Measuring Success

Have you ever noticed how great you feel at check in time when you've been doing well? That feeling is important! It takes you back to the days of getting a gold star from the teacher, a pat on the back from a co-worker, or kudos from the boss.  Feeling good about working hard and making progress is a big deal.

So in the world of a healthy lifestyle of eating well and moving more, what does a successful check in look like?  What does it consist of? Everyone's benchmarks will look completely different and that's A-okay.  It's important that you identify what a successful, week/day/hour looks like for you. If you aren't sure how to measure your success, here are a couple ideas.

• Your head is happy with your choices for food.
• Your body is happy with your movement choices.
• Your stomach is content - not too full, not hungry, just comfy and satisfied.
• If you are following a plan you know you stuck to the plan at least 90% of the time. Don't beat yourself up over the % - there is room for interpretation there depending on your history.
• The scale has dropped.
• Your clothes fit better, are getting loose, need to be down-sized.
• You stuck to your plan for the whole week/day/hour. (Again this all depends on your history.)
• Your hair is shinier.
• Your skin is glowing.
• Your finger nails are strong.
• Your self confidence is growing.
• You planned the meals for the week.  Then shopped, prepared and enjoyed them. 

What does success look like for you?  Remember if you're just starting - baby steps are key.  You can't change everything all at once.  One thing at a time and when that feels comfortable, then change another thing - before you know it you'll have made many healthy changes!  

Don't forget to watch for success and give yourself a pat on the back or that gold star!

My check in report after three days of renewing my focus?  So far terrific!  Happy with food choices, movement not too bad, tummy is satisfied, percent on plan is high.  It's too early to tell on the scale or in the fit of my clothes, but the confidence is growing. 

How are you doing?  What other ways do you use to measure success?   

Greetings friends after a VERY long hiatus!
I have been slowly traveling a slippery slope.  To be transparent and honest with you, I've been able to stay at/under/near goal for 8 years. Last year I was 5 pounds over and this year I'm 10 over.  It's time to pay serious attention!   So went back to review my old posts to help propel me to a good frame of mind regarding healthy eating.  I came upon this post from 2008 and thought it was a good place to start. After revisiting this post I've prepared a shopping list and am heading to the grocery store this afternoon with renewed purpose. 

Anyone want to join me?  
We can do this together!
Hugs,
Patti
    

Sunday, October 19, 2008
They said the day would come...
They said the day would come that staying at goal weight would become a challenge. I am sad to say my friends that after 2 years at goal that day has come. I am officially 2.4 pounds over my goal. I am 10 pounds heavier than I was a year ago. This is not good and does not make me feel good.

I was thinking about it this afternoon and I came to the conclusion that I can do as I've done in the past and just ignore it and see what happens OR I can set my mind to doing something to make a change.

Option #1 - Ignore it and see what happens - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm experience has proven time and again that when I just ignore it, "IT" does not go away. The problem gets worse and I become very unhappy with myself.

Option #2 - Set my mind to doing something to make a change - Not the easy route by any means; but the best route nonetheless. This has to be my choice. In fact, there is no choice in my mind. I also listened when they said to give away all my larger clothes. I cannot change size or I'll have nothing to wear.

The tough part...how to put my plan into action. Here's what I decided to do:
Get back to following the CORE food plan with a fervor.
Go grocery shopping and buy healthy food that supports my efforts. I allowed NOTHING in my cart that would compromise my efforts. (Ask Thorsten, he tried really hard and even tried "pouting" but I would not give in!)
Cook up a big pot of beef barley and veggie soup. This will give me plenty of easy, healthy lunches or fast suppers this week so I don't fall into the "I'm tired, hurried, etc. trap"
Cook up a pot of homemade chili. (reference above)
Prep veggies - clean and cut them for easy munching.
Make sure I get my water in each day.
I decided these were the items I will focus on this week. I will exercise, but it won't be in the written plan until next week.

