You Are What You Eat

Last week's homework assignment was to make sure you are eating within one hour of waking and then every 2.5 - 3 hours. I was not as concerned about what you ate, just as long as you were having frequent meals. I know some of you still have coffee, run out the door and don't eat most of the day. Don't worry about eating perfectly - yet. Sometimes we are so concerned about being perfect that we get paralyzed and do nothing. If you have mastered the skill of eating frequently, this week I would like your meals to consist of protein, healthy carbs, veggies and a little bit of healthy fat. Why? The answers are below, but natural, non-processed foods make better fuel and build a better body. That's what we are trying to do at GISFW - build a new you that feels better, works better and keeps the weight off, and create habits that last a lifetime.

I've attached the handout that I've been giving out at the nutrition consults. If you want me to go over it, please stop by my office. I also included a new document from franchise school that has 3 days of sample menus and the shopping list to go with it. Between the 2 documents, you should be able to plan you meals for the rest of the week!

I know you are all logging your meals on Vitabot and on paper logs. I've been reviewing the Vitabot accounts, but please email me if you want me to look at yours. Let me know if you have any particular questions or concerns.



Protein - creating a better, stronger you

Exercise is vital if you want to transform your body, and stay transformed. Exercise actually creates small tears in muscle fibers that need to be repaired. The feeling of being ?sore? after a workout is just that, you feel the minuscule tears that have occurred during your workout. To repair these sore muscles properly, you must fuel them with the proper amount, and type, of proteins. Just like a scar forming after a cut heals, the human body responds to stress by reinforcing the affected area; this tissue will grow back together stronger and denser than before to protect itself from continued stress. The denser and stronger the muscle is, the more fuel it requires to operate. Following a workout program consistently will build lean muscle and raise your body's resting metabolic rate, which means your body will burn more calories throughout the day. Good protein sources include lean meats, chicken, lamb, turkey, whey supplements, as well as fish, eggs, and Greek-style yogurts. Meat should be free of hormones and antibiotics whenever possible. To expedite the break-down of protein for use in muscle repair, certain fats should be utilized as well.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. We need carbs to fuel our bodies properly throughout the day. The best sources are fresh fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, whole wheat, quinoa, and potatoes. Complex carbs break down more slowly and contain more fiber, which will keep insulin sensitivity down throughout the day, leading to lower risks of diabetes and heart disease.
Simple carbs should be severely restricted, or eliminated entirely from your diet. These include white sugar, white breads and pastries, many breakfast cereals and anything else containing sucrose, glucose, maltose, and high fructose corn syrup. A diet high in these simple carbohydrates have been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and tooth decay. They will spike insulin levels, which will lead to calories being stored as fat instead of being used by the body for energy.

Fats, they aren't all bad

Making sure your body is being fed certain fats every day is just as important as keeping other fats out. Fats build and maintain healthy cells, insulate tissue, protect organs, help to absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and maintain skin and hair. Another benefit of having good fats in our diet is to help make you feel full for longer periods of time.
There are 4 types of fats ? monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are the 'good fats' ? they are more easily broken down to be used for energy, and have great benefits. Any saturated fats should be kept to a bare minimum in your diet. Saturated fats are resistant to breakdown, and clog your body?s processes, raising your blood cholesterol levels. Documentation supports that people living with diets high in saturated fats have much higher instances of disease, especially over time. Trans fat should be totally avoided. Trans fats are the partially hydrogenated oils and shortenings that can be found in packaged goods and used in restaurants (which some states are starting to ban!). They are synthetic, not essential to the body, and highly damaging. Trans fats increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL (good cholesterol). Trans fats are being linked to increases in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
Polyunsaturated fats are made up of essential fatty acids, and the two main essential fatty acids are omega-3 and omega 6. In addition to the benefits listed above, unsaturated fats can also help boost metabolism, mood, brain function and libido. Since your body cannot create these on its own, you must introduce these from an external source. Most people get enough omega-6's in their diet, from oils such as corn, canola, soy, sunflower and animal fats, but are lacking in omega-3's, found in flaxseed, walnuts, cold water fish, and dark green leafy vegetables. Having a balance of omega-6 to omega-3 in a 3-to-1 ratio is best. The average person has a ratio of 15-20:1, which can have a negative effect by causing inflammation and cardiovascular problems. Monounsaturated fats can be found in vegetable oils such as olive, canola, peanut, sunflower, and sesame, as well as avocados, peanut butter and many other nuts and seeds. They can help to lower bad cholesterol levels, lowering risk of heart disease and stroke.

Water, it's all around you, and chances are you aren't getting enough!

"Drink More Water", you hear it everywhere, but most people do not understand how it can help with proper bodily function. The liver is a very capable organ, it can even assist other organs to perform their jobs if things get too crazy. One of the liver?s jobs is to metabolize stored body fat and turn it into usable energy. Great! Getting the liver to work at its peak efficiency means getting the kidneys to work at 100% as well, since the liver takes some of the load off the kidneys when things get troublesome. Keeping the kidneys hydrated allows them to do their job, and reduces the need of the liver to get involved in the process. Getting enough water into your system will allow your kidneys, and thus your liver, to function properly, metabolizing the fats you have released by eating and exercising correctly. Staying hydrated also keeps your body flushing away any unwanted toxins from your system. Sodium can build up and retain water outside of the cells, giving your body that ?bloated? look. It may seem backwards, but drinking enough water actually reduces the bloat. Your body learns that it will be kept hydrated from an outside source, and does not have to hold on to water internally to function properly.

Calories Count on The Weekend, too!

You've made it to Friday! And guess what - all the nutrition guidelines still apply for the weekend. I know the rules aren't always clear, so I hope I've been able to answer your questions so we get you to your goals.

Let me give ylou a few tips to get through the weekend. Treat Saturday and Sunday as if it were Monday or Tuesday. Stay away from processed foods and plan a good breakfast, which sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many of us eat breakfast later on the weekends, or not at all, and then when the hole opens up in our stomach midday, we can't make rational decisions. Don't let yourself get too hungry.

Use Vitabot or your food log as a planning tool. So if you are planning on having some fun foods at dinner or brunch, figure that out first, and then plan around it. Make sure the rest of you meals have protein and veggies, and save more of the carbs for your PLANNED treat. Don't make the weekends all or nothing.

Bring food with you when you go out. Fruit and a string cheese are my favorites, but if you have a favorite high protein, high fiber bar you like, take that with you. But even gas stations have some better choices - don't get hungry!

Last, if you accidentally make a poor food choice (and no you're not BAD), make the next bite or meal a great choice. What's done is done. Don't punish or starve yourself. That only backfires.

OK - so here's my next story. 3 years ago, I decided to buy a new house and, based on my research, I found the house of my dreams in Middleton. I figured out what I could afford and signed a contract with my bank to pay a certain amount every month. Well,,,after a while, I got tired of paying that much money. I wanted to buy new furniture, go on more vacations and not work as much to pay for it. So, I called the bank and said, for a few months, I just wanted to pay 75% of the mortgage - just until I get motivated to work a little harder - and boy do I need more vacations!! They said, we can help you out for a month, if you are having troubles, but if you don't pay 100%, you'll not only lose your house, but all the money you invested in it. So, I kept paying 100%...

When you joined GISFW, you knew we are the best transformation program around. You wanted to get the best "house" possible - your body (you can't leave home without it). You signed a contract to give it 100% and we helped you learn what that is. I am not saying there wasn't a learning curve, but you now know what to do. So, if you only give it 60-75%, especially with your nutrition on the weekends, you're not only NOT going to get results, but you may lose all the progress you made at the beginning. Don't waste the hard work you do most of the time. You deserve the best, healthy body.

Don't give up want you want most for what you want in the moment.

Sunday is a Great day for Planning

I can't believe how quickly the weekend goes by. I know we want to get in as much down time as we can before it all starts again on Monday. However, I have found that Sunday is a great day to get prepared for the upcoming week. This is even more important when the week must include healthy meals. Simply looking at the week ahead and discussing it with your family can make a big difference in staying on track. In the Ford home we take out the calendar and look at each days to figure who is going to be around when and what nights we will be eating together. Well, really I am looking for when my husband will be home to cook, and that is definitely part of MY plan.

We schedule the meals ahead, so if I am in Market Basket on Monday and we are having chicken Picatta on Wednesday, I know to get some lemons. We do a lot of cooking ahead, so no matter who is where when, there will be food in the fridge. I am sure you've noticed me eating food, real food, at odd times in the studio. It's usually some leftovers from whenever. When you make your shopping list for the meals you've planned, don't forget to add healthy snacks like fruits, string cheese, Greek yogurt and a high fiber, high protein snack bar (for when you're on the run).

