Interesting reads...
Options
Replies
-
Hello everyone, I have been MIA as far as writing but I have been reading and keeping up. Gail welcome back I am so happy you had an enjoyable trip, sorry your husband was sick hope he is feeling better.
OWR you are doing excellent and I am kind of with you I just started the counting the steps with an app on my phone and one day I did about 12000 steps and I got 21 calories credit.
Snoozie thanks for being so informative, I kind of understand the rationale with the stepping my daughter added on that I put down on mfp that my normal daily activity is lightly active so they alloted eating calories for that and not until I reach that goal will any extra count for extra calories. So I guess in general I do not have a lightly active lifestyle. How does that sound Snoozie I am not sure but I am hanging in there.
Hi Carol I love when I can do the happy dance.
I have had such a tough week or two not sure how long I have been mia. I know this site is for goal setting but I need to vent I told my husband I am telling on him to you guys and he laugh. I was doing so good two weeks ago and my husband can not stay true to all of this and when I was planning a salad and salmon for dinner he picks up fried chicken, I ate it , but that is okay I went to bed early was not going to eat anything else til morning and get this while I was asleep he brought me steak and potato; steak from the grill and awaken me and gave me a plate while I was asleep and guess what I ate it. All of it!! He did not want me to miss out. I told him I could have had steak for breakfast. Shaking my head. So with that said I been really good this week a little over yesterday but not bad and I am not counting any extra for my walking because of the app. BTW my scale is broken so I am okay with that I will be doing nsv until I get a new scale.0 -
It's ok, You did right ,Milove...who could turn down a steak that your husband brought to you right off the grill...I sure couldn't...You'll make up for it with many good days..0
-
Thanks Gail!0
-
I can't remember where I found this... but it was interesting to me to read it again this morning because I find a lot of truth in it just from being with all of you on MFP - surrounding myself with those on the same path and with the same goals, and seeing it done has definitely helped me begin to think of a healthy lifestyle as the "new norm" for me too... thoughts?
“Have the courage to aim low, but often.”
Many of us tell ourselves that our Point B is “six pack abs,” “to weigh what I did in college,” or even “lose 30 pounds.” These are Big Goals that take months and years to accomplish. So big, in fact, that it’s easy to get tripped up trying to plan, strategize, out think, and power through.
But all you really need to do to make progress TODAY is to remember that you can. You can make your life better today by making choices that eventually add up to that Big Goal.
There are many goal-achievement tips out there, and none of them are wrong. This one is just easier.
What if there was a simpler way to lose weight that guaranteed you would show up to the gym; make small, permanent changes to your diet; and change the way you thought about health and fitness (from a temporary challenge to a lifetime of experimentation and enjoyment) without guilt, shame and ever really having to “try?”
Well there very well might be. And no, this is no silver bullet or magic pill. It’s just about how human beings learn things.
Humans are social animals. It’s baked in. From how to walk to how to share, we learn just about everything by watching the people around us. We even have special brain cells called mirror neurons packed into our prefrontal cortex for learning from creatures that look like us. Now that’s baked in!
One of the most enduring models for how we learn is called “Social Cognitive Theory,” which was developed over decades of experiments by Dr. Albert Bandura, a professor of social science at Stanford University. At the root of whether or not we do something and keep doing it depends on how confident we are that we can do it. Here’s how we assess whether or not we can do something (like diet and exercise):
Personal Experience: “Have I done this before?”
Vicarious Experience: “Well if that person like me can do it, I can do it.”
Social Persuasion: “These people cheering me on seem to think I can do it, so I bet I can.”
Physiological Factors: “Is my body up to this? Are those butterflies in my stomach good or bad?”
The power of self-efficacy as explained by Social Cognitive Theory is what health psychologists call the phenomenon of “a new normal.” That’s when you meet new people and start viewing your own capabilities differently. Or when you decide to do something with friends and learn confidence from each other’s struggles. In my opinion, this is the most powerful collection of forces someone new to health and fitness can exploit for themselves. The ultimate bio-hack is simply doing new things with others.
And I know this because it’s not only how I work as a coach, but also how things worked for me. In 2007, I lost 60 pounds in 292 days just like I described above. I met new friends at a gym in San Francisco’s Castro district and although I worked hard when I was at the gym, all the other choices in my life started to become easy. I would talk about them with my new friends; they would ask me about how I was doing; and I could see how well these healthier choices were working for them. It was like I was cheating, but it was just self-efficacy. It was just learning a “new normal.”
Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So make that choice wisely and, thanks to Social Cognitive Theory, everything else might just get easier.0 -
-
What a great read to get this week started out on the right foot! Thank you for that.0
-
That is some good reading Snoozie!0
-
ignore all the ads... but if you have about 5 min to read the couple of pages about shortcuts vs lifestyle change, it's an interesting read!
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/shortcuts.htm0 -
"The thing about healthy living is that it's all about balance. You don't give in to every indulgence or even give up every indulgence, you simply plan better "
I think this was my favorite part. When people ask me what diet I am on and I say I'm not on a diet and haven't been. I've changed my life and yes I will eat that chocolate cake or piece of pizza - but, 95% of the time, I make healthy choices and do not fool myself into thinking this is going to end. It's not. It's for Life. Forever. And I feel so much better for it! NEPA and healthy eating -- why did I not know how to do this before? Shortcuts were my life. Hence the reason I've lost and gained an elephant in my time.0 -
Oops - forgot to say Thank You Snoozie - that was a great read for April 1!0
-
Not a read, more of a watch, but I loved this video about strength training at any age!0
-
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR WORDS
Think about the words you use when thinking or speaking about yourself. Are the words too often negative? Do you think of yourself in a positive light? And do you speak positively about yourself to others? Thinking and speaking of yourself positively is more difficult than it sounds. Most of us tend to be critical of ourselves or the situations we're in, skewing toward the negative when it comes to our word choices. Pay attention to the words you use and, whenever possible, try to replace them with more positive words, even if that means completely countering your current thoughts.
For example, when you find yourself saying, "I feel tired," swap out tired and say, "I feel energized." Just imagining the opposite, more positive, state can help push you toward it and might make you realize that you're not, in fact, that tired after all. Likewise, if you find yourself in front of the mirror thinking, "I look frumpy today," switch your thinking to, "I look AWESOME today." Transforming your thoughts might make you see the good in the way you look, making you realize that maybe you're not looking so bad after all.
(used from :Positively Present )0 -
Vailara - LOVED that video!! Gus totally shamed me ! excellent reminder that goes hand in hand with Gail's awesome post on positive thinking - gus proves "I can't" shouldn't exist in our thoughts; replacing it with "i can try it" and subsequently I CAN do it... has a lot to do with how we think about ourselves too.. i'm a firm believer in positive thinking as most of you know; thoughts become beliefs and actions; so its imperative to remember especially in our weight loss journeys, that we are so much more than a number on a scale; we're beautiful, funny, empathic, strong, kind, competent, adventurous, smart, nurturing, life loving women...well the list goes on an on doesn't it?? And what we choose to believe about ourselves becomes our reality... remember that saying from one of our topics?
I AM.
Two of the most powerful words in the English language, because what we put after them defines our reality.
ROCK ON LADIES!! Thanks for sharing both those awesome watch/reads, Gail and Vail!0 -
Thank you all for the encouraging thoughts and words. Even though so many times we are quick to praise our children and grandkids and even our husbands (at times), it does not translate over to ourselves. We tell all those around us - you Can do this! You are strong, intelligent, beautiful and loving. What do we see and say to that person in the mirror? Do we see failure, fat, frumpy, and *gasp* old & wrinkly?! Why is it okay to praise and lift up everyone around us and not ourselves? We were taught from a young age to put self aside and nurture everyone else. It is Time! Time to nurture ourselves so that we can and are healthy enough to nurture our loved ones.0
-
it's so true OWR... we seem to think it's perfectly okay to be super critical of ourselves and say things to ourselves that we would NEVER say to our best friends or family ... and we need to "train" ourselves that's its NOT ok... that we are just as deserving of empathy, encouragement, and praise in all our efforts on this journey as we would give anyone else!
