggling with perceived deprivations, take a minute and ask yourself -

AM I BEING A B.R.A.T?

Original Post Date: Jul 3, 2010

Floyd's Island

I was at a recent family gathering where one of the men started showing a video of a Scout trip he'd taken over spring break to a little known place called Floyd's Island.

As we oohh'd and awehed over the beauty of the flora and fauna in the video it dawned on me that reaching Floyd's Island is a lot like reaching our goal weight. It's a beautiful and idyllic trip when viewed from afar, but up close...............oh baby!

Did I mention that Floyd's Island, this beautiful idyllic place, is in the middle of the Okefenokee Swamp? Yep, I said SWAMP! Gators, Skeeters, Snakes and even Bears live on the "island".......... and it's not even a real island, but a "hammock" - an "elevated tract of land rising above the general level of a marshy region" (thank you Dictionary.com). Did I mention that the only way to get there is by canoe? Did I mention that you have to paddle through gator infested water? - OK I guess you figured when I said swamp that meant gators. Did I mention that there is no electricity, plumbing or other "modern conveniences" (yes, there is a "bio-toilet" for all you eco-people, which by the way the "bio" part is maggots - just a little FYI).

So, here's our analogy of our Trip to Floyd's Island:

Only access in is by canoe - 35 miles round trip	Weight is not lost overnight – it's an ongoing pursuit – and once in, there should be no turning back!
Permits Required	The 5&1 Plan, Eating 6 times a day using only plan approved foods
You pack it in, You pack it out	Open, Shake, Rinse, Repeat
No modern “conveniences”	Lean and Green – it doesn't get any more basic or "old-school" than that!
Alligators, laying in wait	Saboteur's, Nay-sayers, Denigrator
Yellow Flies, worse than mosquitos	Nagging thoughts of self doubt that continually plague us
Bears	Sudden unplanned events that throw us off plan
Insect Repellent	Knowledge and understanding of how the plan works, why it works and how you can be successful!
Sun Screen	Planning your meals. Being prepared for meals away from home or in social situations

These Scouts had a once in a lifetime trip. Something they will never forget.

• It was a lot of hard work on their part, canoeing 35 miles through the swamp is not for the wimpy! There was no one there to bail them out when it got rough or dangerous - and there's no one to bail us out when it gets rough. If it's going to be - it's up to me!
• The video shows them going in with abandon and glee (oblivious to the rigors ahead) and then coming out dragging their tails - but with the biggest smiles on their faces! They DID IT!! And you can do it too!
  

So today while you're slogging through the "swamp" just remember how great it will feel when you can also say "I DID IT!!"

Original Post Date: Jun 5, 2010

6-Pack Arriving Soon!

I got myself some great shorts for my trip to Arizona next week. Yes, my friends and family are going to be blown away - but not because of my weight loss, but because I'm an ALBINO!! My legs are so white the reflected glare is going to blind them!!! But that's another blog!

What I was excited about was the shorts are a size 12!! Not a "relaxed" fit 12 but an actual off the rack in the "designer" section of Kohls 12! YEAH!! I also noticed I didn't have a "muffin" top or a "Michelin" either! I started this journey as a 20+ (okay I'll admit it was a 22 - darn it all)! Now a 12 - and doing the happy dance!!

So when I got out of the shower this morning I thought "lets see what's really going on here". Usually I run really fast past the mirror in the morning!! Great exercise!

OK - TMI is about to be revealed - click back if you don't want to read anymore!!! WARNING!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

So I was checking it out in the mirror and I actually have ribs! If I stand up really straight and I suck it in a little and I've got 2 ribs! If I really hold it in I can begin to see the 3rd rib beginning to emerge! WOO HOO!!! Guess those Pilates and Yoga classes are starting to pay off!!

Now as for the 2 fried eggs hanging over the cloths line - I think all hope is lost! I think I need a wonderbra intervention - AND FAST!!!

Original Post Date: May 11, 2010

Are You One of the "COOL" Kids?

I didn't have the greatest high school experience. It wasn't bad, but it's not something I want to relive either. I wasn't one of the "In" crowd or even the "wanna-be In" crowd. Maybe it was because I was a band "nerd" or a home ec "geek". I didnt' go to any proms or school dances, but I could sew all my own clothes and cook up a lemon meringue pie to die for! All skills which have served me well over the years.

But now it's fun to find out I really am one of the "COOL" kids here!

C - I CHOOSE to maintain CONTROL

O - I have OWNERSHIP of my body and nobody can tell me what I need

O - I have many eating OPTIONS and they will all lead me to .....

L- being LEAN


So thanks for letting me hang with all you COOL people here! And a special Thanks to my friend Brenda for telling me how COOL it is to be on this journey!


