"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results."
Anthony Robbins
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Still a Loser
I don't know if any of you are still reading my blog, but I thought I would let all of you know that I am still at it, albeit a bit on the slow side of being a loser.
I continue to wear my "I'm a Loser" shirts everywhere I go no matter what the occasion (well, I suppose I wouldn't wear it to a wedding). It reminds people that there is still a lot of work to be done in this matter of weight loss.
I hope that you will check back on occasion to view my blog.
Keep being a loser!
Karin
I continue to wear my "I'm a Loser" shirts everywhere I go no matter what the occasion (well, I suppose I wouldn't wear it to a wedding). It reminds people that there is still a lot of work to be done in this matter of weight loss.
I hope that you will check back on occasion to view my blog.
Keep being a loser!
Karin
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Day 64-69: Getting a little behind . . .
I wanted to apologize for not getting the June 8 weigh-in results posted. I will get them on tomorrow (Thursday).
Things have been very hectic. I did return from the conference feeling somewhat refreshed even though I spent most of the first day in the vehicle to get there and the next two days in meetings. It is amazing what a change of scenery can do for a person, though!
Another change has been that our owners of the Independent News Herald also purchased the Verndale Sun newspaper so we have been busy getting stories, meeting people and training in interns at both places.
I was pleased to see that many of you have been continuing to lose weight and keep it off. I have not been able to, but that is a story for another day. As I write this I am in Verndale enjoying the new surroundings of the Verndale Sun office.
I look forward to seeing you all at the final weigh-in on June 22. Remember to wear your I'm a Loser shirts to the final weigh-in. We will be taking a group picture.
Have a good day and be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
Things have been very hectic. I did return from the conference feeling somewhat refreshed even though I spent most of the first day in the vehicle to get there and the next two days in meetings. It is amazing what a change of scenery can do for a person, though!
Another change has been that our owners of the Independent News Herald also purchased the Verndale Sun newspaper so we have been busy getting stories, meeting people and training in interns at both places.
I was pleased to see that many of you have been continuing to lose weight and keep it off. I have not been able to, but that is a story for another day. As I write this I am in Verndale enjoying the new surroundings of the Verndale Sun office.
I look forward to seeing you all at the final weigh-in on June 22. Remember to wear your I'm a Loser shirts to the final weigh-in. We will be taking a group picture.
Have a good day and be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Day 63: On the road...
Have any of you noticed how easy it is to "communicate" in this day and age? We have e-mail, we have voice-mail, we have the Internet, we have cell phones, telephones, text-messaging, snail mail and as a last resort...we have our actual voices which believe it or not can occassionally be used to hold face-to-face conversations.
A face-to-face conversation for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, are conversations that people have when they are actually in the same room in close proximity with one another.
Even with all this ease of communication, we still seem to say very little to one another that holds much importance, but I am out to change that. I think our conversations should be more inspiring to one another, no matter what form they take.
Anyway, that really doesn't have anything to do with losing weight. It was just on my mind...yeah, it was "weighing on my mind." That's it.
As I mentioned yesterday, I am out of town and won't be returning until late Saturday. I will attempt to keep up with my blog, but tomorrow is a very busy day full of meetings for most of the day until around 10 p.m. Perhaps I will get some time during one of the meal breaks.
By the way, I am not on a 72 hour hold or anything, although lately, I am sure some of you who have spoken with me think I should be. I am actually acting as a delegate for the Eagle valley Community Church in Clarissa, a Free Methodist Church at the Annual Conference in ? Wisconsin. I would give you the name of the town, but I can't remember it right now.
For those of you who know me, you know this is very "against the grain" for me. I will be staying in a dorm room with about 15 to 20 other women who are also delegates for the conference. I am hopeful that this will be a time of spiritual renewal for me.
Anyway, I hope to see all of you at our final weigh-in. Following is the information related to that.
Final weigh-in and other informationWe are nearing our final weigh-in which will take place on Monday, June 22 at the Shepherd of the Valley Church in Clarissa. Participants must weigh-in between 6 and 6:30 p.m. You can also check your ending measurements, get your glucose rechecked, play some games, win some prizes and enjoy a snack with us. Be sure to wear your “Be A Loser” shirt for a group photo!
You can continue to check out my blog for how I am doing in my struggle toward better health. You can link to it at: www.inhnews.com or the direct link at: http://bealoserwithkarin.blogspot.com.
Be good to yourselves and to each other.
Karin
A face-to-face conversation for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, are conversations that people have when they are actually in the same room in close proximity with one another.
Even with all this ease of communication, we still seem to say very little to one another that holds much importance, but I am out to change that. I think our conversations should be more inspiring to one another, no matter what form they take.
Anyway, that really doesn't have anything to do with losing weight. It was just on my mind...yeah, it was "weighing on my mind." That's it.
As I mentioned yesterday, I am out of town and won't be returning until late Saturday. I will attempt to keep up with my blog, but tomorrow is a very busy day full of meetings for most of the day until around 10 p.m. Perhaps I will get some time during one of the meal breaks.
By the way, I am not on a 72 hour hold or anything, although lately, I am sure some of you who have spoken with me think I should be. I am actually acting as a delegate for the Eagle valley Community Church in Clarissa, a Free Methodist Church at the Annual Conference in ? Wisconsin. I would give you the name of the town, but I can't remember it right now.
For those of you who know me, you know this is very "against the grain" for me. I will be staying in a dorm room with about 15 to 20 other women who are also delegates for the conference. I am hopeful that this will be a time of spiritual renewal for me.
Anyway, I hope to see all of you at our final weigh-in. Following is the information related to that.
Final weigh-in and other informationWe are nearing our final weigh-in which will take place on Monday, June 22 at the Shepherd of the Valley Church in Clarissa. Participants must weigh-in between 6 and 6:30 p.m. You can also check your ending measurements, get your glucose rechecked, play some games, win some prizes and enjoy a snack with us. Be sure to wear your “Be A Loser” shirt for a group photo!
You can continue to check out my blog for how I am doing in my struggle toward better health. You can link to it at: www.inhnews.com or the direct link at: http://bealoserwithkarin.blogspot.com.
Be good to yourselves and to each other.
Karin
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Days 61-62: Keeping momentum
It has been hard for me to keep momentum this year with the Be A Loser contest. I haven't been a very good loser. I just haven't had much motivation.
How about the rest of you? As the contest is winding its way down to the final weeks, what are you doing to keep yourself motivated? Have you added anything to your exercise or taken anything away?
I will be out of town Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I may not have Internet access so I will not guarantee "inspiration" from me, but just remember to keep on being good to yourselves and to each other.
Karin
How about the rest of you? As the contest is winding its way down to the final weeks, what are you doing to keep yourself motivated? Have you added anything to your exercise or taken anything away?
I will be out of town Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I may not have Internet access so I will not guarantee "inspiration" from me, but just remember to keep on being good to yourselves and to each other.
Karin
Monday, June 8, 2009
Days 58-60: Have patience with yourself
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew." ~Saint Francis de Sales
I might have run this quote before, but it was such a good one I thought I would run it again. Having patience with ourselves is always the hardest isn't it?
Final weigh-in
We are nearing our final weigh-in which will take place on Monday, June 22 at the Shepherd of the Valley Church in Clarissa. Participants must weigh-in between 6 and 6:30 p.m. You can also check your ending measurements, get your glucose rechecked, play some games, win some prizes and enjoy a snack with us. Be sure to wear your “Be A Loser” shirt for a group photo!
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
I might have run this quote before, but it was such a good one I thought I would run it again. Having patience with ourselves is always the hardest isn't it?
Final weigh-in
We are nearing our final weigh-in which will take place on Monday, June 22 at the Shepherd of the Valley Church in Clarissa. Participants must weigh-in between 6 and 6:30 p.m. You can also check your ending measurements, get your glucose rechecked, play some games, win some prizes and enjoy a snack with us. Be sure to wear your “Be A Loser” shirt for a group photo!
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
Friday, June 5, 2009
Day 55-57: The path
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."-- Douglas Adams
I think that is a great quote to remember for much of life, including our weight loss journeys. We may not always have gone or done the things we set out to go or do, but we reached our destinations just the same. I think this gives us hope when we feel like we have failed in our goals.
Lately, I feel like in the weight loss realm anyway, I have failed way more often than I have succeeded. I can't even say I have been having ups and downs, they have all been downs. The more I try to avoid the peanut buster parfait, the more I want it. I have even made special trips to Long Prairie just to get one.
I wanted to share with you something I read recently about eating right. I hope it is as helpful and inspiring to you as it was to me.
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said, "Just think in colors. Fill your plate with bright colors: greens, yellows, reds, etc."
I went right home and ate an entire bowl of M & M's and, sure enough, I felt better immediately.
I never knew eating right could be so easy...
Have a great weekend!
Karin
I think that is a great quote to remember for much of life, including our weight loss journeys. We may not always have gone or done the things we set out to go or do, but we reached our destinations just the same. I think this gives us hope when we feel like we have failed in our goals.
Lately, I feel like in the weight loss realm anyway, I have failed way more often than I have succeeded. I can't even say I have been having ups and downs, they have all been downs. The more I try to avoid the peanut buster parfait, the more I want it. I have even made special trips to Long Prairie just to get one.
I wanted to share with you something I read recently about eating right. I hope it is as helpful and inspiring to you as it was to me.
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said, "Just think in colors. Fill your plate with bright colors: greens, yellows, reds, etc."
I went right home and ate an entire bowl of M & M's and, sure enough, I felt better immediately.
I never knew eating right could be so easy...
Have a great weekend!
Karin
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day 54: Obsession leads to unhealthiness
Obsessions and fixations are not really my field. All I know, when the mind really grabs hold of something, look out.
Martin Sage and Sybil Adelman, Northern Exposure, The Bumpy Road to Love, 1991
It should come as no surprise to anyone that obsession can and does lead to unhealthy behaviors. Obsessions not only usually end up leading us down paths we don't want to follow, but end up costing us more than we want to pay.
Of course, nothing in this world is absolute because we also know that without obsession there are certain things like cars and other conveniences in our lives that wouldn't exist.
The diet obsession is one of the "unhealthy" obsessions that I am talking about today. In an article titled Diet obsession feeds unhealthy behaviors by Andra VanKempen-Middlestaedt, it is revealed that "as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States struggle with a life-and-death eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Millions more struggle with a binge-eating disorder."
It is not surprising to me that this many people—especially females are struggling with these issues. We are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us how we should be, how we should act, how we should feel and especially how we should look.
According to the article, "approximately one out of four TV commercials send some type of message defining beauty. This distorted messaging has led to unhealthy eating behaviors."
There is a lot of other important information in this article which appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of Spotlight on Health from CentraCare Health System. The entire article can be accessed at: http://www.centracare.com/community/spotlight/eating_disorders.html. I recommend reading it, especially if you have children that you are concerned may be struggling with an eating disorder.
Remember to be good to yourself and to one another.
Karin
Martin Sage and Sybil Adelman, Northern Exposure, The Bumpy Road to Love, 1991
It should come as no surprise to anyone that obsession can and does lead to unhealthy behaviors. Obsessions not only usually end up leading us down paths we don't want to follow, but end up costing us more than we want to pay.
Of course, nothing in this world is absolute because we also know that without obsession there are certain things like cars and other conveniences in our lives that wouldn't exist.
The diet obsession is one of the "unhealthy" obsessions that I am talking about today. In an article titled Diet obsession feeds unhealthy behaviors by Andra VanKempen-Middlestaedt, it is revealed that "as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States struggle with a life-and-death eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Millions more struggle with a binge-eating disorder."
It is not surprising to me that this many people—especially females are struggling with these issues. We are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us how we should be, how we should act, how we should feel and especially how we should look.
According to the article, "approximately one out of four TV commercials send some type of message defining beauty. This distorted messaging has led to unhealthy eating behaviors."
There is a lot of other important information in this article which appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of Spotlight on Health from CentraCare Health System. The entire article can be accessed at: http://www.centracare.com/community/spotlight/eating_disorders.html. I recommend reading it, especially if you have children that you are concerned may be struggling with an eating disorder.
Remember to be good to yourself and to one another.
Karin
Monday, June 1, 2009
Day 51-53: The reflection ...
"When walking through the 'valley of shadows,' remember, a shadow is cast by a light."-- H.K. Barclay
There is nothing like getting a good look at yourself in a full-length mirror to strengthen your resolve to lose weight! I usually only see my face and a little part of my upper body when I look in the mirror at home. But I wasn't at home this weekend and I got a good look at myself in a much larger mirror. I was really shocked at how heavy I had gotten. My rolls even have rolls...Yikes! This was a pretty dark time for me. This was not a good weekend for me. I had a lot to eat and exercised not a bit.
I will still press on toward the goal of losing weight, though, especially now that I have seen myself in that mirror. It actually wasn't a full length mirror either, but a full-width mirror. I think that made it worse, but I can't be totally sure. Maybe it was better because I couldn't see my calves!
Well, I know one thing is certain, I am going to work harder at getting rid of this fat, but I am also not going to let it define me. I am more than just the fat person I have become physically. We all are more than our outward selves.
Be good to yourselves and to one another.
Karin
There is nothing like getting a good look at yourself in a full-length mirror to strengthen your resolve to lose weight! I usually only see my face and a little part of my upper body when I look in the mirror at home. But I wasn't at home this weekend and I got a good look at myself in a much larger mirror. I was really shocked at how heavy I had gotten. My rolls even have rolls...Yikes! This was a pretty dark time for me. This was not a good weekend for me. I had a lot to eat and exercised not a bit.
I will still press on toward the goal of losing weight, though, especially now that I have seen myself in that mirror. It actually wasn't a full length mirror either, but a full-width mirror. I think that made it worse, but I can't be totally sure. Maybe it was better because I couldn't see my calves!
Well, I know one thing is certain, I am going to work harder at getting rid of this fat, but I am also not going to let it define me. I am more than just the fat person I have become physically. We all are more than our outward selves.
Be good to yourselves and to one another.
Karin
Friday, May 29, 2009
Day 50: Portion Distortion
Donna Bartels talked to us at our last weigh-in about portion distortion. For those of you who missed this, it was amazing how portion sizes have dramatically increased over the past 20 years. Along with the increase in portion size, the calorie, carb, etc. intake has also drastically risen leading many of us to our present predicaments—being overweight.
