March 20, 2011

No one makes it on their own.

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 5:15 pm

Or do they? What happens when you want to make major changes in your life, but you don’t have anyone to support you in living healthier, eating better, exercising, and the like?

One of the major components for success is to have a support system. The important thing, however, is to not give up in your journey, even if you do NOT have a support system.

As I discussed in the last post, there are limiting things that people say — and those limiting words become limiting thoughts, and have the potential of becoming limiting actions. In the end, however, it all comes down to…who are you making these changes for, and why?

If the answer you give to the first half of that question is anyone other than yourself, I suggest you go back and re-evaluate your reasons for wanting to make a change in your life. The why, at this point, is irrelevant. You have to want to make the change for you.

One of the things I suggest anyone do who is starting (or continuing) on a journey of self-improvement is to have a journal that you keep to write thoughts, notes, or even just inspirational quotes in. The written word has a power that merely typing on the screen does not.

You see, I’ve made (in my own humble opinion) a great deal of progress in my life these past 11 weeks. I’ve done most of it without a support system. But, as the title of this post goes, no one makes it on their own. I’ve had a couple tools in my arsenal. One, is the FitBit device (only available in America — sorry everyone else world wide) and its website with the food diary has done wonders in keeping me honest to myself and in check. The other is someone very dear to me, many hundreds of miles away.

The obstacles, however, have been tremendous. As you read in the past post, time is very much in short supply. I’ve had people who should have been supportive, but have attempted to thwart and sabotage my every move. I’ve had those who have acted or spoken to me in untoward manners that, in another place and time, would have sent me back into my pattern of bad eating and lack of exercise. When those things happen, and believe me, they will to you, too, you have to dig deep inside and pull strength from the person you’re making these life changes for. That’s why it’s so important to know that it is you that you are making these changes for. Not someone else. Not a loved one, or a friend. The strength has to come from within you.

The first time I was on this journey, I made the change for myself. The year was 2000, and D3 had introduced me to the program. I became healthier, lost some weight, but I was making the changes to attempt to salvage a relationship. Bad move, as my focus was external, not internal. It didn’t work, and neither did the relationship.

My second leg of the journey was in 2007, parts of which are chronicled here on this blog. I was making the changes for myself. I wanted to be healthier, to be more fit, and I was taking control of my life. Of course, there were setbacks there. I’d come out of another unhealthy relationship, yet we still lived together (due to financial reasons). That was a bad move on my part, but still…I was relying on myself. The pitfalls were that every time I turned around, I was being tempted with my favourite restaurant, or sugary treat, because habits are like comfortable shoes. They’re easy to get into, and difficult to cast away. The more weight I lost, the healthier I became, and the more evident it was that I was moving on with my life, the easier I found it to ignore these temptations. It took some doing, but they moved out, I moved on, and life improved.

Fast forward to 2011. January 2. Not a new year’s resolution (I gave up making them years ago). The weight I’d lost in 2007 I’d mostly been able to keep off. But inside, I still felt like I needed to do more. So, back on the journey I travel. What a strange, exciting trip this has been. LOL. I was 31 when I started out…. 37 in step two, and in 2 months and a day, I turn 42. Does it get any less stressful? No. Any easier? Well, yes, in fact, it does. I know what healthy eating is. I know what exercising requires. I know that you don’t see drastic changes until week 8 of your modification plan. I also know the benefit of a “free day” where I can eat whatever I want in whatever quantities.

No one makes it on their own…but then again…no one is truly on their own. Create your own support system, even if it’s just a journal where you can revisit where you’ve been. Write down your trials, your successes, your hopes, fears, dreams, ambitions…what you want out of life, what you want out of your health, and most importantly, what you want out of YOURSELF.

Then, and only then will you realize that even if you are alone, you’re not on your own. The greatest believer in yourself should be you. How about it? Are you ready to start on that journey? It’s up to you. No one can make that first step for you.

