The ME I WANT to BE - Weight Loss Support Week of July 27, 2003

[Hkgall]

((((JeAnne))))

Thank you for what you have given to me and many others in the past. I hope this change accelerates your movement on the path you're following.

I just logged on after 5 days of jury duty and found last week's thread. I for one would like to continue with a TMIWTB thread. Even though I've only been around for a little while, I think we're a great support group. So, the topic I pose is this: Do ya'll want to continue this weekly thread, and if so, how do you think we should do it?

My thoughts are that we should continue, because we've all benefitted from this in the past, and while we all LOVE JeAnne, there are 10's of us (or more?) who are still in need of a support group. I think we should continue, possibly with a rotating "leader". We can take turns furnishing the topics, etc.

What do ya'll think?

[greysangel]

I think it's a great idea and I'm glad someone stepped up to the plate!

[pbutterfly]

I just got back from a week of vacation and read last week's thread... The article was amazing, as were the exercises, and I am looking forward to doing them and thinking about them this week. Thanks for those, JeAnne.

I am saddened to read that JeAnne's moving on from the post of leader of this merry band, but I wish her well with her new time that that frees up! She's certainly been an inspiration to me with all the threads, and I'm very grateful for this forum of support. I'm sure she'll continue to offer inspiration and friendship to many.

Holly - thanks for starting the thread this week! I am totally with you in wanting it to continue as a weekly thread. I'd be glad to help, as a rotating leader, or in whatever capacity seems to work.

My vacation was a good one. From my home scale, it appears that I maintained (which was my goal, not that I would have minded losing!), and I had a good time (which is more important!). I journalled, but didn't knock myself out trying to calculate points.... I got in activity (swimming in the lake, walking around small towns shopping, etc.), but didn't make working out an obsession... I felt in control, but not controlled, if that makes sense. It was relaxing, fun, and I feel good about coming back to my 'normal' life.

That's a success to me!

I'm starting to plan my goals for August, since it begins on Friday. One thing I'm planning is to join in the August Challenge. I'm also debating going back to an extremely limited sugar intake. Anyone else thinking ahead of August goals/promises/plans?

lynne

[boisewinesnob]

I don't post too often on these threads but sometimes will check in to see what everyone has to say.
This past spring semester I took an aerobics class and was eating much better than I am now and was on my way to a weight that was at least healthier. Since the last week of May my son Drew has been playing baseball for his high school's American Legion team which has/had a schedule of 50 games between June 1st-July 31st . I added up the hours I spent one week that I devote to taking him to/from practices and games and watching games and it was around 25-30hrs per week. Plus I work part-time . I hate to be an excuse-maker, but this has really put a damper on my ability to make time for cooking, exercising, and the like. I have eaten so much crappy concession food like hot dogs and french fries for the past two months that I've gained about 9 pounds .
On to the good news :
The baseball will be over with next week (even though it's a sport I love and I love to watch his games), and I can get back to a regular schedule. Also, fall semester starts Aug 25th and I'm taking aerobics and weight training. I'm with you, Lynne on the limiting sugar challenge! When we did those last spring it made a huge difference in me!!

Suzy

[Jessica]

JeAnne--You have been such an inspiration for so long that you deserve a break. I would be happy to serve as a rotating leader of this thread. I definitely don't want it to die.

I am not yet the Me I Want To Be but I am closer to her than I was in January '02 and I give this thread a lot of the credit.

[BeckyM]

I don't want to see this thread end either. Though I don't really feel adequate to be "leader", even on a rotating basis, I'd be willing to pitch in to start the thread every once in a while and provide a topic/inspiration/thought as a basis for conversation. Maybe that's what you're all thinking the "leader" would do anyway -- I think just the word leader intimidates me a bit. But I'm willing to do my part to keep this thread going!

JeAnne -- glad to hear you're still going to be around. I think recognizing when you need to change your focus and not be all things to all people is a real challenge for most women. Yay to you for making the change you need to!

Becky

[JanetJ]

JeAnne, I read last week's thread with both sadness and admiration for you doing what you need to do for YOU and stepping down as our fearless leader. I don't want to see this support group go away though as it has been such a source of stability for me and you all are just so inspiring! I would be happy to offer my services however they are needed.

Holly, thank you for starting this thread!

Lynne, glad the vacation was a good one!

Suzy, that is a crazy schedule! You and your son must be tired!

Last week was a good one. I got rid of the slight gain I'd had the week before. I seem to be hungry or snacky quite a bit, so that is something I'm struggling with. Besides a few rounds of golf, I'm not getting much exercise either. That's my focus for this week if I can just get this heat to go away. We're climbing to the 90's here in Seattle and that is darn hot for around here!