Bartels gave the few of us who were in attendance a lot of new "food" to chew on as we considered the portion sizes we are accustomed to and what they "should" be.
Watch for more information about this in the Be a Loser article in the June 3 edition of the Independent News Herald.
It is a gorgeous day. Get out and have fun! Or stay in and have fun! The point is...Have Fun!
Karin
Bartels gave the few of us who were in attendance a lot of new "food" to chew on as we considered the portion sizes we are accustomed to and what they "should" be.
Watch for more information about this in the Be a Loser article in the June 3 edition of the Independent News Herald.
It is a gorgeous day. Get out and have fun! Or stay in and have fun! The point is...Have Fun!
Karin
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Day 49: Keeping a positive attitude
If you have looked at the most current weigh-in numbers, you may or may not have noticed that I have actually gained a couple of pounds. I am feeling pretty down about it right now, but I know I have to keep a positive attitude about myself or at least try to.
I am especially trying to remain optomistic because I know that I have not been doing what I should be doing and am probably lucky I have not gained more.
I am very pleased to see the progress many of you are making in your striving toward your goals.
We would all like to hear about what you are doing to be successful. If you would like to do so, feel free to comment and let us know what you are doing.
Karin
I am especially trying to remain optomistic because I know that I have not been doing what I should be doing and am probably lucky I have not gained more.
I am very pleased to see the progress many of you are making in your striving toward your goals.
We would all like to hear about what you are doing to be successful. If you would like to do so, feel free to comment and let us know what you are doing.
Karin
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Day 49-53: It's hard to write a daily blog
Don't let the title of today's writing mislead you too much. I actually find it very easy to write every day, just not about eating and health and dieting. You may have noticed that some of my blogs lately have strayed away from being just about food and diets. I get tired of that broken record. I know I should lose weight. I want to lose weight as I am sure we all do, but hearing about it and talking about it all the time gets to be a real drag!
I was actually thinking this morning that it life would be a lot healthier and happier if more people would just spontaneously break into song and dance! Now wouldn't that be fun!
Picture this:
You are walking down the street and a group of tough looking, but handsome young men are casually strutting down the sidewalk toward you. Wouldn't it be cool if they parted to let you through and sang a song as you passed about how nice your hair looked today? I think it would be.
Or how about this? You are sitting at a restaurant celebrating your anniversary and your spouse lovingly croons a sweet and sappy love song to you? He may not have the greatest singing voice, but that wasn't why you married him.
I think music has the ability to lift the spirits of most people. The more music I hear, the more I am coming to believe that there has been a song written to cover every human emotion from love to hate from joy to rage. If a human has felt it, there is a song about it. I personally think that is great because sometimes I do suffer from a lack of words and I can just tell someone a song and if they have heard it, they know what I am talking about. I don't have to say another word.
Well, if you see me walking down the street one day and I jump up on a car and burst into song, why don't you join me?
I was wondering if anyone would like to walk in any of the parades this summer with me wearing our "I'm a Loser" shirts? If you want to, please e-mail me at: karin@inhnews.com.
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
I was actually thinking this morning that it life would be a lot healthier and happier if more people would just spontaneously break into song and dance! Now wouldn't that be fun!
Picture this:
You are walking down the street and a group of tough looking, but handsome young men are casually strutting down the sidewalk toward you. Wouldn't it be cool if they parted to let you through and sang a song as you passed about how nice your hair looked today? I think it would be.
Or how about this? You are sitting at a restaurant celebrating your anniversary and your spouse lovingly croons a sweet and sappy love song to you? He may not have the greatest singing voice, but that wasn't why you married him.
I think music has the ability to lift the spirits of most people. The more music I hear, the more I am coming to believe that there has been a song written to cover every human emotion from love to hate from joy to rage. If a human has felt it, there is a song about it. I personally think that is great because sometimes I do suffer from a lack of words and I can just tell someone a song and if they have heard it, they know what I am talking about. I don't have to say another word.
Well, if you see me walking down the street one day and I jump up on a car and burst into song, why don't you join me?
I was wondering if anyone would like to walk in any of the parades this summer with me wearing our "I'm a Loser" shirts? If you want to, please e-mail me at: karin@inhnews.com.
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
Friday, May 22, 2009
Day 48: Motion vs. Progress
Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress. ~Alfred A. Montapert
I think this is a problem for a lot of the world. We move a lot, but don't get anywhere. It's kind of like talking a lot, but doing nothing. Talk without action is just that...talk.
Sometimes I talk a lot. Most people don't know that about me because I tend to be on the shy side and I always think (and hope) I am a better writer than speaker anyway! But sometimes, I talk...alot!
Several years ago my former college roommate and I decided to go out fishing after I had worked on a Saturday. We took out the canoe she had and once we hit the water, I began to talk. For the next couple of hours I must have talked nearly non-stop, only pausing occasionally to take a breathe or a drink of pop.
Finally, she said to me, "You didn't talk all day did you?" It wasn't really so much a question as it was a statement.
I realized she was correct, I hadn't talked all day at work. My work as a program director serving a house with men who suffered from mental illness often had me listening all day and saying very little.
Sometimes I think it is more important to listen than it is to talk. Actually, a lot of times it is more important to listen than to talk. When we are talking we focus on us. When we listen we focus on another.
Let's take a moment to listen to others.
Karin
I think this is a problem for a lot of the world. We move a lot, but don't get anywhere. It's kind of like talking a lot, but doing nothing. Talk without action is just that...talk.
Sometimes I talk a lot. Most people don't know that about me because I tend to be on the shy side and I always think (and hope) I am a better writer than speaker anyway! But sometimes, I talk...alot!
Several years ago my former college roommate and I decided to go out fishing after I had worked on a Saturday. We took out the canoe she had and once we hit the water, I began to talk. For the next couple of hours I must have talked nearly non-stop, only pausing occasionally to take a breathe or a drink of pop.
Finally, she said to me, "You didn't talk all day did you?" It wasn't really so much a question as it was a statement.
I realized she was correct, I hadn't talked all day at work. My work as a program director serving a house with men who suffered from mental illness often had me listening all day and saying very little.
Sometimes I think it is more important to listen than it is to talk. Actually, a lot of times it is more important to listen than to talk. When we are talking we focus on us. When we listen we focus on another.
Let's take a moment to listen to others.
Karin
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Day 47: No post today
I won't be writing an entry today. Tomorrow is Monday in the newspaper world so I have to get everything done by tomorrow morning for the regular paper.
Check back tomorrow!
Karin
Check back tomorrow!
Karin
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Day 46: Comfort movies?
There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles. ~Anonymous
We have all heard of comfort foods. Chocolate is a good one, especially if it is in the form of fresh brownies covered with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
I have to be honest, though, I don't indulge in a lot of sweets. When I was a kid I did. I was a regular at the variety store in town and bought up as much "penny" candy as I could with the meager allowance that I received. I still really like candy and when I have a craving for something, it usually is candy of some sort.
My big comfort foods, however, are rice, bread, pasta and potatoes. Any one of those is perfect for me when I am feeling a little down and need a pick me up. Unfortunately, they are also the worst things I could eat. I would probably be better off eating a candy bar than the bowl of rice, but I would prefer the rice or bread over the candy bar.
My e-mail from beliefnet.com today talked about comfort movies. Movies that the writer of the article watches to give them comfort when they are sick. I hardly saw any of the movies on her list of ten comfort movies. Actually, I saw three of them: Happy, Texas; Office Space and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. The only one of the three that I liked was Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. That is one that I could watch again no matter how I was feeling. The other two I didn't feel were worth the film they were printed on. But that is, of course, only my opinion.
The other movies on her list were: The Music Man; Galaxy Quest; The Wild Parrots of Telegraph High (I never even heard of this one); Charade; Pride and Prejudice; The Magnificent Seven and Babe (NO. I never have seen this movie. I think of "bacon" as a food group.)
I was trying to think of what movies I might consider "comfort movies" to go with my comfort foods. I would say that Evan Almighty would be one. Another that I like to take out and watch is Blade III, not that I get a lot of "comfort" from it, but it does distract me from whatever is going on in my life and that is what I call "comfort!"
I am probably a bigger fan of music and find more "comfort" in that than in most foods or movies. I am particularly fond of Barlow Girls (I mentioned that in an earlier blog). Now, thanks to Bob Kaumans, I am also a fan of Superchic(k). Depending on your temperament, you may not find their alternative music style to your liking, but I love that stuff! It lifts me up when I am down and reminds me that I am never alone no matter how lonely I might feel sometimes.
Remember to be good to yourselves and to one another today and every day!
Karin
We have all heard of comfort foods. Chocolate is a good one, especially if it is in the form of fresh brownies covered with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
I have to be honest, though, I don't indulge in a lot of sweets. When I was a kid I did. I was a regular at the variety store in town and bought up as much "penny" candy as I could with the meager allowance that I received. I still really like candy and when I have a craving for something, it usually is candy of some sort.
My big comfort foods, however, are rice, bread, pasta and potatoes. Any one of those is perfect for me when I am feeling a little down and need a pick me up. Unfortunately, they are also the worst things I could eat. I would probably be better off eating a candy bar than the bowl of rice, but I would prefer the rice or bread over the candy bar.
My e-mail from beliefnet.com today talked about comfort movies. Movies that the writer of the article watches to give them comfort when they are sick. I hardly saw any of the movies on her list of ten comfort movies. Actually, I saw three of them: Happy, Texas; Office Space and Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. The only one of the three that I liked was Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. That is one that I could watch again no matter how I was feeling. The other two I didn't feel were worth the film they were printed on. But that is, of course, only my opinion.
The other movies on her list were: The Music Man; Galaxy Quest; The Wild Parrots of Telegraph High (I never even heard of this one); Charade; Pride and Prejudice; The Magnificent Seven and Babe (NO. I never have seen this movie. I think of "bacon" as a food group.)
I was trying to think of what movies I might consider "comfort movies" to go with my comfort foods. I would say that Evan Almighty would be one. Another that I like to take out and watch is Blade III, not that I get a lot of "comfort" from it, but it does distract me from whatever is going on in my life and that is what I call "comfort!"
I am probably a bigger fan of music and find more "comfort" in that than in most foods or movies. I am particularly fond of Barlow Girls (I mentioned that in an earlier blog). Now, thanks to Bob Kaumans, I am also a fan of Superchic(k). Depending on your temperament, you may not find their alternative music style to your liking, but I love that stuff! It lifts me up when I am down and reminds me that I am never alone no matter how lonely I might feel sometimes.
Remember to be good to yourselves and to one another today and every day!
Karin
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Day 45: Whining in Three Easy Lessons! (Or, How to Whine Like a Pro Without Really Trying!)
Have no fear of perfection -- you'll never reach it.
Salvador Dali
I have been whining a lot lately. I don't think I start out with the intention of whining, it just ends up that way. I'm actually getting good enough at whining that the people I live with have started to complain about it. That must mean I am getting good at it, right?!
It is easy to whine about things when we feel we are not getting what we want. It is probably even easier to whine about things when we actually are not getting the things we want.
I have always lived under the credo that we are probably really lucky that we don't get what we deserve. With that in mind, I guess I shouldn't whine at all when I think about the little trivialities that I don't get.
I walked the last two nights, albeit not for the one hour I had hoped and intended on. The first night was one mile. Last night it was for half an hour. I hurt pretty bad after I was done last night. I think my body is rebelling against me for not treating it so well over the past few months.
I really don't have any clear-cut tips for becoming a great whiner, though. Sorry. I think whining, like doing something positive, comes through practice. I could say practice makes perfect, but the quote above makes it clear that we won't reach perfection, so...
I have decided to try to whine a little less this week, although I have already whined my quota for the week in the last 24 hours, so I am not sure how this is going to work out!
Have a great rest of the day!
Be good to yourselves and to each other. A friend reminded me recently that we all need to build an A.R.K. using ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS. Let's get started!
Karin
Salvador Dali
I have been whining a lot lately. I don't think I start out with the intention of whining, it just ends up that way. I'm actually getting good enough at whining that the people I live with have started to complain about it. That must mean I am getting good at it, right?!
It is easy to whine about things when we feel we are not getting what we want. It is probably even easier to whine about things when we actually are not getting the things we want.
I have always lived under the credo that we are probably really lucky that we don't get what we deserve. With that in mind, I guess I shouldn't whine at all when I think about the little trivialities that I don't get.
I walked the last two nights, albeit not for the one hour I had hoped and intended on. The first night was one mile. Last night it was for half an hour. I hurt pretty bad after I was done last night. I think my body is rebelling against me for not treating it so well over the past few months.
I really don't have any clear-cut tips for becoming a great whiner, though. Sorry. I think whining, like doing something positive, comes through practice. I could say practice makes perfect, but the quote above makes it clear that we won't reach perfection, so...
I have decided to try to whine a little less this week, although I have already whined my quota for the week in the last 24 hours, so I am not sure how this is going to work out!
Have a great rest of the day!
Be good to yourselves and to each other. A friend reminded me recently that we all need to build an A.R.K. using ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS. Let's get started!
Karin
Monday, May 18, 2009
Days 42-44: Conspiracy Theories Abound!
I have a lot of conspiracy theories. Those of you who know me also know this to be true. For those of you who don't know me, well now you can say you know one more thing.
I think a lot of things are conspiracies which are either formulated by the government, space aliens or our own minds. I have said for years that television is operated by aliens who want to reduce our grey matter to a pulp that they can eat. Now years later we have Hulu.com. The commercials for Hulu.com have what you think are actors portraying aliens who describe exactly what I have said and thought for years, that they are going to eat our brains!
The area of weight loss is not spared a plethora or my theories, either. I worry that now that my brain is under attack by the constant bombardment of TV, Internet and Radio that I will not be believed when I spout my theories.
Well, I am not going to spout any of them today, "they" might be watching, but keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in and maybe a couple of my theories will slip through.
Actually, conspiracy theories aside, there are some things going on in the food industry which are just downright wrong. They aren't theories, they are facts and a lot of the food we eat on a daily basis is the very stuff that is full of junk that is making and keeping us fat.
