Do you have a love/hate relationship with your bathroom scale?

You get out of the shower and gingerly step on 
the bathroom scale hoping to see a number you'll like.  

After all, you've stuck to your new diet ---you've felt completely miserable for a month and you expect so see some change. Score!  Down 14 pounds.  Time to celebrate, right?

No so fast. You may not have lost the "right kind" of weight to warrant a celebration.  Wait. What?

That's true. When you suddenly reduce your caloric intake or eliminate a nutrient source (carbohydrates/fat) when you on a diet, you can expect a couple of things to happen.  First all you will lose is water weight.

According to the Mayo Clinic,  during the first few weeks of losing weight on a typical diet,  the body gets needed energy by releasing its stores of glycogen, a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver. Glycogen holds on to water, so when glycogen is burned for energy, it also releases water, resulting in substantial weight loss that's mostly water.

Did you notice that you just read glycogen is stored in muscle and it is burned?
 
That is not good.  So really all that you've lost so far is water and muscle
--and very little, if any, F-A-T.

Muscle takes up less room that fat in the body and it also determines how quickly you metabolize calories.  The more muscle you have, the faster you burn calories.
That is good.

So just imagine if you are on a diet and you lose, say, 30 pounds. (Yeah!)
But you realize up to 15 of those pounds could have been muscle. (Boo!)
Then you go off your diet and you gain your weight back plus a little more (Ugh!)
--which is what traditionally happens, right? (Sigh)

So sure, those numbers on that scale will go down...but are they the right kind of numbers?  Well, most likely they are not!

(Click the link to learn more.)

Next, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than three pounds a week after the first couple of weeks) can create serious health problems. It may also increase your risk for developing gallstones. Your hormones will become unbalanced.
And low calorie diets, which provide less than 800 calories per day could also result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal as well as symptoms of malnutrition such as weak nails, thinning hair, fatigue and frequent colds.
Does this sound like a healthy way to lose weight? Or a sustainable one? Nope.

So please choose a healthy plan and do not starve your body!
And after after all, the whole point of losing weight is: 

1. To Feel Healthy
2. To Look Great  
   and 
3. To Keep It Off! 

I'd also like you to consider changing your thought process about dieting in general. Dieting will ALWAYS bring that weight back (and sometimes more of it). What you need to find is a Lifestyle Program designed to help you learn now to eat properly so you lose the right kind of weight-- keeping all your muscle and losing only fat.  So please don't be a slave to your scale. 

Instead, to track your progress simply keep an eye on how your clothes fit.

Your Healthy Thought for the Day

Stop dieting and, instead, choose make healthier food choices everyday.

Go ahead and take measurements all over your body and not just the obvious places, like your waste, hips and thighs.  Include your arms, wrists, neck and ankles.

Noticing you've lost multiple inches all over your body is way more exciting than any number on a bathroom scale anyway.  

Trust me!  :-)

SELF TALK: Does your voice deserve a snap or a clap?

That little voice in our head....
You know what I'm talking about, right?

We all have one and it talks to us all day long. 
The questions is, what is yours telling you?

Our 'voice' develops over years and got its tone from many influences; from the people around us and from our own life experiences (and especially our failures, unfortunately.)

Part of that voice is molded by our parents, for instance.
Were yours the "Go get 'em, you can do anything" type or the "Phfft!! You could never do that, so why are you even trying" type?
Did they steer you towards their limited reality or encourage you to discover your own greatest potential?   

That makes a big difference. And add siblings to the mix or a spouse and the results just multiply.  Good or bad.

If your experience was the good variety,
then I'm joining the choir that says "You Can Do It!  Go Get em!"

If your experience is on the other end of the spectrum, then you'll be pleased to know you can change the channel and find another voice, because that other one's been controlling your life long enough!

The people in your life are doing their best based on  their own 'truth', so you can move on from the blame game and use that knowledge to free yourself from their belief limitations.   
Create your own voice and do it intentionally.

