Lose Weight & Keep it off by FENDING!!!

If you are truly interested in losing weight and keeping if off forever - add these words to your daily (if not hourly) vocabulary.........FEND OFF!!!!  To fend is to "ward against" - and when it comes to weight loss and weight management, its all about fending off outside (and inside) negative influences.  Learn to find your inner strength and power to pay attention to, and subsequently fend off the influences that have destroyed your good intentions to Become slender, fit and healthy -  Below are a few examples of negative influences that are subtle, yet deadly that you must fend off and ignore, no matter what reaction you encounter from others......

FEND OFF....
Friends, family and co-workers that unintentionally (and intentionally) use guilt, persuasion, disgust, and anger to coax you into eating or drinking in a manner that is not conducive to weight loss and/or weight management.  Stop worrying about hurting them by not indulging with them.  Be a role model, not a door mat.

FEND OFF...
Your own feelings of deprivation and emptiness.  If you are following a low calorie, low fat meal plan that makes some sense (try Weight Watchers), feelings of deprivation and emptiness are the "survival chemicals" in your body trying to influence you to "store up for the winter".  Take your emotions out of the equation and turn those Negative Thought Patterns into Positive Thought Patterns that will lead you to success.  Feelings of deprivation and emptiness simply means your body is utilizing stored calories for energy and you are on your way to Becoming slender and fit.

Life is too short to be fat....give yourself a break and Become.

Three Common Dieting Errors

Error #1 -  Developing a mindset that eating healthfully is an "event" rather than an on-going, everyday, every minute "process".

Error #2 -  Believing that some certain combination of foods, some pill or herb, some special diet plan, or gastric surgery will eliminate the nagging craving for the wrong foods at the wrong time.

Error #3 -  Letting life go by as an overweight person without giving yourself a chance to experience the joys of a healthy body weight forever. 

STOP MAKING THE SAME DIETING ERRORS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 

Size 8 to Size Zero???

I have to laugh at over the counter drugs seen on TV with snappy names like "Quick Trim".  They actually get people to do a personal testimony that they took this wonder drug and suddenly go from a "size 8 to a size zero".    The larger the population becomes, the more the clothing industry changes sizing to make us happy.  Size ZERO sounds soooo much better than size 8 today I guess???  Next thing you know, the average 5'6", 130 lb woman will be wearing a Negative size for Goodness Sakes........ "May I see something in a negative size 6 please??"

Fat is fat, overweight is overweight - no matter what "size label" we give it.  And is this "size zero" gal going to take that over the counter drug for the rest of her life?  What complications will it bring?  How is it truly changing her behavior?  What a bunch of trash - but then again, most people I come in contact with are looking for the "quick fix"......this company makes money --- YOU LOSE - and I'm not talking about weight.

Eating the right things is JUST THE START to weight management

Scientific evidence is GREAT -  I LOVE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE!!!  And to prove that I love scientific evidence - look up my Doctoral Dissertation entitled:  "Evidence Based Medicine".... It's boring, but it is committed to MY commitment to scientific evidence.

But I digress.  Some critics accuse me of being the "Joel Osteen" of weight management - loosely translated this means that my work centers around "big picture theory" and is not completely and 100% generated from charts, graphs and quotes from the research of others in the field.  My work is "big picture" and intended to be easily incorporated into EVERYONE's life.  My work says:  "No matter what science says about food, foodology, food preparation, food presentation, food planning.......it all boils down to Thought Behavior and reversing negative Thought Behavior Patterns.  No matter how AMAZING your food plan, preparation and presentation, YOU WILL BE FACED WITH CRAVINGS AND BEHAVIOR THAT IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL.  This means you must have the brain power and brain tools to move forward and CRUSH those obstacles so that your "plan" will be successful forever.  Not just for 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years......I'm talking FOREVER!   Learn to use your brain to lose weight forever!!

Let's face it -  losing weight and putting it back on just is such a bummer.

