Overcoming the Obstacles that Hinder Progress

 






My mind races daily with options such as, speed, easy, hard, never steady and slow - I'm speaking of getting this weight off of course. 

I am so challenged with what has worked for me in the past and what will work for me over 50. 
Fasting has worked great to take off the same 15 pounds
Eating clean has worked great if I take the time to do strength and conditioning

There are two, well maybe 3 things that are my absolute enemy to conquer: 
1.Drinking my water (1/2 your weight minimally a day) and 
2. Night snacking. 
3. Stress is another killer for me as I reach for comfort food moments to procrastinate dealing with the stress. 

My mind is my biggest challenge and obstacle in moving forward on my journey to eating and training myself healthy. Let me give you a picture: 
Picture a gerbil, I know they're kind of cute but kind of not to others, but go with me on this for a moment. 
A gerbil in his exercise cage ring! Got that visual? Yes running the ring round and round and going nowhere. That is what it is like in my mind often. 

I do know the answer, I do!  BUT... to get my mind to shut down long enough to follow in that direction is like trying to catch a fish with your hand "slippery lil sucker" I think for me it has to start with some quiet time and get into a 'zone' that I begin to train my mind to quiet down too. Once I arrive there, I can make the right choices for my health. 

What is your challenge?

STRESS and It's Affect on Focus, Eating Right and Working Out

HOW DO YOU LIVE IN STRESS?

FOR ME? I am exhausted and emotionally spent most of the time.  I have a lack of focus.  My energy is directed at two things, unproductive busyness to keep my mind occupied while working at a solution to relieve the source of the stress.  I find it very difficult to have the energy, focus and commitment to eat right and workout.

HOW DO YOU LIVE IN WORRY?

FOR ME? I find solace in reading, meditating and praying the truth over my life and the area of concern, I am able to keep up my workouts and eat right in times of worry.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

STRESS?  Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response.Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious.Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or "stressor."

FOR ME? There's just something about my reaction to issues, people, uncertainty, that puts me into stress mode and it's different than worry for me.  I don't even have the capacity to worry in this mode.  AND I have an emotional hold on things like tears, where they want to come out but I am just holding everything back. 

COMFORT EATING AND STRESS

This is my trigger.  Stress takes me right down the road to comfort eating and it can turn into binging in an instant.  It's as if I am filling a hole, likely a void with food to take up time while the stress takes it course. I can feel it, see it, realize it, and yet I feel as if something is holding me down and I am not easily able to break through the wall of paralysis that stress throws my life into.

JUST DO IT!

I know the answer, DO IT, just DO IT!  Go up to the tredmill get on and DO a Workout, toss the snacks and just go for veggies.  Close my mouth and don't put a thing into it at night after dinner.  Pushing through this mindset is like ne pushing a Prowler with 200 lbs on it.  Hard as all get out.

BRAIN DUMPING

Do the one thing that helps me begin the breaking down process is to start a brain dump.

List out all the things I have to get done with target end dates attached

Prioritize it.  Execute on it.  AND THEN, as I relieve and resolve by beginning to work through my list, ONLY THEN does my stamina, energy and motivation come back allowing me to take care of ME and continue on the road to Eating Clean and Getting Healthy.

It's Just Me Val, Ciao!

WHAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM STARTING?

What's Stopping You From Eating Right and Working out?

EXCUSES?  Any of these sound familiar?

• Projects at work are taking up my time
• House projects have to get done in any free time I have and I have so little time
• I have errands to run this morning and then an event later, no time
• I'm overwhelmed with how out of shape I am and this is going to take so long

Truth is these excuses will always exist as long as you are alive.

So how do we work around them?  We don't!

We have to come to a point where we are so determined to Eat Healthy and Work our Body for Health that nothing will stand in the way.  We must set a time and always have a Plan B time ready should an emergency find it's way into our lives.  Trouble is some of us live for crisis and emergencies arrives daily!  Excuses, Excuses, Excuses.

How important are YOU to you?  

How important is your health?  

What's holding you back from taking the first step?  

In an earlier post, (Flip a Switch) I mention several reasons why we procrastinate.  There are also just plain lies we keep telling ourselves like 

• I'll do it in just a minute, let me finish this
• I promise myself I am going to start tomorrow
• I am going to start fresh on Monday, let me just get past this weekend. 

 

   Today Is Monday!  

FLIP THAT SWITCH NOW!

Here are some quick tips to get started:

• Use this handy link to get started now!  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
• Figure out what your healthy weight should be and vision it for yourself (get a picture in your mind)
• Figure out the calorie intake per day to reach your goal and write it down
• Incorporate exercise to get some fat burn in and muscle tone going
• Set a time everyday to workout, with a Plan B time for emergency situations
• NOW, STICK to it, don't let anything come between you and your workout
• Start with a simple 15 minute Walk for the first week, 
• Add another 15 min walk to that in your second week, 
• Pump up the volume and do 5 min of fast walking to each 15 min walk, 
• Pump that up to 10 min in your third week, 
• Add some light dumbells for arms in the 4th week
• Write, write, write...journal your progress and setbacks...it helps!

There are so many helps out on Google for beginners. Just get moving!

YOU CAN DO IT!  You are so Worth It.  So get up right now and choose health, take that walk, plan out your meals, do simple baby steps to get to the goal and guess what?  You'll be there before you know it!