Original Post Date: May 3, 2010

DO NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL OWNER!!!

So it's official! I've lost 60 pounds since Dr. Death's pronouncement! YEAH!!! WOO HOO!!!

And since I've lost it - if you found it DO NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL OWNER!!!

ARRIVEDERCI BABY!, BYE-BYE, 再见, ADIÓS , ในภายหลัง, AU REVOIR, AUF WIEDERSEHEN! No matter what language you say it - it's OUTTA HERE!!

Have a great day all my MF friends! I couldn't have done it without you!

Original Post Date: Apr 14, 2010

Pumping Iron

When I moved to the "big city" a few weeks ago my DH was so excited to finally be able to play raquetball any time he wanted at the local "big box" gym. Rather than stay home by myself I joined with him and started going to swim while he played, well mostly it was so I had an excuse to sit in the jacuzzi!!

While I was paddling back and forth in the pool (why I can't swim is for another blog) I was looking at the mural on the wall -

Before you can Achieve Anything you have to Expect it of Yourself

It got me to thinking about what I expect of myself and I came up with a few things:

• I expect to continue my journey and achieve optimal health
• I expect to share my journey with as many people as I can
• I expect to be an example of what you can achieve

So I'm paddling back and forth and through the glass wall I can see all the other members working out and I say to myself, "Self - you can do that too. Get your fanny out of the pool and talk to the coaches - see what you can do!". So my Self and I did that!

This week started my first week with the trainer - and she kicked my f.......!

But the funny part is tonight I was in the "weight room" - you know where all the guys hang out - now I'm a grandma - I'm not now or never will be one of the beautiful people or "Barbies" at the gym - so I'm hanging out doing my bicep curls and I happen to see this big muscly guy laughing at me. Yes, I was quite a sight - there I was standing with my itty bitty 5# weights lifting with all my might!

My first thought was a timid - OK, we all have to start somewhere! But then the thought came to me

I HAVE BIRTHED 5 CHILDREN - NATURALLY!
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET!!
BRING IT ON BIG BOY!
MOMMA IS THE HOUSE!!!!

I smiled all the way home!

Original Post Date: Mar 10, 2010

It's Been a Wild and Crazy Ride!

The new year has come in with a big bang and it hasn't stopped yet!

To put it in a nutshell - or better yet a "Chili Nacho Cheese Puff" (YUM) I survived a cross country move that involved me and the cat alone in the pickup truck for 5 days following the big yellow truck driven by the hubby from Oregon to Georgia!

Better than survived - I still lost weight! Those 2 pounds were worth all the crappy truck stop attempts at L&G, trying to open soy crisps at 65 MPH on the worst roads in the nation - yes, that's you Miss I-10 Louisiana - washing out shaker cups in motel rooms in cities no one has ever heard of, fire and brimstone when the trailer towing my car broke a wheel and flames started shooting up - I've never seen my now very skinny husband move so fast or look so good trying to be a firefighter - or breaking a nail as I four-wheeled it down the center of the California freeway after a semi pushed me off the road!

Yes, life is a great adventure! Hang on for the Ride! Now thank the Lord and Pass the Dutch Chocolate Shakes!!!

Original Post Date: Feb 5, 2009

Sweet 16 and Going Steady

I've been waiting to post this blog for about 2 weeks now - so close but yet so far - and finally this morning I can do it!

This morning the scale gods were smiling down on me as I stepped on with trepidation. Would today really be the day? You've been so close for the past few weeks. Would week 20 be my lucky week! I DID IT!!! WOO HOOOOOO!!

I made it to the

Sweet 16 party!

Here's a funny NSV confession which arrived earlier in the month that I haven't blogged about yet:

I've been going steady - again! For you youngsters out there, back in the dark ages, before dirt - 1960 or so - 'going steady' meant you were wearing your boy friends class ring which was always too big. So you wore the ring on a chain around your neck or on your finger with LOTS of tape or yarn wrapped around it to make it small enough to wear without getting lost.

Well, I've been going steady with my DH for about a month now! Yep, the wedding ring is too big and falling off when I least expect it - so doing what any cute girl from the '60's would do - I taped it. You got it! A big ol' wad of adhesive tape to keep that baby on tight! (see photo attachment - I live in a very small town and yes I have looked for ring adjusters - no such animal here so tape it is and tape it will be! When I reach goal I'll have it professionally sized - can't wait!)

Wishing y'all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and a VERY HAPPY NEW YOU!

Original Post Date: Jan 4, 2010

Beginners Are Many

I read a great article this morning and I thought I would pass along the thoughts to all you great supporters out there! We're all strengthened by your comments, thoughts, cheers, prayers and virtual hugs.

