Daily Dose of Encouragement

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MaryMBacon
MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
Good Morning everyone. Have you ever used a GPS and taken a wrong turn? Of course we all have ~ and what happened? It said "recalculating route" Of course it did not say "you screwed up you should drive around aimlessly give up and then go home and start over"
There will be times when you go off track ~ weeks you might have a slight gain or meals where you give into temptation. Just think to yourself "recalculating route" and get right back on the path to good health.
You don't have to be perfect to arrive at your destination, Just keep going ~ you deserve it!
Have a great day
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Replies

  • Kass0708
    Kass0708 Posts: 41 Member
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    Thanks for the motivation....I need to remember that one once in awhile!
  • nerge
    nerge Posts: 52 Member
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    I like it!!
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Do you know what really boosts your metabolic rate ~ proper sleep. Resarch has found that there is a strong correlation between lack of sleep and increased weight. Reduced sleep increases ghrelin (those gremlins that make you eat :) which is a hormone that increases appetitie as well as causes a sluggish metabolism throughout the day. Happy Friday ~ don't stay up too late :)
  • smpeffer
    smpeffer Posts: 14 Member
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    Thanks for the motivation...I'll keep that with me and keep moving on...
  • Barrettp22
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    Thanks!! This is just what I need - Realism!!:smile:
  • jakeyuma
    jakeyuma Posts: 335 Member
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    Sleep Sounds good. 4am workouts are starting to be a killer.
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Often when I scan a barcode in "public" this will spark a flurry of well meaning diet advice, Much of which is myth. I usually just smile and nod, not wanting to say "You're wrong" to people who are just trying to help, but it is important to separate myth from truth. The biggest myth is that you need to eat all day to stabilize blood sugar ~ unless you have a metabolic disorder, your body can regulate it's own blood sugar just fine by eating 3 meals per day. Food does affect metabolic rate but not by very much. Skipping breakfast will slow down the metabolism until you eat (again not by much but every little bit counts) however those mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks provide such minimal boost to the metabolism, they are really not worth worrying about. Eat if you're hungry, don't when you're not.
    Skipping breakfast was shown in children to substantially lower IQ (until lunchtime) the difference was greatest in Kindergarten children. In adults it doesn't so much lower the IQ but it does affect memory and recall.
    So DO eat breakfast and get your brain working at it's best, even if you have to start small, such as by eating half a banana. Research has also found that people who eat a fruit or vegetable in the morning are far more likely to achieve the recommended "5 a day"
    The Best way to boost your metabolic rate is strength training, a great cardiovascular workout will burn a lot of calories but strength training builds muscle and muscle burns calories at the highest rate, even at rest, so be sure you're doing both.
    Have a great "on target" day everyone!
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Happy Tuesday everyone!
    Its time for a refresher in loving yourself. In my practice I keep hearing. "How can I say I love myself if I think I'm ugly" or " How can I love myself like this" or " how can I really say I love myself when I don't want to be like this" the answer is how can you not!
    Your knees are amazing. think about how they lift ALL of you up, with only your foot as a counterweight and manage to pull you up and over each step on a flight of stairs. Your body allows you to talk and communicate, It allows you to move around, use a computer, Your body, as big or small as it may be still does some amazing things for you.
    While good health may or may not come in ALL sizes the good news is good people and beauty do come in all sizes. It's important to feel good about yourself, so no matter what size you are, get a great outfit that really fits you well, One of my favorite tips is to do your nails often, because it's impossible to reach into a bag of chips with freshly painted nails, and if you're on pinterest there are some very cute ideas for nail art you can do yourself. It's a great distraction during those evening snack attack hours ~ definitely keeps you from being able to eat, and you'll get all kinds of compliments to help you feel good.
    As for wanting change, You love your children and your best friend and mom, no matter what size THEY are but you still want what is best for them. This is no different. You love your kid when they get C's but you still encourage them to study and do their homework. You love your kids no matter what size they are but you do make them eat vegetables because it's healthy. You make them go to bed on time because it's healthy. Loving yourself very much will NOT Mean you give up on changing your body and losing weight, exactly the opposite. The more you love yourself the more you'll want what's best for your health.
    and lastly stop saying "I'll be happy when I lose X# of pounds" You won't you'll be X# of pounds lighter when you lose the wight, there is absolutely no reason you need to wait for that to happen to be happy. Be happy now, Be in love with yourself now, and enjoy this journey of health.
    Have a beautiful day!
  • shielas
    shielas Posts: 6 Member
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    I agree with you 110%, what an uplifting way to start my day. Thank you
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    The identity that you hold yourself has so much impact on how you behave. It's so important to hold a positive identity. As an example when I hear people say "I can't believe I was so stupid" I always want to correct them to say "I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake" You see the difference between "being stupid" or "Making a stupid mistake" is huge. In one case you are helpless to change this behavior, in the other case you're likely to never do this again. Why is this important , because while no other human being on earth would be so rude to us, When we say "I'm fat' we define ourselves in a way that is not helpful on our journey of health. We ARE mothers, wives, husbands, daughters, sons. We ARE animal lovers and we ARE busy people and We are beautiful human beings on a journey of health. We are not "Fat" Our weight does not define us.
    We HAVE some extra pounds and we HAVE health concerns and we can HAVE a goal to achieve improved fitness, but our weight problems do not ever define us.
    The self talk matters, so if you're tired of opening the closet and "nothing fits" make a date to clean the closet, put out the clothing that fits well and treat yourself to an outfit that fits well if you need to. Box up what really doesn't fit but keep handy what is just a "little tight" because it will fit soon :) Be kind to yourself in your thinking, and never let a problem, a bad decision, or a challenge define you. Have a great weekend
  • kward0222
    kward0222 Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks!
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Staying motivated is not always very easy. Some days the scale can be downright mean-spirited. Some days we just have a craving for a trigger food and some days we're just not feeling it.
    But living healthy and losing weight is a marathon not a sprint, it's a slow-cooker process not a microwave. It's so easy to get into a slump and lose our motivation.
    What works for me is writing these tips and helping others. Reviewing my affirmations, and celebrating success. I have a few quick tips I would love to share.
    Give yourself a weekly "allowance" every single day that you stay on target under calorie goal or every day that you ate 5 veggies or exercised you get $1 or whatever you can spare if it's more or less it doesn't matter. , or even a reward for each of these things. If you don't do the behavior you don't put the cash in and instead you could donate it to a charity or put it somewhere else.
    this CASH goes into an envelope marked GOAL and with the goal written right on it.
    You may not spend any of this money until you reach your goal and you promise yourself right now that if you quit or give up that cash goes to charity.
    Every time you succeed you put that cash in the envelope and as the envelope accumulates cash it becomes extremely motivating the more that is in there the more you can't wait to reach your goal. When that goal involves weight loss, it makes a great new clothes fund!
    The reward is for behavior, and behavior is 100% within your control. You control what you eat, when you eat, how much you eat and when and how long you move your body, the goal can be your ultimate weight goal or the half-way point, because if you have a lot to lose, it really does help to get some nice clothes that fit you along the way.
    Another way I stay motivated is to have more than one goal and track more than one way. We all likely track weight but it's very motivating to track measurements as well as percent body fat. I also track how much weight I can lift. I take spin classes so there isn't much to track there, but if you run tracking how far you can run or how fast you can run can be very motivating. The reason for this is, on a given week the scale may not move much but if you are now running 5 miles instead of 4, you can smile and celebrate your improved fitness.

