Day 14 Holiday Challenge

1st Sunday of Advent

Weigh in Day:

Challenge Start Weight: 289.4

Today's Weight: 284.6

Week 1: -1.6lbs

Week 2: -3.2lbs

Total challenge loss: 4.8lbs

Total overall loss (since Oct 2013): 179.4

I am very pleased with this week's result, mostly because of the holiday. I have endured a significant amount of stress this week, which is also a reason to be excited. This means that instead of turning to food, I am turning to God and the tools of recovery more and more. 

Day 13 Holiday Challenge

Tonight marks the beginning of Advent, where we await the coming of the Lord, recalling his first coming at Christmas, and his continued presence among us in the sacraments. 

Today's thought: what are you waiting for? 

After a day of recovery, we hit the ground running, back to our routines of healthy eating and exercise. We remember our advantages and the end goal of our challenge. Yet, maybe we've encountered a little resistance? Maybe we want to stretch out the holiday and rest awhile? (it doesn't help that it's now the weekend)

Even though tonight begins a season of waiting, we ask ourselves "what are we waiting for?" We pick ourselves up, knowing that God gives us the sufficient strength to get back up and persevere to the end. We await the day where we can say the holidays will not bother us food or weight wise! But that means we need to get to work. 

Be watchful, stay alert! This is the Gospel imperative this weekend. In other words, watch out for the sluggish attitude where we fall into complacency and wait for everything to fall into our laps. Losing weight or maintaining over the season requires our daily participation in God's grace, and the use of the tools we've been given. 

Day 12 Holiday Challenge

After all the feasting and the Black Friday shopping, it's time to recover!

Today's objective: Don't continue the feast! 

If you had a good day yesterday, that is, if all went according to your plans, job well done! You still may be feeling the effects of the tryptophan in the turkey, or perhaps the weight of emotions that bringing your family together sometimes can stir up. Like an athlete hitting a hard sprint, you need to give your whole body and soul some time to recover from the "exercises" of the holiday. 

What's funny is that it might mean hitting the gym a little harder today. I got to a great 12 step meeting, and afterwards took my Friday spinning class at the gym. It feels good to have made it through the holiday without giving in to a binge, but I still needed that good workout. 

Overall, learning when to stop overeating and moving on to accomplish our goals is key. It helps to put things into perspective: if we overindulge, it does not mean that we have to continue. Thin people, or people that don't tend to yo-yo in weight, intuitively know this concept, and seem to put it into practice without much thought. They will scale back for the next day, if needed, and seamlessly transition into the pattern they had established before. 

For today, try either cutting down on the calories or stepping up the exercise. Just because yesterday's leftovers are there, it doesn't mean you have to eat them all today. In fact, why not declare today or tomorrow turkey, stuffing, and pie free days? 

Happy recovery! 

Day 11 Holiday Challenge

The day is here, one of the big reasons why you are doing this challenge. Today has been a traditional day for everyone to be an overeater. But it doesn't have to be so today. You get to define what to give thanks for today. It doesn't have to be an excuse to lose your resolve!

I give thanks for having lost a total of 180 lbs since Oct 2013. When I look at my progress log, it also shows that I've lost 150lbs since last Thanksgiving. I thank God, my family and friends, and all who have supported me in this journey. I can truly be thankful for being in the healthiest shape of my adult life. 

Today is a day to give thanks for the blessings in your life. Here at The Weigh and the Truth, the truth of the matter is that it isn't some abstract notion of thankfulness. Thanks demands to be given to someone. That someone is God. May you find him as the source of your blessings. 

Again, you have my support today. Don't give in to negative thoughts or "food pushers." You don't have to judge others because they are celebrating the day with food, but you can give yourself permission to skip the goodies, be healthy, and feel good come tomorrow morning. Take a look at yesterday's plan, and may God help you to carry it out. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 10 Holiday Challenge

Like the Boy Scout motto, be prepared!

Today's objective: have a plan for that Thanksgiving feast.

Since you've resolved to maintain or lose weight this Holiday Season, tomorrow is a great day to implement the tools you've already learned. We have a saying in my 12 step program that Thanksgiving is just another regular day. That might not be the case for you, especially as you gather with friends and family to celebrate, but at least you can find other things to be thankful for other than food, or the need to scarf it down. 