The title of the article was 'Beginners are Many, but Enders are Few' by C.S. Bezas. Boy does that strike a chord! This is a family activity but you get the idea:

Thanksgiving will be celebrated this week in the United States. This means that 2009 is nearly over. How did your 2009 New Year’s Resolutions turn out? Here’s a little lesson to inspire your family for even greater heights in 2010. Time for some Fun!

Activity:

Item Needed:

• Roll of tape

Pass out a short strip of clear cellophane tape to each person. Ask them to affix it to one of their finger tips and press on it very firmly. Once a minute or two has passed, invite everyone to pull it off and look at it very closely. Ask them to see what they found on the tape (of course, if there are individuals who are allergic to cellophane tape, have them only watch).

Pass out a second strip of clear tape and have each person place it on their cheek and press firmly. Once it’s been there for a few moments, have everyone remove it from their cheek. Ask them to look at the tape closely and share what they see.

Invite discussion on why small skin flakes, tiny hairs, etc., now are on the tape instead of on each person’s skin.

Then ask: what might this activity have to do with “friends”? With “service”? With “goals”? etc.

Application:

Explain that we are like tape. Everything that we “press” ourselves against deposits a tiny piece of itself on/with us. That is why we have to be careful with where our choices take us. That is why it is important that we pick carefully where we spend our time, who we associate with, and what kind of goals we work toward. Even our friends’ choices become part of our lives the longer we “stick” with those friends.

Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Beginners are many, but enders are few.
Honor, power, place and praise
Will always come to the one who stays.

Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile
Will come life’s victories after a while.

—Author Unknown

When we choose wisely what we’re going to “stick” to, the results are always joyous ones. In closing, ask the family quietly to think what they’ve “pressed” themselves against this past year. Do they like the results of what has collected on/in their lives? If not, what would they like to do differently for 2010?

Testify of the power of “choosing” rather than “allowing”. Each of us has the ability to choose what they can “stick” themselves to, thereby influencing what “sticks” to them throughout life. Invite each one tonight to make some private decisions and to record those in their journals, so that by the end of 2010, they can be pleased with what has “stuck” with them as they’ve “stuck” with uplifting friends, activities and goals.

So my question to my Blog friends -

What are you "stuck" to?? And what is "sticking" to you??

Original Post Date: Nov 23, 2009

Wrong Store?? What The!!!

My clothes are falling off and puddling around my ankles! Good thing I've always had great looking ankles! So it was time to get a new outfit for church as I have to give a presentation tomorrow and didn't want to loose something in front of the congregation - if you get my drift.

So I went to my local "big girls" store and started looking for a new skirt. I was standing there looking through all the merchandise thinking "I know this size is too big for me now, may be this size?" When the sales lady walks up and asks to help.

I explained what I needed and she responds, "What size waist do you have?" I replied, "36" (which was the size of the new jeans I 'bought' at the GW a few weeks ago). Then she says, "Oh, you're in the wrong section. You could probably wear a 16." A 16 IS SHE KIDDING ME - I haven't worn a 16 in probably 15 years!!

Sure enough I wear a 16 and it's almost too big!
YEAH!!!! I'm STILL doing the HAPPY DANCE!!!

Original Post Date: Nov 14, 2009

The Neighbors are Talking

My DH is so supportive of me and is doing the MF program with me, which really makes it so easy. We each have our own schedules for our MF meals but we coordinate our L&G together.

So tonight over dinner he said to me, "The Neighbor came over this morning to borrow a broom. She asked me if I was loosing weight and I told her yes. (he's lost 38#'s in 11 wks). Then she asked if you were loosing weight too and I told her yes, we were doing it together."

Then he said the sweetest thing. He said to her, "She's melting right before my eyes, I can't believe how skinny she's getting!". To which The Neighbor said, "I can really see a difference".

I love it when The Neighbors are talking about you behind your back!!!

Original Post Date: Nov 3, 2009

Doctor Victories

In one of my earlier posts I ranted about my Doctor from H _ _L. Well look who's laughing now! I'm down 28 #'s in 11 weeks with MF, but it gets even better!

It was time to redo my blood work so I dutifully visited the resident vampire and waited for my appointment in great anticipation. TA DAH!!! ALL - repeat that ALL my blood numbers were in the LOW NORMAL RANGE!! And my cardiac risk profile had dropped! SWEET!!

But the best part was when my PA walked in and said, "What have you been doing?". The admitting nurse had commented to her, "I think she was heavier last time she was here." NO DUH!!! Down 39 #'s since the initial conversation with "Doctor Death"!

3 weeks later I'm still doing the HAPPY DANCE............................

Original Post Date: Nov 2, 2009