So now you have your meal plan, shopping list and are off to the supermarket. You can't eat healthy food, unless you have healthy food, so go get them! Then, since our meal plan is just mix and match protein, veggies and healthy carbs, cook up some protein. I love chicken tenders. They cook fast and you can flavor them in so many ways. A couple of ideas: marinate them in fat free or low fat salad dressing, season with taco flavoring, Mrs. Dash, Cayenne pepper, or low salt teryaki sauce. You can try different flavors and cook them all at once.

Another idea from one of our team mates (you know who you are) is to saute, with a little olive oil or Pam, vidalia onions and garlic, then add chicken tenders to brown and finish cooking with stewed tomatoes. Yummy! You can then add this to even more veggies. I always have bags of frozen BirdsEye Steam fresh veggies on hand to pop in the microwave to add bulk, and vitamins, to my meals.

I would love to hear some of you food ideas. Email me or let me know about them when you are in the studio.

To hear more information and ideas - come to my nutrition seminar in the studio on Sunday August 15th at 10:00 AM.

We don't plan to fail, we fail to plan! So, start this week out right! I'm going to Market Basket right now...

To Your Health,

BBQ Tips

Labor Day weekend is big for BBQs. Don't let that be an excuse to go off your healthy eating plans. Here a few tips to stay on track.

Don't go to the party hungry. Nothing good comes from being hungry. You can't make rational decisions, and we always think since we didn't have our 250 calorie breakfast, we can eat 2000 calories of appetizers.

Don't go too early. Unless you plan on playing volleyball all day, most people just eat and drink at BBQs. Don't make it harder than it has to be by staring at the food longer than you have to. And if you have those friends that say to be there by 2:00PM, but don't starting cooking until 5:00PM, plan accordingly.

Bring healthy foods and beverages. I always bring air popped popcorn and a fruit platter. Everyone always loves it! And BBQs are that rare opportunity to feel comfortable bringing you own chicken or even light rolls and no one cares. Try doing that when the host is preparing a 5 course meal. You would never ask to cook chicken breast when they had lasagna in the oven!

Stay active. If there are kids around, get up and do something with them. Go for a walk with your friends and relatives instead of sitting next to the chips.

Don't miss your next workout or weigh in! It doesn't matter what you've done, the next step is what's important!

Feet to the Fire

The management team at GISFW has decided to take all the Danvers clients and set them up as the training team for all new managers. You see, since I haven't been to training yet, I've been testing all my skills on you. You've done a great job! Sean, Charles and Brian (the owner) decided I would learn best if they put my "feet to the fire". Honestly, I think they just made me do what they didn't feel like doing, but I am sure they will deny it. I think they kept betting how far they could push me before I ran out the door and never came back. So far, I'm still here. I probably could have stepped back and moved slow, but I don't roll that way. They knew I could push myself further than I thought I could. I made some mistakes(sorry!), but every small success built my confidence, and I finally hit my stride. Good for me, maybe not so good for you.

Now I have a time to focus on you and your healthy lifestyle goals. I am sure when you joined you were VERY excited for the transformations in your future. I was too when I finally decided to take the job. Then you realized, as I did, that this takes work!! Our team knows you have what it takes to make permanent lifestyle changes. And you won't go running out the door! We need you to work hard for the whole hour you are in the studio. Feed off the energy! But what I need you to do is to focus on the nutrition. I will be looking on the Vitabot accounts and the total weight losses. I want to see more paper logs. I know eating "good" takes work, but when you do it - you will feel great and get closer to your goals! You can't out-exercise a bad diet.

Don't think if you don't log it, write it or get on the scale, that any mistakes did not happen! The pounds are still on the body, even if you hide from the scale. Face it, and then take action. Next week is weigh in week - don't be afraid. Being uncomfortable means you are challenging yourself and then you will change. Doing the same old thing, will give you the same old results. So here is what I want you to do:

Eat every few hours. Just break it down to breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. I've include the Nutrition Cheat sheet in case you can't find yours. Now let's keep it simple, every meal or snack, have one serving of protein (3 oz or the size of your fist) one choice from the carbohydrate list and one food from the vegetable list. A snack can just have a healthy fruit or veggie from the carb list. That's it! Think outside the box. A mid-afternoon snack can be some shrimp and sliced melon. I actually eat 5 evenly spaced meals that are the same size. My dinner usually has 2 green veggies, a salad with olive oil and no carbs, since I workout earlier in the day.

Try and create a few choices for each meal and mix and match. Once you get in the habit of eating this way, you can be a little more creative with each choice. One thing that keep my food interesting this time of year is to grill all kinds of veggies. They taste so good!! I make big batches, so I can just heat them up when I need them. You can even grill fruit. Pineapple, bananas and peaches are good choices.

Keep it Simple

Are you trying to figure out why the pounds aren't coming off? Do you conveniently forget what you ate or drank? Don't think if you don't log it, write it or get on the scale, that any mistakes did not happen! The pounds are still on the body, even if you hide from the scale. Face it, and then take action. Get on the scale - don't be afraid. Being uncomfortable means you are challenging yourself and then you will change. Doing the same old thing, will give you the same old results. So here is what I want you to do:

Eat every few hours. Just break it down to breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Now let's keep it simple, every meal or snack, have one serving of protein (3 oz or the size of your fist) one healthy whole food, high fiber carbohydrate and one food from the vegetable list. A snack can just have a healthy fruit or veggie from the carb list. That's it! Think outside the box. A mid-afternoon snack can be some shrimp and sliced melon. I actually eat 5 evenly spaced meals that are the same size. My dinner usually has 2 green veggies, a salad with olive oil and no carbs, since I workout earlier in the day.

Try and create a few choices for each meal and mix and match. Once you get in the habit of eating this way, you can be a little more creative with each choice. One thing that keeps my food interesting this time of year is to grill all kinds of veggies. They taste so good!! I make big batches, so I can just heat them up when I need them. You can even grill fruit. Pineapple, bananas and peaches are good choices. Every meal is not a party. And don't act as if you didn't realize you would have to eat at some point! So plan ahead. You will be glad you did when the stomach rumbles.

Away from home - be afraid!

The secret to weight loss, or even weight maintenance, is calories in vs calories out. When we eat foods that we made, or that have a nutrition label on it, we are pretty sure how many calories, fat, protein and carbs are in it. If you are not sure of the nutrition information of any food, please log onto your Vitabot account or use a calorie counting book.

But..when you eat meals away from home, whether at a restaurant or a Dunkin' Donuts, we are never sure of how many calories there are and we guesstimate. Luckily for us, many restaurants now have web sites with nutrition information on it. But we must look BEFORE we eat! So, let's use D&D for an example. Now, I have nothing against this New England Chain, I love coffee since I'm Italian and married to a police officer, but a for a little somthin', somthin' with coffee you can do a lot of damage:

Bagel with Cream Cheese: 470 cal, 17.5 grams fat, 66 grams carbs
Chocolate chip muffin: 590 cal, 22 grams fat, 92 grams carbs
Chocolate chip cookie (it's small!): 360 cal, 15 grams fat, 53 carbs
Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin (no bargain here): 430 cal, 22 g fat, 92 carbs
And though not a health food,
Glazed donut: 220 cal, 9 grams fat, 31 carbs. That's actually the lowest in calories. So, if you wanted to have one these choices at a treat meal, and you really wanted the donut, you may choose the reduced fat Blueberry muffin based on misinformation.

Another shockers: Uno Chicago Classic INDIVIDUAL Deep Dish pizza: 2,310 cal, 162 g fat and 4,200 grams of sodium - should be for a family of 4.

Don't even go to Macaroni Grill! I got some of this information from the book Eat This, Not That. For more information go to http://eatthis.menshealth.com/home

To find great food ideas, and to get emails about more food shockers and healthy food substitutions, log onto www.hungry-girl.com It's one of my favorites!

Here's a quick food idea. We all love the Greek yogurt because it's so rich and full of protein. The plain ones are the least in sugar, but you many want a little flavor. I use a little Jell-O sugar free fat free pudding mix, dry to add flavor. Now you can have chocolate, butterscotch or even pistachio. Or...you can add onion soup mix for a great dip for cut up veggies.