As a friend/family how can you best support me in my efforts?
Ask me how it's going - it's okay to acknowledge this is a time of struggle for me.
Don't suggest or ask if I'd like to have a cookie, ice cream or pizza. I'm weak right now and if I give in I will regret it later. Trust me.
Ask if I'd like to go for a walk or do something that gets me out and moving.
Ask if I'd like to see a movie.
Celebrate with me when I succeed! Without food :)

They told me this day would come.

A New Day

Today is a new day.

It doesn't matter that in June I told myself, "It's time for a new start.  I can do this."  .... and then I did very little.  I guess I wasn't ready to make the changes necessary.

Today is a new day.

Yesterday I decided it was time to make necessary changes.  Yesterday went very well.  Today has been going really well.

I don't have to change everything at once.  Just one thing at a time.  My bad habits didn't all come back at once.  They edged back into my life slowly...one at a time.

Today is a new day.  Are you ready? 

Do Something!

How do you know when the time is right to break out and start moving more?  The flat out answer is RIGHT NOW!  Now is the best time to do SOMETHING.  After I started losing weight I knew I'd eventually need (want?) to start exercising.  When I was younger I was quite active and enjoyed running but at 50 pounds heavier I was really not doing much of anything.  So when I decided it was time to start moving I figured that ANYTHING was better than the NOTHING that I had been doing.

If you haven't been exercising you'll want to check with your doctor first and when you have a green light from the doc start slow.  Where you start depends on your fitness level.  Do what is right for you whether that is a simple walk around the block or lifting Progresso soup cans for dumbbells.  You'll want to test the waters with something reasonable and be careful to NOT overdo it on the first day.  Many people have been known to go all out on the first day and then be injured or too sore to do something again the next day.

Our goal is to work up to 30 minutes of movement on most days.

You'll find that as you get used to it you'll enjoy it and will naturally want to increase the time and/or intensity.

I started by mowing the lawn.  Then I started walking.  I went further and I went faster until finally I was moving at a pretty good clip.  From walking I moved to the elliptical and from the elliptical I started running and that's another whole topic in itself.  (Click here to read about when I ran a marathon.)

Although still very useful for other
"stuff" running shoes need to be
replaced every 500 miles or so

The important thing is to do SOMETHING because anything is better than nothing my friends.

BONUS:  When you start moving more by walking, running or playing badminton you get to wear really awesome and colorful shoes!  Check out my nice little collection of lightning fast Kinvaras made by Saucony.  These little babies are SWEET!   

It's OKAY

Before every flight takes off the flight attendant goes through all the safety information.  The exits are located here, this is how you fasten your seatbelt, if you need oxygen put your mask on before helping others who need assistance...

Wait.  Stop.  Take care of ME first?

It is ingrained in our very nature to put others first, to put the needs of our children and family before our own so why would we possible put our own mask on first?  Because if you pass out due to lack of oxygen then you are not able to assist anyone else.  You are rendered helpless and then neither of you are in a good place.

So, you ask, what does that have to do with weight loss and healthy lifestyle?

It's the same principle my friends.  If you are constantly putting others first and neglecting yourself and your own needs at some point you will not be healthy.  You will not be in a good place.  You will not be able to do the things for your family that you'd like to.  Self-care is important and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anything else.

It's OKAY to say no to them sometimes.
It's OKAY to schedule your work out time and let them go to plan B.
It's OKAY to fix a healthy meal for the WHOLE family and not eat chicken nuggets because that's what the kids would prefer.
It's OKAY to put everyone to bed early so you can get your rest.
It's OKAY to say no to a stop at Dairy Queen
It's OKAY to say no to a candy bar at the gas station or grocery store if it threatens your willpower and resolve
It's OKAY to take everyone for a walk instead of playing video games
It's OKAY to make sure you have what you need so you can be healthy and feel good.

Trust me.
It's OKAY.   

Pay Attention Girlfriend!

It's time to revisit some very basic and yet very important tips that can be key in a healthy lifestyle.  Over the upcoming weeks thats the plan and today we start with....

Pay attention!  Pay attention!  Pay attention!

Pay attention to the act of eating.  It is so appealing and so very easy to eat while watching TV, reading a book, working on the computer or doing something else but DON'T DO IT!  I find that if I am distracted while eating I don't taste it, don't enjoy it and sometimes don't even remember eating it.  This is just not acceptable.  Every bite should be tasted, enjoyed and not rushed.  If you do this you'll find that you appreciate the flavors and will eat a lot less.