If you get a chance to read the book, Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About, I really recommend it. I am borrowing it from someone right now, but am planning to purchase it from the naturalcures.com website. It has a lot of advice that is just plain practical, not to mention stuff that will steer you in the right direction on the food path.
Be good to yourself and to one another and take a walk...Make time for this important part of losing weight and just being healthy in general. I got some new headphones so I can listen to some tunes while I walk. If you join me, though, I promise to turn the music down and we can chat!
Karin
I think a lot of things are conspiracies which are either formulated by the government, space aliens or our own minds. I have said for years that television is operated by aliens who want to reduce our grey matter to a pulp that they can eat. Now years later we have Hulu.com. The commercials for Hulu.com have what you think are actors portraying aliens who describe exactly what I have said and thought for years, that they are going to eat our brains!
The area of weight loss is not spared a plethora or my theories, either. I worry that now that my brain is under attack by the constant bombardment of TV, Internet and Radio that I will not be believed when I spout my theories.
Well, I am not going to spout any of them today, "they" might be watching, but keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in and maybe a couple of my theories will slip through.
Actually, conspiracy theories aside, there are some things going on in the food industry which are just downright wrong. They aren't theories, they are facts and a lot of the food we eat on a daily basis is the very stuff that is full of junk that is making and keeping us fat.
If you get a chance to read the book, Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About, I really recommend it. I am borrowing it from someone right now, but am planning to purchase it from the naturalcures.com website. It has a lot of advice that is just plain practical, not to mention stuff that will steer you in the right direction on the food path.
Be good to yourself and to one another and take a walk...Make time for this important part of losing weight and just being healthy in general. I got some new headphones so I can listen to some tunes while I walk. If you join me, though, I promise to turn the music down and we can chat!
Karin
Friday, May 15, 2009
Day 41: Everything hurts!
Wow! I thought I was going to be really smart and start right out and walk my one hour a day right away.
I am suffering for it now and I didn't even walk the whole hour. I walked 55 minutes. Then I came home and rode my exercise bike for about a minute until the barking of the dog drove me from the machine which makes the dog yap like she's got "mad dog" disease or something!
I ended up walking over three miles in that 55 minute segment. Probably not the smartest thing to do on the first "real" walk of the season. I felt really good while I was doing it, though. I didn't really hurt until about the last ten minutes.
Now I hurt though. I think the only thing that doesn't hurt is my little toe and that is because I can't feel it. If it doesn't hurt...it doesn't work!
I had a hard time sleeping because I kept aching.
Don't get me wrong, though. I am NOT complaining. The only thing I am really upset about is why didn't I do this earlier? What made me not go on a walk until last night?
I can name a few likely suspects like procrastination, laziness and more laziness.
Laziness is my biggest downfall. It makes me not do a lot of things that I really want to do.
The book I am reading Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About has a chapter called How to Lose Weight Effortlessly and Keep It Off. Walking for at least one hour, nonstop, per day is one of the recommendations.
I am not quite sure that this was "effortless", but it was nice before the pain set in. I anticipate that the pain will be replaced by a more acceptable feeling as I get my body conditioned to this exercise again.
The book says that it is "sad because people all over the world can walk for hours and hours and hours" and "people in America can't walk for an hour without getting tired or waking up the next day with sore ankles, knees, hips and legs." (Not to mention my back and arms too!)
What it means is that we desperately need exercise!
Have a great weekend and I hope when you do your walking that you don't hurt like I do, but if you do that you will walk past the pain and into the "gain!"
Be good to yourself and to one another!
Karin
I am suffering for it now and I didn't even walk the whole hour. I walked 55 minutes. Then I came home and rode my exercise bike for about a minute until the barking of the dog drove me from the machine which makes the dog yap like she's got "mad dog" disease or something!
I ended up walking over three miles in that 55 minute segment. Probably not the smartest thing to do on the first "real" walk of the season. I felt really good while I was doing it, though. I didn't really hurt until about the last ten minutes.
Now I hurt though. I think the only thing that doesn't hurt is my little toe and that is because I can't feel it. If it doesn't hurt...it doesn't work!
I had a hard time sleeping because I kept aching.
Don't get me wrong, though. I am NOT complaining. The only thing I am really upset about is why didn't I do this earlier? What made me not go on a walk until last night?
I can name a few likely suspects like procrastination, laziness and more laziness.
Laziness is my biggest downfall. It makes me not do a lot of things that I really want to do.
The book I am reading Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About has a chapter called How to Lose Weight Effortlessly and Keep It Off. Walking for at least one hour, nonstop, per day is one of the recommendations.
I am not quite sure that this was "effortless", but it was nice before the pain set in. I anticipate that the pain will be replaced by a more acceptable feeling as I get my body conditioned to this exercise again.
The book says that it is "sad because people all over the world can walk for hours and hours and hours" and "people in America can't walk for an hour without getting tired or waking up the next day with sore ankles, knees, hips and legs." (Not to mention my back and arms too!)
What it means is that we desperately need exercise!
Have a great weekend and I hope when you do your walking that you don't hurt like I do, but if you do that you will walk past the pain and into the "gain!"
Be good to yourself and to one another!
Karin
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 40: The way things "should" be
You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'
George Bernard Shaw
We all have ideas of how things should be. I have ideas of how things should be, too. When they are not that way—the way I think they should be—I get discouraged or tired or depressed or sad or struggle through an array of emotions as vast as any ocean. I am sure "experts" would say that this is part of the reason that I am overweight, that this is part of what makes me overeat for "emotional" reasons.
That may or may not be true, I don't know. I am not an expert. I only know what I think and what I think things should be like.
I think we all struggle with this to some extent. We all want things to be our way and when they are not, we get upset or some other emotion. I will tell you that I am not as bad as I used to be. I can stand to not have my way once in a while now. But some days...Watch out!
Seriously, though, I think a little "tantrum" and "whining" are good for a person from time to time.
In a different light...
It is Day 40 of our Be A Loser With Karin Contest. When I think of 40 days my mind automatically thinks of things from the Bible like Noah and the flood or Jesus being tempted. The number 40 signified an important amount of time in the Bible. It may not have been a literal 40 days or years or whatever span of time was recorded, but thinking of 40 days, years or whatever is a long time.
I am just thinking of 40 days, that is a long time. It is more than a month. There are 39 more days left of the contest. That is almost 40 days. There is still a lot we can do on our way to a slimmer, healthier us!
Hope you had a great day!
Be good to yourself and especially to each other!
Karin
George Bernard Shaw
We all have ideas of how things should be. I have ideas of how things should be, too. When they are not that way—the way I think they should be—I get discouraged or tired or depressed or sad or struggle through an array of emotions as vast as any ocean. I am sure "experts" would say that this is part of the reason that I am overweight, that this is part of what makes me overeat for "emotional" reasons.
That may or may not be true, I don't know. I am not an expert. I only know what I think and what I think things should be like.
I think we all struggle with this to some extent. We all want things to be our way and when they are not, we get upset or some other emotion. I will tell you that I am not as bad as I used to be. I can stand to not have my way once in a while now. But some days...Watch out!
Seriously, though, I think a little "tantrum" and "whining" are good for a person from time to time.
In a different light...
It is Day 40 of our Be A Loser With Karin Contest. When I think of 40 days my mind automatically thinks of things from the Bible like Noah and the flood or Jesus being tempted. The number 40 signified an important amount of time in the Bible. It may not have been a literal 40 days or years or whatever span of time was recorded, but thinking of 40 days, years or whatever is a long time.
I am just thinking of 40 days, that is a long time. It is more than a month. There are 39 more days left of the contest. That is almost 40 days. There is still a lot we can do on our way to a slimmer, healthier us!
Hope you had a great day!
Be good to yourself and especially to each other!
Karin
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Day 39: Who do you believe?
Have you ever noticed that "they" have an awful lot to say about everything? I don't know who "they" are and neither does anyone I know, but "they" seem to know an awful lot about "us".
The biggest problem I have with "them" is I don't know who to believe anymore. Let me give you an example...
Last week I was reading an article which talked about how bad winter was because it reduced significantly our Vitamin D because of the lack of sunlight. Sunlight aids in the body's natural production of Vitamin D as I understood my reading of the article.
Today, I was reading an article from the same expert who is now saying that because of the fact that UVA light can cause malignant melanoma and that these cancerous mutations can break down the Vitamin D that is formed in our skin from the UVB light we need to rethink traditional thinking. UVB light can be blocked by glass, however UVA rays can pass through windows.
Perhaps the biggest irony is that Vitamin D is a great defense against melanoma!
We have been warned about exposure to sunlight causing cancer, but the very fact that it's good qualities are being outweighed by the bad qualities causes one to pause and ponder such a thing.
Personally, I need to see the sunlight. It's a mental health thing for me, I know that. When I am trapped inside all winter I get depressed. Even if I take Vitamin D, it still happens because I need to see that sunlight. I need to feel that heat of the sun's rays on my arms and head.
Another thing that I found to be true was that no one really knows what makes one person fat and another person thin. One expert can give you a list of reasons why counting calories is the only way to lose weight, but another expert can give you just as many facts and figures as to why calories don't matter, it's all about the carbs. Another can tell you about fat and another about something else. They can all be expert researchers and have tons of "proof" to satisfy their claim. But which one do you believe?
If you are like me, you believe the one that worked for you. I found that counting carbs was significantly easier to do than counting calories and it worked for me. When I was dedicated to it, I lost weight.
I'm not sure who to believe when it comes to weight loss. I like to believe everyone and give everyone a fair shot and gaining my confidence, but obviously I can't and won't try every fad that comes along.
One thing I am certain of is that the healthier I eat, the better I feel. when I don't eat a lot of processed foods I feel WAY better!
Today I had a can of pop. I hadn't had any for several days, but today I had one. I had it without guilt and it tasted pretty good. Too bad it had 56 carbs in it and that was almost 40% of the carbs I can have in one day! But I am still refusing to be guilty about it.
Be good to yourself and to each other. We still have about 6 weeks left. For those of you who don't feel like you have a chance to win, don't give up. Anything can happen. Don't be discouraged!!! Keep on keeping on!
Karin
The biggest problem I have with "them" is I don't know who to believe anymore. Let me give you an example...
Last week I was reading an article which talked about how bad winter was because it reduced significantly our Vitamin D because of the lack of sunlight. Sunlight aids in the body's natural production of Vitamin D as I understood my reading of the article.
Today, I was reading an article from the same expert who is now saying that because of the fact that UVA light can cause malignant melanoma and that these cancerous mutations can break down the Vitamin D that is formed in our skin from the UVB light we need to rethink traditional thinking. UVB light can be blocked by glass, however UVA rays can pass through windows.
Perhaps the biggest irony is that Vitamin D is a great defense against melanoma!
We have been warned about exposure to sunlight causing cancer, but the very fact that it's good qualities are being outweighed by the bad qualities causes one to pause and ponder such a thing.
Personally, I need to see the sunlight. It's a mental health thing for me, I know that. When I am trapped inside all winter I get depressed. Even if I take Vitamin D, it still happens because I need to see that sunlight. I need to feel that heat of the sun's rays on my arms and head.
Another thing that I found to be true was that no one really knows what makes one person fat and another person thin. One expert can give you a list of reasons why counting calories is the only way to lose weight, but another expert can give you just as many facts and figures as to why calories don't matter, it's all about the carbs. Another can tell you about fat and another about something else. They can all be expert researchers and have tons of "proof" to satisfy their claim. But which one do you believe?
If you are like me, you believe the one that worked for you. I found that counting carbs was significantly easier to do than counting calories and it worked for me. When I was dedicated to it, I lost weight.
I'm not sure who to believe when it comes to weight loss. I like to believe everyone and give everyone a fair shot and gaining my confidence, but obviously I can't and won't try every fad that comes along.
One thing I am certain of is that the healthier I eat, the better I feel. when I don't eat a lot of processed foods I feel WAY better!
Today I had a can of pop. I hadn't had any for several days, but today I had one. I had it without guilt and it tasted pretty good. Too bad it had 56 carbs in it and that was almost 40% of the carbs I can have in one day! But I am still refusing to be guilty about it.
Be good to yourself and to each other. We still have about 6 weeks left. For those of you who don't feel like you have a chance to win, don't give up. Anything can happen. Don't be discouraged!!! Keep on keeping on!
Karin
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Days 35-38: You are beyond measure
Janice Taylor in her blog on May 10 said that we are "beyond measure." The Beliefnet.com site where she posts her blog has a special puzzle for those "who grapple with the numbers of the scale. Do NOT let the scales of injustice put you into a tail spin! People listen up, the number of the scale is NOT you! You are beyond measure!!!"
I found that encouraging. We are more than just a number. Much more. So often it is easy to let that number on the scale define who we are. If the number is lower, we are good, if it is higher, we are bad.
The number on the scale isn't the only one that we use to define us, however.
A couple of years ago I turned 40. At first I was okay with it. It was just a number, after all. But a couple of months into the new year I started to get really bummed out about being 40. I started to believe I was having a midlife crisis. I started freaking out about the most silly things. I started to think of myself as "old". I didn't do any "mid-life" crisis things like go out and spend a lot of money on things to make myself feel and appear younger, but in my mind I did a lot of self-analysis.
My nephews helped me come up with a way to "deal" with the age number dilemma. They told me to think of myself as 20-20. They were so cute coming up with a way for me to "handle" being 40.
They point is, they thought I was beyond measure and thought it was silly to get all upset about a single number. They gave me two smaller numbers to think about and I felt better.
So maybe when I think about my weight I should divide that in two also. Instead of saying I weigh 260 I could say I weigh 130 by 2 or something like that.
By the way, sorry I didn't blog for the past few days. I'm not going to try to offer a lame excuse as to why I didn't blog. Let's just say that I took the age old advice that if I didn't have anything nice to say, I should say nothing at all and we'll leave it at that...
Remember, no matter how hard it is sometimes, to be good to yourself and to each other.
Karin
I found that encouraging. We are more than just a number. Much more. So often it is easy to let that number on the scale define who we are. If the number is lower, we are good, if it is higher, we are bad.
The number on the scale isn't the only one that we use to define us, however.