May 11, 2007

The thought for the day?

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 12:25 pm

“Start driving and stop just going along for the ride.”

Face it, in order to make a change in your life, you need to be in control of your life; that means you can’t let your bad habits (eating poorly, not working out, low self esteem, etc) rule your condition. You have to have a purpose, and that purpose will help you undo the things that happened in the past.

It’s like taking yourself off cruise control.

Step away from the buffet. Step back into your life. Relish the moments you have — enjoy how fit you are beginning to feel. See your body changing, even though you may not see it — others will, and sooner (rather than later) so will you!

May 7, 2007

Sometimes life gets in the way.

Filed under: BFL Ups & Downs,Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 9:58 am

I am sorry for the lack of posts recently. I’ve been cleaning house — literally. Removing the clutter that is preventing me from becoming a better person, letting go of some of my past, and moving into the present, if not the future.

As such, I’ve also been battling a touch of depression as the ghosts from my past are exorcised.

While it’s cathartic, it’s also painful at times.

Still, I’ve managed to get my workouts in, and my nutrition plan remains on target, so life is still good there.

It’s Day 15 of my first 84 days…and your thought for the day is “The more we work together, the more we can all succeed.” Remember to offer someone a word of encouragement, a helping hand, or even just an ear to listen.

May 1, 2007

Remember that only you can cause change in your life

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 9:02 pm

You can’t cause change in someone else’s life. You can give them the tools, you can provide the example of what can be done, but you can’t force them to do something their heart really isn’t into.

If that were the case, my father would be on this journey with me; he isn’t, and I am coming to terms that all I can hope and pray for is that he sees me getting healthy and fit, and it stirs a passion inside him.

Believe me, the last thing I wanted to do this afternoon was work out. In fact, when Tink was driving home, I even fell asleep in the car. But go and do my workout I did. I pushed myself. I strained. I gave it everything I had. When I finally stepped off that elliptical machine this evening, I knew I’d won the battle. This time. But there’s always another battle to be fought. Always another round to go. Life is a never ending cycle of ups and downs.

Life will throw every temptation in the book at you. Depending on how firm you are in your resolve to make a change depends on how you react to those temptations.

Remember what I posted about reason WHY you wanted to do Body For Life? If your convictions are strong enough, you will make it. You’ll keep in your mind’s eye that you are getting fit, you are getting healthy, you are losing weight and toning up. You will remember that your clothes are fitting looser, that the person you see in the mirror is fuller of life and joy. All these things are possible, but only if you do them for yourself. No one else can do them for you, just as you cannot do them for anyone else.

Bonnie Raitt sang a song back some time ago saying “I can’t make you love me, if you don’t….”

The same can be said about sticking to “the plan.” You’re the only one who has the power to make it a reality for yourself.

Do yourself proud.

April 30, 2007

Needs and Wants

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 3:58 pm

“The last thing you want to do is often the first thing you need to do!” – B. Phillips.

Say you’ve had a hard day at the office and the kids are whining; there’s dinner to be made, the dog needs let out, the laundry has piled up, and the commode has backed up once again thanks to the toddler flushing a whole roll of toilet paper.

The LAST thing you want to do is to think about exercising and eating right. But that’s the first thing you should do. If you’re able to get your workout done first thing in the morning, then you’re better prepared to have the rest of your day come at you. Sometimes, it’s not feasible, however, to get up that early. But always remember that it’s a small fraction of your day, so don’t skip your workouts.

Don’t fall into the rut of bad nutrition, either, as it’s difficult enough to eat six meals a day, AND drink your water, but you know what? You’ll have more energy to tackle what life throws at you. You’ll find that the further you go in the program, the more energy you have; the less sluggish you feel, the more mentally alert you will be.

After all, getting healthy and fit IS the reason you’re involved with Body For Life, isn’t it?

What’s YOUR reason for starting on your transformation journey?