It's not so easy for some, as we are conditioned to 'protect' ourselves from going outside of our current comfort zone, which must happen for anything to change.  Sure we may feel 'safe' there, but the problem for you is that nothing worthwhile will ever happen in that comfy little place. 

Let me ask you a couple of questions.
What do you you recall more quickly, the mistakes you've made in the past or your triumphs and victories?

and

When you think of trying something new and exciting, 
does your 'self talk' try to discourage you or does it cheer you on?

Those are simply learned responses.

Don't believe me?

Just ask any kindergartner what they'd like to be when they grow up, and they'll answer "A Ballerina!", "An Actor!", "A Famous Singer!", "A Football Player", "A Doctor" ...the sky's the limit! And they are very excited and hopeful about their potential!

Ask an adult what their dreams and goals are and the majority will have absolutely none to offer and will look at you like you just asked the most ridiculous question that has ever been uttered.  

Heck, most people are just trying to get 'through the day'.  
They don't even realize that they are living their lives simply to help someone else (their boss or CEO ) achieve their dreams...because, believe me, those CEO's most likely have clearly defined goals and dreams.

So, do yourself a favor and just be conscious of and control your inner voice.  This one thing could improve your life in so many ways!

Consider your goal for a healthier lifestyle for an example.
I want you to be very aware of that little voice in your head as you determine your goal and your why:

Is it possible to lose 50+ pounds?  Is it possible to run/work out again?
Is it possible to get off of all my current medications?  
Is it possible to quit smoking?
Is it possible to stop eating so much sugar?
Is it possible to improve my lifestyle?
Is it possible to feel great???  Is it possible to have energy? To get rid of  chronic symptoms? 

Heck ya!  And you know what? 
YOU are worth the effort AND the investment!

Your Healthy Thought for the Day

So if that stupid little voice tries to discourage you, DON'T LET IT!

Choosing the other channel is simply another healthy habit that you will learn to develop. 

You'll learn now to silence that 'who-the-heck-do-you think-you-are-there's-no-way-you-can-do-that' voice and REPLACE it with, an ' I'm so proud of you, you are great, you can do anything' voice. 

BTW: The same goes for the people around you who are not supporting your efforts....if they don't have anything better to offer you, then choose not to listen to them!!

Some people use 'tricks' to make that inner voice channel switch. 

One trick is to place a rubber band on your wrist 
and every time that nasty little voice speaks up, *snap* that rubber band and replace it with a positive thought and then add a wild applause to that wonderful thought.
That will relate that negative thought with a negative feeling (the snap) and then train it to automatically think POSITIVELY and feel a positive emotion related to that thought.

You will soon begin to hear less and less of that stinky, weak, whiny voice and more from the strong, sexy, determined, energetic and empowered voice of the true you!  And now add a wild round of applause!!!!! 

WOOHOO!

So, right now, take a moment. 
Stop reading and think of a goal you'd like to achieve.

Ok.  Got a good one one?

Now, quick....What's your inner voice telling you?       
 ......  and does it deserve a snap or a clap?

Be well, my friends!
~Anne

How to Conquer the Beast of Self-Sabotage

One thing we know for sure:
The beginning of any action to improve your health usually goes pretty well at first.

Your Healthy Thought for the Day

If you're like most people, you get all pumped up for that new diet or workout (or to become a non-smoker) and you SWEAR to yourself that this time you are going to stick to it!

A few weeks goes by and you start to skip a day  ...or two.  Then your oh-so-busy schedule gets in the way. Then the weather is crappy. Then you had a tough day. Then it's... whatever excuse that little voice in your head gives you. 

But, there's always an excuse lurking in the shadows, isn't there?  Hey, I'm not judging, I'm commiserating.  I know. I've been there!

It's all too common.
IF we were like every other ordinary person on the planet,
we will ALWAYS find an excuse to allow ourselves to be sucked back into our previous unhealthy habits and lifestyle.
Yes, even though those previous choices made us feel tired and miserable and unhappy with ourselves and our bodies. Crazy, right?