A couple of years ago I turned 40. At first I was okay with it. It was just a number, after all. But a couple of months into the new year I started to get really bummed out about being 40. I started to believe I was having a midlife crisis. I started freaking out about the most silly things. I started to think of myself as "old". I didn't do any "mid-life" crisis things like go out and spend a lot of money on things to make myself feel and appear younger, but in my mind I did a lot of self-analysis.
My nephews helped me come up with a way to "deal" with the age number dilemma. They told me to think of myself as 20-20. They were so cute coming up with a way for me to "handle" being 40.
They point is, they thought I was beyond measure and thought it was silly to get all upset about a single number. They gave me two smaller numbers to think about and I felt better.
So maybe when I think about my weight I should divide that in two also. Instead of saying I weigh 260 I could say I weigh 130 by 2 or something like that.
By the way, sorry I didn't blog for the past few days. I'm not going to try to offer a lame excuse as to why I didn't blog. Let's just say that I took the age old advice that if I didn't have anything nice to say, I should say nothing at all and we'll leave it at that...
Remember, no matter how hard it is sometimes, to be good to yourself and to each other.
Karin
Friday, May 8, 2009
Day 34: The struggle
I was asking someone the other day why they didn't say anything to me when they noticed I was getting fatter and fatter. They said it would have been rude or impolite to point something like that out.
So what do we do when we notice someone we love or care about is getting fatter? Or on the other side of the coin, getting too thin? I think sometimes even when we are thin we still think we are fat because we have thought of ourselves that way for so long that it is ingrained.
Do we tell people they are getting fat? I know my dad used to tell us (my mom, sister and I) that we were getting fat. God bless him, at least he was honest.
This is a hard thing because who is going to tell you that you are fat (besides ourselves which we have already established)? Who is going to be honest enough with you to tell you to lose weight. Maybe your doctor will tell you to lose weight, but I can't even remember the last time the doctor told me to do that (of course, I hardly ever go to the doctor anyway).
I asked my roommate to remind me of my fatness when I am getting up to get a second helping of something, but she said she doesn't want to hurt my feelings, so even she won't do it.
Apparently, it is up to us. Unfortunately, we are not always the best judges of our own "fatness" or "thinness".
I can judge others fatness or thinness though. The other day I saw someone so thin that I thought they just had to be sick. They looked so thin and frail that I don't know how they could support what little weight they had. And I can almost guarantee you that they think they are fat!
There is something wrong with reality in America—we have about 75% of us overweight or obese and the rest of us sickly thin. If only we could accept ourselves with our imperfections and then get a good handle on what is real and what isn't and then go from there.
It's a struggle, an uphill climb, but conquering the unrealities is the first step.
Have a great weekend! It could snow. Build a snowman quickly if it does!
Karin
So what do we do when we notice someone we love or care about is getting fatter? Or on the other side of the coin, getting too thin? I think sometimes even when we are thin we still think we are fat because we have thought of ourselves that way for so long that it is ingrained.
Do we tell people they are getting fat? I know my dad used to tell us (my mom, sister and I) that we were getting fat. God bless him, at least he was honest.
This is a hard thing because who is going to tell you that you are fat (besides ourselves which we have already established)? Who is going to be honest enough with you to tell you to lose weight. Maybe your doctor will tell you to lose weight, but I can't even remember the last time the doctor told me to do that (of course, I hardly ever go to the doctor anyway).
I asked my roommate to remind me of my fatness when I am getting up to get a second helping of something, but she said she doesn't want to hurt my feelings, so even she won't do it.
Apparently, it is up to us. Unfortunately, we are not always the best judges of our own "fatness" or "thinness".
I can judge others fatness or thinness though. The other day I saw someone so thin that I thought they just had to be sick. They looked so thin and frail that I don't know how they could support what little weight they had. And I can almost guarantee you that they think they are fat!
There is something wrong with reality in America—we have about 75% of us overweight or obese and the rest of us sickly thin. If only we could accept ourselves with our imperfections and then get a good handle on what is real and what isn't and then go from there.
It's a struggle, an uphill climb, but conquering the unrealities is the first step.
Have a great weekend! It could snow. Build a snowman quickly if it does!
Karin
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Day 33: We become what we think we are
The biggest loser at my weight-loss club was an elderly woman. "How'd you do it?" we asked. "Easy," she said. "Every night I take my teeth out at six o'clock." ~Unattributed
I read today that we become what we think we are. So if we think we are fat, then we become that=FAT.
I don't know how else to think of myself because when I look in the mirror, I see what I see. Employing this thinking in weight loss, then what I need to do is think of myself as thin—in spite of what is reflected in the mirror—and I will become that=thin.
I don't know if it will work or not, but why not take the chance. I mean, I will try a lot of things to lose weight. This one, although it seems the easiest to do, might actually be the hardest to do. It's changing a mindset. That is a hard thing to do. It is hard to change your thinking about things that are so deeply a part of you and your thinking.
I'm still going to try this, it certainly won't hurt me. For most of us, having good, positive thoughts about ourselves is probably the hardest thing we ever do, anyway.
Be good to yourselves. Think good thoughts and let's lose weight!
Karin
I read today that we become what we think we are. So if we think we are fat, then we become that=FAT.
I don't know how else to think of myself because when I look in the mirror, I see what I see. Employing this thinking in weight loss, then what I need to do is think of myself as thin—in spite of what is reflected in the mirror—and I will become that=thin.
I don't know if it will work or not, but why not take the chance. I mean, I will try a lot of things to lose weight. This one, although it seems the easiest to do, might actually be the hardest to do. It's changing a mindset. That is a hard thing to do. It is hard to change your thinking about things that are so deeply a part of you and your thinking.
I'm still going to try this, it certainly won't hurt me. For most of us, having good, positive thoughts about ourselves is probably the hardest thing we ever do, anyway.
Be good to yourselves. Think good thoughts and let's lose weight!
Karin
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Day 32: Guidelines
"Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines." ~Robert Schuller
If you read yesterday's blog you know that we are having a question of the week (day or moment depending on my mood...LOL). The group question for this week is: "Have you given up a certain food or beverage? How is that going for you? How do you feel about giving that thing up?"
I have been doing terrible about giving up drinking soda. I drank three cans again last night. It seems like the more I think about NOT drinking it, the more I crave it. It is an age old problem with me.
I just have to realize that getting down on myself about it will not solve the problem. Not for me anyway. It merely increases my thinking about it.
Today, I craved a soda and I bought one. I drank it, too. I didn't feel overly guilty about it, although I didn't feel great about it either. I am not sure how I should feel about giving in to this temptation.
I hope you are having a better time standing up to your temptations than I am today.
It is beautiful outside. Perfect day for a walk! I may even consider taking one!
Karin
If you read yesterday's blog you know that we are having a question of the week (day or moment depending on my mood...LOL). The group question for this week is: "Have you given up a certain food or beverage? How is that going for you? How do you feel about giving that thing up?"
I have been doing terrible about giving up drinking soda. I drank three cans again last night. It seems like the more I think about NOT drinking it, the more I crave it. It is an age old problem with me.
I just have to realize that getting down on myself about it will not solve the problem. Not for me anyway. It merely increases my thinking about it.
Today, I craved a soda and I bought one. I drank it, too. I didn't feel overly guilty about it, although I didn't feel great about it either. I am not sure how I should feel about giving in to this temptation.
I hope you are having a better time standing up to your temptations than I am today.
It is beautiful outside. Perfect day for a walk! I may even consider taking one!
Karin
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Day 31:
"I didn't claw my way up the food chain to eat vegetables!" ~Unknown
How are you all doing? I must confess that it has been a difficult couple of weeks for me. Actually, I have been having an especially difficult time with my weight for a few months.
It began with me drinking soda pop again. At first it was just a couple of cans every couple of weeks. Then it was a can every week. Then every couple of days. On Sunday it was four cans, yesterday two.
I was just getting ready to really beat up on myself about this. I had been doing so well not drinking any at all. It had gotten to the point where I didn't really even want it anymore. Then, in February I started to crave it. Just a little at first, then more and more.
I think that I am not the only one who has struggles like this one.
It was suggested that we have a group question of the week so that we could comment and better encourage each other.
The group question for this week is: "Have you given up a certain food or beverage? How is that going for you? How do you feel about giving that thing up?" I hope to hear from you. If you are not sure how to comment, just click the "comments" at the bottom of each post that I write (you only have to click on the one you wish to comment on). If you are already registered with Google (for example have a gmail address or write your own blog on blogger.com) you will get a comment box and you just type in your comment and enter it. If not, you will have to register, but it is really easy and free. I hope you will share your thoughts with me and the other participants who are reading the blog.
I am giving up soda pop again, starting today. So far so good. I've been drinking water and coffee. I find for me that it is a lot easier to avoid soda if I have a good supply of cold water in the fridge.
Have a great day in spite of or even because of the rain!
Karin
How are you all doing? I must confess that it has been a difficult couple of weeks for me. Actually, I have been having an especially difficult time with my weight for a few months.
It began with me drinking soda pop again. At first it was just a couple of cans every couple of weeks. Then it was a can every week. Then every couple of days. On Sunday it was four cans, yesterday two.
I was just getting ready to really beat up on myself about this. I had been doing so well not drinking any at all. It had gotten to the point where I didn't really even want it anymore. Then, in February I started to crave it. Just a little at first, then more and more.
I think that I am not the only one who has struggles like this one.
It was suggested that we have a group question of the week so that we could comment and better encourage each other.
The group question for this week is: "Have you given up a certain food or beverage? How is that going for you? How do you feel about giving that thing up?" I hope to hear from you. If you are not sure how to comment, just click the "comments" at the bottom of each post that I write (you only have to click on the one you wish to comment on). If you are already registered with Google (for example have a gmail address or write your own blog on blogger.com) you will get a comment box and you just type in your comment and enter it. If not, you will have to register, but it is really easy and free. I hope you will share your thoughts with me and the other participants who are reading the blog.
I am giving up soda pop again, starting today. So far so good. I've been drinking water and coffee. I find for me that it is a lot easier to avoid soda if I have a good supply of cold water in the fridge.
Have a great day in spite of or even because of the rain!
Karin
Monday, May 4, 2009
Day 30: Day in and day out commitment
"It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference." ~Jenny Craig
It is easy for us to fall into some habits. They slip on so easily like a pair of comfortable gloves.
It isn't so easy to slip into some other habits—usually the good habits are a lot harder to put on day in and day out. But they are the things that make a difference in our lives. Just like the bad habits, they become, well, habit, if we do them day in and day out with little fail.
Eating a jelly filled donut doesn't make a big difference if I only do it once in a while. It is when I eat one every day that I could face some problems.
Of course, this isn't true of everything. I don't think smoking the occasional cigarette is okay. It is probably not a good idea to drive drunk EVER. I mean, some things we just know we shouldn't do not even once in a while.
It is the commitment to our day in and day out habits (the good ones) that make a difference in our lives. Think about the daily habits or routines that you might have and judge their value for yourself. You will know the good ones and can choose to continue those.
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
It is easy for us to fall into some habits. They slip on so easily like a pair of comfortable gloves.
It isn't so easy to slip into some other habits—usually the good habits are a lot harder to put on day in and day out. But they are the things that make a difference in our lives. Just like the bad habits, they become, well, habit, if we do them day in and day out with little fail.
Eating a jelly filled donut doesn't make a big difference if I only do it once in a while. It is when I eat one every day that I could face some problems.
Of course, this isn't true of everything. I don't think smoking the occasional cigarette is okay. It is probably not a good idea to drive drunk EVER. I mean, some things we just know we shouldn't do not even once in a while.
It is the commitment to our day in and day out habits (the good ones) that make a difference in our lives. Think about the daily habits or routines that you might have and judge their value for yourself. You will know the good ones and can choose to continue those.
Be good to yourself and to each other!
Karin
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Day 29: It's almost tomorrow
Sorry for the extremely late post today. I was just finishing up with some work and playing a game on Facebook when I realized I had not blogged today. Since it is seven minutes or so until the magic hour of midnight (when one day ends and another begins) I find that I have not much to say about today other than it was a good day to be alive and I hope that you enjoyed it.
The weather was delightful and all in all it was a pleasant day.
I hope you enjoyed the day too and find yourself encouraged for the coming week. Remember to Thank God It's Monday in a few minutes and throughout the day tomorrow!
Karin
The weather was delightful and all in all it was a pleasant day.
I hope you enjoyed the day too and find yourself encouraged for the coming week. Remember to Thank God It's Monday in a few minutes and throughout the day tomorrow!
Karin
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Day 28: Serving as a warning (example) to others
"It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others." Comedian Steven Wright
I've noticed that since I quit smoking (1 year and 5 months ago) I don't like the smell of cigarette smoke. I find myself thinking when I smell a smoker, "Yuck, I used to smell like that, too!" Just the putrid stench that was in my hair and clothes and on my breath should have been enough to make me want to quit smoking, but I didn't quit. It took developing some breathing issues to make me actually say, "Enough is enough."
I didn't become an "addicted" smoker overnight. It was a gradual process over the course of several months. I would sneak a cigarette now and then, maybe a couple of times a day. I told myself I could "stop smoking" whenever I wanted to. When I was smoking 2-6 packs a day I still told myself this lie. I couldn't just quit whenever I wanted to anymore. I was addicted.
I didn't become overweight overnight, either. It was a gradual process over the course of several years. I didn't necessarily sneak food, it was more that I continued eating the same amount of food, but got far less physical activity.
When I was in college I weighed around 160 for the four years I was in school. In college I was involved in track and field and we worked out hard. After college, I had a job as a housekeeper in a group home and I worked hard. I was able to keep eating the same amounts I had in college and didn't gain weight.
About a year later I was promoted to a job that didn't require the intense physical work. I still kept eating the same.
In another year, another promotion led to even more sitting and less movement.
After a third promotion in as many years, I finally saw that I was getting fat. (I am using the "f" word because, let's face it, I was "f"at!)
Well by this time I was around 237 or 247... I had been in denial, I guess. Just like with cigarettes and smoking, becoming overweight had kind of snuck up on me. I didn't notice I was gaining weight. Oh sure I had to buy bigger clothes, but didn't everyone have to do that as they got older?
I had a brief time of weight loss when I moved back to Clarissa, but it was short-lived and last year I was up to my max weight of 276.
I still have a long way to go. I am sure several of us do. I read the other day that over 2/3rds of the nation is overweight. That is a lot of people.