20 Years of Experience

I’ve worked for 20 years in the healthy living/weight loss industry, and I’ve learned a few things to be true. This has also been my own personal experience.

You must have a strong WHY to accomplish your health and fitness goals. If you don’t have a very strong why, you will never do the work it takes to become and stay a healthy and fit person. I assume this goal is not temporary, and “for life” is a very long time. We do everything for one of 2 reasons: the avoidance of pain or the pursuit of pleasure. I have met most of you because that last straw moment was painful enough for you to walk through the door at Weight Watchers or GISFW (a big step). However, if your why doesn’t turn positive, when the pain isn’t as strong, you will give up. So, if you got the news from your doctor that you must be on medication, because you are overweight and eat unhealthy foods, you may be shocked into action. But as you get used to taking a pill everyday, or maybe you even get off the medication, because of the diet changes, the pain starts to fade and it gets harder to say no to the cheesecake. You must find a positive WHY. Then focus on how wonderful this journey is (eating delicious fruits and veggies, having tons of energy and getting a good night’s sleep), and not just on the destination; what you do to get to your goals is what you have to keep doing to stay there.

Bottom line, what does a healthy lifestyle get you? Put that reason on your refrigerator, snack cabinet, bathroom mirror and computer screen and let those you love know too so that they can support you as well.

Another thing I learned is that you must get rid of the obstacles that are stopping you from living your best healthy life. I know you know what’s getting in your way. You tell me all the time: “I don’t cook”; “I never have healthy food in the house”; “I drink or eat too much at restaurants”. {fill in your issue} They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, so solve the problem. I’m not saying your obstacles aren’t difficult to overcome-that’s why they’re obstacles-but unless nothing changes, well, nothing changes. But there is a big difference between difficult and impossible.

OK, the last one. All my WW members know that I love analogies. I will miss wearing my outfits and using my props when I do my entrance. Here is one of my favorite stories I like to tell, especially to those members who have come back to see me:

I have this friend and she met this guy, John. He was perfect for her, a soul mate. They had so much in common and could talk for hours. He was kind and supportive and made her laugh. Six months later I called her to see how things were going with John and she said she broke up with him. What? It made no sense.

Back to you…So far, everyone at at WW or GISFW loves being there. You love how you feel. Enjoy what you eat and love how it make you feel. Love the workouts, or are getting to like them more. Your energy is high, cholesterol is lower and clothes are fitting better. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you think this is temporary. I’ll tell you this: NO ONE has ever left me, strayed from her healthy lifestyle, gained weight and said that she’s so glad that she left. We are here to help you, so don’t leave us! I have a mechanic, a tax accountant and doctor. They are the experts that I turn to. I still have to do the work, but they give me guidance and accountability. For my WW members, this has been a wonderful experience and thank for sharing your success with me. I am not going anywhere, though. I will still be at lindadf@comcast.net or you can visit me at Get In Shape For Women in Danvers at 110 Newbury St. I hope to see you soon.

More Good Reasons To Get Up and Move

I caught up on my magazines while I'm was on vacation and found some information that will make you feel good. This came from the May edition of Shape.

"Sure you can lose weight through diet alone, but new research shows that if you don't exercise too, you could be missing out on a bevy of health benefits.

In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, one group of women worked out five days a week and reduced their calorie intake and the other just slashed calories. "Everyone lost about 10 percent of their body weight over six months," says Enette Larson-Meyer, PH.D., R.D. the studies lead author and assistant professor at the University of Wyoming. "But those who exercised also saw an improvement in their cholesterol and blood pressure levels. "What's more they upped their life expectancy by about 19%."

And you thought you were working so hard at exercising and eating healthy to go shopping in your own closet.

What will you accomplish with all those extra years in your life?

Back To Basics

OK, the Fourth of July is over. I know that some of you may be on vacation still, but lets start the summer with the basics. Let's not make this more difficult than it needs to be. Consume at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day. Get in 2 dairy. Eat protein and whole grains. 2 Servings of oils. 6 glasses of water. Get out your tracker and plan for 3 meals and 2 snacks every day. Include protein with every meal and some snacks, to keep you full. Breakfast - Egg Beaters, spinach and mushrooms, whole wheat bread (protein, veggie whole grain). Lunch - romaine lettuce, tuna, vinegar and tsp oil, yogurt (veggie, protein, oil, dairy). Have plenty of cooked protein, fruit, and dairy in the fridge and Birdseye Frozen Steamfresh veggies in the freezer. For some variety or for when you don't have time, buy a few frozen dinners(and store them in FRONT of the ice cream) and add some veggies and salad for a quick meal.

Keep these foods on hand so you won't get hungry. We never make good decisions on and empty stomach. Of course, the work is in the shopping. But once you have what you need, the combinations are limitless. And don't forget to take the food with you. You can't eat what you don't have. Which sometimes is a good thing...

Are You Really Hungry?

I just read a letter in Shape magazine. The author’s 3-year old son was half way done with his dinner and said he was full and pushed away his plate. What a novel idea! End of story. Why don’t we do that any more? We don’t listen to our hunger. We eat for all the wrong reasons – boredom, stress, “fill in the blank”. I love the saying, “If the problem isn’t hunger, the answer isn’t food”. So let’s get back to basics. Fruits, veggies, protein and healthy grains are a way to nourish our bodies. Food is not a reward or a punishment. It’s fuel, which we need! Make the healthiest choices possible and everything in moderation. When we eat healthy and delicious foods we have the energy to tackle all our responsibilities, which in turn, make us feel better, which prevents us from turning to food for all the wrong reasons. Circle of life? Something like that, but you know what I mean. If we fill up on the healthy stuff, we don’t crave or have room for all the junk. Be kind to your body. It deserves it!

Why Are They Successful?

It's difficult for me to know who will be successful when he or she walks through the door. I believe EVERY person has the ability to reach his or her health and fitness goals. But why do some complete the transformation and others don't? Everyone thinks it is the big, grand changes that really matter. I can tell you this, the decision to make a change is huge, but the success lies in the very small actions and decisions, done over and over again. Those small steps can seem easy at times and near impossible the next. But each positive action towards reaching your goals, will make it easier to face each obstacle as it comes.

The defintion of success can be different at different time in a lifetime. I know, when it comes to eating healthy, whether for weight loss or weight maintenance, and exercising, even the most successful members have a "season". Of course for most of us Thanksgiving to February is difficult. Living in New England doesn't help. However, I don't throw caution to the wind and become a couch potatoes during the holidays. I just don't expect to be at my fighting race weight or setting any race PRs. I set realistic expectations. Goals that are different. I'm not saying you CAN'T lose weight at that time, I actually did last year, but you should be realistic. The fall is my best time and I raise the bar high. You can't be at full steam 100% of the time. But you never want to get so far back that recovery seems impossible.

So, what makes a successful member? The person who looks at each decision, at that moment, and decides which one will bring him or her closer to the goal. So, when a member can go to bed, or make her lunch first, she makes lunch. The difference, a few minutes, but a huge investment in tomorrow and another victory over the voices that want you to take the easy way out. She orders fish for dinner without butter, but when it's served, it's swimming in it. She sends it back, ignoring the groans of her friends. She eats a few minutes later, but another victory.

Each time you fight to make the right decision, you feel stronger. Every time the world doesn't fall apart because you leave your family to go for a 30 minute walk, you prove to yourself you can do it. Over time those decisions will come more naturally. I have a few routines that I've been doing for years. I don't go anywhere without food and often get a few stares, but everyone always wants a bite of what I have! Most of my days start off with a run. Rain, cold, or heat. Some days it's only 45 minutes. Most days not more than 60. That's because I don't waste time deciding if I should go for a run. Before I go to bed, my clothes are out and I know how far I will be running. A few minutes of mental rehearsing and there will be no struggle in the morning. I don't have to be an Olympic athlete to win my own race to stay healthy.

So, what makes my successful members so, well successful? The little things. All the things you can do, day in and day out, too. It doesn't hurt to see the scale going down, the clothes fitting better and the doctor giving you Kudos. Success breeds success. Next time you are faced with a little decision - should I measure how much cereal I'm eating - just do it! Do you want to be moving closer or away from you goals. Small steps make a big difference.

Right Now

I meet most of my members because of some last straw moment - being told they need to go on medication, realizing none of their clothes fit, or not being able to chase after their toddler. That moment is their PRESENT reality. They can't escape it. They want to change. They need to change.

