Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’
It’s Memorial Day Weekend, are you invited to a picnic and wishing you could lose 10 lbs today. I have been there and remember making a thousand excuses of why I should not go to the picnic. One of my techniques was to aggravate my husband so we had an argument and then not go to the party. Why not look forward to the picnic and seeing all your friends? As they say live in the solution not the problem.
Some tips for living in the solution instead of the problem:
1. Bring a special dish to the picnic that you can eat and will not be filled with thousands of calories. I usually bring a fruit platter. Call the host before to see if you can bring your specialty.
2. Wear an outfit that you feel comfortable in. Sometimes I even treat myself to something new.
3. Connect with some of the guests before the party.
4. Create a fun game everyone can play. Check with the host first before bringing the game. One year a couple of us decided to have everyone at the party create a grateful list. What we did was bring colorful sheets of paper, pens and requested everyone write a grateful list. Two hours into the party we invited some of the guests to share what they wrote. We had a great time and the game brought smiles to people’s faces.
5. Read the following poem before leaving for the picnic:
Be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars.
In the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
Max Ehrmann
Have a great time at the picnic! If you are not attending any parties, What are you going to do nice for yourself?
I would love to hear from you!!
TWO HORSES
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her. As you stand and watch these two friends, you’ll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.
Good friends are like this … You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there. Please listen for my bell and I’ll listen for yours. “Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”
Name of Author was not included in email and I do not in anyway take credit for writing the story.
I received this inspirational story in an email and thought it would be a beautiful story to post on my blog, unfortunately I do not know who wrote this moving story.
Everytime I read this short story, I have tears in my eyes. It is so beautiful how one horse has no expectations for the other horse and just helps him. I was thinking this morning before getting out of bed how I sometimes have such expectations for others and when they don’t meet my standards I get very angry. Thinking who am I to have such expectations for others not only hurts me and the other person it also kills our relationship.
Tools for Today
• Today my intention is to love everyone for who they are and when I have a negative thought about someone to STOP and think of two things I love about them.
• Apologize to my husband for my expectations and let him know how much I appreciate him.
• Call a friend and let them know how thankful I am for their friendship.
What tools do you use, I would love to know.
I am looking out the window, it is snowing and all the birds are at the birdfeeders eating. It just goes to prove that nothing can stop God’s creatures from eating even if it is cold and snowing.
On cold snowy days I always think about the times when my children were small and we would go sledding, have snowball fights and make a snowman. We had a great time and I was always thinking about what we were going to eat when we went inside. Once everyone was soaked to the bone, we went inside the house, had hot chocolate and ate everything insight. For dinner I always made meatballs and spaghetti. What fun we had!
After writing about the snowy days, I realized what an important part food played in my life. Food was my main focus all day and if I was not eating I was unhappy and worrying about everything. Thinking back makes me sad to think about all the things I missed because my main focus was on the food.
After struggling with food most of my life and riding the diet merry-go-round, I finally grabbed the gold ring and fell off. The gold ring was my commitment to do whatever it takes to live a healthy lifestyle and stop focusing on the food. Some of the tools I use everyday are:
• Whenever I want to eat something not on my food plan, I scream to myself, “One Bite Is Not Enough, I want four cakes to make me happy.”
• Remind myself I am important, loveable and cannot hurt my best friend, Helen.
• Remember I have received a special gift of eating healthy and can’t hurt people who are supporting me.
• Not to use food as an alternative. If I want to eat something not on my eating plan, don’t eat anything else and call a friend instead.
In the morning on New Years Day I was on the treadmill and heard that the number one Resolution for 2007 was to lose weight. If we support each other while on our journey of eating healthy and creating a vibrant lifestyle we can beat this food addiction together. I would love to hear from you and see what we can create together.
Thank you!
Helen
According to the Encarta Dictionary the word “Commitment” means, “Loyalty, devotion or dedication, for example, to a cause, person or relationship.”
What I have heard over and over again and found for myself, is that having a COMMITMENT to living a healthier lifestyle is the key for success. By focusing on that commitment you will do anything in your power to succeed.
Every morning for years I would wake up and say “today would be different.” My plan was to eat three healthy meals a day and exercise. I would eat a plain bagel or a small muffin with regular coffee for breakfast. An hour latter I was still hungry and have another small muffin with coffee and before I knew it the day took off and I was eating all the time. Around 5:30pm I would start exercising to get rid of all the calories I had consumed. Then I would eat a healthy dinner and get into bed so I would not continue eating. This process continued day after day.
Then one day I went to a 12 Step Recovery Meeting and heard everyone telling my story. The next day I called someone in the program and made a COMMITMENT to change my eating habits for one day. That was over eight years ago.
What I found that by making that commitment to change my eating habits was the key to my recovery. Even though I am following a healthy eating plan that works for me, my strong Commitment to not eat anything outside my plan is the only thing that maintains my recovery from compulsive overeating.
Some of the tools I use to maintain my commitment everyday are as follows:
Each morning before I get out of bed give myself a big hug and ask my Higher Power for the willingness to stay on my eating plan just for today.
Call a friend and share with them what is going on in my life.
At the end of each day acknowledge myself for my accomplishments and lessons learned.
Would love to learn what tools you have learned to help you stay on your journey of healthy eating.
I know together we can fight this obesity problem. Please let me know if you are interested in joining a group whose commitment is to educate people about what steps they can take to stop focusing on the food all day and start living a healthier lifestyle.
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