Sunday, April 30, 2017
Stacey lost 43 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Stacey lost 43 pounds. After 11 years of college and achieving multiple degrees, she realized that she’d neglected her health. Her doctor advised that she was headed towards a diabetes diagnosis. She used Beachbody workouts and meal plans to get fit and healthy. Check out her journey. I decided about 6 years […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Stacey lost 43 pounds. After 11 years of college and achieving multiple degrees, she realized that she’d neglected her health. Her doctor advised that she was headed towards a diabetes diagnosis. She used Beachbody workouts and meal plans to get fit and healthy. Check out her journey. I decided about 6 years […]
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Weight Loss
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Shiryl lost 172 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Shiryl lost 172 pounds. Crohn’s Disease, depression and fatigue were making her very unhappy. She became a vegetarian and developed a true passion for fitness. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. Hi, my name is Shiryl and I used to weigh 380 pounds. I have been overweight the majority of […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Shiryl lost 172 pounds. Crohn’s Disease, depression and fatigue were making her very unhappy. She became a vegetarian and developed a true passion for fitness. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. Hi, my name is Shiryl and I used to weigh 380 pounds. I have been overweight the majority of […]
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Weight Loss
Friday, April 28, 2017
Double digit training walk
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It would be a flat out lie if I said that I feel prepared for the Indy Mini a week from tomorrow! Haha. I do feel more prepared than I was in 2008 (my first time doing it, and I didn't do ANY training), but I am far from ready now. Having such a long depressive episode last year took a huge toll on my body (and obviously my mind).
A couple of months ago, I made the decision to take a break from running, and I don't regret that decision one bit. I just felt SO tired of it--I got tired of racing a long time ago, and I struggled with wanting to run for fun. I don't have a running partner, which makes it tough to enjoy running and find the motivation to get out there.
When my running mojo showed no signs of returning, I decided that I would walk the Indy Mini. I've walked it three times before, and it's actually a really great race to walk!
Read more »
Weight Loss
It would be a flat out lie if I said that I feel prepared for the Indy Mini a week from tomorrow! Haha. I do feel more prepared than I was in 2008 (my first time doing it, and I didn't do ANY training), but I am far from ready now. Having such a long depressive episode last year took a huge toll on my body (and obviously my mind).
A couple of months ago, I made the decision to take a break from running, and I don't regret that decision one bit. I just felt SO tired of it--I got tired of racing a long time ago, and I struggled with wanting to run for fun. I don't have a running partner, which makes it tough to enjoy running and find the motivation to get out there.
When my running mojo showed no signs of returning, I decided that I would walk the Indy Mini. I've walked it three times before, and it's actually a really great race to walk!
Read more »
Weight Loss
May 30 Time Crunch Intervals Challenge
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The Goal for this super, straight forward exercise challenge is to add an Intense Burst of Exercise into your day. Add these quick interval workouts to your regular workout routine. Join Us! Download the Workout Calendar! – Print it out! – Get Moving! Click Here to Download the Calendar Leave a comment below and tell us your health […]
Weight Loss
The Goal for this super, straight forward exercise challenge is to add an Intense Burst of Exercise into your day. Add these quick interval workouts to your regular workout routine. Join Us! Download the Workout Calendar! – Print it out! – Get Moving! Click Here to Download the Calendar Leave a comment below and tell us your health […]
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Weight Loss
Meagan lost 94 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Meagan lost 94 pounds. She simply got tired of wanting to do better and decided to change her life commiting to a healthier lifestyle. This journey was not just about what she did, it was about the positive, realistic point of view she embraced. Check out her story. My story is very simple. I […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Meagan lost 94 pounds. She simply got tired of wanting to do better and decided to change her life commiting to a healthier lifestyle. This journey was not just about what she did, it was about the positive, realistic point of view she embraced. Check out her story. My story is very simple. I […]
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Weight Loss
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Six-Month Half-Marathon Training Plan for Beginners
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Finally! I've been working on this plan for what feels like forever, and I finally finished it up today. I've posted it on my Training Plans page, but I'll share it here as well.
My original thought for this plan was to take a true beginner (non-runner) and prepare them to run a half-marathon (particularly the Rock 'n' Roll Vegas Half in November, since I'll be doing that with lots of From Fat to Finish Line tribe members). However, I don't want it to be specifically for that half, because you could use this plan to train for any half marathon.