After they get the program information, they may get excited for a healthy future, or depressed by all the wrong decisions they made in the past that affected their health and weight. Their good or bad feeling are about the past and the future, not about RIGHT NOW (does this sound like "A Christmas Carol"?). Having a goal and a plan is important. You don't know if you got there, if you don't know where you are going. But so many members spend time worrying about a vacation coming up in 2 months or why didn't they keep going to meetings last time so they wouldn't have gained so much weight back. What's done is done. Learn from it, but move on. Decide on what the best plan of action is for the day and for the week. The best use of your time right now may be planning for the future, like making dinners for the week. But don't starve today, because you have a party at the end of the week. Yes, you can save your weekly Points allowance for the weekend, but don't under eat (and torture yourself) for something that hasn't happened yet.

I know this from experience. I would go back and forth from being on a diet one day and eating everything in sight another. I would go from trying to lose weight to eating too much because I was on vacation (which would be why I lost weight before the vacation). I wouldn't appreciate where I was right now. I wouldn't make food decisions on what felt good for today. That's why members are afraid of maintenance. What happens when I am no longer trying to lose weight to get to goal in the future? Can I keep the weight off, since I didn't in the past?

If you think of what you eat as food you need to get all your nutrition in, plus some fun foods and a little less of both if you want to safely lose weight, you live in the present. If you quiet those past and future stories and listen to what your body wants at this moment, you'd be surprised at what you hear. When it wants dessert, I listen. When it wants some protein to rebuild, I listen. If the scale says I am gaining weight, I may have to tell my body a thing or two, like lets put the food on the scale to make sure it's not too much, I do it. If I have to eat a snack that I don't love, but it's something that will give me energy and not melt in the car, I bring it. Life isn't just about the food. But if I feel lousy, because I didn't have good fuel, that will effect how I feel in the present.

So, start your day off with your daily Points target and plan to fill it with the best nutritious, filling foods. Live in this moment. Don't worry about your goal weight, or what you ate for breakfast when you weighed in last week. Think about making the best choice in front of you. Understand there are rules (check your Pocket Guide)to losing weight, but enjoy the journey. If you don't, the destination won't matter.

Why Exercise?

One of my WW members is a nurse, so she definitely knows more about health and nutrition than I do! So when she wanted to tell me about the latest research concerning cardiac rehab patients, I was all ears.

She told me something that you may have already heard. Just adding exercise to your lifestyle does not mean you will lose weight. So I ran out and gave all my running stuff to Goodwill! No, only kidding. She then went on to say that though weight loss is important for cardiac patients with heart disease, the benefits of exercise were important, too. They were stress relief, lower blood pressure, more HDL and more energy to improve their quality of life. She mentioned some more health improvements, but I need to go to medical school to understand them.

The words I want you to take away from the last paragraph are "quality of life". I know that losing extra weight does improve our quality of life. Try carrying a 5 pound bag of sugar with you all day and you will get tired. But if the changes you make, such as eating less, eating better quality foods and moving more are just a means to an end, you will eventually give up. Your mind, body and habits must change. If you stick with WW, as time goes on, you will become a different person and not just on the outside.

If you are the old you, only temporarily doing different things, then you will always want to go back to behaving like the old you. So you may not like exercise at first and you may not like fruits and veggies that much, but as your body, mind and energy improve, you will. When you finish a workout, you won't think, "How many calories did I burn?" you will think, "My body can do amazing things, I have lots of energy and I look better than ever!" If you stick with the program long enough, you will realize your new, healthy way of living is so much better. You may not even recognize the person you used to be.

You don't wear your weight on your forehead. But everyone can see the spring in your step, the smile on your face and the strength you have now that you are a healthy person. The weight will come off. If it isn't, we can go back to the basic formula of calories in, calories out and make the right adjustments.

I believe you can't have a strong mind without a strong body. That makes for a great "quality of life." Inside and out.

The Rules Still Apply

Sometimes a member will come up to me and say, "Weight Watchers isn't working for me." I know that many people lose weight in all different ways, so maybe WW is not for them. But I don't give up that easy. I will then ask, "What seems to be the problem?" They might say, "I am not losing weight". OK. I'll then ask why. They usually know why. It could be night time snacking, or not planning meals. It could be eating too much at restaurants or eating for stress relief. OK, we are getting somewhere. So what should you do?

They answer "Try something else."

Like the plan that lets you eat whatever you want? The plan that makes every meal, no matter what it consists of, only 500 calories? Well, there isn't one. You want to lose the weight really fast. There are other plans like that. But will they keep the weight off? That is still calories in vs calories out.

My point is, if you understand the WW information and you know how many calories a food has, then you should be able to make decisions that put you in a deficit. It you are eating more food anyway, lets figure out why together. Members think the answer is out there somewhere. If they get a different exercise video things will be better. If I get a crock pot, I will finally cook. If I read the latest weight loss research, I will change. But what will really change.

I am not saying we all didn't have some turning point or last straw. I think that's why we finally get to a meeting. I just think we first need to look inward, then outward. That's why we wait until Monday, because we think something is going to change, magically. We have to change. I know. I've read about enough great weight loss secrets to know there are none. I have to laugh. What made me think that I could follow some crazy quick loss program, when I couldn't even follow "moderation".

The rules still aply. Calories in vs calories out. Let figure out how to keep you in the game.

Focus on The Actions

I wish that my Weight Watchers scale did not just record your current body weight. I wish it would tell me what positive actions you took that reflect your healthy lifestyle. Sometimes my members had a great week action wise, but the weight loss does not show it. And sometimes members come to the scale with their eyes closed, knowing what kind of week they had (not good) and the scale numbers still may go down. Either way, the number on the scale seems to be the be all, end all of my members success.

Look, I know you are trying to LOSE WEIGHT. But ultimately, it's what you do over time, consistently that makes a difference. I understand you are disappointed if you had a great week - following the Good Health Guidelines, counting POINTS and moving more, and the scale does not budge. But you must have confidence that persistence wins this race.

I do get excited to hear about your weight loss, but what really makes me happy, and sure of your success, is seeing you in the meeting, every week, no matter what. That is the first action you take each week towards a healthy lifestyle. If you are not doing everything you need to do, focus on figuring out what you need to change to make that happen. Don't focus on what you did wrong. Don't keep feeling bad. Learn from the experience and then take action to make sure it doesn't happen again. When members "fall of the wagon" and just feel guilty, they never move forward. You can't change what is done. Guilt is not helpful!

Just taking one positive step changes the momentum. Get out your tracker. Go for a walk. Make a plan! Get out the recipes. Don't wait until you can do everything perfect to come back to the meeting if you been avoiding the scale. It is more important to get to the meeting when it's been a tough week. You don't have to get on the scale. Just let me know you're there.

That's what I did today. My list of things to do this weekend is LONG... I didn't want to do any of it. I didn't know where to start. So I made a quick list of things I needed to get done now, and then I went for my run. I came back and started my day. If I don't check off everything on my list, so what. As long as the list is getting shorter.

You may not know how the baby healthy steps you are taking are going to effect you weight loss, but if you can check it off the list, you know you are a success. This is a lifestyle. Just do it!

I Got The Weight Off - Now What?

The one question that everyone asks, even when they are a very successful Weight Watchers members is, "Why is it so hard to keep the weight off?" There are 2 answers.

One, doing anything for a long time is difficult! The healthy habits we needed to do are the same for weight loss as they are for weight maintenance. It's the same as when we clean the house for company and then we think we can keep it "Good Housekeeping" clean for ever. That means consistently putting things away, etc. It doesn't always happen! So, sometimes our healthy habit take a backseat to other priorities. The difference between those that keep it off and those that have trouble, is successful people recover quickly. They don't get weighed down by mishaps. Forgiveness is key. Guilt will drag you down.

Two, is adherence to the rules. When you hit goal, biology does not change. Calories in vs calories out. Members think that when they get to goal, they can maintain their weight by following the program "loosey, goosey". What ends up happening is that they start to eat more than they burn. That's it! So maintenance really means following the program and getting more Points to eat. No magic. So you ALWAYS have to be mindful. You can CHOOSE not to be mindfull of the Points, like on a weekend away, but don't make yourself sick! Then get back to FOLLOWING the plan. It works. You've proved it!

Is it difficult? Yes! Can you do it! Your life depends on it.

Birds of a Feather

I belong to 2 running clubs: The Melrose Running Club for 12 years and with Middleton area friends, the Goon Squad Runners. The running clubs are very supportive and we share a lot of information (sounds a lot like our Weight Watchers meetings!) They both have excellent web sites with lots of great information. The Goons request that members post race reports after completing each race. Never at a loss for words, I posted mine about the Boston Marathon. It will be at the end of this post.