I believe in you and me.  Do you?

It's just me, Val  Ciao!

FLIP THE SWITCH - JUST DO IT!

How many times have you lost the same 10 pounds?

I know, right?  It's so frustrating.  Well if you only have 10 pounds to lose I guess it wouldn't be. I on the other hand could lose 50 pounds and still want to take off another 20 (of course that might be ridiculous for me, but one can dream, right?)

I am 57 years old and truly desire to improve my health.  I don't give up on ME.

I am a stress eater...give me stress?  Give me food.

I am Italian, so if you're at my house get ready cause I am gonna feed you!

I am a people pleaser and if your pallet is the way to your heart, I'll make sure to fill it with good tasting food.

If I'm sad, I eat

If I'm mad, I eat

If I'm bored, I eat

If I'm worried, I eat

If I'm overwhelmed, I eat

If I'm procaratinating, I eat

If I'm watching TV, I eat

Wow that is alot of eating!

This is obnoxiously backwards, out of balance and unhealthy!  

Are you like this?

So what's the answer?  Find another vice, another habit, another life?  I am who I am, right?  I mean my makeup is the way I tick, can it really ever change?  Is this a bad habit, or my makeup?

I absolutely recognize the triggers and yet when it's happening I feel like I'm in a black hole.  It really is an addiction, a habitual response to comfort an uncomfortable feeling or situation.  So "One Day At A Time?"

People who have it all together or who have overcome this hurdle don't always remember what it was like before they overcame it, and will say it's as easy as 'Flipping the Switch - Just Do It' and I guess it is.  

So where's the switch?  Show me the way and I'll flip it!

I've come to realize it's choice, a choice we make for life and not for a day, not just to lose pounds, no it's much bigger than that.  The problem isn't that I'm eating, that's the symptom of the core problem.  The core is why I'm eating.  Get to the core, cut it out, and guess what?  I'll stop eating.

To FLIP THE SWITCH, eliminate the core issue with resolve!

Resolve to Change!

Did you know that?

• Character is built from habits
• Habits are built by actions
• Actions are created from thoughts

So change your thoughts (it starts there)!  How do you do this?  Well I was once given an analogy: imagine there is a receptionist in your mind and they check in all the thoughts that enter.  When a bad thought approaches the receptionist, replace it with "No Entry" and don't allow it to enter your mind, but rather replace it with a Good Action.  For Instance:
Sadness - Feel it and move on, don't hover over it

Mad - Say it and move on, don't embrace it

Boredom - Find what you love to do and do it, don't accept boredom of any kind

Worried - Decide what you can change, anything else leave up to a higher power and let it go and trust your higher power (mine happens to be God) to take it on. 

Overwhelmed - Break down the issue that is overwhelming you into phases or steps to execute, WRITE THEM DOWN, cross off each step as you complete it.

Procrastination - Look at the 'why' of your procrastination, 

- Is it lack on know how - ask for help or advice

- Is it something that you fear outcome of -  realize that fear is coming from your imagination working overtime with 'what if's". Just face what it is and move into it, you'll find you 'feared' for nothing!

Watching TV - Choose to limit your time with the tube, and/or do something productive like JOURNAL while you're watching to keep your mind occupied and it's HEALTHY!!!

Identify the issue, face it, act upon it, create a habit!

 

I am really going to work hard at this over the month of May.  10 WITH A 'TUDE' will include my changing habits by resolving issues with steps and execution!

It's Just Me Val, Ciao! 

10 With A 'TUDE

IT'S JUST FOR A MONTH

I'm so bad at setting goals and sticking to them.  My heart says 'just do it!' and my mind says maybe later'.  My attitude is a moving target and it needed an adjustment!

10 WITH a 'TUDE
Yes I am going to stop saying to myself just get it off and do it quick, then just maintain, because, it never happens.  I am my own worst enemy.  So I came up with a reason I have to shine and meet goals.

10 WITH a 'TUDE

 10 pounds at a shot, every month

May is the start

2 POUNDS a WEEK  Two pounds a week should do it and that seems manageable.  It's all mind over matter, or in this case FOOD.  Two pounds a week is basically 1000 calorie a day reduction across a week.  A combination of portion control and exercise.  It's easy!  Or is it?

1 DAY AT A TIME  We can do this if we take it 1 step, 1 goal, 1 day at a time.  My goal is to lose 10 pounds this month.  The first step is to plan ahead, write it down, eat and train each day according to plan.


JUST YOU AND ME I already know I can't do this alone.  I need support and encouragement, I need a partner, and with that support and accountability the goal is that much more realistic to reach and it becomes a team effort which is always more fun.   We need each other

JOIN ME!   EAT - WRITE & TRAIN YOURSELF HEALTHY is a Facebook Page you can join, come join us and be part of the challenge!

FREE GIFT - Tosca Reno, the author of the Eat Clean Cookbook, is supporting 10 WITH a 'TUDE by signing a copy of her book and we are giving it to the person that offers up the most posts of encouragement on the Eat - Write & Train Yourself Healthy facebook page during the Month of May.

So join us today!  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Eat-Write-Train-Yourself-Healthy/186402644737641

It's Just Me Val, Ciao!