    How do you stay motivated? What works for you?
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    the other day I was feeling so frustrated, I had a perfect day, well under my calorie goal, and it said tome "if every day was like today, you'd still have a ways to go in 5 weeks" well not exactly like that but that's how I felt.
    If you feel frustrated all you have to do is enter something high calorie (don't eat it just put it in there) maybe a 17 servings bag of chips or the longhorn steakhouse chocolate stampede THEN hit "complete this entry" and see where you'd be in 5 weeks without this hard work. ~ it's a MUCH bigger difference, instead of 10lbs lighter I'd be 10 pounds HEAVIER so it lets me think I'm really "losing" 20lbs that way.
    Just be sue to go back and delete the food you didn't really eat :)
    Have a happy halloween, and remember leftover candy ~ It's better to waste it than waist it!
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    From my latest blog post ~ HOliday survival guide

    Set a reasonable goal Your holiday goal can be to maintain. If your goal is to lose 2lbs a week you might set your goal to 1/2 pound a week for the holidays. A goal to lose 2lbs per week is fine if you're feeling motivated and confident and don't mind saying "no" a bit more often. Whatever your goal is write it down and stick to it.
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Studies show people who wait until January 1st to start a healthy eating plan gain more weight over the holidays ~ and can never lose it. Don't Wait, set a goal to eat well starting now. Even if your goal is to maintain over the holiday season, set SOME goal and hold yourself accountable. It will pay off. What is your goal for between now and January? do you want to maintain? lose? or just gain a little bit?
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/top-10-holiday-diet-tips-of-all-time Great blog post from web MD wonderful "real people" tips to stay on track over the holidays
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,438 Member
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    Studies show people who wait until January 1st to start a healthy eating plan gain more weight over the holidays ~ and can never lose it. Don't Wait, set a goal to eat well starting now. Even if your goal is to maintain over the holiday season, set SOME goal and hold yourself accountable. It will pay off. What is your goal for between now and January? do you want to maintain? lose? or just gain a little bit?

    I WILL consolidate my new Wii Zumba Core habit. That alone will have a big impact on daily calories burned and since everything is either targeting cardio, core, or both at the same time - I am hoping for a byproduct of tightened abs.
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    My latest blog post what to do when your exercise plan just isn't working out.
    http://coachmarybacon.com/1/post/2013/11/what-to-do-when-your-exercise-plan-just-isnt-working-out.html
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    I hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving ~ weather you stayed on track or not just bless and release. It's a new day. Be sure to move your body daily as this helps you feel healthy. Pack a protein bar when you head to the mall and don't go hungry. Eat a sensible meal before heading out to shop and pack a snack in case you need it.
    Exercise keeps stress levels down and helps you sleep better at night.
    Lack of sleep increases hunger. This holiday season remember don't burn the candle on both ends, stay healthy.
  • MaryMBacon
    MaryMBacon Posts: 94 Member
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    Today is Sunday ~ set yourself up for Success by Planning your meals, Going shopping for lots of low cal portable and healthy snacks ~ at least some of which you can keep handy in your purse to avoid temptation when you're out shopping. Put exercise on your calendar for the upcoming week. Plan to succeed.