Well there are lots of factors that pull us in that direction.

We're bombarded with unhealthy food commercials and unhealthy lifestyles are featured as 'normal' in so many shows on TV. So that message is loud and clear.

We may have friends or family members who are all-too-happy to remain stuck in their beer-and-bacon-wrapped-in-cheese-wiz-world to realize that it's slowly killing them ---and they don't want to go alone!
So they do their very best to make sure we stay with them in their unhealthy lifestyle.

BUT WE KNOW we want something BETTER.

There's only ONE THING that can help us to overcome those trying times and to begin again. 

There's only one thing that will help us to regain our desire and enthusiasm and make it to the finish line of our goal.

There's only ONE thing that will propel us from ordinary ---to extraordinary. From our failures to ultimate success. From feeling let down and depressed-- to feeling completely empowered.  That one thing?
  A STRONG, POWERFUL & EMOTIONAL "WHY".

(That's the magic we all have inside of us)

So ask yourself these questions?

WHY do I want to get healthier?
WHY do I want to lose the fat in my belly, legs, etc.
WHY did I start running/working out?
WHY did I start eating healthier?
WHY did I quit smoking?

That's a good start. But it's not enough to stop there.

When you figure out your starting WHY...then dig a little deeper. Get to the emotion lying under your surface 'why'.

Here's an example.

• I want to lose weight because I want to get back into my favorite pair of jeans.
• I want to get back into my favorite pair of jeans because I will look better.
• I'll feel so much better, too.
• I'll feel better so I will be a better mom, friend, wife, sister, daughter, (or son, husband, father)
• I'll feel better so I won't have any health problems early in life like my parents did/do.
• I want to be a good example for my kids. They learn what I teach them...and a healthy lifestyle is something they'll enjoy for the rest of their lives.  I want them to he healthy.
• I want to be able to have a long AND HEALTHY life...not one where I'm on a pile of medications and can barely walk by the age of ____.
• I don't want to be a burden on anyone.
• I want to live my life to the fullest. There's so much I want to see & do!
• Time goes by so quickly, so I know if I don't do it now, I'll have regrets. 

WHATEVER... The WHY is personal and it's YOURS. 
Just take the time to dig down and find your 'emotional why'
and that will help guide you through those sorry self-sabotaging
moments of your life and power through to another victory.

You will LEARN what triggers you and catch yourself before you get too deep. Each time you do will be another VICTORY for your win column, and each time you'll be teaching yourself how to SUCCEED, in spite of that little voice in your head or what others think/say. 

So, no, it's not the people around us that get in our way. They don't have that power. Only YOU do. 

YOU are the one who controls what you do and don't do. 
And YOU  the one who will find a way-- IF it is important to you.

And I know YOU will.  I have faith in you. 
You're an EXTRAORDINARY person .... and goodness knows we could use more 'extraordinary' in the world. Who wants to be ordinary anyway?
Not me!  Heck, I was born to ROCK this world ---and so were you!

So commit to yourself and your goal for at least 90 days. 
(That's a manageable goal time frame)

Then REMIND yourself of your WHY on a daily basis.

When people choose us as their coach, we send them a  HAPPY EVER AFTER-AFTER wristband to help them remember their goals.

You can also stick post-it notes around your house, on your refrigerator, on your computer, on your bathroom mirror--wherever you will see it during your day.  

Write little encouraging messages to yourself (maybe in your 'future you' voice)  or use a favorite motivating quote. (You'll find a new "Your Healthy Thought for the Day" on each post on this blog) 

Find a photo of an activity you'd like to do, or a photo of yourself at your healthy weight. Then let your notes, photos or this wristband REMIND you of how powerful and extraordinary you are. 

Make it stand for what YOU stand for---your healthy new life.

Your one, beautiful, powerful, extraordinary, healthy new life.

So, let's get this party started!