[SkinnyMe]

Congratulations Jeanne on being aware enough and brave enough to make a change when it was needed. It has been a long time since I have posted but I wanted to come out of hiding to say thank you for being such a wonderful person. I am just one of many who owes a lot of my current happiness in life to your amazing spirit.

Thank you and good luck on your next challenge.

[pbutterfly]

Becky - To me, being a leader of the thread means starting the thread, bringing a topic for thought and discussion, and checking it often and posting to keep the support and discussion going. I don't know if that's how anyone else would define it, but that's my thoughts on it.

Suzy- What a LOT of baseball that is! I can see where that would be a huge challenge to you - especially since you're watching the game while your son gets the exercise! I'm willing to commit to a period without sugar, if you are....

Janet - Getting regular exercise is one of my big challenges, too. I'm setting aside time this week to make a plan for the coming month for getting that in! Be careful in the heat - drink lots of water... maybe that will help with the snacking urges as well!


lynne

[Hkgall]

I'm glad ya'll want to continue with the thread!

Lynne - that sounds like a great vacation - the swimming, the eating, the being in control & yet still having a good time. I find vacations to be difficult, but the more I keep at it the better I'm getting!

Janet - Have you ever tried those walking tapes? I haven't, but my meeeting leader and some friends of mine have. Here in Florida we always have crazy hot times, and I usually just get up as early as possible to exercise.

Lynne & Becky - I'll start a list of those of us who want to "lead"... Becky - what you said is exactly what I was thinking... Just someone to start the topic every week.
Anyone else out there who wants to do this, let me know!

Thought I'd come up with a topic this week to keep us all on the right track.... It's a simple one... nice and light for the middle of the hot grueling summer.

What are your favorite Light-eating secrets? What foods to you use the most often with your improved eating habits? I'm talking about the things you couldn't live without... You know the ones.

This is somewhat of a selfish topic for me - I mixed up my exercise routine a few weeks ago, now I'm looking for some good new foods to include in my plan so that I don't get bored!

For me there are a few - 94% fat free kettle corn - 1 whole bag for 4 points... Fruit, fruit, more fruit, and veggies for volume in everything, oh, and my very favorite - Pineapple angel food cake. That came from my WW leader - just a box of angel food cake mix and a large can of crushed pineapple mixed together and baked.... 1.5 pts for a decent piece.


Happy Monday!

My promise: to consider daily how food is making me feel - that this better eating leads to better living.

[greysangel]

Janet - It's funny that Lynne mentioned hydration because that was my first thought when I read your post with the heat and being out playing golf. Make sure you are staying hydrated and it may help. Also what are you eating through out the day? Have you changed habits recently? A lot of times in the summer, the temptation is to eat lots of fresh fruit and salads because they are so light and also so fresh and ripe right now! While great and low point choices, make sure to add something substantial to that to make sure you are fueling yourself enough through out the day.

Holly - great topic!

light-eating secrets:
1)Food combining!! I can totally tell the difference now when I have a meal that contains no protein and/or fat. In order to keep me going, it's nice to have a meal with a little bit of everything. And veggies to keep me going in other ways There is actually a great article in September's (yes sept ) Oxygen about foods and the moods they produce. It's a really long article and if I get around to it I'll post it, but it's a good read.

2)Small frequent meals: Unless it's a free meal, my largest meal no longer goes higher than around 350 calories..that's a small meal But eating 6 times a day totally takes away feelings of hunger or spikes/plummets in blood sugar.

3)WATER!

4)Cottage cheese - With wanting to balance out my proteins and carbs, cottage cheese has become my friend. Who knew it could be so versatile! Also cottage cheese is like the perfect lf protein....it's a complete protein and slow digesting. Have some with your fruit Right now I'm loving it tossed with peaches that are super ripe here in Joisey.

I don't have any new food finds so can't offer any thing in that dept!

Make it a great one everyone!

JeAnne

[JanetJ]

Good point about being hydrated while out on the golf course. I noticed myself getting really grumpy and headachey last week and drank some water which seemed to help. Since then I've made sure to just drink water (not Diet coke). I really need to work on fueling myself a bit better while out there for hours at a time. (Sometimes I'm actually playing and other times I'm sitting at a hole as a "sponsor representative" during a tournament). Tomorrow I'll be out again and I plan on bringing a pb&j, water and fruit. Can anyone else come up with ideas that are easily portable and don't require a microwave or fridge?

Holly, I've looked at those walking tapes before, but have never gotten them. Do they work for the treadmill too? While Seattle is in the midst of a heatwave now, I'll be tired of the rain again before long.

Thanks!