I was flipping channels at 2am and came across an interesting documentary on a doc in the States who chose to practice in a smaller community and still does house calls for some of his patients - he's prolly in his late 40's and after 20 years of practice, was talking about how he thought when he had "learned" all the medical stuff, he'd be a great doc and able to heal all his patients etc.. anyway one area he talked about was how hard it is on him emotionally with some of his patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, or joint pains, or severely overweight with associated health complications... when he can't get them to understand that THEY have the control in their situations.. that just dispensing pills is very hard for him when he can't help them understand that THEY have the power to change their circumstances, but they don't want to, they just want him to keep the pills coming. He is a very kind person and it was interesting to hear how much he focuses on trying to get his patients to get motivated to change their health issues themselves, rather than just coming to get the pills - one couple he was visiting were probably in their 50's, both severely overweight, and he was gently talking to them, genuinely interested, but when asking what they had for dinner usually, the wife replied pork chops and tater tots.. and he asked if there were any vegetables along with and her reply was "we're not rabbits, did you bring the pills"... the interview with the doc when he left showed how much it impacted him that he couldn't help them help themselves; he wasn't mean or harsh in any way... but it really made me realize how frustrating it must be for some doctors when we go to them for help but we're not willing to invest in ourselves and our own health care; we just sometimes expect them to "fix" us... and made me realize too that it IS up to me to make the changes necessary for good health - it's not my doctor's job to do that. I know I'm very lucky that my own doc is quite invested in my health, but looking back, I have to say that she seems more so in the past two years since I was diagnosed with the Type 2 diabetes, and actually started making the changes I needed to do. It was a good reminder for me as to why I'm on this journey; and that it is and will continue to be my choices in lifestyle that ultimately affect my quality of life..0 -
Interesting thoughts, both of you. I do think a lot of people seem to feel powerless - as if things just happen to them. It feels good to take responsibility and be in control. And yes, we should nurture and reward ourselves for doing so.0
-
How to Set SMART Weight Loss Goals by Suzanne Hiscock
When it comes to setting weight loss goals, most people just do the bare minimum of setting a goal to “lose weight.” What happens with such a flimsy goal is that it gets blown out of the water at the sight of a glazed doughnut. There’s no meaning or purpose to the goal. There’s nothing memorable about it. It just won’t “stick” in your brain.
Some people state a simple weight loss goal. “Lose 25lbs.” That’s a bit better but it doesn’t really have much to sink your teeth into, does it?
If you want to set yourself up for success, you need to set a SMART goal. I’m going to show you how to make a SMART weight loss goal — and I’m going to show you some “tricks to make it stick.”
The acronym SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound
It’s a great way to set goals that have meaning and purpose. Dare I say it’s even a “smart” way to set a goal?
So, let’s take the “lose weight” goal that the majority of people set. How can we make it a SMART goal? (Grab a pen and a piece of paper, if you want to play along at home.)
Specific
A goal needs to be specific. You do that by asking yourself these questions:
Why are you creating the goal? In other words, what are the benefits? How will it make you feel? Who is involved with the goal? (At the bare minimum, it’s you.)
How will you reach that goal?
Before we make “lose weight” more specific, here’s the first trick to make it stick: turn the goal into a sentence or positive affirmation and say it in a way as if it’s already happened. Picture yourself in the future having accomplished the goal.
I’m going to use an imaginary friend as an example. Wendy is 180lbs and doesn’t exercise much. She gets a lot done, but doesn’t seem to have much energy. She’s tired of feeling tired. She wants to “lose weight” to feel better.So, Wendy pictures herself in the future and ask herself the questions up above. Wendy’s original goal to “lose weight” is transformed into: “I feel strong and full of energy having lost weight by counting calories, eating smaller, healthier portions and exercising seven days a week.”
Much better than “lose weight”, right? But Wendy can make that goal even better.
Measurable
A goal needs to be measurable. “I feel strong and full of energy having lost weight” doesn’t really mean anything. There’s no way to measure progress. Is it five pounds? Twenty pounds? Are we measuring pounds lost or body fat percentage? Wendy decides she wants to weigh 120lbs.
“I feel strong and full of energy at 120lbs by counting calories, eating smaller, healthier portions and exercising seven days a week.”
Attainable
But a goal needs to be attainable, too.
So now Wendy has a specific, measurable goal. But let’s step back for a second and take a look at it. Is this an attainable goal? 120lbs might sound like “fun” to Wendy, but is it realistic? Is it a healthy weight for her? And exercising seven days a week?
“Wait a second,” Wendy thinks. “I know myself. This is way more than I can handle right now.”
Wendy turns her goal into something attainable. This feels “doable” to her. She believes she can do it. It’s challenging enough without being overwhelming.
“I feel strong and full of energy at 140lbs by counting calories, eating smaller, healthier portions and walking for 30 minutes four times a week.”
Wendy’s feeling pretty good about this goal, but there are still a few ways to make it even better.
Relevant
A goal should be relevant. It has to have meaning for you and be relevant to your abilities and interests.
Wendy looks at her goal. The “I feel strong and full of energy” part is relevant. She wants more energy. The weight goal is relevant because she wants to be healthy; she’s not aiming to be a fitness model.