The reason why I am sharing this with you is to let you know how important it is to be with people who share your goals and your lifestyle. They can give you advice and be a POSITIVE force to help better your life. My point of the race report was not to diminish the feat of running a marathon, especially one as challenging as Boston, but to show how being with runners who believe in the lifestyle, and believe in me, assures me that anything is possible. It's just what we do. That's how I feel about you. The fact that you have walked into my Weight Watchers meeting let's me know you can take the first steps to reaching a healthy weight and living a healthy lifestyle. I even have medals when you get there! Alright, they are key chains and charms.

To find out more about the MRC or the GSR to to www.melroserunningclub.com or www.goonsquadrunners.com. My Goon Name is Enforcer!

Just Another Day in the Life of a Runner!

I find it really difficult to explain our running family to the outside world. They look at us as if we are crazy, even obsessed exercisers. They also think we are super human, able to run distances most of them don’t even want to drive. But when I got the email that Boston was closing, and “was I in?”, I signed up as if I was ordering something from QVC. No big deal.

What most of you reading this race report know, training for Boston, completing the Grand Prix series, running a sub 3 hour marathon or winning the senior title at nationally ranked races is just what we do. Of course we are proud, excited, and sometimes disappointed, but to the people we run with, it’s just what we do. 20+ miles in the winter. Whatever. 10 miles with “stuff” before we go to work or take the kids to school – all in a days work.

So, getting the to START of the Boston Marathon, healthy and ready. Check. Sitting on the bus with some of the nicest people in the world: now that’s a treat. Mamacita and I settled into easy conversation and I caught up with some Shamrocks I hadn’t seen in a while. There is a mix of pride, yet, “what else would we be doing”, feeling on the bus to Hopkinton. I sometimes forgot I was running back to Boston. As luck would have it, when we got to Hopkinton we found many of the Goons, besides the ones I rode down with, 4 buses down (see other BM race reports for details). I also saw my Melrose Running Club friends and fellow Middleton parents. Everyone I talked to was pumped and all the volunteers were spectacular. All was well in my world. I walked to start where I saw Doc and we waited for our corral to start moving so we could get into line. Let the race begin.

When I look back at the race, I know I have on my rose colored glasses, only remembering how the miles went by quickly. The crowds yelling “GO BIG G” and whatever else they thought the G stood for. I remember glancing at my watch to keep my pace steady. Going up and over Heartbreak Hill thinking, “I feel pretty good”. Hearing my friends calling my name. Flying through the last miles. Catching up with Doc and hearing his words of encouragement. Seeing the dynamic duo, HCM and Judge side by side, as usual, knowing all was right in our bizzaro world. Then, the burst of emotion, taking the left onto Boylston followed by the shock of realizing I had to run more than a block to get to the finish line (haven’t I done this before?). Thinking back of the adrenaline rush of kicking it in, and actually having a kick! The fun of meeting people from all over the country while doing the Zombie walk to get my medal and my bag.

Then we share our stories. We want to talk to the people who actually can feel what we felt on that long run to Boston. We want to talk to those who can feel our pain, and maybe take some away.

Then back to reality. Everyone oohs and ahhs and, then ask for a ride to the mall or, at work, what’s a healthy meal at Chili’s (I’m a Weight Watchers leader and there isn’t one).

But I did put on my favorite bracelet. My charm bracelet. On it are the most important things in my life. No Goofy from Disney World or Statue of Liberty from NY. There is a heart with a dumbbell (I met my husband at the gym), 2 little girls for my daughters, a space for something musical (any Goons that are jewelers?) and …a sneaker. I guess this running thing is a big deal after all.

Is this the Hardest Thing We Do?

My Weight Watchers members are an amazing group of people. They inspire me everyday. In fact, I think they know it, too. Oh, I am not saying they think they are all that, but they know they have had some spectacular accomplishments. And they wonder, why is losing, and maintaining a weight loss, so hard if they've succeeded at so many other things?

I have a few thoughts. First, many of our accomplishments have a finish line. Getting through college, or putting a kid through college, building a house or training for a marathon have a beginning and end. Living a healthy lifestyle is, well, for life. You are going to have more ups and downs in a lifetime. And long term efforts can easily weight on your patience, even when you know it's good for you.

My other thought has to do with some studies on "willpower." or "no power". The study stated that we seem to have a limited amount of mental fortitude. So if we say no to the cookies, we may say yes to the beautiful necklace. If we have to work hard in too many instances, at some point we break down. So, in a week when we volunteer, help out our parents, give a scabilion rides and change over to our spring clothes, we may not have any mental energy to figure what to cook for a healthy dinner.

I know my members are great people. They are not going to say no to a difficult project at work. They are not going to leave their kids at school when they need a ride. They are not going to skip picking up medications for family members. So when they need to exercise or say no the the high point dessert, you have no "willpower" left. You are last on the list.

Please try as often as you can to put the oxygen mask on you first, then on others. And if one time you don't, there will be another chance if you don't give up!

Perfection Procrastination

This information is something I've finally recognized, but was reminded of when listening to the podcast of Leigh Peele. You can find more of her excellent insights at http://www.leighpeele.com/ I will tell you what I found so true...

If every person who ever came to one of my Weight Watchers meetings never left, I would need Fenway Park to hold them all. Why do they leave? Why do they take so long to come back, or worse, never come back? I know. The desire for PERFECTION.

For those who are new to weight loss, coming to the Weight Watchers meeting is so exciting! This will be the answer to all their healthy eating problems. They will get the magic books that will have all the secrets. In reality, the information IS powerful. However, the member actually has to implement it. She wants to follow it to the letter as if all the obstacles to a healthy lifestyle will disappear when she walks out the meeting. The world will be in Technicolor, like in the "Wizard of Oz." For a day or 2, or maybe even a few weeks, everything is going great. Then...the cheesecake calls. The pillow seems nicer than the sneakers on the other side of the bed. There is nothing healthy to eat in the house. No perfection this week...

She'll come back when she can be perfect, but that never happens. What does happen is perfection paralysis. She feels if she can't follow everything in the WW program, don't do any of it. Don't fall for that trap!!!

The best way to get out of perfection procrastination is to do SOMETHING, anything, positive for your health. Eat an apple. Walk around the block. Get out a WW cookbook and look at it. Log the next few meals in your tracker, no matter what it is. You will snap out if it.

The one big AHA moment in the podcast was this. Think about when you had your biggest binge, or longest time of not exercising, or worst self talk. It wasn't when you were comfortable coming to the meetings and doing the just best you can, like maybe during the holiday season. It's when you put the most pressure on yourself to be perfect. When you tell yourself, no this or that, and I MUST do this or that. It's like a dam. It just bursts. You are 2 steps forward, 5 steps back. The better way is 1 step forward. Another step forward. Work one step at a time. Build your confidence. Celebrate your success. If you've been on the program for 3 weeks, and then you go out with friends and order the left side of the menu, don't think what an awful day I had I'm a failure! Think 21 day on program VS one meal off. That is FANTASTIC!

Leigh's great words of wisdom were "Screwing up does not equal giving up." That would make a great t-shirt (not for the meeting, though) Come to the meeting. I love you, even if you are not perfect. Neither am I!

Information Is Power

Even though I am surrounded by conversation at my job, I love to listen to talk radio when I am in my car. I enjoy hearing different points of view. I like to know what's going on the world and I want to base my opinions on information. The more the better.

This is not the place to talk politics, but everyone is talking about the health care bill. And it seems more information is coming out about it everyday. One thing in the bill is the requirement that any restaurant with 20 or more stores must post nutrition information on the menu boards. The host of the radio show I was listening to was saying she was not in favor of this regulation, because the board udpates will cost business owners money in a time when the economy is bad. That is true. She also went on to say that people should know when they go into McDonald's, that a Big Mac is not a health food. And if you don't - you're stupid.

Well, I thought, giving people information about the food they put in their BODY is not stupid. And McDonald's is not the only chain restaurant. The host actually used a Dunkin' Donuts example stating the misinformation about bran muffins vs donuts. A customer may really want a donut, but instead chooses the bran muffin, thinking it's a healthier choice. Now neither food is healthy, but the donut is less calories. So the person may be "sacrificing" for no reason at all, except misinformation. In response, a chain store owner said he has nutrition flyers available, but no one asks for them. Well, I know my members usually look on line before they go, so they don't have to ask, but most people are not going to hold up a line to ask about the calories in a Subway chicken sandwich. Most people think a vinaigrette salad dressing is light on calories, but it is not. The facts don't lie and the information is power. You can CHOOSE to have the highest calorie item on the menu, but it's best for you to make that decision on knowledge.