Personal check in:  I am home alone most days and usually eat both breakfast and lunch by myself.  I realize that I have fallen into a habit of reading or working on the computer while I eat and thus I've been eating more.  It stops today!  From now on I plan to taste and enjoy every bite.    

Let's Start At The Very Beginning....

 As I type I can hear Julie Andrew's voice starting the famous song from the Sound of Music.  "Let's start at the very beginning.  It's a very good place to start."  Oh my, how very true those words are when it comes to healthy eating and weight loss as well!  If you haven't been living a particularly healthy lifestyle and want to make some changes to get on track it can be a very daunting and scary task.  So let's look at a couple small changes that will make a big difference in the long run.

Step One
Figure out what you are currently eating.  Are you eating junk?  Are you eating fruits and vegetables?  Are you eating items loaded with sugar?  High in calorie content?  High in fat?  Take a look at the labels and find out what you are putting in your body.  You won't know if you don't look.

Know what a
serving size looks like.

Read the labels!

Step Two
Look at the PORTION size for those items.  To keep it simple, if it's fresh fruits or vegetables use a piece (ie: a banana, an apple, a potato) as a single portion or use 1 cup for leafy items and a 1/2 cup for the others as good guideline.  If it's a packaged food it will say on the label what the portion size is and you'll be quite surprised to find out what a single serving of cereal or chips actually looks like when it's measured out.  Some items will pleasantly surprise you and others will NOT bring a smile to your face.  Trust me on this.

Step Three
Keep track and write it all down.  All. Of. It.  Every bite, lick and taste.   The only way to really do that is to write it down or track it using an online tool.  (There are a couple online trackers I've used and was pleased with both for different reasons.  One is Weight Watcher's online tracker (which has a fee involved) and the other is a free product from Livestrong.)  Weight Watchers tracks using the Points Plus Values and Livestrong tracks calories.  Both are good tools for our current purpose.

Knowledge is power and right now our goal is to get educated on WHAT and HOW MUCH we are eating.  Being aware, learning portions and journaling is a great place to start.

Do, rey, mi.  The first three notes just happen to be....

Biggest Loser comments and thoughts

I am tuned in to week 18 of the Biggest Loser.  They have sent the final four home to their families and are recapping their original weigh ins in front of their friends and families.  As I see their emotions as they went from pre-weight to current weight it brings tears to my eyes.  I can relate to much of what they are feeling.  My pre-weight and subsequent loss was not as dramatic as theirs, but the emotions of success and having a new life are still very real and fresh for me.

They have to run a marathon as their final challenge.  They are learning how to eat in their "at home" world.  Healthy food, healthy recipes, portion control.

"This is about you, it's not about them.  Let's get out of here and get an early day in the gym."
"Once you decide you're worth it, you can do it."
"Once you ask for help you'll get everything you need."

One of the contestants struggles with eating at night because he is stressed out or worried about something.  He realizes what he's doing but has a hard time stopping nonetheless.

My life is very different than it was five years ago in many ways.  Healthy food and exercise are priorities now.  Today I walked for an hour in the morning with a friend and then rode my bike over 13 miles in the afternoon on the way home from work.  But I also sit here and fight eating because I'm bored, lonely, tired.  Like the contestant, I recognize what I'm doing, but still fight it.  For a long time it had gotten much easier, it is a tough period the past 5 months.  Why?  I don't know, but I'm fighting it and I'm not giving in, because I've worked too hard to get here, and I enjoy my new lifestyle, body and healthy choices.

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

Bacher out.

What are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting?

Hey everyone! This question (and their answer) came on the Hungry Girl e-zine recently. Their answer follows.... but I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on the matter. Comment and let me know what YOU think. - Patti


Dear Hungry Girl,

What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting? Are there any secrets? I keep losing and gaining the same 20 lbs. Ugh!
Diet Diva

Dear DD,
There are many mistakes people tend to make when dieting. I'm going to list some of the biggies. And remember, this is just my opinion.