[SallyCC]

First, I would like to thank JeAnne for all of the blood, sweat and tears that went into carrying on this thread so well for so long. I would also like to give you a pat on the back for being able to have the courage to do what you need to do for yourself.... what an accomplishment!!! I definitely want to see this thread continue. The discussions, suggestions and support here is a wonderful gift for all of us. The great thing about this thread is its versatility....TMIWTB theme means so much more than a 'diet' discussion and I think we all know that making changes involve all parts of us. There is a great website and I will have to find it and edit about the flight of geese and when the leader gets tired they drop back and another takes its place for a bit...its a nice way to think of this thread. The energy of the group truly moves us along on our journey!!

Here is the website:
http://www.members.aol.com/CuttyhunkRose/geese.html


I am doing well this week...I've made a lot of changes in my meal plans and it is getting my attention. I've really focused on increasing veggies and decreasing carbs. Its been challenging but a good wake up in the amount of foods I had with lots of carbs and little nutritional value. I hope to add healthy carbs in a few days.

Have a great week,
Sally

[Jessica]

I would be willing to lead the thread as part of a rotation. Add me to the list, please.

Foods that work for me include:

Kashi GoLean Crunch with skim milk for breakfast

Toast with PB or hummus

Lots of fruit

Bean dishes--filling and healthy

Less pasta

Wallycat turned me onto Dove dark chocolate Promises. One or two really are satisfying in the way a Hershey's kiss or other candy is not, because they are so rich and dark. 1 pt per piece.

[pbutterfly]

Foods that really work for me:
1. Boca burgers on light bread. They fill me up for a long time, with few points. Also, using Boca crumbles and 'sausage' in other recipes, like pizza.
2. Adding veggies to old favorites to stretch them out farther - like cutting pasta in half with spinach or broccoli (or cutting the pasta out altogether with spaghetti squash).
3. I'm not a big fruit eater, but y'all know that I love frozen grapes! Cold, icy, sweet treat for low points.
4. Baby carrots and hummus (that might be good on the golf course, Janet).
5. I'm big on not cutting out foods totally - I'm much more satisfied and likely to stay on course if I allow for things -- like melty cheese in my omelette (so I use only eggwhites), or a few chocolate chips on my tasti-d. (I just don't keep a bag of them at home!)
6. Most of all - WATER. When I keep track of what I'm drinking, and I'm drinking enough, I'm probably 10x more likely to be making good choices everywhere else. It keeps me focused - not only because I'm keeping an eye on what I'm ingesting, but also because I'm hydrated!

I think I'm going to start paying more attention to food-combining. The meals at which I do it are the ones that really stave off snack-cravings, but I am not mindful of whether I'm making good combinations.

Sally - I love the goose leading image!

JeAnne - That article sounds really interesting. If you don't get time to type it in, I'd love to take a look at it.

Jessica - I love Dove dark promises. I'm still not one who can keep chocolate in the house, though!

lynne

[greysangel]

Here's an article I thought I would share...no typing involved It's specifically targeted for bodybuilding, but it applies to eating and weight loss as well.

CONDITIONING YOUR MIND

Beyond pumping iron there is another kind of preparation for
powerlifting competition, a preparation just as important, and one that
involves subtle factors concerning your attitude and mental approach to
training and competition.

You can achieve great things with your body if you learn how to
use your mind. Learning to harness the power of your mind can advance
your physical training a giant step further. It can also make the
difference between winning and losing in competition.

Mind power and success through mind conditioning only comes with a
sustained and sincere effort. You can't make a wish and hope that it
comes true and forget about working on it. The mind reacts much the same
way the body does.

If you train and condition it regularly, it responds with great
efficiency and effectiveness. On the other hand, if you assume, as so
many bodybuilders do, that it's good enough the way it is, your chances of
achieving your maximum potential are greatly diminished. If you had
foolishly assumed that attitude about your body, you would never have
entered the gym to train in the first place.

Some of the key ingredients to an effective mind conditioning
program are 1) motivation, 2) incentive, 3) visualization, and, most
important of all, 4) belief.

You've gotta believe. You've gotta believe in yourself, in your
talents and capabilities, in your goals and all you hope to achieve, and
in your methods for achieving them.

The key to understanding what your mind holds in store for you is
a simple realization. Realize that within you is all the power you need
to succeed both in training and in competition. Within you is all the
potential for success. Within you is the brain power of an infinitely
superior person, physically, spiritually and mentally.

Once you make this realization -- that your mind holds a vast
wealth of knowledge, information, control, power, ability and potential --
you can start to tap it. You can delve into your own secret depths and
find out what you're really made of.

MOTIVATION AND DISCIPLINE FOR MIND CONDITIONING

Motivation is the state of mind that generates positive feelings
about achieving a purpose. Some people are motivated by financial
rewards, others by primitive urges for physical pleasure. For you, the
most highly motivating element in your life MUST become your dream of
acquiring unsurpassed, mind-blowing power and mass.

But to be motivated isn't enough. It also takes discipline.
Discipline is what keeps you consistently scientific in your actions as
you strive to achieve your goal.