Wendy likes walking, too. But then she remembers she used to love swimming. She hasn’t done it in years because she’s been too busy. The thought of swimming again motivates her. She makes another change.
“I feel strong and full of energy at 140lbs by counting calories, eating smaller, healthier portions and by walking or swimming for 30 minutes four times a week.”
Wendy’s feeling even more motivated now!
But there’s one last piece of the puzzle to make this goal a SMART goal.
Time-bound
A goal needs to be time-bound.
Wendy knows a safe rate of weight loss is 1 to 2lbs a week. She has 40lbs to lose. Losing 2lbs a week would take her about 4 months. Wendy remembers a goal needs to be attainable, so she decides to give herself a bit of wiggle room and makes it 5 months. Today is January 1st. So, she makes one last change to her goal by setting a weight loss target date.
“On June 1st, I feel strong and full of energy at 140lbs by counting calories, eating smaller, healthier portions and by walking or swimming for 30 minutes four times a week.”
Wendy is really motivated now to put this plan into action because the SMART goal she created makes sense to her. It’s unique to her. She can always make changes to it, if she needs to — but now she has a solid framework to get started.
More Tricks to Make It Stick
Now, it’s your turn. I want you to create a SMART weight loss goal — and I want you to do it using a pen (or pencil) and paper. Don’t do it using your computer. Studies have shown that when you put pen to paper, you make your brain say, “Hey, something important is happening. I better pay attention!”
And here’s a mega-super trick, if you really want to make it stick. Remember how teachers used to “punish” you by making you write sentences over and over again? It’s actually a really good trick to make your subconscious aware of your goal. Grab a sheet of paper and write your goal down over and over again. Do this as often as you need to — without cramping your hand, of course! Don’t think of it as punishment. Think of it as a way of communicating with your subconscious mind.
And no, typing it up is not the same. Put pen to paper and really, really concentrate. Take your time and don’t rush it. Make your brain pay attention to your goal — and your brain will then help you reach that goal. It’ll seek out ways to help you because it knows your goal is important to you.
And that, my friends, is the SMART way to set a weight loss goal.
If you're like millions of people, you'd probably like to lose a little weight - maybe a lot of weight. You'd probably like to make some changes in your body - maybe around your belly or your thighs, or around your hips or butt. Maybe you've been trying to achieve this for years and you're frustrated because it hasn't happened.
If you're like most people, you've tried a number of things to make this happen. Diets you eventually gave up on or exercise programs you've started and stopped more times than you can count. Maybe you've even bought expensive equipment, joined a gym or hired a trainer. But none of it seems to work. The question is: why?
The Weight Loss Conundrum
Though you may be asking why nothing you've tried seems to work, there's a bigger question you may need to answer: Do you really want to lose weight? If you said yes, let me ask you another, perhaps more difficult question: Are you doing everything you need to do to lose weight? Take some time to think about that and then rank the importance of losing weight on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being most important and 10 being least important).
Now, think of a typical week in your life and figure out how much time you spend doing the things necessary for weight loss. Some of those tasks include:
Cardio exercise (5 or more times a week)
Strength Training (2 or more days a week)
Flexibility exercises
Being as active as possible - taking the stairs, walking when you can, moving around more, etc.
Eating healthy, balanced meals and watching your calories
Getting enough sleep
Managing your stress and keeping it at reasonable levels
Do you do all of these things each week? Maybe a few, but not all? Maybe none? Take a moment to compare these two things: Where you ranked the importance of weight loss as opposed to how much time and energy you spend in the pursuit of it. If you're seeing a gap there, you're not alone. For many of us, there's a difference between what we say we want and what we actually do. Where does this gap come from? I think the disparity lies between what's really important to you and what you think should be important. If weight loss is more of a 'should,' maybe it's time to give up on it.0 -
What an incredible read. I put pen to paper and stated my SMART. Remembering where I have come from to where I wish to be is a great motivator. No More Fooling Around!!!0
-
Thanks, Snoozie...SMARTis an eye opener...same for the one about the doctor..I can really see his point of view now...0
-
Interesting point about putting pen to paper - it might explain why I'm preferring my paper logging to MFP. I like SMART goals myself, but I'm sure I read about a study recently which found that it didn't really matter - people who set unrealistic goals did as well or better. It made me wonder if it was worth trying to overshoot, as I tend to be pretty conservative with my goals.0
