I recently read an article stating magazines are using unrealistic pictures of women, yet describing them as healthy. The author was angry that we are constantly bombarded with images of woman who don't even really look like their own pictures. Most of them are Photo Shopped. You know what I say - "Who cares?"
First, most of these models, actresses and athletes are thin, or lean, for their job. They get paid for what they look like or how they perform. When I watch Olympic runners race, I don't get depressed, because I'm not that fast or not that lean - I'm not an Olypic runner! When I watch Oprah or Donald Trump, I don't look at my paycheck and get depressed. I am happy I get paid to do a job I love and that helps my family pay the bills.
Secondly, we can always change our lives, but we have to play with the hand we are dealt. I do not have rich or tall parents. Some others do. But I can make the best use of what they gave me and I can wear high heals!
The bottom line is, we all wake up in different circumstances and differnt bodies. You can decide to moan about how everyone else has it better and easier. Or you can take what you got, and be the best you can be!
When you walk into your Weight Watchers meeting and get on the scale, use that feed back to make the next week's plan of attack. Picture your body in the best shape ever and move towards that goal. It doesn't matter how fast you get there as long as you moving forward.
Don't look back.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Will It Always Be Like This?
One of my newer Weight Watchers members asked me, "Does this journey ever peak?" She went on to explain, by peaking she meant is it an uphill battle for a while, until you get to the most difficult moment and then it will get easier. All my Lifetime members (those who have already reached their weight goal), shook their heads, no!
We all want to believe that our weight loss journey has a beginning and an end. Of course, at some point we stop "losing" weight, but the we must continue our healthy, mindful habits to keep the weight off. If you want clean clothes, you have to keep washing them. If you want a roof over your head, you have keep paying the mortgage or rent. Even when a house is paid for, there are maintenance costs.
Realizing this fact - maintenance takes work, sometimes seems so obvious and sometimes seems so outrageous and THAT'S OK! When my members are struggling, as they come to the meeting, they think I can look in their eyes and know that they failed to follow the plan this week. They think they have no right to be in the meeting with all the successful members. However, they are in the RIGHT place. The meeting room is the place to gather the strength and motivation to take action toward a healthy lifestyle. To get "back on the wagon".
Some days are just tough! Not just for healthy living, but for continuing towards the goals you set for your entire life. No one perfect. It's not that you fall, we all will. It's having the courage to get back up. And when you are strong again and have weathered the storm, realize you are not just helping yourself, but everyone in the meeting that has been rooting for you to succeed. And when you're back in that happy place, you'll be strong enough to pull THEM back on the wagon when they need it.
Join us for the wagon ride in our Weight Watchers meeting.
We all want to believe that our weight loss journey has a beginning and an end. Of course, at some point we stop "losing" weight, but the we must continue our healthy, mindful habits to keep the weight off. If you want clean clothes, you have to keep washing them. If you want a roof over your head, you have keep paying the mortgage or rent. Even when a house is paid for, there are maintenance costs.
Realizing this fact - maintenance takes work, sometimes seems so obvious and sometimes seems so outrageous and THAT'S OK! When my members are struggling, as they come to the meeting, they think I can look in their eyes and know that they failed to follow the plan this week. They think they have no right to be in the meeting with all the successful members. However, they are in the RIGHT place. The meeting room is the place to gather the strength and motivation to take action toward a healthy lifestyle. To get "back on the wagon".
Some days are just tough! Not just for healthy living, but for continuing towards the goals you set for your entire life. No one perfect. It's not that you fall, we all will. It's having the courage to get back up. And when you are strong again and have weathered the storm, realize you are not just helping yourself, but everyone in the meeting that has been rooting for you to succeed. And when you're back in that happy place, you'll be strong enough to pull THEM back on the wagon when they need it.
Join us for the wagon ride in our Weight Watchers meeting.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I was Baaaaad!
There is only one way to lost weight - burn more than you consume. Now, I know that there are few more factors, since our bodies are so complex. But that's the simple truth. Weight Watchers did not create that fact or even discover it.
Figuring out what you are actually consuming is not so easy. People want to make it easy, so somewhere in their mind they divide food and drink into good and bad categories. If you avoid the bad food and only eat the good food, you should lose weight. However, it's not that simple! And life would be boring if we NEVER ate those foods that have no nutritional value, but are very yummy. As long as we stay in our budget of food Points (or calories), we will lose weight. I know, I know this involves some math...
Now sometimes the math works in your favor. A WW member gets on the scale, only thinking of the higher Point or non-nutritious food she ate. She says she was "bad." She is sure she gained, only to hear, "You're down!" She didn't realize, over the week, she stayed in her budget.
Sometimes it doesn't. Another member is still full from all the high fiber, healthy foods she ate! She was so "good". No cake, cookies or beer. She jumps on the scale, ready to do the happy dance. Then she hears, "It's up a pound." No way! However, if she ate more food and drink than she burned - yeah, way!
The facts are the facts. Knowledge is power. And there is one other thing you can put in your brain, besides the nutrition information of the foods you eat. Weight loss does not equal deprivation. Of course Weight Watchers wants you to lose weight AND follow the Good Health Guidelines. You can 't have all your Points in Kit Kat bars. But things like wine, cake and cheeseburgers have a place in healthy weight loss.
And that's a lot more fun than just sucking on lettuce!
Figuring out what you are actually consuming is not so easy. People want to make it easy, so somewhere in their mind they divide food and drink into good and bad categories. If you avoid the bad food and only eat the good food, you should lose weight. However, it's not that simple! And life would be boring if we NEVER ate those foods that have no nutritional value, but are very yummy. As long as we stay in our budget of food Points (or calories), we will lose weight. I know, I know this involves some math...