Here is a simple step-by-step method to getting what you want:

Step 1:

Define your ultimate goals clearly and write them down. This
means being specific about what you want. What kind of improvements are
you looking for?

Do you want simply to increase your overall strength, your lean body
mass, or reduce your percent bodyfat? Or, is it the World Championships?
The Nationals? Then concentrate specifically on the actual aspects you
wish to improve, and write them down. You'll be surprised at how much
clearer you can make it by simply putting it in words. When you have to
select the exact words to define what you want, you tend to develop a
super-clear image of your goal.

Step 2:

Devise a series of short-term goals which will ultimately lead to
realizing your main goals. It's easier to attain a short-term goal that's
within reach than to try and make great leaps in progress all at once.
When you try too much at once and fail you tend to get discouraged.
Instead, set a number of short-term goals that you can accomplish and then
knock them off one at a time. Focus exclusively on the short-term goal
you wish to achieve most of all, not even thinking about the next
short-term goal or the long run. Each one of your short-term goals should
lead you to completion of your major goal. Each short-term goal is a
stepping stone, not an end in itself.

That's why they have to be accomplished one at a time. And as you
complete each short-term goal, you will find that you are all the more
motivated to continue your trek to greatness.

Step 3:

Create your strategy for success. This is your game plan, your
INTEGRATED training program. On the same sheet that you wrote your
long-term goal and listed the short-term goals that will get you there,
you should break down your daily activities into the best means to get you
where you're going.

This means the routines, exercises, sets, reps, intensity, practice, rest
periods, diet, naps, posing practice and so on. Follow your own plan to
success. Prepare a daily schedule that takes you in the direction you
want to go, and recognize right from the start that you are a unique
individual, and require a program that's necessarily different from anyone
else's. Keep your goal sheet current and review it day by day. A good
place to start is with the "daily clocks" presented in this book. These
daily clocks are devised to allow you to take advantage of all the various
technologies science has to offer and -- at the same time -- allow you to
thoroughly PERSONALIZE your goal-oriented training. So, the hardest part
is already done for you!

Step 4:

Visualize yourself succeeding. No one would attempt to build a
house without a set of blueprints. Likewise, you must plan your success
strategy, and actually "see" yourself, in your mind's eye, accomplishing
your goals.

Your inner feelings, your thoughts, your daydreams must all be filled
with images of your ultimate success. Twice a day -- once after training
and once before bedtime -- read your goal sheet out loud. Then close your
eyes and with crystal clarity see yourself becoming exactly as you want
to. But see yourself actually accomplishing your goals of acquiring great
muscular size and proportioning, not just wistfully thinking about how
nice it would be to look that way.

Step 5:

Align your mind, body and spirit with achievement. By affirming
your commitment to your stated goals, and actually visualizing and
verbalizing your commitment, you will find that your mind, body, spirit
and emotional self all become one. The power of this union will send an
emotional supercharge to your body by actually stimulating secretion of
your body's "emotion-producing" biochemicals. The alignment is
accomplished by actually verbalizing your commitment while visualizing it.
For example, say, "I am committed to becoming the strongest lifter in
history." Repeat your commitment statement before, during and after your
success visualization every day.

Step 6:

Give yourself a reward for your accomplishments. After you've
achieved a sub-goal or your ultimate goal(s), reward yourself in a
significant fashion. I don't mean just having an ice cream cone after a
contest peaking cycle!

That's not significant enough to "anchor" the significance of your
achievement firmly in your mind and soul. Personally dwell upon your
achievement and your success. Congratulate yourself and savor the
feelings of pride and confidence in having taken direct action to make
yourself bigger and stronger.

The key to mental conditioning is to make your new thoughts and
new approach a habit. The more regular your new habit becomes, the more
quickly old and destructive habits fade away. The only way to continue
making progress is to regularly reinforce your new, goal-directed
integrated training.

It usually takes about three weeks to implement this revised way
of thinking. During that time you're likely to feel tempted to return to
old patterns and habits, feeling that the old way was easier and "good
enough."

Don't do it!

The more you resist old habits, the stronger you'll become until
you develop an iron will to succeed and you no longer even think about
returning to old habits. Going back to your old mental habits would be
akin to leaving the gym forever.

Remember to create a goal, visualize it as real, and work
regularly to successfully attain firm footing on each of the stepping
stones that will take you to it. When you get there, you'll know.

HOW TO GET MOTIVATED AND STAY MOTIVATED

Let's back up for a minute before we review the steps toward goal
achievement. What got you into powerlifting? Was it seeing a
powerlifting show? Was it the incredibly huge and muscular kid next door?
Your older brother or sister who lifts? Whatever it was, it no doubt
fostered in you a deep, abiding sense of passion for powerlifting.

That's the way all champions begin. With abiding passion for what
they do. With such passion, motivation almost always comes naturally.