I want to serve as an example (warning) to people that over-eating makes you fat. But I also want to serve as an example of hard work and perseverance paying off in weight loss.
Remember to be good to yourself and to others!
Karin
I've noticed that since I quit smoking (1 year and 5 months ago) I don't like the smell of cigarette smoke. I find myself thinking when I smell a smoker, "Yuck, I used to smell like that, too!" Just the putrid stench that was in my hair and clothes and on my breath should have been enough to make me want to quit smoking, but I didn't quit. It took developing some breathing issues to make me actually say, "Enough is enough."
I didn't become an "addicted" smoker overnight. It was a gradual process over the course of several months. I would sneak a cigarette now and then, maybe a couple of times a day. I told myself I could "stop smoking" whenever I wanted to. When I was smoking 2-6 packs a day I still told myself this lie. I couldn't just quit whenever I wanted to anymore. I was addicted.
I didn't become overweight overnight, either. It was a gradual process over the course of several years. I didn't necessarily sneak food, it was more that I continued eating the same amount of food, but got far less physical activity.
When I was in college I weighed around 160 for the four years I was in school. In college I was involved in track and field and we worked out hard. After college, I had a job as a housekeeper in a group home and I worked hard. I was able to keep eating the same amounts I had in college and didn't gain weight.
About a year later I was promoted to a job that didn't require the intense physical work. I still kept eating the same.
In another year, another promotion led to even more sitting and less movement.
After a third promotion in as many years, I finally saw that I was getting fat. (I am using the "f" word because, let's face it, I was "f"at!)
Well by this time I was around 237 or 247... I had been in denial, I guess. Just like with cigarettes and smoking, becoming overweight had kind of snuck up on me. I didn't notice I was gaining weight. Oh sure I had to buy bigger clothes, but didn't everyone have to do that as they got older?
I had a brief time of weight loss when I moved back to Clarissa, but it was short-lived and last year I was up to my max weight of 276.
I still have a long way to go. I am sure several of us do. I read the other day that over 2/3rds of the nation is overweight. That is a lot of people.
I want to serve as an example (warning) to people that over-eating makes you fat. But I also want to serve as an example of hard work and perseverance paying off in weight loss.
Remember to be good to yourself and to others!
Karin
Friday, May 1, 2009
Day 27: Wash your hands!
Today I wanted to share a link with you on a good article about boosting your immune system. With the impending pandemic, many are seeking answers for what they can do to keep healthy. The blog is by Janice Taylor who is a Life & Wellness Coach, specializing in weight loss, reinvention, transformation & happiness, author, seminar leader and 50-pound-BIG-Time-LOSER!
This is from her blog on beliefnet.com a great site for inspiration and hope in many areas of life! Here is the link:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/ourladyofweightloss/2009/04/boost-your-immune-system-say-s.html
I hope you enjoy her blog and her tips for good health all around.
Have a healthy weekend!
Karin
This is from her blog on beliefnet.com a great site for inspiration and hope in many areas of life! Here is the link:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/ourladyofweightloss/2009/04/boost-your-immune-system-say-s.html
I hope you enjoy her blog and her tips for good health all around.
Have a healthy weekend!
Karin
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Day 26: Don't dwell on the past (there is no future in it)
"You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time." ~Charles F. Kettering
That quote is one of the truest statements I think I have read in a long time. Sometimes we think so much about what happened yesterday that we can't even begin to think about tomorrow. We can't think about today, for that matter.
Oftentimes I think we get into the "blame game". We take responsibility for nothing. "It was our parent's fault! It was the school's fault! It was our neighbor's or uncle's or brother's or sister's fault! It was God's fault!"
Instead of taking responsibility and moving on, we dwell in the past so that the past is all we see. We are the "helpless victims" of whatever wrong was done to us and that is where we stay. I am just as guilty of falling into this trap as anyone else is.
Don't get me wrong, abuse of any type is terrible and it is not the fault of the one who was abused. It is hard to move on from those things. I understand that. I am not saying that a person is awful because they are dealing with some bad stuff from their past. But that is the whole key, "deal with it" and then move on. Don't dwell on the past, there is no future in it!
Sometimes I think we carry this "victim" thinking with us when we work on weight loss, too. "It is not my fault that I am fat!"
Whatever our reason is for being overweight, we are here now. That's a fact. Something we have to deal with and move on from if we hope to lose weight.
I hope I am not coming off as being uncaring and rough about this issue. It is just that unless we can start to take responsibility for our part in things, we never go anywhere. We sit and dig a rut that we wallow in and go nowhere. I have done that in my life. I suspect that many of us have done that. Unless I can start to look forward toward tomorrow, then I will go nowhere. Personally, I want to move ahead. I am guessing you want to move ahead, too.
If I am totally off on this post, please don't be afraid to comment. Sometimes I am not the best at explaining what I mean if I am feeling "fired up" about something.
Be good to yourself and to one another.
Karin
That quote is one of the truest statements I think I have read in a long time. Sometimes we think so much about what happened yesterday that we can't even begin to think about tomorrow. We can't think about today, for that matter.
Oftentimes I think we get into the "blame game". We take responsibility for nothing. "It was our parent's fault! It was the school's fault! It was our neighbor's or uncle's or brother's or sister's fault! It was God's fault!"
Instead of taking responsibility and moving on, we dwell in the past so that the past is all we see. We are the "helpless victims" of whatever wrong was done to us and that is where we stay. I am just as guilty of falling into this trap as anyone else is.
Don't get me wrong, abuse of any type is terrible and it is not the fault of the one who was abused. It is hard to move on from those things. I understand that. I am not saying that a person is awful because they are dealing with some bad stuff from their past. But that is the whole key, "deal with it" and then move on. Don't dwell on the past, there is no future in it!
Sometimes I think we carry this "victim" thinking with us when we work on weight loss, too. "It is not my fault that I am fat!"
Whatever our reason is for being overweight, we are here now. That's a fact. Something we have to deal with and move on from if we hope to lose weight.
I hope I am not coming off as being uncaring and rough about this issue. It is just that unless we can start to take responsibility for our part in things, we never go anywhere. We sit and dig a rut that we wallow in and go nowhere. I have done that in my life. I suspect that many of us have done that. Unless I can start to look forward toward tomorrow, then I will go nowhere. Personally, I want to move ahead. I am guessing you want to move ahead, too.
If I am totally off on this post, please don't be afraid to comment. Sometimes I am not the best at explaining what I mean if I am feeling "fired up" about something.
Be good to yourself and to one another.
Karin
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Day 24: I can think of nothing
Do you ever have one of those days when you just can't think of anything meaningful to say? Well, today is one of those days for me.
Remember to be good to each other and to yourself.
Remember to be good to each other and to yourself.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Day 23: Problems can make us stronger
"Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles; they toughen and make strong." ~Norman Vincent Peale
I hope all of you that attended the weigh-in and were able to hear Ben Dehn talk to us about exercise enjoyed it. I know I did. One thing that stood out for me was that "if you believe you are working out/exercising, you do better." It is mind over matter. You have to "think" you are exercising.
Hmmmm... if you "think" about it that way, you would be strengthening your mind and your body!
Another thing that we learned was that according to the American College of Sports Medicine (acsm.org) we should be doing moderately intense exercising for 150 minutes a week, or approximately 30 minutes a day five days a week. This can be in the form of fast walking or other cardio type activity. Weight training is one of the safest forms there is.
Some of you asked how we figure the percentage for weight loss. This is to figure out the percentage of weight you have lost, not the percentage of weight you need to lose.
We will use my weight to show the calculations.
Take your new weight (258) and put two (2) zeros behind it (25800). Divide that by your starting weight (263)=98.1 (I rounded it up as was the rule in math when I went to school 100 years ago (I rounded that figure up, too!).
Next take the result, in my case 98.1 and subtract that from 100=1.9. That is your percentage. So I have lost 1.9%. Woo hoo!
On that note, I will end this post with this thought: remember that any problem that confronts us can make us stronger if we exercise our minds over it. It is not the problem, but how we respond to the problem that defines us.
Be good to yourself and to one another. It's a nice day, take a walk and enjoy it!
Karin
I hope all of you that attended the weigh-in and were able to hear Ben Dehn talk to us about exercise enjoyed it. I know I did. One thing that stood out for me was that "if you believe you are working out/exercising, you do better." It is mind over matter. You have to "think" you are exercising.
Hmmmm... if you "think" about it that way, you would be strengthening your mind and your body!
Another thing that we learned was that according to the American College of Sports Medicine (acsm.org) we should be doing moderately intense exercising for 150 minutes a week, or approximately 30 minutes a day five days a week. This can be in the form of fast walking or other cardio type activity. Weight training is one of the safest forms there is.
Some of you asked how we figure the percentage for weight loss. This is to figure out the percentage of weight you have lost, not the percentage of weight you need to lose.
We will use my weight to show the calculations.
Take your new weight (258) and put two (2) zeros behind it (25800). Divide that by your starting weight (263)=98.1 (I rounded it up as was the rule in math when I went to school 100 years ago (I rounded that figure up, too!).
Next take the result, in my case 98.1 and subtract that from 100=1.9. That is your percentage. So I have lost 1.9%. Woo hoo!
On that note, I will end this post with this thought: remember that any problem that confronts us can make us stronger if we exercise our minds over it. It is not the problem, but how we respond to the problem that defines us.
Be good to yourself and to one another. It's a nice day, take a walk and enjoy it!
Karin
Monday, April 27, 2009
Day 22: Are we content with failure?
"The great question is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure." -- William Shakespeare
Don't you think that sometimes we are content with failure? Isn't it sometimes easier to say, "okay I failed, so what?" I think it is a harder course to forge our way through the failure, get to the root of it, and turn it around.
Of course, I am speaking of this in terms of weight loss, but it could be applied in other areas of our life, too.
We can always take a situation where we have failed and make something good come out of it, even if it is "just" learning a lesson.
When I step on the scale I am seldom content with what I see. I would guess for most people this is true more often than not. I think few of us are "content" with not losing weight. We want to lose weight and we want to see results. When we don't see results we become frustrated and feel like failures. I don't know about you, but I am not content with failure in this case.
Contentment can take many forms, though. I can say I want to lose weight and am going to do "better," but instead I do nothing. That is my curse. I get frustrated with my inability to consistently lose weight and I become despondent and find myself no longer wanting to try. I get frustrated with my failure. I get frustrated to the point of giving up or at least seriously wanting to give up.
I am often content with mediocrity in some areas of my life because it seems like it is too much work to strive for greatness. Are you also content with mediocrity or failure?
Ask yourself today what you want to aim for and go for it!
Remember, in the face of our failures to be good to yourself and to others!
Karin
Don't you think that sometimes we are content with failure? Isn't it sometimes easier to say, "okay I failed, so what?" I think it is a harder course to forge our way through the failure, get to the root of it, and turn it around.
Of course, I am speaking of this in terms of weight loss, but it could be applied in other areas of our life, too.
We can always take a situation where we have failed and make something good come out of it, even if it is "just" learning a lesson.
When I step on the scale I am seldom content with what I see. I would guess for most people this is true more often than not. I think few of us are "content" with not losing weight. We want to lose weight and we want to see results. When we don't see results we become frustrated and feel like failures. I don't know about you, but I am not content with failure in this case.
Contentment can take many forms, though. I can say I want to lose weight and am going to do "better," but instead I do nothing. That is my curse. I get frustrated with my inability to consistently lose weight and I become despondent and find myself no longer wanting to try. I get frustrated with my failure. I get frustrated to the point of giving up or at least seriously wanting to give up.
I am often content with mediocrity in some areas of my life because it seems like it is too much work to strive for greatness. Are you also content with mediocrity or failure?
Ask yourself today what you want to aim for and go for it!
Remember, in the face of our failures to be good to yourself and to others!
Karin
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Day 21: I'm bored! Pass the potato chips!
"If we are what we eat then I am fast, cheap and easy."
There are several habits we can fall into in the realm of over-eating.
On of the big ones appears to be eating out of boredom. I have heard a lot about this lately. Actually, I have done a lot of this lately. You know what this is: you are sitting watching TV or doing some other semi-mindless activity and you are chomping away at a bowl of popcorn or chips or something equally unhealthy. (I never find myself munching on a head of lettuce or a stalk of celery.)
It is so easy to fall into bad habits, isn't it? It seems to be especially true with eating-or overeating. We can so easily fall into traps related to food from telling ourselves that we "deserve" to over-indulge to telling ourselves we are never going to lose the weight anyway so why even keep trying?
Well, as for me, I am working on changing those falsehoods and trying to fill myself with good, healthy messages not only about food, but about myself, as well.
Be good to yourself and to others.
See you Monday at the weigh-in!
There are several habits we can fall into in the realm of over-eating.
On of the big ones appears to be eating out of boredom. I have heard a lot about this lately. Actually, I have done a lot of this lately. You know what this is: you are sitting watching TV or doing some other semi-mindless activity and you are chomping away at a bowl of popcorn or chips or something equally unhealthy. (I never find myself munching on a head of lettuce or a stalk of celery.)
It is so easy to fall into bad habits, isn't it? It seems to be especially true with eating-or overeating. We can so easily fall into traps related to food from telling ourselves that we "deserve" to over-indulge to telling ourselves we are never going to lose the weight anyway so why even keep trying?
Well, as for me, I am working on changing those falsehoods and trying to fill myself with good, healthy messages not only about food, but about myself, as well.
Be good to yourself and to others.
See you Monday at the weigh-in!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Day 20: Keeping the faith
Sorry, no quote today, so let's just get right into the "meat" of it!
I think that our emotional health is as deeply a part of weight loss as is our physical health, perhaps even more because we don't always think about our physical health unless something is wrong, but I know that I think about things ALL the time.
I promised you a link to the short course I took online about emotional eating. It was pretty good and I think you will find it refreshing.
From Ginny's site:
Do you need to release excess weight?
Are you a thin person screaming to get out?
Are you being hindered in your life's purpose because of emotional eating?
Do you long for freedom from food addictions?
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
- "I NEED chocolate"
- "This stress is killing me...what can I eat?"
- "I'm depressed...I need some ice cream"
- "I'm SO tired...I need caffeine"
- "I'm bored...restless...angry...where's the food?"