April 28, 2007

Variety is the spice of life

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 5:24 pm

Tink and I were discussing one of the finer parts of Body For Life is that you aren’t limited in what you can eat. You can have beef, pork, chicken, seafood; fruit; vegetables; bread.

This allows for a great variety of foods to be enjoyed; tonight’s dinner is a turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and salad. Depending on how it finally tastes depends on if I post the recipe or not.

Exercise today consisted of early morning treadmill with added weights; I just came back from a five mile walk.

Some advice if you’re planning on eating healthier (and I hope that you do!) Sometimes, you have to hit several stores in close proximity to save the most money. Trader Joe’s was cheaper on some things; Farm Fresh on others. Amazingly enough, BJ’s Wholesale club was only cheapest on meat.

The other thing that sets Body For Life apart is the built in “free day.” Every seventh day, you don’t plan, you don’t exercise, and you don’t stick to a eating plan. You simply live your life.

That one day is important for moral, for jump starting your metabolism, and for helping you remember how miserable you felt all the time when you were overeating on a regular basis.

Have any questions? Leave them in the comments section — I’ll give you my take on them; just remember — each person loses weight at a different pace … but using the program of eating more frequently and exercising, you WILL make a difference in your life. 🙂

April 26, 2007

Willpower and Believing In Yourself

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 10:14 am

Much of the Body For Life program depends on how much you believe in yourself. You’ll find that the more you want to change, the more you crave the change, the more you look in the mirror and say “that person isn’t me. The real me is fit and healthy and able to take on the world!”, the more you’ll find willpower to resist temptations.

You’ll find you stick to the program more than you deviate from it. Sure, you’ll have cravings, but you’ll consider what changes you want to make in your life and realize that it’s just a craving. Like Eve with the Apple, sometimes giving in can have unintended consequences.

That’s why Body For Life has the “Free Day” Concept built in. You crave a Chinese buffet? There’s your free day to look forward to so you can indulge.

Had a really crappy day at work and coworkers want to take you out for a three martini unwind? You can do it — IF you realize that you’ll need to shift your free day. Soon it will become second nature to know what is good for you and what isn’t. Remember, if you put garbage in, you don’t get garbage out. You get garbage ON. On your thighs, buttocks, and around your middle.

It brings your attitude down, slows you down, keeps you from doing the things you want to.

Believe in yourself. You can make the change; for me, it was like the smoke had cleared for the first time in years. I could think clearer. I had more energy. I had a lust for life. Look out world, here I come!

April 25, 2007

Life is about choices

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 8:28 am

How you handle those choices determines your outcome.

You can prepare for some of the challenges that will come your way in your day-to-day life, and there are others that (as Nationwide would say) come at you fast.

In using the Power Mindset of the Body For Life program, you can train your mind on how to deal with these situations, making you stronger and uncovering courage and power you were not aware you had.

It all goes back to the old adage “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Reach deep inside. You’ll find you have more character and ability than you ever dreamed possible!

April 23, 2007

A few things…

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 8:52 pm

…that were on my mind:

1. Body For Life forces you to move out of your comfort zone. You shouldn’t expect things to be easy, nor convenient. That goes to show precisely how badly you want to make changes in your life.

2. To get the top results from Body For Life, you have to exercise to hit your high points. Working out and not breaking a sweat is better than sitting on your duff, but isn’t going to give you maximum payback. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, and even painful from time to time, but what you receive in return is far more than you put in.

3. Don’t expect to get ideal results from Body For Life if you deviate from the program; that includes workouts, water consumption, eating six smaller quality meals a day, and mental exercises.

4. Remember that the only person you cheat if you shortcut or give up is yourself.

The mind is a powerful tool, when used properly. It can and WILL help you create a new, fit you.

A Lesson For Life

Filed under: Inspriation — Silver Blue @ 1:47 pm

I’ve posted over at my Ramblings of Silver Blue. Remember, you have to love yourself in order for others to love you.