Passion is a hard word to define. What "turns your crank" may be
different from anyone else. It's easier to describe what passion is NOT:

Passion is NOT need to achieve. Instead, it's a burning desire to
exceed ALL bounds! It's NOT commitment to excellence, but utter disdain
for anything less! And, it's NOT endless hours of practice. It's PERFECT
practice! It's NOT ability to cope. Rather, it's total domination of ALL
situations! And it's NOT setting unrealistic or vague goals, because
doing so too often prescribes performance limits! Passion is NOT doing
what it takes to win. Instead, it's doing what it takes to EXCEED! It
most certainly is NOT force of skill or muscle. Rather, it's the
explosive, calamitous force of WILL!

If you believe in and practice these things, then for you, winning
is neither everything nor the only thing. It's a FOREGONE CONCLUSION!
But if, along the way, you somehow stumble, PROFIT from the experience!
Then, vow, by the power of Almighty God, it'll NEVER happen again!

So, you see, PASSION is all-consuming. That is what it takes to
become a champion, and that is what it'll take for you to achieve your
ultimate bodybuilding goals. If you haven't acquired passion, seek it
first. Find it. Do not begin without it, for you will be severely
limited in your quest for greatness.

Incentive: The Mother of Motivation

Motivation -- and passion -- begins and ends with incentive. You
have to know what you want and why you want it, and achieving it may be
reward in and of itself. This is called "intrinsic" reward. "Extrinsic"
rewards are such things as money, trophies or prizes. In both cases, the
rewards serve as incentive to continue.

But they may also be a part of larger incentives such as being
liked and admired, being a winner or achiever, enjoying success, shaping a
personal identity, gaining peer acceptance, and so on.

Recognize incentive as a powerful motivating force, not as something
potentially destructive, evil, trivial or shameful.

Steps to Goal Attainment:

1. Set realistic short-term goals.

2. Short-term goals should lead you to a long-term goal. Allow
for occasional setbacks along the way, but regard them as learning
experiences, thereby turning those setbacks into something positive.

3. Set a training schedule and stick to it. (Again, the best
place to find such a training program is from among the integrated
training programs described right here in this book.)

4. Make pain and fatigue work for you, as signs that your all-out
effort is helping you attain your goals.

5. Constantly challenge yourself in your training.

7. Devise your own, personal definition of success. It's what you
say it is, not what someone else says.

8. Believe in yourself and foster positive aggression in your training.

9. Build a strong ego, but a restrained one.

YOUR EMOTIONAL STATE

Your mind and your emotions are tightly tied together. It's up to
you to find a balance between them and exert absolute control over them.

Your emotional state plays a large role in your overall training.
The way you're feeling inside has repercussions for your behavior and
performance on the outside. There are many different factors which go
into the makeup of a solid emotional base.

Some of these factors are:

- Personal life,

- sexual life,

- family life,

- job,

- daily schedule,

- diet,

- financial matters,

- health concerns, and, most importantly,

- self-esteem.

Your own self-esteem contributes greatly to the level of your sports
performance. Self-esteem can vary greatly within the time confines of a
single training session, and it can mean the difference between winning and
losing in a competition setting. One minute you may hate yourself over an
error you've committed on the posing platform or in the gym, and a few
moments later you could reverse that feeling completely by performing
exceptionally.

This sort of event can -- and often does -- lead to superlative
performance throughout the remainder of your training session in the gym,
or in your powerlifting performance. In either case, your mental
appraisal of yourself -- your self esteem -- counts for a great deal in
your performance.

However common this sort of scenario may be, it is not the sort of
thing to be sought after. It would be far better if your self esteem
going into the gym or competition was such that ONLY superlative
performance throughout was possible. Day after day, month after month,
building ONLY the possibility of success into your training by careful,
integrated application of science will tend to maintain peak mental
attitude and feelings of self esteem.

Success begets success.

FEAR AND SELF-ESTEEM

Fear of Failure:

Fear, depression, anxiety or over-arousal can all lead to sub-par
training or competition performance. For every winner, there are many
losers, and often the distinguishing feature between the two is attitude,
positive thinking and the absence of inhibiting fear.

Fear of the competition, for instance, can put you in a defeatist
frame of mind even before the competition begins. If you're so "psyched
out" that you consider your opponent unbeatable, then you have defeated
yourself.

Instead, your goal is to foster belief in yourself, train hard to
achieve the means to victory, then realize you have made your belief work
for you.

All your success comes first out of belief in yourself. In fact,
belief and success go hand in hand. Once you rid yourself of fear, you
begin to see yourself as potentially better than your opponent, and that's
the key to winning!

In a state of fear, you will never see yourself as potentially
better than your opponent.

So, it's obvious then, that your state of mind determines, to a
large extent, whether or not you ever "see" victory.

