Good Afternoon Journal!
I was all set write my post today, but just for fun decided to visit a couple of my favorite blogs first. CinciMom11 at CinciMom11: Losing the Baby Weight wrote something (here) that inspired me to change my topic today. She was talking about "Stages of Readiness to Change." I found this very interesting because I remember taking a free test from Dr Phil's website, called Are You Ready? It scores your answers, then gives you the interpretation. It's free, and it's (HERE). (Note: in the quiz he refers to the book and the seven keys... this is his book The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution. But, you can apply the quiz to any plan that you have chosen)
Anyway, I was also reminded of a newspaper article from eons ago that I clipped out and tucked away. I get sooo tired of all the negativity surrounding weight loss... people quoting studies, and then other people quoting those people, ad nauseam.... regarding how hhaaarrrddd it is to lose weight and keep it off.... and we have all heard the statistics saying only 3% of people that lose it, KEEP it off... blah blah blah.
This little newspaper article that I saved--so old now that it's darkened and ratty--is titled "Weight Loss Depends on Attitude, Too." Here is the first paragraph:
"Anne Fletcher got tired of all the negative talk about the impossibility of losing weight and keeping it off. So she set out to find the "masters" who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for three or more years."
I will summarize the rest:
*She interviewed 160 people who lost weight and kept if off for 3 or more years.
*She wrote a book titled: Thin for Life: 10 Keys to Success from People Who Have Lost Weight and Kept it Off.
*The wt losses ranged from 40 pounds to twenty people who lost over 100 pounds.
*They used either a traditional program or a self-styled one, but what they did in common was to tweak it to make it personalized. They felt this was one big key to their success.
*Most of them had tried and not succeeded in the past to lose weight and keep it off. They felt this time the thing that turned it around was ATTITUDE. Instead of seeing "past failures", they saw "experiences to learn from." They analyzed what did and did not work for them in the past, and used this as information to tailor their current program.
*They owned the problem, not blaming anything or anyone else.
*They included occasional indulgences, but realistically accepted the need for limits, in order to lose weight.
*They set realistic goals.
*They didn't berate themselves and pile on the guilt if they slipped, but just jumped right back into it, and continued on.
*When at goal, they set short turnaround times in case the weight start creeping up.
Overall, there was no magic bullet. "It's a lot of hard work and constant vigilance. They think they're worth it."
Now you know why I saved this little newspaper article. :-)
From Dr Phil's book: "Have a plan and the courage, commitment, and energy to execute it."
My verse for today: "The Lord is my strength and my song."
My quote for today: "If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost." --Zig Ziglar
Enjoy the Journey,
Loretta
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7 comments:
Wonderful post and I love what you have pointed out. On my own journey to lose 150 pounds I lost it "on my own" but I pulled from a lot of knowledge that I already had. I then really did just what you wrote about - tweaked it to make it work for me.
Congrats on your success thus far!
Love it, and love Dr. Phil's test! Thanks for the shout out :). I bet the woman who interviewed those 160 people learned so much. I wish I could interview 160 successful losers and maintainers!
"Weight Loss Depends on Attitude, Too." I love it. Most of us KNOW what we should do, what we need to do, but attitude holds us back (that's me a lot). Attitude really is a big factor. YOU have the right one!
I really enjoyed this post Loretta! It give me a lot to think about and evaluate my plan and journey. I found it very encouraging that this really is the time I keep it off! Bless you!
Good stuff, Loretta! I reread the little article highpoints 3 times! Funny, I got two message from it: 1--I need to relax a little. and 2. I need to be vigilant and determined. HA
I know it's contradictory--but such is life, isn't it? My problem, of course, is that I am relaxed where I should be vigilant and vigilant where I should be relaxed. lol. I think I'll work on turning that around!
Thands for the powerful bits of info!
Deb
DIANE: Thank you, Diane. I'm doing it like you... I hammered out a plan to fit me, and in fact am still tweaking it here and there. You should've been in her book!
CINCIMOM11: I really think Attitude is MOST of it, actually. Any ol' plan that suits you, if halfway healthy, will work if you have the right attitude. I just wish I had thought that way YEARS earlier.
DAWNE: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I agree, having that "knowing" that this time is different and you will accept nothing less than success is very encouraging.
Loretta
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DEB: I agree with you... we need to learn to do both. To know when to relax a bit, and where to require more of ourselves. For me I think self-honesty is key, because if I'm not careful I can be awfully good at fooling myself. I liked this info too... I love reading about the successes of others because I figure I can always learn from it. I'm glad you liked it also.
Loretta
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you have the best cat pictures Retta!! That is interesting, that list. I know I need to tweak my diet in some way. I am going to count calories for a week and see if I am eating too much as a rule. Today I noticed that I ate less just because I knew I'd have to count the calories so maybe this is key.
This week has been so stressful though, I think I will be grateful to get through this time without a gain.
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