1. Following fad diets. I'm not a fan of fad diets. They don't teach you how to eat in a way you can live with forever. Sure, if you follow a set plan for a limited time, you can lose weight. The hard part is maintaining that weight loss in the long term. If you try to stick with the fad diet's style of eating, it's very likely you'll eventually give up or get bored. If you go back to your old eating habits, you regain the weight. This is a huge problem and the reason why I don't recommend fad dieting.

2. Skipping meals. If you skip meals you'll only end up hungrier and more likely to eat too much and/or the wrong thing. It's that simple. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And eat dinner!

3. Drinking calories. Sheesh! Drinking your calories is a WASTE... really. It's much more satisfying to chew food than it is to drink stuff. Having a low-calorie liquid swap is fine -- like treating yourself to one of our Swappuccinos or a diet hot cocoa when you're craving the real thing. But it's too easy to sip an extra 300 - 500 calories a day if you drink calorie-packed beverages. Avoid those and stick with water for the most part.

4. Living in denial. Don't pretend there are no calories in condiments, that a salad is healthy and diet-friendly no matter what, and that food you eat while standing (or on an airplane, etc., etc.) doesn't count. It ALL counts!

5. Not reading labels. READ LABELS, people! And read them CAREFULLY. Take note of serving sizes and servings per package. This is KEY.

There you have it... those are five mistakes that are very common. And no, there are no real secrets to dieting -- except that you need to find a way to eat that'll work for you FOREVER. That's the one thing people tend to forget -- the forever factor.

You Don't Have To Run A Marathon - Just Move More Than You Have Been!

The Bellin 10k run is coming up soon - the second weekend in June - and I"m getting excited about it already. I've been running and working out on my elliptical. I'll be ready Eddy!

It's been a long time in coming though and it was gradual working up to the fitness level where I could run a 10k. And I'll be honest, I could have done it a couple years ago if I'd wanted to. But I didn't want to and I think that's truly key to a successful exercise program. You have to want to do it. If you are forcing it, it won't last and lasting is the key component here.

Pick something you enjoy doing. Pick something you can see yourself doing "for the rest of your life". Take it on a little at a time. Step by step. I like to say, "we aren't asking you to sign up for a marathon, just move more than you have been". That's what I always say to my members at the WW meetings.... and here I am seriously considering training for a marathon. Holy catfish. I'll keep you posted.

Annual Physical

I've been told that personal updates are the preferred posts so here goes....

Today I had my annual physical and I passed with flying colors.
Resting heart rate - 46
Blood pressure - 118 over 60
Oxygen - 100%
Cholesterol - results still out
Weight - 70 pounds less than my physical in 2003. Yes, 70 pounds lighter. That fact still blows me away sometimes.

How have I done it? I still eat very much to the regimen of the WW Core program or what is now considered the Filling Foods on the WW Momentum plan. I am very aware of eating only when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm satisfied. Not full. Not stuffed. Satisfied.

I also exercise from 30 - 45 minutes at least 6 days a week. Walking, biking, elliptical, running. Sometimes others, but mostly those four. Exercise has become enjoyable for me and I look forward to my work outs. I even get all "antsy" if I don't exercise.

It has been lifestyle changes and they weren't all made in the same day. Small steps at a time and today I am happy with my visit to the doc. I didn't use to feel that way.

It feels good.

It Really Comes Down to Choices

Everything in life comes down to choices... from the attitude you choose for the day to the food you eat. Take a look at the following comparison.

1 individual Little Debbie Cake is EQUAL to all of the following foods combined:

1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, and 1 container of unsweetened apple sauce.

That totally amazes me.

Personally, I choose to have a great attitude each day and I choose to eat foods that will fill me up without a bojillion calories. (Most of the time anyway!)

Always consider your choices.

Joy!

Joy is so very cool!

It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy. I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you. There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart. It can't be given or forced however it can be shared. Joy is something that is found within, comes from within and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.

I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart -

They said the day would come...

They said the day would come that staying at goal weight would become a challenge. I am sad to say my friends that after 2 years at goal that day has come. I am officially 2.4 pounds over my goal. I am 10 pounds heavier than I was a year ago. This is not good and does not make me feel good.