Fear of Injury:

Fear of injury is another inhibiting factor. Doubtless you've
heard of the "oft-injured" athlete who is forever on the disabled list.
Sometimes, when this athlete returns to active play, he/she tends to be
slightly gun-shy, afraid of injury, and might even alter his/her style of
play to protect from injury. Ironically, playing to protect yourself
against injury often leads to it, because you're pulling up, not following
through with movements and contracting your muscles irregularly.

The same sort of protective training occurs in bodybuilding. The
effects of a torn rotator cuff, a pulled hamstring or whatever injury you
may have suffered, all tend to linger long after the injury is healed
sufficiently to be trained again. Being careful is prudent. But being
unreasonably careful will serve naught but keeping you from your goal.

Fear of Success:

Picture this scenario. Your best buddy is your training partner.
He means a lot to you, and you don't want to embarrass him by showing him
up with your superior physique, strength or pain tolerance. Whatever.

Were does this lead? Believe me, this sort of "fear" is not all that
uncommon!

Being pals is one thing. But a real pal will recognize (although
perhaps not acknowledge or accept at permanent) your superior abilities.
Turn your friendship with your training partner into a healthy,
constructive, friendly competitive situation!

If you feel that your training partner is holding you back, don't
train with him anymore! If you're an aspiring elite powerlifter, your
training program isn't going to match his anyway. Being buddy-buddy to
the extent of following the identical training programs rep-per-rep,
exercise-per-exercise, day after day is downright stupid.

Other situations involving unreasonable fear of succeeding are:

1) Not wishing to attain your ultimate goal for fear of no longer
having anything to strive for;

2) Not wishing to be forced to accept the socio-psychological
responsibilities associated with being the champion, and

3) Not wanting to totally commit to doing everything necessary in
order to become the champion.

The first step in eliminating these sorts of fears is to realize
that they exist. Then, it's a simple matter of intellectually reasoning
as to why such fears exist and how utterly silly such fears really are.

A skilled sports hypnotherapist or sports psychologist may be able to
assist you in eliminating these potentially debilitating roadblocks to
success.

CONCENTRATION

Success in sports performance can be likened to the practice of Zen masters.
The concentration is so complete, there is no consciousness of
concentration. The player must be one with his sport in order to execute
it to his/her optimal ability.

You have no doubt been in a situation where your entire attention was so
rapt and absorbed in one thought that you completely blocked out all others.
This was probably due to your high concentration level on some thought of
great importance to you.

This kind of focus can be a confidence builder.

The more you focus on what you're working to achieve, the less
distractions enter your awareness. This lifts you out of the state of
mind that can't "see" success. Once you begin to "see" success, you
consider yourself potentially better than the competition.

Little by little, you concentrate more and more, until you're
unaware of anything in your way. You see your way clearly to victory and
success.

This is total concentration.

This kind of total concentration comes to those who develop total
self-confidence. You must have high self-esteem, high motivation, and be
consistent in your training program.

You must develop your mind to the point that total concentration
is merely a learned response, one you never consciously think about
anymore.

Then, apply this sort of laser focus rep-per-rep and set-per-set
in your workouts. Apply it in following your daily integrated training
program. Just as success begets success, imperfect practice makes your
performance imperfect.

Fred Hatfield, Ph.D., FISSA

[pbutterfly]

What a great article!! There's lots to think about and implement in there. I'm printing it out so I can make the most of it.

Thanks for posting it.

The section on short-term goals is something I find particularly helpful. When I think of the big picture, I usually get overwhelmed... but when I think of small, concrete things that I can do here and now and goals that I can reach in the near future, I stay on track. There was a time when I wouldn't have believed that I could actually lose 80 pounds (even though it's taken a few years to get there)... but I can grasp drinking all my water today, or striving for the next 5 pound star. I look at JeAnne's workouts and can't fathom being that dedicated and getting that many in in 12 weeks. But I can focus on and succeed when I plan for a week and don't look too far ahead.

So, that's what I'm working on... planning for next week's workouts and finding success for the week. The long-term will be reached in short steps, and that's okay!

Those are my thoughts for the day!
lynne

[heide]

Hi all. I haven't posted for a while because there's been too much to say and I didn't know where to start or didn't have the time to sit down and write coherently. Ah well.

JeAnne, thanks for all you've done for this thread and all the energy you've given to this board. You are truly inspiring and I'm pleased for you that you are giving yourself a break and refocusing. I'm really glad this thread will continue and that you'll still be a part of it. Thanks again.

Holly, thanks for starting this thread. And thanks to all the folks who have offered to rotate as leaders of the thread. We can all offer so much to each other. The support here is invaluable.