My FREE mini e-course will teach you 10 Biblical principles for overcoming emotional eating, and get you started on a journey of releasing excess weight, learning how to deal with emotions from a Biblical perspective, and creating the life you were designed to live. Sign up here to receive 10 Biblical Principles to Overcome Emotional Eating.
Coaching you back to hope,
Ginny Edwards, Owner
Times of Refreshing Wellness Center
ph:901-488-4167 fax: 662-349-0592
ginny@timesofrefreshingwc.com
www.timesofrefreshingwc.com
"creating wellness...from the inside out"
I think you will be blessed and enjoy the information.
Remember to be good to yourself and to each other.
Karin
I think that our emotional health is as deeply a part of weight loss as is our physical health, perhaps even more because we don't always think about our physical health unless something is wrong, but I know that I think about things ALL the time.
I promised you a link to the short course I took online about emotional eating. It was pretty good and I think you will find it refreshing.
From Ginny's site:
Do you need to release excess weight?
Are you a thin person screaming to get out?
Are you being hindered in your life's purpose because of emotional eating?
Do you long for freedom from food addictions?
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
- "I NEED chocolate"
- "This stress is killing me...what can I eat?"
- "I'm depressed...I need some ice cream"
- "I'm SO tired...I need caffeine"
- "I'm bored...restless...angry...where's the food?"
My FREE mini e-course will teach you 10 Biblical principles for overcoming emotional eating, and get you started on a journey of releasing excess weight, learning how to deal with emotions from a Biblical perspective, and creating the life you were designed to live. Sign up here to receive 10 Biblical Principles to Overcome Emotional Eating.
Coaching you back to hope,
Ginny Edwards, Owner
Times of Refreshing Wellness Center
ph:901-488-4167 fax: 662-349-0592
ginny@timesofrefreshingwc.com
www.timesofrefreshingwc.com
"creating wellness...from the inside out"
I think you will be blessed and enjoy the information.
Remember to be good to yourself and to each other.
Karin
Friday, April 24, 2009
Day 19: Give humor a try
"I'm not gaining weight, I'm retaining food." ~Janice Taylor, Our Lady of Weight Loss from her new book titled, All is Forgiven, Move On, Our Lady of Weight Loss's 101 Fat-Burning Steps on your Journey to Sveltsville
Is it just me or do we sometimes forget to laugh when it comes to weight loss? It is so much easier to get all stressed out about it and get down on ourselves. Do we forget that we "fat" people are supposed to be jovial souls?!?
Some argue that weight loss is no laughing matter. I disagree. I think any situation can be turned into something that we can laugh about, not years down the road, but right away. We have to dispel the false belief that we can't poke fun at ourselves. Granted, we can tend to be cruel to ourselves, but let's turn that cruelty into something better, let's turn it into a laugh.
I think if we laugh, if we truly laugh, the deep laugh, you know, the one that makes your whole body shake because you are laughing so hard, we will be certain to lose weight. If we laugh like that every day (10 times a day 10 reps each time) we wouldn't have to diet. Additionally, think of the awesome abs we would have!
There is a lot to be said about laughter and the healing powers of it. Why not try it out today? It could be the best and easiest "workout" you've ever had!
Disclaimer:
Please note that I am NOT a therapist or mental health professional. I have my degree in psychology, but it doesn't make me a shrink any more than going to McDonald's makes me a hamburger. I am simply writing about things I see, read or think. These are my beliefs or opinions (unless otherwise noted) and should be taken as opinion and inspiration only, not as recommendations by which to live your lives. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify things in case anyone had any concerns.
Is it just me or do we sometimes forget to laugh when it comes to weight loss? It is so much easier to get all stressed out about it and get down on ourselves. Do we forget that we "fat" people are supposed to be jovial souls?!?
Some argue that weight loss is no laughing matter. I disagree. I think any situation can be turned into something that we can laugh about, not years down the road, but right away. We have to dispel the false belief that we can't poke fun at ourselves. Granted, we can tend to be cruel to ourselves, but let's turn that cruelty into something better, let's turn it into a laugh.
I think if we laugh, if we truly laugh, the deep laugh, you know, the one that makes your whole body shake because you are laughing so hard, we will be certain to lose weight. If we laugh like that every day (10 times a day 10 reps each time) we wouldn't have to diet. Additionally, think of the awesome abs we would have!
There is a lot to be said about laughter and the healing powers of it. Why not try it out today? It could be the best and easiest "workout" you've ever had!
Disclaimer:
Please note that I am NOT a therapist or mental health professional. I have my degree in psychology, but it doesn't make me a shrink any more than going to McDonald's makes me a hamburger. I am simply writing about things I see, read or think. These are my beliefs or opinions (unless otherwise noted) and should be taken as opinion and inspiration only, not as recommendations by which to live your lives. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify things in case anyone had any concerns.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Day 18: Filling the gap
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." ~Bill Cosby
I was thinking about emotional eating, today.I don't know why I was thinking about it, except for the fact that I had recently read about it and I was eating greasy, carb-laden french fries at the time I was thinking about it. Correlation? I don't know. You decide.
I don't know a whole lot about emotional eating. I have read a few things like I indicated above. I even subscribed to a miniature course on emotional eating (over-eating). What I have come to understand about it is that sometimes we eat to fill areas where we feel we are lacking. If my interpretation is accurate, then we are trying to fill "gaps" or self-perceived "gaps" in ourselves or our perceptions about ourselves.
Food has been an easy antidote for me. Have a bad day? Eat a bag of potato chips. Fail a test? Eat a pan of brownies. Think I look fat today...eat everything in sight!
I don't understand how this happens. I have not researched this topic in depth. I just know that I do this. Maybe you do it, too.
I do have to say that it has gotten better for me just because I want to heal some of the damage that my over-eating and being large has caused in my physical body.
However, dealing with the causes of emotional eating or over-eating have to be dealt with as well. My friend and I were discussing this today. She said that she has concluded that people who do over-eat and get heavy do it because somewhere along the way we lost our self-esteem. We said to ourselves, "I'm already fat—who cares if I eat that, too?" Then you feel even worse after you eat all of that junk so it just spirals until it is out of control.
It seems like those who have more self-confidence or will-power can say "no" to eating if they are feeling a little "fat".
I can't speak for others, I can only speak for myself. We need to find something to fill these perceived "gaping holes" in ourselves with something other than food.
I will find the link to the emotional eating mini course that I took and include it in a future blog. It is God-based, just so you know. Personally, I find nothing more wonderful that filling myself with the Word of God than with food, but I can't tell you what you should do. This is just something that works for me. There are also many other emotional eating resources on the Internet. Just go to Google and type in "emotional eating".
Remember to be good to yourselves and to each other. The weather is great! I love spring. Let's get out there and walk.
Reminder: We have a mandatory weigh-in on April 27 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Eagle Bend clinic. At 5 p.m. we will have Ben Dehn, a physical therapist from the Long Prairie Hospital talk to us about exercise. This is also at the clinic.
Disclaimer:
Please note that I am NOT a therapist or mental health professional. I have my degree in psychology, but it doesn't make me a shrink any more than going to McDonald's makes me a hamburger. I am simply writing about things I see, read or think. These are my beliefs or opinions (unless otherwise noted) and should be taken as opinion and inspiration only, not as recommendations by which to live your lives. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify things in case anyone had any concerns.
I was thinking about emotional eating, today.I don't know why I was thinking about it, except for the fact that I had recently read about it and I was eating greasy, carb-laden french fries at the time I was thinking about it. Correlation? I don't know. You decide.
I don't know a whole lot about emotional eating. I have read a few things like I indicated above. I even subscribed to a miniature course on emotional eating (over-eating). What I have come to understand about it is that sometimes we eat to fill areas where we feel we are lacking. If my interpretation is accurate, then we are trying to fill "gaps" or self-perceived "gaps" in ourselves or our perceptions about ourselves.
Food has been an easy antidote for me. Have a bad day? Eat a bag of potato chips. Fail a test? Eat a pan of brownies. Think I look fat today...eat everything in sight!
I don't understand how this happens. I have not researched this topic in depth. I just know that I do this. Maybe you do it, too.
I do have to say that it has gotten better for me just because I want to heal some of the damage that my over-eating and being large has caused in my physical body.
However, dealing with the causes of emotional eating or over-eating have to be dealt with as well. My friend and I were discussing this today. She said that she has concluded that people who do over-eat and get heavy do it because somewhere along the way we lost our self-esteem. We said to ourselves, "I'm already fat—who cares if I eat that, too?" Then you feel even worse after you eat all of that junk so it just spirals until it is out of control.
It seems like those who have more self-confidence or will-power can say "no" to eating if they are feeling a little "fat".
I can't speak for others, I can only speak for myself. We need to find something to fill these perceived "gaping holes" in ourselves with something other than food.
I will find the link to the emotional eating mini course that I took and include it in a future blog. It is God-based, just so you know. Personally, I find nothing more wonderful that filling myself with the Word of God than with food, but I can't tell you what you should do. This is just something that works for me. There are also many other emotional eating resources on the Internet. Just go to Google and type in "emotional eating".
Remember to be good to yourselves and to each other. The weather is great! I love spring. Let's get out there and walk.
Reminder: We have a mandatory weigh-in on April 27 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Eagle Bend clinic. At 5 p.m. we will have Ben Dehn, a physical therapist from the Long Prairie Hospital talk to us about exercise. This is also at the clinic.
Disclaimer:
Please note that I am NOT a therapist or mental health professional. I have my degree in psychology, but it doesn't make me a shrink any more than going to McDonald's makes me a hamburger. I am simply writing about things I see, read or think. These are my beliefs or opinions (unless otherwise noted) and should be taken as opinion and inspiration only, not as recommendations by which to live your lives. Thanks, I just wanted to clarify things in case anyone had any concerns.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Day 17: Believing in the impossible
"There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things."
"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." ~Lewis Carroll
Do we dare to believe "impossible things?" Do we dare to dream the dream of losing weight? Do we dare to do what it takes to pursue the "impossible?"
Sometimes it might seem like losing weight is just impossible! We feel like all we are doing is eating and eating and eating! We think to ourselves, "I can't lose weight anyway, so I might as well just eat!"
I know that I am easily discouraged so it is easy for me to lose faith in what I am doing. If I don't see immediate results, I find myself wondering why I didn't just eat that piece of cake or whatever. I think to myself, "It doesn't seem to matter what I do...I gain weight, so I might just as well do whatever I want."
It is hard for me to believe the impossible. It is hard for me to believe that I will ever be "thin" because I believe that to be something that is impossible.
However, if I think along the lines of yesterday's blog, if I want to change things, I have to change how I think about them. I need to change my mind about what is possible and start focusing on that.
On a different note: I have been following a blog about weight loss on beliefnet.com. If you want some further encouragement, go to that site. I have also been posting some information on my facebook page.
Remember to be good to yourselves. Don't be discouraged. Trust me, I know what that feels like, but if we keep on keeping on I think we will be pleasantly surprised. Even if we don't lose all of the weight we wanted to or don't win the contest, we can be pleased that we persevered!
Karin
"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." ~Lewis Carroll
Do we dare to believe "impossible things?" Do we dare to dream the dream of losing weight? Do we dare to do what it takes to pursue the "impossible?"
Sometimes it might seem like losing weight is just impossible! We feel like all we are doing is eating and eating and eating! We think to ourselves, "I can't lose weight anyway, so I might as well just eat!"
I know that I am easily discouraged so it is easy for me to lose faith in what I am doing. If I don't see immediate results, I find myself wondering why I didn't just eat that piece of cake or whatever. I think to myself, "It doesn't seem to matter what I do...I gain weight, so I might just as well do whatever I want."
It is hard for me to believe the impossible. It is hard for me to believe that I will ever be "thin" because I believe that to be something that is impossible.
However, if I think along the lines of yesterday's blog, if I want to change things, I have to change how I think about them. I need to change my mind about what is possible and start focusing on that.
On a different note: I have been following a blog about weight loss on beliefnet.com. If you want some further encouragement, go to that site. I have also been posting some information on my facebook page.
Remember to be good to yourselves. Don't be discouraged. Trust me, I know what that feels like, but if we keep on keeping on I think we will be pleasantly surprised. Even if we don't lose all of the weight we wanted to or don't win the contest, we can be pleased that we persevered!
Karin
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Day 16: Changing what we think
"What you thought before has led to every choice you have made, and this adds up to you at this moment. If you want to change who you are physically, mentally, and spiritually, you will have to change what you think." ~Dr. Patrick Gentempo
Have you ever wondered how you got into the situations you have gotten into? It just doesn't seem possible that we get into some of the predicaments that we do.
While I was gaining weight, I knew what I was doing. I made my choices. For some reason though, I was living under the false belief that exercising less while eating the same amounts had nothing to do with me gaining weight. I thought, "There must be something wrong with me. I should not be gaining weight like I am."
There was something wrong all right, but I didn't or couldn't see at the time what the problem was.
I want to change who I am physically. That means a change in the way I think. Not just the way I think about food and eating and exercise, but in the way I think about me, too. My thinking about things in my life has to change. If you want to see change in yourself, your thinking has to change, as well.
If we can change the way we think about this, just think about the other things we could change in the world (even if it is just our own personal world) if we would just change what we think?
Have you ever wondered how you got into the situations you have gotten into? It just doesn't seem possible that we get into some of the predicaments that we do.
While I was gaining weight, I knew what I was doing. I made my choices. For some reason though, I was living under the false belief that exercising less while eating the same amounts had nothing to do with me gaining weight. I thought, "There must be something wrong with me. I should not be gaining weight like I am."
There was something wrong all right, but I didn't or couldn't see at the time what the problem was.
I want to change who I am physically. That means a change in the way I think. Not just the way I think about food and eating and exercise, but in the way I think about me, too. My thinking about things in my life has to change. If you want to see change in yourself, your thinking has to change, as well.
If we can change the way we think about this, just think about the other things we could change in the world (even if it is just our own personal world) if we would just change what we think?