Golf IS Exercise

Well, today is the last round of the Ladies Club Championship - and BOY has it been a great experience! I've been "swinging away" and not trying to lower my score by doing funky things - I'm just approaching each shot appropriately, selecting the correct club and using the swing that I will continue to use and improve upon.  I refuse to "perfect my imperfections" by using a swing plane that is "effective" now, but one that I will get stuck with and regret.  I refuse to favor one club and use it for every shot because I "hit that club well", and I refuse to feel as though I should be playing "better".....I've only been playing regularly since July of 2010 (not even a year) and I will need at least 3 years of regular play to reach a level that is both competitive and fun all at the same time.  My goal is to reach a hcp that will qualify me to be an alternate on the Ladies Team by July, 2011.  If I reach that goal.....GREAT!!  If not, I will keep working at it until I get there!  Yes, I am in last place - but the good news is......I'm golfing with great golfers and growing in a way that is both physical and emotional!!

How do I relate this golf story to successful, lifetime weight management?  Here it is:  Each day brings new challenges (faced with food choices), each experience brings new information about YOU (how well am I using my inner strength), working toward goals that will allow improvement is key to future success (keep your visual of a fit YOU in your head at all times), and giving up (relapse) is not an option if success is to be achieved.

Food Diary

If it's Tuesday, it must be yet another day to PAY ATTENTION, stay strong, have a plan, stick to the plan, let any feelings of hunger, craving or emptiness be joyful feelings.....my body is searching out stored fat to burn.  I will be in a better place mentally and physically!!!  Let everyone else cheat, slide and squeeze into their clothes...NOT ME! 

7:00am - TBP.....Need nutrition, golfing in tournament today, need energy, must be a healthy breakfast so as I am WALKING AND CARRYING MY BAG FOR 18 HOLES I will enjoy burning calories and staying fit.  Want to look good in golf skirt!!
One packet oatmeal with raisins, whole wheat toast w/Can't Believe Not Butter, one cold orange, hard boiled egg

10:00am - TBP ...tough golf match, need energy....burning calories and staying fit - GREAT!!  I am strong, energetic and powerful!!
One banana and a Yoplait, lots of water

2:00pm -  TBP....golf done, ready for lunch, stay on track....think carefully about lunch selection
Apple, Tuna with lots of pickles and just a smidge of Olive Oil mayo, on 1/2 whole wheat bagel, lots of water, a cup of raw veggies and a cup of cooked soy beans shelled

5:00pm -  TBP ....feel good, showered and ready to relax and think about dinner
One glass white wine, grapes, orange and apple slices

7:00pm -  TBP...bedtime is soon don't eat after dinner, eat a filling but healthy dinner
One baked potato with Bal Vinegar, salad with tomatoes & cucumbers (lemon juice), peas and broccoli

Another day of controlled eating!

As promised -  my "day of eating" along with my Thought Behavior Patterns (TBP).....

TBP -  7:00am -  Yes I could eat my father's pancakes and bacon - but let me have some coffee, relax and not rush into a bad decision.  Let me enjoy the "empty" feeling and know that I have not made a rash decision.

One egg (over medium with tsp Olive oil), one piece whole wheat toast w/I Can't Believe its not butter, one orange

TBP -  11:00am -  Breakfast digested - hungry.  Eat an ice cold apple and a glass of iced tea with lemon, sit and relax for a minute and visualize my body utilizing stored fats.  Visualize my fat bucket as empty and my golf skirt comfortable and loose.

One cold apple and tall glass of iced tea with lemon

TBP - 3:00....won't eat dinner until about 6:00 but craving cheese and crackers.  Drink small bottle of cold water and eat a banana - I LOVE bananas and they are filling.  Cheese and crackers will make fat dimples on my legs - a banana will give me energy and fill me up.  Relax and do 5 minutes of Yoga.

One banana, some blue berries, a little non-fat mild and one tablespoon of  yogurt in the blender for a nice smoothie -

TBP 5:00....Relax with a glass of red wine and contemplate on what a good job I've done all day resisting thoughtless eating.  Plan a healthy dinner.

Salad with lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, bean sprouts, Balsamic vinegar.  Steamed soy beans, brown rice and 3 small pieces of orange chicken.

TBP 9:30pm......would love something sweet -  try a cup of hot tea with a little milk and honey.  Reflect on a day of controlled eating and visualize my body as slim and strong and healthy. 

Hot tea with milk and honey, small bowl of blue berries.  5 minutes of Yoga before bed, will sleep more soundly.