On the diet and exercise front, I'm doing well. I got in 24 workouts for July (wow!) and I'm down to a new low! In fact, I'm down 20 pounds, total! I'm really thrilled that I'm actually making progress. So often it seems so slow and I get discouraged, but still keep plodding on. It's amazing how that plodding on eventually gets results.

Lynne said something yesterday that really hit me. It's about the stort term things, the little things. I also get overwhelmed by the big things. I think of how much I have to lose and I get discouraged. Then, I read something in a mag or here that says what to do to be successful and I realize that I'm doing all those things. I'm drinking my water. I'm exercising. I'm eating more fruits and vegetables. I'm eating less simple carbs. All these little things are fairly easy to do. They then add up to something huge.

So, we all need to realize that focussing on the little things like water and whole foods isn't so hard and it delivers so much. So, yes Lynne, "The long-term will be reached in short steps, and that's okay!" is so so true.

[Jessica]

Lynne and Heide--it sounds like both of you are in a great place right now.

My workout schedule has faltered a bit this month. I was getting in a solid 4-5 workouts a week but in July I was more like 3-4. I think I need to try some new things to get me back on track--I am just getting bored at the gym and the humid weather doesn't help.

[pbutterfly]

Heide - I am glad to hear your thoughts on the short-term thing. Like you, I sometimes discount the things that I am doing "right" because the results aren't hugely tangible in the moment. My focus this week has really been on remembering that just because the scenery isn't flying by doesn't mean that I'm not moving forward... and on learning how to enjoy the scenery! Congratulations on your awesome work-out total for July, and the 20 pound loss/new low!

I just sat down and completed a major promise to myself of scheduling workouts for the next month. It's funny, because when I look at it written out I think, "Wow, that's not so much. Maybe I should add more!" But it's far more than I have been doing on a regular basis lately (since I completed the Self Challenge). The lesson in that for me is that I just have to move exercise up on my priority list and realize that it's really NOT a huge chunk of my day that I'll be 'giving up'.

Jessica - The humid weather and boredom are definate challenges! Is there a pool you can use? I always find that to be more tempting in hot, humid periods. Finding new activities that you enjoy is a good boredom breaker, too. I'm working on that myself. I just found a new dance-based class that I like a lot, so that's been added to my schedule.


lynne

[BeckyM]

Hi All!

I haven't posted in a bit, because I was going through a period where I was being the "me" I definitely did NOT want to be! Somehow I got into a state mentally where my goals seemed less important than the instant gratification of sweets, and I let them take over! :mad:

So last night I did some real soul-searching, and I realized I need to have a more definite picture of the "me I want to be" and keep her in mind as I'm making daily decisions. I need to actually BE that "me" rather than wishing I were that "me". So I have started thinking about who that "me" really is. I need to get it written down so it will be more firm, but some of my thoughts are:

The ME I WANT TO BE
- has a healthy relationship with food, eating things her body NEEDS vs. wants at the moment
- is a positive role model for her daughter regarding food
- is active and incorporates exercise into her daily life

. . . and so on. I need to flesh it out further, but I think if I truly visualize myself as that person, it will help me when the old me is trying to come out. JeAnne -- that article reminded me that becoming the me I want to be is much more mental (for me, anyway) than it is physical, so I need to do more mental conditioning and actually picture myself as the me I want to be. I think I need to print that article out and keep it handy.

So, the topic this week was foods that really help us. Hmmm. I guess some of the things I eat a lot of when I'm being healthy are
* cottage cheese (I think JeAnne mentioned that too)
* hummus -- sometimes w/ veggies, sometimes w/ Rold Gold Honey Wheat pretzels
* banana with a sort of dressing made from 1 tsp peanut butter & 1 tsp FF Miracle Whip. I know this may sound gross to some people, but the Miracle Whip makes the peanut butter less clumpy, and it spreads over the cut banana to add flavor & some protein.
* Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Flax Plus, & Organic Optimum breakfast cereals
* Lots of fruit

I'm getting ready to go on vacation this coming week (we leave tomorrow evening), and I know that will be a challenge. We will be staying in a condo with my parents, my sister, and her two step-kids. The fact that we won't have to eat all our meals out will help, as will the fact that my sister is doing WW right now too. The problem is that my family tends to use food as a celebration, and when we're together we often give each other excuses to eat lots of sweets. In fact, my mother made my favorite Blueberry Oat Bars (with lots of butter!) to bring on the trip. I wish she would have told me BEFORE she made them, because I would have asked her to make Blueberry Power Muffins or something like that instead. My goal while I'm gone will be to remember the "me" I want to be, and act like her instead of like the me I DON'T want to be. The me I want to be would eat ONE Blueberry Oat Bar and have that be enough to last for several days. She would also skip dessert most of the time and eat fruits & veggies for snacks. I'm not going to try to count points or obsess about food while I'm there, but I AM going to make wise choices and get lots of exercise hiking and enjoying the outdoors!