Monday, April 20, 2009
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Day 15: TGIM
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew." ~Saint Francis de Sales
Having patience with ourselves seems to be a malady of our humanness. It is hard to keep the faith when we are not seeing results. I speak from experience. I stepped on the scale today hoping and expecting to see a reduction in my weight. But, alas, there was no reduction. In fact, I had gained! How could I have gained? I was starving! I had been counting my carbs, eating the bare minimum and, yet, over the weekend I had gained a whole pound!
I was sad. I wanted to get mad at myself, but then I realized, what good would that do? I had done everything right. I was following a course of counting carbs. I was not cheating. I just needed to remind myself to be patient. Sometimes the scale does not immediately reflect what we are doing. Sometimes other factors interject themselves. I just have to remind myself to be patient. If I keep on the course I am going, surely the scale will reflect my hard work (and losing weight is work, isn't it?) and I will be rewarded by seeing a lower number when I step on the scale next week.
The last part of the quote is equally important. We need to set about the task of remedying our imperfections, or our perceived imperfections. I am working on that.
Remember to thank God it's Monday!
Be good to yourselves and to each other. The weather has been great lately so get outside and enjoy a walk! If you see me, join me!
Having patience with ourselves seems to be a malady of our humanness. It is hard to keep the faith when we are not seeing results. I speak from experience. I stepped on the scale today hoping and expecting to see a reduction in my weight. But, alas, there was no reduction. In fact, I had gained! How could I have gained? I was starving! I had been counting my carbs, eating the bare minimum and, yet, over the weekend I had gained a whole pound!
I was sad. I wanted to get mad at myself, but then I realized, what good would that do? I had done everything right. I was following a course of counting carbs. I was not cheating. I just needed to remind myself to be patient. Sometimes the scale does not immediately reflect what we are doing. Sometimes other factors interject themselves. I just have to remind myself to be patient. If I keep on the course I am going, surely the scale will reflect my hard work (and losing weight is work, isn't it?) and I will be rewarded by seeing a lower number when I step on the scale next week.
The last part of the quote is equally important. We need to set about the task of remedying our imperfections, or our perceived imperfections. I am working on that.
Remember to thank God it's Monday!
Be good to yourselves and to each other. The weather has been great lately so get outside and enjoy a walk! If you see me, join me!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Day 13 & 14: Every day can be a fresh start
"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances." ~Martha Washington
(1732 - 1802)
What a positive attitude!
I really can't add anything to what she said.
I finally got my home computer to work for writing my blog, but find myself curiously with nothing to say.
Enjoy the quote! Enjoy the coming week.
Be good to yourselves and to each other. Remember, this coming week is another great opportunity to encourage each other as we press on toward our goals!
(1732 - 1802)
What a positive attitude!
I really can't add anything to what she said.
I finally got my home computer to work for writing my blog, but find myself curiously with nothing to say.
Enjoy the quote! Enjoy the coming week.
Be good to yourselves and to each other. Remember, this coming week is another great opportunity to encourage each other as we press on toward our goals!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Day 12: Music has a way to make it all better
"If music be the food of love, play on." ~Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
The following is the lyrics from the song Mirror, by Barlow Girl. It is a religious song, but even if you are not religious, this song certainly has relevance. We often look in the mirror and let that piece of reflective glass define who we are. I wrote about this a few days ago, but it is worth repeating: WE ARE MORE THAN WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE!
We may be overweight by a little or a lot, we may have gray hair or bald spots, but the inside is the place from which our true beauty is reflected. If we get our insides "right" the things that are "left" (like our being overweight) are really immaterial, aren't they?
Remember to be good to yourselves and to each other. Enjoy the spring weather by taking a walk!
Barlow Girl
Mirror Lyrics:
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me
Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try
Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me
You don't define me, you don't define me
The following is the lyrics from the song Mirror, by Barlow Girl. It is a religious song, but even if you are not religious, this song certainly has relevance. We often look in the mirror and let that piece of reflective glass define who we are. I wrote about this a few days ago, but it is worth repeating: WE ARE MORE THAN WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE!
We may be overweight by a little or a lot, we may have gray hair or bald spots, but the inside is the place from which our true beauty is reflected. If we get our insides "right" the things that are "left" (like our being overweight) are really immaterial, aren't they?
Remember to be good to yourselves and to each other. Enjoy the spring weather by taking a walk!
Barlow Girl
Mirror Lyrics:
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me
Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try
Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me
You don't define me, you don't define me
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Day 11: Don't always deprive yourself
"I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process.... It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?" ~Unknown
When we are "on a diet" we tend to deprive ourselves of important foods, like chocolate. As a diabetic, I know that chocolate and other things with a lot of sugar in them can be dangerous to my health. However, if I constantly deprive myself of those "bad" things, eventually, all I can think about is chocolate or a can of pop. If all I am thinking about are those things, then I am not on a good path because I will, more likely than not, fail.
I think some depravation is good for people, but not all the time. When I deprive myself of the "good stuff" for too long and I spend all of my free thinking time, thinking about chocolate or pasta or rice or whatever, then when I get my hands on it, I gorge. NOT GOOD.
If we practice moderation in our eating habits, all eating habits, I think we would be better off. As a diabetic, I have a list of dos and don'ts and the number of carbs I should eat a day. It forces moderation, but I do feel better when I eat the lower amounts. Still, I don't totally deprive myself either. I just don't think it benefits me to just cut off chocolate completely!
If you are diabetic or think you might be, check with your doctor on what you should or should not be eating or drinking.
Before starting any diet, contact your physician! Drastically reducing your intake or your intake of certain foods can be risky. Do it right and talk to your doctor first.
Be good to yourself and each other. Try to encourage another "loser" today!
When we are "on a diet" we tend to deprive ourselves of important foods, like chocolate. As a diabetic, I know that chocolate and other things with a lot of sugar in them can be dangerous to my health. However, if I constantly deprive myself of those "bad" things, eventually, all I can think about is chocolate or a can of pop. If all I am thinking about are those things, then I am not on a good path because I will, more likely than not, fail.
I think some depravation is good for people, but not all the time. When I deprive myself of the "good stuff" for too long and I spend all of my free thinking time, thinking about chocolate or pasta or rice or whatever, then when I get my hands on it, I gorge. NOT GOOD.
If we practice moderation in our eating habits, all eating habits, I think we would be better off. As a diabetic, I have a list of dos and don'ts and the number of carbs I should eat a day. It forces moderation, but I do feel better when I eat the lower amounts. Still, I don't totally deprive myself either. I just don't think it benefits me to just cut off chocolate completely!
If you are diabetic or think you might be, check with your doctor on what you should or should not be eating or drinking.
Before starting any diet, contact your physician! Drastically reducing your intake or your intake of certain foods can be risky. Do it right and talk to your doctor first.
Be good to yourself and each other. Try to encourage another "loser" today!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Day 10: What is success?
"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." ~Sir Winston Churchill
If the above statement is true, then I am afraid that I would have failed miserably as a success.
It is so easy to lose our enthusiasm isn't it? When I stepped on the scale on Monday I was dreading it because I knew I had eaten quite a bit throughout the previous week and I had neglected to do more than a mile or two of walking in total. I was getting ready to face my failure to lose weight. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I had not gained. I had not lost any weight either, but I had not gained and I was so happy about that. I counted it as a success, even though all I did was ...nothing.
I want to do more, but I lose my enthusiasm when I fail. It seems like sometimes in the weight loss "game" that I fail more than I succeed.
I decided that I can't beat myself up over these failures, however. I find that when I "beat myself up" I end up eating more or doing more of the very thing that I beat myself up over in the first place!
Be good to yourselves and keep up your enthusiasm!
If the above statement is true, then I am afraid that I would have failed miserably as a success.
It is so easy to lose our enthusiasm isn't it? When I stepped on the scale on Monday I was dreading it because I knew I had eaten quite a bit throughout the previous week and I had neglected to do more than a mile or two of walking in total. I was getting ready to face my failure to lose weight. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I had not gained. I had not lost any weight either, but I had not gained and I was so happy about that. I counted it as a success, even though all I did was ...nothing.
I want to do more, but I lose my enthusiasm when I fail. It seems like sometimes in the weight loss "game" that I fail more than I succeed.
I decided that I can't beat myself up over these failures, however. I find that when I "beat myself up" I end up eating more or doing more of the very thing that I beat myself up over in the first place!
Be good to yourselves and keep up your enthusiasm!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Day 9: We have to move
"Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." ~Will Rogers
There is a lot of truth in the above statement. Sometimes we get on the right track and instead of moving along, we just get stuck and stay in one place. Instead of the bold strides we made at the beginning of our journey, we become stagnant and unmoving. We tell ourselves it is okay because "at least we are on the right track."
Thinking of this in terms of weight loss we can be doing everything "right." We are counting our carbs and calories and whatever else it is that people count when trying to lose weight. We are on the right track. But we are not investing ourselves in physical activity. We are not "moving."
I am a big advocate of walking as I am sure some of you know. I have seen the benefits of this simple activity and encourage myself and others to walk whenever they can. If you can walk, you should because in addition to all the other "counting" that we do, if we added in "counting our steps" we would have the added benefit of "moving".
I can't speak for anyone except myself, but when I walked I felt so much better and not just physically. Walking has a way of making me feel better emotionally as well. I am sure there is research that has been done to explain why this is, but I don't have that information, all I know is that it works!
I bought a tire pump so I can get my bike ready for some riding also. It's that movement thing. I encourage all of you to join me in walking, riding, running (not me yet) whatever it is that you like to do, go ahead and do it, but get moving. Don't get run over!
Be good to yourselves and each other. Remember, even though this is a contest, we still will benefit if we support and encourage each other!
There is a lot of truth in the above statement. Sometimes we get on the right track and instead of moving along, we just get stuck and stay in one place. Instead of the bold strides we made at the beginning of our journey, we become stagnant and unmoving. We tell ourselves it is okay because "at least we are on the right track."
Thinking of this in terms of weight loss we can be doing everything "right." We are counting our carbs and calories and whatever else it is that people count when trying to lose weight. We are on the right track. But we are not investing ourselves in physical activity. We are not "moving."
I am a big advocate of walking as I am sure some of you know. I have seen the benefits of this simple activity and encourage myself and others to walk whenever they can. If you can walk, you should because in addition to all the other "counting" that we do, if we added in "counting our steps" we would have the added benefit of "moving".
I can't speak for anyone except myself, but when I walked I felt so much better and not just physically. Walking has a way of making me feel better emotionally as well. I am sure there is research that has been done to explain why this is, but I don't have that information, all I know is that it works!
I bought a tire pump so I can get my bike ready for some riding also. It's that movement thing. I encourage all of you to join me in walking, riding, running (not me yet) whatever it is that you like to do, go ahead and do it, but get moving. Don't get run over!
Be good to yourselves and each other. Remember, even though this is a contest, we still will benefit if we support and encourage each other!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Days 6-8: Let your light shine
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. ~Elizabeth Kubler Ross
I missed posting this weekend. Part of it was a technical problem. It seems that my computer at home does not have the most current version of something and so it would not allow me to get to the page where I could type. I apologize for that and with hope will have the problem resolved by this coming weekend.
I like quotes. The above quote was one of the top ten quotes on a website that I frequent. Here is the link. If you like quotes, too, you will enjoy the site. http://www.famous-quotes-and-quotations.com/inspirational-quote.html
Sometimes I think we forget the simple things in life, like the fact that our true beauty lies within, not on the outside. We can brush and polish and hone the outside to a shiny finish, but without that same thing done to the inside, we really won't shine. Our true selves won't show through when all around us darkness prevails.
I am not saying that we should not take care of our outsides, but we should never neglect the inner us, either.
I missed posting this weekend. Part of it was a technical problem. It seems that my computer at home does not have the most current version of something and so it would not allow me to get to the page where I could type. I apologize for that and with hope will have the problem resolved by this coming weekend.
I like quotes. The above quote was one of the top ten quotes on a website that I frequent. Here is the link. If you like quotes, too, you will enjoy the site. http://www.famous-quotes-and-quotations.com/inspirational-quote.html
Sometimes I think we forget the simple things in life, like the fact that our true beauty lies within, not on the outside. We can brush and polish and hone the outside to a shiny finish, but without that same thing done to the inside, we really won't shine. Our true selves won't show through when all around us darkness prevails.
I am not saying that we should not take care of our outsides, but we should never neglect the inner us, either.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Day 5: Sugar can be a "big" problem
"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up." ~Jesse Jackson
As some of you know, I am a Type II diabetic. One of my biggest fears was becoming diabetic because I have a huge fear of needles. I am not at the point that I have to take shots, but even just the testing process terrifies me.
Consequently, I have been reading more and more about natural cures and ways that they claim diabetes can be cured permanently and safely with herbs and things like that. I am not sure I believe that, but I want to try out all my options before I resign myself to a life of medication.
I received an e-mail today about unbalanced blood sugar. It was an advertisement for a natural herb remedy, but I thought some of the information they presented was interesting. It stated that unbalanced blood sugar...
"Makes it tough for you to lose weight, no matter how hard you try..."
"Drains you of energy, always leaving you tired and sluggish..."
"Puts a big strain on your heart, cholesterol, and arteries..."
"Negatively affects your memory and moods..."
"But the real shocker is: New medical research warns that too much sugar reduces your immunity by up to 92 percent!"
Wow! If this is all true, it certainly explains a lot of what has been going on in my life! I have had a tremendous battle losing weight, I am always tired and sluggish, my memory is shot (if I don't write it down, it didn't happen!).
The biggest thing for me was the thing about the immunity. I have been sick much of this past winter which has made it extremely difficult to keep up with walking or working out. In fact, I have done very little walking or working out since I first got sick in December. It was another sinus infection which I have been plagued by since my youth. I have since had at least two other sinus infections. The last one is still hanging on (going on 3 months now).
Well, I don't always believe everything I read, but if this is even half true, we really need to evaluate things, or at least I do. I have not been very conscientious about counting my carbs lately and this shows again that I need to do that.
I must also confess to you that I have been drinking soda pop again. I started drinking it again in February on a regular basis. I had stopped drinking it except on a rare occasion, last April. I have been limiting myself to only a can a day (sometimes two), but I know that I really need to cut that consumption off again. Pop is doing me absolutely no good!
Be good to yourselves! Remember you are the only you that you have.
(Sorry if this post seems a little scattered...It's that tired and sluggish thing....)