I called the radio station and basically when I told her that I was a Weight Watchers leader and that most people are surprised at the true calorie counts, both good and bad, she just said if someone is on WW, they shouldn't be going to Mickey D's. Again, with the Mickey D's. My members can, and should, go ANY WHERE they want.

So, here's the real reason I was so mad. Most people who want to lost weight and be healthier, don't join Weight Watchers, or go to their doctors, because they think they SHOULD KNOW BETTER. It's their fault because they are overweight and they shouldn't need help. WW is giving you the TOOLS for successful weight loss. WW is not losing the weight for you, you are, with the KNOWLEDGE you gain with the meetings, the materials and the members. I do not know tax law, so I have an accountant. However, if I don't pay my taxes, there is nothing he can do to keep me out of jail. My successful members apply the knowledge they learn each week and ask questions. They are empowered. They do the work.

So keep fighting for more information. Ask what is in the special at your favorite restaurant. Ask the grocery store manager for the healthy products you like. Look for new recipes on eTools. Ask your family what they are serving for Easter. Log onto your favorite restaurant's web site and get nutrition information. Or Google the food. The Internet has been a powerful tool for my members.

Well, I'll think I'm going to take a ride to McDonald's. A vanilla ice cream cone is only 3 Points! Maybe I'll see you there.

Step Back and Focus

We like to have fun in my Weight Watchers meetings. I especially love it when I ask a member a question like, "Why do you think you did not stay on plan this week?" and the member says something like, "It was the martinis!" I usually laugh. However, if we want to accomplish our goals, we need to get serious. I know you are responsible in other areas of your lives. For instance, I know you need your job, so if your boss comes in and asks if you finished a top priority project, you wouldn't say, sorry I'm busy drinking martinis! You take your job seriously!

So when you come to the scale and see the number, sometimes you say {insert excuse here}. Sometimes that reason is serious, like illness, flooded cellar, Royal Caribbean cruise. But other times is just the same thing as last week. I want you to look at last week, step back and think what do I need to do better? And then do it!!! Instead of being stressed when you are trying to figure out what to wear or what the doctor is going to say at your checkup, get yourself moving and make a plan on what needs to be done to have a successful week.

We've had some great meetings when members have figured out how what needs to change to have a great weigh in (I think they already knew) and they say it out loud, so they feel committed to do it! Then, they have success!

You know what you need to work on to have a great week. Don't just think or talk about it - do it! Do you need to add variety? Then look in the week one booklet, on-line or in eTools and find at least ONE new food idea. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST on Saturday morning, so you don't get into the rut of eating "whatever" the rest of the day. Plan what you are going to eat for the week on Sunday. Actually make some food. Write yourself a note and put it on your bathroom mirror so you will remember what needs to get done. FOCUS. Execute. Give yourself a hand. I look forward to hearing about your plans and actions steps in the WW meetings.

I Know How You Feel

I was never a skinny kid. Well, maybe in my Communion picture. But since then I've always been conscious of my weight. I try to tell myself that that's a good thing, because I've been healthy and active for so long, that it has become habit. I know you work hard at being healthy, too. That's why I tell you my story at the orientation, especially the fact that it took me 50 weeks to lose 35 pounds after my first daughter was born, even though I was running. And, I've been on Plan for 20 years in April. I know how you feel.

In the Weight Watchers meeting, it's the fact that we all have to follow the same rules that binds us all together. When a new member joins our group, she or he gets the same information, with the only difference being the Daily Points Target. Good Health Guidelines are the same. Filling Foods first rule is the same. Move more. Track. Portions count. You know what we do (I hope). What each individual has to work on differently is overcoming his or her obstacles to following the plan.


What I do know is that EVERY members thinks - "What can I eat on this menu?" EVERY members thinks, "What should I have for dinner?". No matter if you have 10 pounds to lose or 100 pounds to lose, we all have to put in the work. Whether you are at goal or just joining, we all have to do the SAME things every day! When a member asks for ideas in a meeting, no one thinks, "Well you've already lost 15 pounds, so you should know that!" We all want to help, because we all have been there.

I asked one of my very successful members, who has lost a lot of weight, if she felt different than those who have needed to lose less. She said before she joined our meeting, she didn't think that those with less to lose had as much stress about it as she does. Then she realized that everyone in the meeting needed to do the work to lose and maintain their weight loss and that it's not easy for any of us. But the rewards are worth it. The benefit of coming to the meeting is that she has gotten the support when she needed it and was able to give her words of wisdom when she had some.

So that's it. Listen to the rules of the WW plan. Figure out what you need to work on and keep at it. Ask questions and ask for ideas. Where do you think you'd find the answers? In the general population, where 66% of the people are overweight? Or in our WW meetings, where people are getting closer and closer to their healthy weight every week? I think I know where I'll find you!

The Twilight Zone a.k.a The Weekend..

Last week any member that sighed when she or he looked at the number on the Weight Watchers scale, said the same thing - it's the weekend. It's as if we think the calories we eat Friday night until Sunday night defy the laws of biology and don't fill in our fat cells. We think, "well at least I'm not eating as much as she is." or "Doesn't my body know how hard I worked at living a healthy lifestyle during the week?"

I feel the same way. My self talk is "Well, I ran long today!" Yeah, and earned 12 points, 6 of which I drank or ate during the run. On the other hand, if I do a longer run on a weekday, I don't really think about it in terms of food. Yeah - I earned some extra points, I eat another banana and a bigger piece of chicken, then move on.

It's as if the weekend is on a parallel planet. Yeah, that would be the planet of no weight loss! So this week, when you are feeling motivated, in control and "lighter", start planing your food for the weekend. Actually write it in your Tracker or in eTools (you know what those things are, don't you?) and get the foods that will keep you on plan. Maybe make waffles with sugar free syrup, instead of your usual English muffin. Get a Vitamuffin and have some soft boiled eggs for breakfast. Dust off your old, or new Weight Watchers cookbooks or go on-line to find a recipe you haven't had in a while, or ever! Buy a different fruit. Actually buy something that you heard about in the meeting, instead of just saying "That sounds good".

To tell you the truth, I'm telling you this, so I will do it. I've got a really long run this weekend (still will be only about 19 points- I can eat that while I'm waiting for my coffee to brew). I better start planning it now! I can't wait to hear your plans in our meeting!

The Power of The Group

I try to make my Weight Watchers meeting a fun place to be, even if you aren't trying to lose weight. My "opening monologue" is meant to teach a healthy living topic, but also applies to other aspects of our lives. Plus, laughing burns calories, lowers blood pressure and stress - really!

My goal is to get you to the meeting, even if it's just to see what I am willing to put on, so you can experience the power of the group. When I look at most satisfying parts of my life, being part of a group is usually one aspect of the joy. I run with a group, which makes training and racing so much more fun and challenging. I volunteer with many groups since we all have the best interest of our kids and community at heart. My family is a group - though it's rare we all together at the same time. They definitely bring so much pleasure to my life. And I work with many Weight Watchers groups. They give me joy, for sure!

Each WW meeting has it's own feel and rhythm. My 2 center meetings have a lot of members. Most sit in the same area every week, but all members welcome each other with open arms, asking each other about all kinds of things that have nothing to do with Weight Watchers. Some walk around and visit before they settle in for the group discussion.

My At Works are smaller groups. Most know each other, though some of the big companies have members that don't. But there is a sense of community within the community of the business. However, in both types of groups, there is always a feeling that each member cares about the fate of the others. Each problem will be listened to and answers will be offered. There is a feeling that if one succeeds we all succeed. If one is troubled, then the rest are willing him or her to turn the corner.

That's why I love my job: it's so positive! I mingle with people at the scale, or in the meeting room, before the meeting starts and then I make my entrance. Sometimes, the members are still buzzing about whatever, which is great, because I am glad you want to talk amongst yourselves. But then we begin. For about 30 minutes, we try and tune out the world and take care of ourselves and each. Now you know I am not mushy, but I feel like, in that room, we accomplish something. We don't just complain, or feel sorry for ourselves. We tell the truth. We laugh at ourselves and each other. And we hear something that we can use when we walk out the door.