By the way, Heide, congrats on the 20-lb loss and your new low. Congrats too on getting all those workouts in. It sounds like you have a very healthy attitude about focusing on the incremental goals & successes and not letting the overall goal overwhelm you. (I'll say Hi to Montana for you while I'm there.)

Have a good week everyone. I won't be able to check in while I'm gone, but I'll be with you all in spirit!

Becky

[greysangel]

Heide- CONGRATULATIONS AND WOO HOO!!!!! You are doing terrific

Jessica - I admit I'm a magazine junkie, but maybe you could pick up a fitness magazine and pick out a new routine just to mix things up a bit at the gym? The workout I'm currently doing I love because every time you hit the muscle group it's a bit different, every cardio session is a different variation of interval, and then the fourth week is a series of circuits. It was just what I needed to freshen things up again Maybe pick up a new piece of equiptment and incorporate it in a new way. Like the swiss ball or the resistance bands. If you use nautilus, switch to free weights, if the elliptical, try the bike.

Lynne - congrats on planning out your workouts! Sounds promising

(((((((((Becky))))))))))) So much of the work is in our heads. If I were you I would put down the bat and have a wonderful, relaxing vacation. Do some mental work while on vacation and spend time visualizing the me you want to be. When you come back, I bet you'll be refreshed and ready to dig in!

Life is good here. I picked up August O which is the weight issue. There's lots of good stuff in there. I admit I really like her layout and the inspirational quotes and stuff. What kinda stuck was her very last page:

"What I know for sure is that no matter where you stand right now, on a hilltop, in a gutter, at a crossroads, in a rut - you need to give yourself the best you have to offer in this moment."

Excellent advice.

I am currently on a hilltop mentally and at a cross roads physically. I know that change is on the horizon and the good news is mentally I can handle giving it my all to get there. I'm coming up on the end of my second week and I've had no cheats..not even a tictac. My workouts have been strong and intense, my free days controlled. I have back that inner knowledge of myself that was feeling kind of shaky for awhile. I also have to give myself a pat on the back. In the 2.5 years I've been doing this, I have never gone backwards. That in itself is a huge accomplishment for me.

Make it a great day eveyrone and give yourself the best you have to offer.

JeAnne

[pbutterfly]

I've really been enjoying this month's O as well. Count me among the magazine junkies.... though I'm trying to cut back (well, weed out ones I DON'T fully enjoy so that I have more time for the ones I really do!).

Yesterday I went to my Nia dance class for the 2nd time, and had a blast. I'm going to another one on Saturday night (different teacher). There's a rumor at the Y that they'll be starting a new special (no registration fee) on August 15th, so we're hoping that's true so we can start our membership!

Today's August 1, meaning day 1 of my month-long workout plan. Nothing like not wanting to 'fail' right out of the gate to get me to do my abs work today!

Becky - Have a GREAT vacation!!

lynne

[heide]

Thanks all. I'm feeling really good right now. Anything is possible right now.

Becky, I've been thinking about you lots and you've been on my list to write to for a while. I hope you have a chance to see this before you leave for your vacation today. I want you to remember not to beat yourself up. You do so much right and in the mental battle on this weight thing, you sometimes forget that you are that strong, fit, healthy woman that I know you are. Enjoy your vacation and then come back home reenergized and ready to take on the world. If you need anything, please let me know. We're old old friends.

I realized, when thinking about this, that I am the me I want to be. I'm living the best way I know how. I try to make the right choices and still have a glass of wine or two or an M&M or two. The thing is, if I let myself make the right choices, including the wine or the M&M, I don't feel deprived and go on a binge. Two weeks ago, I had baby back ribs. I didn't eat the french fries that came with, but I had the ribs, and I still was within my points for the week. Because it all counts. I guess that's my mantra: It all counts. Now, and when I'm at goal.

Oh, it's friday and I never answered the question of the week. What foods help me? Veggie chili. A variety of fruit. This week I ate watermelon, grapes, gooseberries, apricots and apples. I splurge on berries imported from France, sometimes. Yogurt. Kashi goLean cereal. Pria bars. Oatmeal. Frozen bananas. Fresh tomatoes. Pita bread. Good cheese (a little goes a long way). A variety in my weekly menus. Boredom leads to bad choices.

[BeckyM]

Just a quick reply, because we leave for the airport in 2 1/2 hrs! Thanks for everyone's encouragement and the wishes for a great vacation. I intend to take all your advice and relax, while making choices as much as possible like the strong, healthy, fit me I want to be.

Heide -- thanks for the kind words. You're in my thoughts lots too. Just yesterday I couldn't get that song "Don Gato" out of my mind -- you know, the one we sang in music class in about fifth grade? Anyway, I sang the whole thing out loud to Katie, and it made me think of you. We really do go back a LONG way!

Back to packing!

Becky