I was thinking about it this afternoon and I came to the conclusion that I can do as I've done in the past and just ignore it and see what happens OR I can set my mind to doing something to make a change.

Option #1 - Ignore it and see what happens - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm experience has proven time and again that when I just ignore it, "IT" does not go away. The problem gets worse and I become very unhappy with myself.

Option #2 - Set my mind to doing something to make a change - Not the easy route by any means; but the best route nonetheless. This has to be my choice. In fact, there is no choice in my mind. I also listened when they said to give away all my larger clothes. I cannot change size or I'll have nothing to wear.

The tough part...how to put my plan into action. Here's what I decided to do:

• Get back to following the CORE food plan with a fervor.
  
• Go grocery shopping and buy healthy food that supports my efforts. I allowed NOTHING in my cart that would compromise my efforts. (Ask Thorsten, he tried really hard and even tried "pouting" but I would not give in!)
  
• Cook up a big pot of beef barley and veggie soup. This will give me plenty of easy, healthy lunches or fast suppers this week so I don't fall into the "I'm tired, hurried, etc. trap"
• Cook up a pot of homemade chili. (reference above)
• Prep veggies - clean and cut them for easy munching.
• Make sure I get my water in each day.

I decided these were the items I will focus on this week. I will exercise, but it won't be in the written plan until next week.

As a friend/family how can you best support me in my efforts?

• Ask me how it's going - it's okay to acknowledge this is a time of struggle for me.
  
• Don't suggest or ask if I'd like to have a cookie, ice cream or pizza. I'm weak right now and if I give in I will regret it later. Trust me.
• Ask if I'd like to go for a walk or do something that gets me out and moving.
• Ask if I'd like to see a movie.
• Celebrate with me when I succeed! Without food :)

They told me this day would come.

How Many Steps?

How many steps do you walk in an average day? Over 10,000?

If you'd have asked me that question last week my answer would have been, "Oh, wow. A lot, I'd say over 10,000 a day without a doubt." Well last Thursday I bought one of the new, nifty little pedometers from Weight Watchers and have been wearing it daily. Surprise, surprise, I only average about 6,000 steps a day in my normal routine.

If I want to hit the desired 10,000 steps? I have to hit the streets or the trail and make it a point to get them in.

Lesson learned. Point taken. I know what I have to do.

"I tore up 4 miles of single track!"

I tried something yesterday that I have never done before. I went Mountain Biking! Check one more thing off my "fun-things-to-do-list". It was way fun and I'm looking forward to going again!

My younger brother is big into Mountain Biking so when he came to town to visit yesterday I grabbed the chance. The weather was gorgeous, we loaded up and went out to the Reforestation Camp. The trails are well marked and we rode about 4 miles of trail winding in and out through the woods. It was great! Very invigorating.

I'm learning the lingo - single track is when there is a single groove for you to ride on through the woods. Double track is more the style that a car could drive on and two bikes can ride side by side.

I found out that I'm more comfortable going up hill instead of down...I decided that's the control freak in me. I was careful. I didn't want to kiss a tree.

I'm a little sore today. It feels good - after all, I tore up 4 miles of single track.

Fall Is Here - Do Your Jeans Fit?

Hi Gang!

I had a member join a meeting yesterday who said she went to put on her jeans yesterday for the first time in months and they were TIGHT! AHHHH! She looked at the clock and had a half hour to get to the meeting, so in she came. It was really nice to see her smiling face again, and I"m glad she shared that experience with me. You know in the spring we prepare for "shorts season" and watch our weight; and now here it is "jeans season" and we have to make sure they still fit too!

This is the second fall I've pulled out my jeans and had them fit well. I didn't truly appreciate that fact until I was reminded yesterday that it wasn't always that way for me. ( I have been know to lay on the bed and use a plyers to pull up the zipper on my jeans. Yes, my friends, it wasn't pretty.) So this morning when I pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on I had a brand new appreciation for the way they fit. Yay me - I maintained for another summer! WOW.