So when people don't get why it's important to go to a Weight Watchers meeting if you want to be healthier, I tell them, just come to the meeting. No obligation to buy. Just listen. Feel. Learn. Laugh. Share in our little secret weapon against all the factors in our lives trying to make us lose the battle of the bulge and illness. Feel the power of the group. See you in the meeting!

Is Your Goal to Lose Weight?

This week I participated in two Weight Watchers Open Houses. One was at a business and one was at a WW Center. These meetings are an opportunity for people to ask questions and meet the staff. If the person has never been to WW, I tell them what we are all about: healthy eating, portion control, being active and staying motivated. That's it? Isn't there some crazy secret? What's the catch? Then I ask her or him - is your goal to lose weight, in a healthy way and keep it off? If the answer is no, then, well, have a nice day. If the answer is yes, then why wouldn't you give us a try? Some are desperate to lose weight, but still are not sure they want to join. I actually had LTMs come in and say the program is great, but they will come back when they are ready or when they lose the weight. Huh? Leave, probably gain weight and then eventually come back or end up in the hospital. This makes no sense to me.

Now, before you think I am being a WW snob, I do know WW is not for everyone. One person came into the Open House and said she did not like meetings. So I told her about eTools. I know counting points is not for everyone. Some people would rather just count calories or carbs or fat grams. It doesn't matter what plan you are on, you still have to eat less than you burn. I know people who have done the Zone, given up sugar, fat, meat (that would be tough for me!)and have lost weight. Some people are very strict eaters. They eat super healthy, super "clean" and they lose weight and are very healthy.

But this is what I know for sure: for the average person living in the real world, the best way to lose weight is a moderate approach of slow and steady weight loss. Foods must include fruits and veggies, protein and more natural foods than processed. That is important for health and satisfaction reasons. The weight loss process must include fun foods, in moderation, because deprivation doesn't work. People must also uncover the nutrition information about the foods they eat, including the calories, in order to lose weight. They may think they are eating healthy, but ALL calories count, even the healthy ones.

Can this all be accomplished without Weight Watchers? Of course. But no program is going to change the science of weight loss. There is no "wicked easy" way to lose weight AND keep it off that doesn't include the rules of calories in vs calories out. The WW program works. Ask all the LTMs. Do we always follow the rules? No! But one rule you MUST follow: Never give up. One off meal, day, weekend, vacation or even year does not mean you are destined to be overweight. You can succeed!

When you come to the meetings, you benefit from the 46 years of research from Weight Watchers, the information from the current meeting topic, the expertise from the members and, in my meetings, a few laughs. You can't get that from reading a book. And all your food preferences, health restrictions and social calendars can be incorporated into correctly following the program. Real life!

The real life members inspire me everyday. They give me the privilege of sharing their weight loss journey and inspiring me everyday. Two of my very successful members came to WW before but decided this time they were in it for the long haul. One lost close to 50 pounds and the other 40 pounds. Wow! They both were very pleased with their success and anticipated hitting their ultimate goal, one pound at a time. They know slow and steady weight loss is doable and sustainable. No matter what, February 20th was going to come any way, so might as well be 40-50 pounds lighter!

One member said that her friends were impressed with her weight loss, but can't believe she was drinking the WW "Kool-aid". I don't remember seeing that on the shelves in the center, but whatever she is drinking, it's working! I'll bet whatever her friends were drinking was not.

My hope is that everyone finds their way to healthy weight. However, with 66% of the population overweight, I think many are lost. Show them the way to our Weight Watches meeting.*

*Next Saturday is the last week of our Open Houses, so tell your friends to go to www.weightwatchers.com to find a center near them to learn more about WW. Free gift just for stopping by! Or, if you know of a business that would like to bring the meeting on site, send me an email at lindadf@comcast.net

February Blues

This time of year, we get sick of a lot of things - the cold, the dark, icy walkways and the work we need to do to stay on our Weight Watchers plan. Even getting on the scale is more difficult, since we are wearing so many clothes! Every aggravation is magnified, since we are not distracted by birds singing and leaves on the trees.

The results on the scale seem painfully slow, because we don't have enough sunlight and other warm weather things to be thankful for in the cold days of February. So my meeting discussions this week moved towards the direction of slow weight loss and plateaus. That's because we are focusing on the weight loss and not the behavior changes.

See, it's not the weight loss that makes us change our behavior, it the behavior (and mental) changes that create weight loss. The ultimate goal is not to get to a certain weight, though that is part of our success. The goal is to change our thoughts, behaviors, and habits in a way the fits into our life that is enjoyable, AND fits in the guidelines of the Weight Watchers plan. We need to realize following the WW good health guidelines is the right way to eat and that sitting on the couch and eating processed foods is not. We need to understand that going out to eat is not a reason to celebrate and that making healthy decision no matter where we are is the right plan of action. So if the checklist of success is longer, we are not putting all our eggs in the pounds lost basket.

My most successful members step back and think how can they can live their best life and know that being active, eating healthy foods and getting to healthy weight are all worth working towards and they never stop taking the actions to do so. So getting on the scale is only one part of a successful week. If you ate healthy meals, got to your Points target, moved more and consistently chose lower point, filling foods, you were a success. If you lost .5 to 2 pounds this week, you are on course. If you did not, did your goals change? NO! Keep working. Be honest with yourself and make the appropriate changes.

I don't DO mothering. I don't DO running. I don't DO WW Leadering. I AM a mother. I AM a runner. I AM a WW Leader. Am I always good at it? No. Do I give up? No. You don't DO Weight Watchers. You ARE a Weight Watcher! Did you act like one this week? Coming to the meeting is one action you can take to be a success this week. I'll be waiting!

I have a question for you...

Since a little time has passed since New Years Day, I wanted to share some of the comments I've made to my Weight Watchers members who want to improve their progress.

Usually, when a member is feeling that her weight loss is too slow, first I ask if she is losing an average of 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week. If the answer is yes, then she is on track. I am not saying we can't improve on how she is following the program, but we must all wrap our brains around the healthy rate of weight loss. However, I will also ask to see your Tracker. If you are using eTools, the WW online companion, I will ask for a printout. I want us to work together to create the most success!

If the answer is "I am not tracking" - that is tip #1 - TRACK! Don't look for an easy answer somewhere else. Even if you are tracking, check the portion sizes. If you are writing down "cereal 2 points" and your are eating 4 points worth - well you can do the math. And don't forget the BLT's - bites, licks and tastes. I have Weight Watchers foods scales if you would like me to bring you one.

If you are tracking, I will look to see if you are choosing filling foods first, which is tip #2. If you are filling your points with a lot of processed foods, you won't have the success you expect. I know they may seem easy (and sometimes more tasty), but fresh foods and proteins can be easy, too.

Then I ask if you are using your weekly points allowance, tip #3. Some of you think less is better. Deprivation means I should lose more. It doesn't. Deprivation = temporary = diet mentality. We want lifestyle changes. Let's make sure to plan the fun foods, and to eat enough, especially if you exercise. This habit will help you to KEEP the weight off

Last week, we talked about motivation in the meeting. You can be very motivated, but you must make sure you are following the program. THE WEIGHT WATCHERS program. Trust it. I do. Get to the meeting, to keep your actions on track. See you there!

Focus on the Positive

Are you sick of the cold already? I know I am! My body wants to keep stoking the fire with some food, usually cake, candy or a big bowl of pasta. I try to plan some of those things into my Weight Watchers plan, especially the candy. The WW 1 point bars or many other popular brands of bars can do the trick. I look for ones with fiber and protein and that of course taste yummy. I also try to get out of the house. It hurts, at first, going out in the cold, but having the sun on my face and my refrigerator miles away, keeps thoughts of sugar plums out of my head.

One other thing I try to do is control my focus. If I keep staring at the cookies the kids are eating, my cold toes and the bare trees outside, I get aggravated. If I focus on making some healthy foods, the fact that I’ve been running through the winter and the fact that I have a job I love, I feel great. Look at the cup as half full, and the winter as almost over (well a lot days are done), and you will smile. Our minds can only work on what we are thinking of, so make those thoughts positive. Oh, and one other great idea – naps!!! I know we all can’t take on in the middle of the work day (or maybe…), but yesterday, I started to nod off around noon, when I was watching a movie with the girls. I had this draggy feeling all day. So once it was over, I went to my room and slept for about 20 minutes. I woke up feeling great! If I didn’t, I would have picked all day. I know we feel like we don’t have time for silly things like naps, but are bodies are smart. They are going to get the energy from sleep or food – you decide.