Let's review:

1. Find out your calorie needs. This means don't eat above your calorie needs for the day. If you are going to, get that workout in. Choose your foods wisely. Track, track, track! 

2. Practice spontaneous exercise. You might be sitting down all day. Go shovel some snow! 

3. Remember the difference between hunger and craving. Wait 20 minutes after you've finished your plate so your body can recognize it's full. Consider whether seconds are worth it. Maybe decide that you can skip a certain food or beverage. 

4. Read your advantages list. Be sure to keep this in mind when making those tough food decisions. Your goal is worth not overindulging! 

5. Be mindful! Experience your food, be thankful, be present to your family and friends. 

6. Check in with your method of accountability. Call or text someone if things get tough. Telling someone will help prevent you from getting off track. 

7. If you want to, weigh yourself. Don't do it compulsively through the next two days, but it may be helpful to know where you started and how the day may affect you. Otherwise, wait for your weigh in day. If you practice your tools, there should be no fear about the scale. 

8. Get your "me time" in. Being around a lot of people can be draining and stressful at times. It helps if the stress is building to step away for a few. This is yet another opportunity to be mindful and practice some spontaneous exercise.

9. Count your blessings. Stay positive. Give yourself credit for things you do well over the next few days. Be thankful on Thanksgiving!  

You have my support these next few days. You can achieve maintenance and weight loss this Holiday season!!!

Day 9 Holiday Challenge

Count your blessings! 

Just ahead of thanksgiving, when we pause as a nation to reflect on the many things that we are thankful for, we take the time to prepare for this occasion by practicing a well known spiritual exercise that has been proven in the cognitive behavioral fields of psychology...

Today's objective: give yourself credit! 

Too often we focus on the negative aspects of our behavior. We may repeat the same lines in our head: I'm so bad at this, I'm a failure, I will never get the hang of it, I ate that and now my diet is ruined, since I ate that I might as well give up and eat whatever I want the rest of the day. 

The thoughts can quickly spiral into more negative actions, and pretty soon our original resolve is completey overtaken by a depressing and sabotaging regression to where we were before, sometimes even worse. 

When we give ourselves credit, or when we count our blessings, we stay in a positive mode or mood, a way of thinking which doesn't retreat, but is always ready for the next moment of blessing. 

When you go to bed tonight, maybe as you plug in your phone or begin your evening routine, think of at least 5-10 things you can say you did well for yourself today. Took the stairs? Give yourself credit. Refused that extra serving? Give yourself credit! Logged all your food? Give yourself credit. Went to the gym, especially when you felt tired or lazy? Give yourself credit.

You may also want to think of these things as blessings, creating a list of gratitudes, eg. I ate what was in my food plan, and I'm happy I had food to eat. I'm thankful for that walk outside with that beautiful sunset. I'm so blessed with good friends who made me feel better so I didn't have to overindulge on food or alcohol. 

When we take the time to give ourselves credit or count our blessings, we focus on the positive, and prepare ourselves for this next moments of challenge. When we look forward to giving ourselves credit for overcoming a future obstacle, we set ourselves up for success. This Thursday we can be truly thankful for the blessings we have, and know that we don't have to overindulge. We can give ourselves credit for staying on track! 

Day 8 Holiday Challenge

Sorry I'm getting this out so late, but I had a family emergency. Things are ok for now, but could use some prayers, especially so I don't find bad ways to cope with things. 

In that light, today's objective was going to be and still is:

Find your "me time"!

Several times today I needed to take a couple minutes away from craziness so that I could gather myself, center in prayer, let things go. Jesus himself needed to find time alone to pray, even when immersed in ministry. 

Your "me time" is sacred. It is not something to be ashamed about or to forget because you believe you have to please everyone. I have already blogged about the need to take care of ourselves. When you know you are about to lose your wits, you may to announce it to the people around you that you need a second to calm down. 

I drove myself to a Church parking lot today. You may find coffee time, or a nice bubble bath or shower as a relaxing respite. Set it aside, even if you're about to go to bed. Breathe in, breathe out. Let go, and let God.