Now sometimes the math works in your favor. A WW member gets on the scale, only thinking of the higher Point or non-nutritious food she ate. She says she was "bad." She is sure she gained, only to hear, "You're down!" She didn't realize, over the week, she stayed in her budget.
Sometimes it doesn't. Another member is still full from all the high fiber, healthy foods she ate! She was so "good". No cake, cookies or beer. She jumps on the scale, ready to do the happy dance. Then she hears, "It's up a pound." No way! However, if she ate more food and drink than she burned - yeah, way!
The facts are the facts. Knowledge is power. And there is one other thing you can put in your brain, besides the nutrition information of the foods you eat. Weight loss does not equal deprivation. Of course Weight Watchers wants you to lose weight AND follow the Good Health Guidelines. You can 't have all your Points in Kit Kat bars. But things like wine, cake and cheeseburgers have a place in healthy weight loss.
And that's a lot more fun than just sucking on lettuce!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Is it Life or Death?
I attended the International Chief of Police convention with my husband last weekend. I didn't just party (though I did some of that, too), I also attended a few presentations as well. One that I found very interesting was "The Intersection of Psychology and Nutritional Science in Law Enforcement." Basically, how does diet influence your job performance and your self confidence.
The first part of the presentation included BMI information about new recruits in LA and the information was startling. I know the general population is 66% overweight, but these are men and women who have physical fitness requirements to get on the job, yet many of them couldn't pass the physical fitness test or BMI requirements! They are usually young, and know what a demanding job law enforcement is, both on the body and the mind, so they needed to be ready. They needed to pass the tests to get the job, but they didn't know what to do.
So, the LA police department developed a program for those police academy recruits who could not pass the PT requirement. The improvements were dramatic. The problems also extend to currents members of the LA police, so the department hired a nutritionist to work with the department psychologists. The goal was to create a plan for the department to live a healthier lifestyle, which would improve job performance and overall well being. Obviously, stress plays a big roll in creating health problems and so does realities of working out of squad car with no set schedules. The recommendations had to work with the realities of the law enforcement lifestyle. They wanted to focus on progress, not perfection. If only every department could have these resources!
Being in shape for a police officer can mean the difference between life and death for both him or her and for the public they are hired to protect. Life or death.
Do you think, because you don't chase "bad boys" at your job, that your health doesn't matter at your work place or home? You are not separate from you body. You carry it with you. Everywhere. How can you be the best {fill in the blank} if you feel like junk. Don't you deserve to be at your best every day? Shouldn't we be grateful for the opportunity to "choose" to live a healthy life. That's why you choose to be a Weight Watcher. Let us help you make better choices within the realities of YOUR life.
Yes, living a healthy lifestyle and being at a healthy weight is a matter of life and death.
Yours.
The first part of the presentation included BMI information about new recruits in LA and the information was startling. I know the general population is 66% overweight, but these are men and women who have physical fitness requirements to get on the job, yet many of them couldn't pass the physical fitness test or BMI requirements! They are usually young, and know what a demanding job law enforcement is, both on the body and the mind, so they needed to be ready. They needed to pass the tests to get the job, but they didn't know what to do.
So, the LA police department developed a program for those police academy recruits who could not pass the PT requirement. The improvements were dramatic. The problems also extend to currents members of the LA police, so the department hired a nutritionist to work with the department psychologists. The goal was to create a plan for the department to live a healthier lifestyle, which would improve job performance and overall well being. Obviously, stress plays a big roll in creating health problems and so does realities of working out of squad car with no set schedules. The recommendations had to work with the realities of the law enforcement lifestyle. They wanted to focus on progress, not perfection. If only every department could have these resources!
Being in shape for a police officer can mean the difference between life and death for both him or her and for the public they are hired to protect. Life or death.
Do you think, because you don't chase "bad boys" at your job, that your health doesn't matter at your work place or home? You are not separate from you body. You carry it with you. Everywhere. How can you be the best {fill in the blank} if you feel like junk. Don't you deserve to be at your best every day? Shouldn't we be grateful for the opportunity to "choose" to live a healthy life. That's why you choose to be a Weight Watcher. Let us help you make better choices within the realities of YOUR life.
Yes, living a healthy lifestyle and being at a healthy weight is a matter of life and death.
Yours.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
You Can't Avoid Eating
How did you get to work today? Did Scotty beam you up? Did Jeannie blink her eyes? (I’m dating myself…). No, you had to get up, take a shower (I hope), get dressed, get in the car, bus or boat and get to work. Maybe climb some stairs to get to your office. That process took some planning. Set the alarm, make sure you had shampoo, gas in the car, your umbrella , etc. Guess what else you have to do today? EAT! So make sure you are doing the proper planning so you have everything you need to stay on your Weight Watchers plan. Buy some fruit. Make your lunch and actually take it with you. Check out the menus of you favorite restaurants BEFORE you go out to eat.
Most of all, pay attention during the meetings for yummy and easy ways to plan and eat foods that you will enjoy and keep you healthy. Write the ideas down! It does no good if you go food shopping and forget all the great food ideas. Use your calendar, paper or electronic, to plan meals for the week, especially on the days that will be very busy. Don't make food decisions at the last minute, especially if you are hungry, tired, aggravated or distracted.
No one plans to fail, they just fail to plan.
Most of all, pay attention during the meetings for yummy and easy ways to plan and eat foods that you will enjoy and keep you healthy. Write the ideas down! It does no good if you go food shopping and forget all the great food ideas. Use your calendar, paper or electronic, to plan meals for the week, especially on the days that will be very busy. Don't make food decisions at the last minute, especially if you are hungry, tired, aggravated or distracted.
No one plans to fail, they just fail to plan.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