So, what I hear you all saying is that THIS IS A LIFESTYLE. Healthy eating, moving more, and thinking before we pop stupid, useless calories into our face. This truly is a journey as we learn the balance of eating and moving in a manner that keeps us feeling good and fitting into our clothes.

If you didn't maintain or lose this summer - get your butts into a meeting room. (Mine are at 4:00 and 5:30 at Green Bay West; I also lead a Fruits & The Spirit class at New Hope United Methodist Church in De Pere on Mondays at 12 noon which focuses on healthy eating, exercise and prayer.) Do whatever it takes to get back on track - being healthy and feeling good is important!

After a busy summer and not very many posts.... I'm back so be sure to check often!

What street are you walking down?

• A man walked down the street and fell in a hole. He really had to struggle to get out, but he finally did.
• The next day he walked down the same street, saw the hole and fell in again. He thought, "I've been here before I know what to do." He got out after struggling, but it was easier than the first time.
• The next day he walked down the same street. He saw the hole and fell in again. This time he thought, "I've been here before - this is my fault." He got out one more time.
• The next day he walked down the same street, saw the hole, remembered what it was like to fall in and walked around it.
• The next day he walked down a different street where there was no hole.

What street are YOU walking down?

How Important is WHEN????

I came across this article today and thought I'd share it. Interesting...... what do you think?

Is When You Eat Important?

Do you eat by the clock? Skip breakfast or lunch? Avoid snacking as a weight control strategy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading and learn how to change the timing of your meals and snacks to control not only hunger, but weight.

Our structured lifestyle has led many of us to believe that we must eat at certain times of the day. Many people routinely skip breakfast and lunch due either to time constraints or to a misguided weight-control strategy. Society and weight loss programs have taught us to believe that snacking is bad and should be avoided. Stop listening to others, and listen to YOUR body instead.

Overeating by definition means consuming more calories than our body needs at that point in time. Whenever we overeat, our body stores any extra calories as fat. Fat cells have a seemingly unlimited ability to grow to accommodate more stored calories. The defining factor in the growth of fat cells is the AMOUNT of calories eaten and the REASON they are eaten.

So, how often should I eat?

In the best of worlds, we would eat when we were hungry and stop when we were full. Sound impossible? Watch a six-month-old baby. She cries when hungry, and most certainly stops eating when full. If a baby can do it, so can we.

Try the following:

Instead of eating by the clock, or avoiding snacks because you think they are bad for you, listen to your body. Figure out how your body tells you it's hungry. Does your stomach rumble? Do you become listless and tired? Learn to separate physical hunger from so-called mouth hunger. Physical hunger is our body telling us it needs fuel to continue to function. Mouth hunger is our brain commanding us to eat brownies because we’re stressed. What type of hunger causes you to consume most of your calorie intake?

How much should I eat?

Just as you can relearn your hunger signals, you can also relearn your body's satiety signals. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to how the food tastes, how it feels in your mouth, and how your body feels while you are eating. Stop every five to ten minutes and assess your satiety level. Am I full? Still hungry? Or perhaps I am thirsty. Stop eating when your body signals it is pleasantly full, not stuffed to the point of undoing your belt.

The bottom line:

Instead of paying attention to the clock or the latest fad diet plan, learn to listen to the ultimate expert: your body. Decode your body's messages and eating becomes more natural and less stressful. When you listen to those messages, you are naturally more comfortable, and you'll incline toward the weight your body is meant to be.

Source: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage written by Lynn Grieger

CHOICES!

I have been know to say that (over and over) that this is all about a lifestyle choice. Everything is a choice. Just how MUCH do you really want __________ (fill in the blank)? (ie: to wear your skinny jeans, to breathe easier after a flight of steps, to eat that ooey, gooey, goodness bar?)

Let's take a Little Debbie Cake for example. Yes, you can have one.... if you want to. But did you know the following:

One Little Debbie Cake EQUALS
(and when I say EQUALS I mean all the following items totalled together!)
1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, AND 1 container unsweetened applesauce

So - you can have one Little Debbie Cake OR you can choose to have ALL those other things.

Everything is a choice - how hungry are you?