Start from Where You're At!

In our Weight Watchers meetings this week, we talked about activity. Everyone had a different opinion. Some LOVE exercise, some want to add more and some - well, it's not on their radar - right now. Most members agreed being active is a good thing with lots of benefits. One big bonus it the amount of energy you get, which makes your more productive. And exercise helps you sleep, which also gives you more energy. Who doesn't need more energy!

So with all the benefits of activity, most of you want to be more active. But where do you start? Right where you are! We don't expect first graders to do algebra, so you can't expect to do a spin class if your only activity is dialing your cell phone.

First, think about what kind of MOVEMENT makes you happy. If you are drawing a blank, just sit if you are lying down, stand if you are sitting, walk if you are standing. Add music. Get a pedometer, so you are always "in the gym." Make small, reasonable, measurable steps. If you don't remember where your gym is, plan on getting there (use Googlemaps) 2 times this week. If you get there both times - great! 3 times - you're a hero! But if you plan on 5 times this week and get there 3 times, you will feel defeated. Again, think about where you are in your active lifestyle and move forward from there. If you already do some formal exercise 3 of 4 times a week, maybe you can get your friends to walk instead of hang our for coffee. Whatever it is, make it fit your lifestyle.

I believe there is an athlete in all of us. Tune into the Olympics in February to get inspired. But first, get to our meetings to get started.

Finish the Job

The other day I went to take a shower and there was no hot water. I went down to the cellar and realized the water heater was gushing water, but not enough to flood the cellar, yet. I shut off the water valve and called the plumber. He came right away and gave me the good news. I did not need a new water heater. He could fix the old one. He came up and gave me the bill (ouch) and I wrote him a check. As he was putting on his coat, I went downstairs to check out his work and realized that he had "repaired" the leak, so it was only dripping slowly. He had found a bucket and put it under the leak.

I was furious and told him so! He said I only had to empty the bucket once a day and I would have plenty of hot water to take a shower. I told him I paid him a lot of money, so finish the job! He said he didn't have time and he ran out the door!

Now, if you've been in my meetings, you know most of my stories aren't true and if you know me at all, you know I never would have paid a plumber before I checked his work. But I do like using stories that have nothing to do with losing weight and being healthy to illustrate a point. I was in my personal training gym, Get in Shape for Women, in Danvers and all the women were talking about how long they have been attending the training sessions. We all thought we'd gotten stronger and fitter, but some had felt they had not lost enough weight or had not made great strides in improving how they looked. One women asked if everyone had been tracking what they ate and drank, because that really makes a difference. The one that was struggling the most said - "I don't have time."

She wasn't finishing the job.

She was making her training appointments all the time. She was working hard and sweating, at least when I was there, and felt she should have gotten more for her investment. But by not tracking her food intake, she was letting her progress slip away, drop by drop. She was not plugging the leak. Oh, she may have made progress, but by not completing the last step, she was slowing, or even stopping, her progress towards her goals.

My Weight Watchers members tell me the same thing. Linda - I worked out 5 times this week. Linda - I only ate Filling Foods. Linda - I did not drink or have dessert at the 3 parties I went to this week. They feel like Wonder Woman or Superman. And then they get on the scale and it's not what they expect. They ask me what to do. I ask for their Tracker. They just stare. I need it to help them. Most of all, they need to use it, or eTools, to help THEMSELVES! Take the time to track or you'll use more time getting upset and need more time to get to your goal weight.

The plumber must fix the leak. The plow driver needs to clear the whole driveway. The Chef must cook your whole dinner. Why start if you're not going to complete the task?

If your REALLY want to change your body, track what you eat and drink.

Finish the job.

The Afterglow

I've haven't been running too much lately, due to an injury. However, I had to make a decision to run the Boston Marathon, or not, in December, because the race was about to close. So, being the optimist - I'm in! I've been cross training, but now it's time to ramp up the mileage. I needed to run 9-10 miles Saturday, to be on track with my schedule.

So, I did all the things I tell you do. I put in my schedule. I made a time to run with a friend, so no backing out. I prepared by eating all the right foods and going to bed at a reasonable hour. My friend Jen came over and I realized there was no backing out. It was cold. She pushed me harder than I wanted to run, since she is in better shape and the hills seemed steeper. But before I knew it I was done. 9.8!!!

I didn't have much time to think about it, since I was going to a swim meet, a hockey game and an awards banquet all in the same day. But while I was driving around and waiting for my kids to do their thing, I got a big smile on my face remembering what I had done today. Something that was hard. Something that I knew was good for me and something that got me closer to my goals. It was the Afterglow.

You know that feeling. It's like when you want to put your car in the garage, because it's cold, but it's full of junk. Every time you get in the cold car, it weighs heavy on you mind - "clean the garage". And then you finally do it. Every time you park you car in the garage and see how neat and clean it is, you smile, because it was hard and you are reaping the rewards of your efforts.

That's how my Weight Watchers members feel after they conquer obstacles that have been getting in their way of the weight loss goals.

Two night in a row of not mindlessly snacking. As her head hits the pillow she smiles. Driving aways from the party, knowing he only ate what he planned, he smiles. Getting to the gym Monday, Wednesday AND FRIDAY - it feels good.

When you are faced with that decision, to do what gets you closer or away from your goals, think of how you will feel when you've chosen either.

Choose the one that will make you smile, long after the dishes are done...

What's My Job?

I've been seeing some Weight Watchers members lately that I haven't seen in a while and I am so excited! Sometimes, that's not the emotion they expect me to have. They think I'm angry or worse, disappointed. Do you think that's my job - to make you feel bad? NO WAY!!! I am hear to help.

I know my title is Leader, but I am really a facilitator. I am helping YOU to discover the best way to get to your healthy weight and lifestyle goals, within the Weight Watchers guidelines. That's a positive thing. I can help you move forward. Yes - learn from your experiences and use that as feedback for you own successful plan. The number on the scale is feedback.

Your actions are what counts. So, your next action is to bring a positive attitude and get to the meeting.

See you there!

January 4th, 2010 - Just another day!

I know I am not the first person to say New Years resolutions don't work, or that we make them too big, but I am going to say it again. 1/4 is just another Monday! Keep it in perspective.

I've went on my first "diet" when I was 13. After that every Jan 2ND was a big "start the diet again" day. During the end of December, while I was planning what next, new, big, exciting weight loss plan I would follow I was eating my way through bags of chips, chocolate, and in later years, bottles of wine, because, this was it! I am never eating or drinking anything "bad" every again. That would last about 2-3 weeks...

What did I learned during all those winters? Well, eating all that junk makes me sick and I don't have time to feel like that anymore. But in moderation, I like those things. So I only have them occasionally. What else did I learn? I've been a very healthy person for over 19 years and I want to be that way for a long time. And that takes work and discipline. Frankly, I need a break from it sometimes. So usually around Christmas and during my vacation, I take a vacation from being on plan. I do exercise, because I love it and I am usually training for some race, and I do many of the Weight Watchers Good Health Guidelines, but then, well, I just do what I feel like. Eat junk, drink and sleep late. Oh, and maybe watch all 3 Lord Of the Ring movies. No shame, no guilt and a little common sense. The scale goes up, the stomach sticks out and then I crave lots of veggies.

Now here is what I REALLY learned and what I want to tell you. I do set new goals for the new year. I know goal setting is very important. But I can do that any and every day of the year. I actually added more weight training after Thanksgiving, so my workouts are already in full swing. But what I don't do - ANYTHING RADICAL!!! I know every commercial is going to tell you do this and that and become a model or an Olympic athlete, but think about what you really want to be and take one step at a time.

I believe most of my members get it backwards. They have had some bad health habits and think they can change everything after listening to one 45 minute meeting. THAT'S TOO MUCH PRESSURE!! Listen to the Weight Watchers orientation, take note of what you already have down pat (drinking water, eating veggies, exercising) and take one change and work on it each week. Make sure it fits your lifestyle. Don't worry about the pounds so much. Returning, or reinvigorated members, don't talk about last time, or I was better before. Work on progress not perfection.

Now, this is not an excuse to slack off or to set easy goals. But most of us are getting all the habits of our everyday life back in order right now. Get organized. Plan. Write down everything you eat (even if you don't know the Points value). Go back to basics, and when you are ready, tighten up how you are following the WW plan. No matter where you are at in your healthy living goals, you will find the wisdom to keep moving forward in our Weight Watchers meeting.

See you there.