As some of you know, I am a Type II diabetic. One of my biggest fears was becoming diabetic because I have a huge fear of needles. I am not at the point that I have to take shots, but even just the testing process terrifies me.
Consequently, I have been reading more and more about natural cures and ways that they claim diabetes can be cured permanently and safely with herbs and things like that. I am not sure I believe that, but I want to try out all my options before I resign myself to a life of medication.
I received an e-mail today about unbalanced blood sugar. It was an advertisement for a natural herb remedy, but I thought some of the information they presented was interesting. It stated that unbalanced blood sugar...
"Makes it tough for you to lose weight, no matter how hard you try..."
"Drains you of energy, always leaving you tired and sluggish..."
"Puts a big strain on your heart, cholesterol, and arteries..."
"Negatively affects your memory and moods..."
"But the real shocker is: New medical research warns that too much sugar reduces your immunity by up to 92 percent!"
Wow! If this is all true, it certainly explains a lot of what has been going on in my life! I have had a tremendous battle losing weight, I am always tired and sluggish, my memory is shot (if I don't write it down, it didn't happen!).
The biggest thing for me was the thing about the immunity. I have been sick much of this past winter which has made it extremely difficult to keep up with walking or working out. In fact, I have done very little walking or working out since I first got sick in December. It was another sinus infection which I have been plagued by since my youth. I have since had at least two other sinus infections. The last one is still hanging on (going on 3 months now).
Well, I don't always believe everything I read, but if this is even half true, we really need to evaluate things, or at least I do. I have not been very conscientious about counting my carbs lately and this shows again that I need to do that.
I must also confess to you that I have been drinking soda pop again. I started drinking it again in February on a regular basis. I had stopped drinking it except on a rare occasion, last April. I have been limiting myself to only a can a day (sometimes two), but I know that I really need to cut that consumption off again. Pop is doing me absolutely no good!
Be good to yourselves! Remember you are the only you that you have.
(Sorry if this post seems a little scattered...It's that tired and sluggish thing....)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Day 4: Either way you are correct
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." ~Henry Ford
Henry Ford nailed it with the above quote didn't he? If you think you can, you are right, but if you think you can't, you are also right.
Losing weight and getting into shape follows this thinking. If we think we can lose weight and get into shape, we can. However, if we think we will never be able to lose weight or get into shape, we are right about that, too.
It is not easy to break old habits and change our eating habits, but it is something we are fully capable of doing. We just have to set our minds to it and do it.
Our minds are our biggest barriers to weight loss. Forget what the scale says, it is what our own internal critic tells us about ourselves that makes us or breaks us. A pound or two on the scale up or down, means far less than the critic who tells us that we are destined to remain heavy.
Part of losing weight and getting into shape is telling that internal critic to be still for a while. Proper mindset can make or break the battle for each of us.
Choose today to do what you know you can do. I am behind you!
Henry Ford nailed it with the above quote didn't he? If you think you can, you are right, but if you think you can't, you are also right.
Losing weight and getting into shape follows this thinking. If we think we can lose weight and get into shape, we can. However, if we think we will never be able to lose weight or get into shape, we are right about that, too.
It is not easy to break old habits and change our eating habits, but it is something we are fully capable of doing. We just have to set our minds to it and do it.
Our minds are our biggest barriers to weight loss. Forget what the scale says, it is what our own internal critic tells us about ourselves that makes us or breaks us. A pound or two on the scale up or down, means far less than the critic who tells us that we are destined to remain heavy.
Part of losing weight and getting into shape is telling that internal critic to be still for a while. Proper mindset can make or break the battle for each of us.
Choose today to do what you know you can do. I am behind you!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Day 2 and 3: I don't want to work out!
First off I wanted to apologize for not posting anything yesterday. This is something new and I am not used to doing a daily blog yet and simply forgot to do it. I apologize.
Now for Day 3:
I don't want to work out. I paid my money already at the fitness center, but I can't make myself go. It is like the old saying about you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink! Same thing here. You can take me to the fitness center, but you cannot make me workout if I don't to do it.
The fact is I would like to work out every day or even every other day. When I was going to the fitness center on a regular basis last fall, I felt great. I looked forward to the time at the fitness center putting everything out of my mind and just working out.
It isn't easy to commit to something like working out or losing weight, but if it is something we truly want to do, then we have to put it in our minds that we are going to do it. If it means "making time for it" or just not being lazy (that's my problem), then we have to dedicate ourselves to overcoming whatever is holding us back! I know that this is easier said than done, but we must at least make an effort.
Now for Day 3:
I don't want to work out. I paid my money already at the fitness center, but I can't make myself go. It is like the old saying about you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink! Same thing here. You can take me to the fitness center, but you cannot make me workout if I don't to do it.
The fact is I would like to work out every day or even every other day. When I was going to the fitness center on a regular basis last fall, I felt great. I looked forward to the time at the fitness center putting everything out of my mind and just working out.
It isn't easy to commit to something like working out or losing weight, but if it is something we truly want to do, then we have to put it in our minds that we are going to do it. If it means "making time for it" or just not being lazy (that's my problem), then we have to dedicate ourselves to overcoming whatever is holding us back! I know that this is easier said than done, but we must at least make an effort.
Monday, April 6, 2009
The "Real" Day One! April 6, 2009
Well my fellow losers, whether we are ready for it or not, today is the day we do our first weigh-in. The day we face the scale and say that we will not be afraid to look our problem in the face and say we will no longer let it rule us.
We can take control of our weight. For some of us it will be harder than for others. For some of us, it will be a daily struggle, but one that we can make it through.
Battling the "bulge" has been a struggle for me for many years. Like many of you, I didn't become out of shape and overweight overnight. It was a gradual process that crept up so slowly at first that I didn't realize it was happening. Once I did, I felt helpless to do anything about it because I thought I was too fat to exercise. Besides, I couldn't possibly be as "chunky" as the scale said I was. That thing had to be wrong!
Well, the scale wasn't wrong. Once I started admitting that I had a problem, I could come to terms with it and either let myself remain as I was or I could change it.
I chose to change it, partly for health reasons and partly, I will admit, for reasons of vanity. I am tired of looking fat and out of shape!
It's exciting to know that I CAN do something about my weight. I found that out last year when I lost weight after years of thinking it just wasn't possible.
For those of you in the area who are joining the Be A Loser With Karin challenge, I look forward to charging forward with you as we encourage and push one another along toward our own personal goals!
Good luck and Press on!
We can take control of our weight. For some of us it will be harder than for others. For some of us, it will be a daily struggle, but one that we can make it through.
Battling the "bulge" has been a struggle for me for many years. Like many of you, I didn't become out of shape and overweight overnight. It was a gradual process that crept up so slowly at first that I didn't realize it was happening. Once I did, I felt helpless to do anything about it because I thought I was too fat to exercise. Besides, I couldn't possibly be as "chunky" as the scale said I was. That thing had to be wrong!
Well, the scale wasn't wrong. Once I started admitting that I had a problem, I could come to terms with it and either let myself remain as I was or I could change it.
I chose to change it, partly for health reasons and partly, I will admit, for reasons of vanity. I am tired of looking fat and out of shape!
It's exciting to know that I CAN do something about my weight. I found that out last year when I lost weight after years of thinking it just wasn't possible.
For those of you in the area who are joining the Be A Loser With Karin challenge, I look forward to charging forward with you as we encourage and push one another along toward our own personal goals!
Good luck and Press on!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Be a Loser With Karin: Part Two
Be A Loser With Me: Part Two
Start a new you on April 6!
by Karin L. Nauber
INH Staff Writer
It’s hard to believe that spring is finally here (at least on the calendar it is). With spring often comes the feeling of renewal for people. If you want to renew your commitment to shed a few pounds, then join me on April 6 at the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Clarissa for the first weigh-in of the Be A Loser With Karin contest.
The first weigh-in will take place from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. You can stop by the news office anytime from now until April 6 to sign up or you can fill out the paperwork and sign up that night.
If you have at least 20 pounds you want to lose, you “can’t lose” with signing up for the Be A Loser With Karin weight loss contest. The cost is $25 to participate, but you can win up to $500 in cash and prizes for first place. There are also cash and prize awards for second ($250 value) and third ($100 value) place. Additionally, you will be eligible for other prizes. You will also get a free T-shirt, discounts from local businesses and a three month subscription to the Independent News Herald.
You can get all the rules and sign up materials online at: http://www.inhnews.com. Just click on the Be a Loser With Karin link. Of course, you can also stop in at the news office in Clarissa and fill out the forms.
As with last year, the winner will be determined by percentage lost. There will be four mandatory weigh-ins this year with special speakers on a variety of topics. The final weigh-in will be held on June 22.
I am excited about this year’s Be A Loser With Karin. I look forward to writing the daily blog “Fat Chat” and hope that you will enjoy it too. You can catch a preview of the blog on Facebook.com, just type in the search box “Be a Loser With Karin” once you are on Facebook and the link should show up.
You can also join the online Be A Loser With Karin on the Facebook site. However, you must be signed up in “real” life to be eligible for prizes. You can also log on to the Fat Chat blog directly by typing in the following link: http://bealoserwithkarin.blogspot.com.
We hope this year will be “bigger” and better than last year and I look forward to seeing you all at the weigh-in on April 6.
Start a new you on April 6!
by Karin L. Nauber
INH Staff Writer
It’s hard to believe that spring is finally here (at least on the calendar it is). With spring often comes the feeling of renewal for people. If you want to renew your commitment to shed a few pounds, then join me on April 6 at the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Clarissa for the first weigh-in of the Be A Loser With Karin contest.
The first weigh-in will take place from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. You can stop by the news office anytime from now until April 6 to sign up or you can fill out the paperwork and sign up that night.
If you have at least 20 pounds you want to lose, you “can’t lose” with signing up for the Be A Loser With Karin weight loss contest. The cost is $25 to participate, but you can win up to $500 in cash and prizes for first place. There are also cash and prize awards for second ($250 value) and third ($100 value) place. Additionally, you will be eligible for other prizes. You will also get a free T-shirt, discounts from local businesses and a three month subscription to the Independent News Herald.
You can get all the rules and sign up materials online at: http://www.inhnews.com. Just click on the Be a Loser With Karin link. Of course, you can also stop in at the news office in Clarissa and fill out the forms.
As with last year, the winner will be determined by percentage lost. There will be four mandatory weigh-ins this year with special speakers on a variety of topics. The final weigh-in will be held on June 22.
I am excited about this year’s Be A Loser With Karin. I look forward to writing the daily blog “Fat Chat” and hope that you will enjoy it too. You can catch a preview of the blog on Facebook.com, just type in the search box “Be a Loser With Karin” once you are on Facebook and the link should show up.
You can also join the online Be A Loser With Karin on the Facebook site. However, you must be signed up in “real” life to be eligible for prizes. You can also log on to the Fat Chat blog directly by typing in the following link: http://bealoserwithkarin.blogspot.com.
We hope this year will be “bigger” and better than last year and I look forward to seeing you all at the weigh-in on April 6.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Be a Loser With Karin Part One
Be A Loser With Me: Part 1
Let's get this started right!
by Karin L. Nauber
INH Staff Writer
If you are like me, you didn't lose all of the weight you wanted to last year. I still have about a hundred to go, but I am thrilled that I lost 30 pounds. (It fluctuates between 26 and 30, so I tell most people I lost 30 pounds.)
We plan to start the Be A Loser With Karin program again in April and hope that you will join us if you need to lose some weight.
Taking advice from some of our participants from last year, we are planning to have some scheduled group times when, if you want to, you can listen to a motivational/informational speaker or just talk about your struggles with other "losers."
We are looking forward to another good turnout as we all work toward our goals of healthier living through more active and robust lifestyles and taking control of our weight.
When I completed the Be A Loser With Karin program last year I had lost seven pounds. It was a good start for me as I went on to lose approximately 20 more throughout the course of the year.
The biggest thrill for me is that I have not gained it all back!
Watch for more information about how to sign up in the following weeks. You can join the program right up until the stating date which is April 6.
We will have sign up sheets and the rules available at the news office in Clarissa and on our website at: http://www.inhnews.com. If you have questions, don't hesitate to call the news office at 218-756-2131 or 218-738-2532.
If you are a current Facebook user, join me online, too! If you are not sure how to join the online group, send me an e-mail at: karin@inhnews.com.
Let's get this started right!
by Karin L. Nauber
INH Staff Writer
If you are like me, you didn't lose all of the weight you wanted to last year. I still have about a hundred to go, but I am thrilled that I lost 30 pounds. (It fluctuates between 26 and 30, so I tell most people I lost 30 pounds.)
We plan to start the Be A Loser With Karin program again in April and hope that you will join us if you need to lose some weight.
Taking advice from some of our participants from last year, we are planning to have some scheduled group times when, if you want to, you can listen to a motivational/informational speaker or just talk about your struggles with other "losers."
We are looking forward to another good turnout as we all work toward our goals of healthier living through more active and robust lifestyles and taking control of our weight.
When I completed the Be A Loser With Karin program last year I had lost seven pounds. It was a good start for me as I went on to lose approximately 20 more throughout the course of the year.
The biggest thrill for me is that I have not gained it all back!
Watch for more information about how to sign up in the following weeks. You can join the program right up until the stating date which is April 6.
We will have sign up sheets and the rules available at the news office in Clarissa and on our website at: http://www.inhnews.com. If you have questions, don't hesitate to call the news office at 218-756-2131 or 218-738-2532.
If you are a current Facebook user, join me online, too! If you are not sure how to join the online group, send me an e-mail at: karin@inhnews.com.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Day One
Have you ever noticed that when you are trying not to think about something...you think about it all the time?
That's how it is for me with traditional dieting. The more I know I shouldn't eat something, the more I think about it. I think about it until I can think of nothing else.
That is why I choose to NOT diet. When I don't think about something as being a punishment or as a "I can't think about this" kind of thing, it seems as though it does not affect me the way it would if I thought of it as dieting.
That's how it is for me with traditional dieting. The more I know I shouldn't eat something, the more I think about it. I think about it until I can think of nothing else.
That is why I choose to NOT diet. When I don't think about something as being a punishment or as a "I can't think about this" kind of thing, it seems as though it does not affect me the way it would if I thought of it as dieting.
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