This is a six-month training plan--26 weeks! If you are currently capable of walking 30 minutes, four days per week, and your doctor okays it, then you can certainly follow this plan to run your first half-marathon as soon as November. I basically combined my "Walk to Run" plan, my "Base Building" plan, and my "Finish Strong Half-Marathon" plan, made some tweaks here and there, and kept it as simple as possible, while still being effective.
At first, there are four workouts per week, and then in Week 15, a fifth day is added. The plan starts by building up from walking to running for a full 30 minutes, non-stop. From there, it slowly builds up the long run on weekends, while still running at a very easy pace. In Week 15, I introduce some very simple speed work--intervals from 60 seconds to (eventually) 5 minutes long.
The majority of the plan is EASY running. I stress that because easy runs are so important! Please read my post about The Importance of the Easy Run before you start any training plan. I became my fastest, while staying injury-free, by doing most of my runs at a very slow, easy pace. The post I linked to above describes it much more detail.
So, without further ado, I give you the link to my Six-Month Half-Marathon Training Plan for Beginners (it's in PDF format for easy printing). I hope you enjoy! I welcome any feedback, good or bad, about the results of the plan. I've gotten very good feedback about the other plans I've written, so I hope this one will serve you well :)
(P.S. If you are using this plan to train for the Rock 'n' Roll Vegas Half on November 12, then this plan will start in just a couple of weeks on May 15!)
Weight Loss
Finally! I've been working on this plan for what feels like forever, and I finally finished it up today. I've posted it on my Training Plans page, but I'll share it here as well.
My original thought for this plan was to take a true beginner (non-runner) and prepare them to run a half-marathon (particularly the Rock 'n' Roll Vegas Half in November, since I'll be doing that with lots of From Fat to Finish Line tribe members). However, I don't want it to be specifically for that half, because you could use this plan to train for any half marathon.
This is a six-month training plan--26 weeks! If you are currently capable of walking 30 minutes, four days per week, and your doctor okays it, then you can certainly follow this plan to run your first half-marathon as soon as November. I basically combined my "Walk to Run" plan, my "Base Building" plan, and my "Finish Strong Half-Marathon" plan, made some tweaks here and there, and kept it as simple as possible, while still being effective.
At first, there are four workouts per week, and then in Week 15, a fifth day is added. The plan starts by building up from walking to running for a full 30 minutes, non-stop. From there, it slowly builds up the long run on weekends, while still running at a very easy pace. In Week 15, I introduce some very simple speed work--intervals from 60 seconds to (eventually) 5 minutes long.
The majority of the plan is EASY running. I stress that because easy runs are so important! Please read my post about The Importance of the Easy Run before you start any training plan. I became my fastest, while staying injury-free, by doing most of my runs at a very slow, easy pace. The post I linked to above describes it much more detail.
So, without further ado, I give you the link to my Six-Month Half-Marathon Training Plan for Beginners (it's in PDF format for easy printing). I hope you enjoy! I welcome any feedback, good or bad, about the results of the plan. I've gotten very good feedback about the other plans I've written, so I hope this one will serve you well :)
(P.S. If you are using this plan to train for the Rock 'n' Roll Vegas Half on November 12, then this plan will start in just a couple of weeks on May 15!)
Weight Loss
Brandy lost over 70 pounds
http://ift.tt/2pCLMuq
Transformation of the Day: Brandy lost over 70 pounds. This mother of six experienced significant weight gain with each pregnancy. She found herself self medicating with food to deal with the pain of feeling alone and unloved. One day, she realied that she had to change her life, not only for herself but for her children. Good […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Brandy lost over 70 pounds. This mother of six experienced significant weight gain with each pregnancy. She found herself self medicating with food to deal with the pain of feeling alone and unloved. One day, she realied that she had to change her life, not only for herself but for her children. Good […]
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Weight Loss
Childhood obesity quadruples risk of developing type 2 diabetes
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Weight Loss
Children with obesity face four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to children with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range, according to a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
Both obesity and diabetes are epidemic health problems. Obesity affects about 12.7 million children and teens in the United States. The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study found 3,600 cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed in U.S. children and teens each year between 2002 and 2005, according to the Endocrine Society's Endocrine Facts and Figures report.
The researchers who published the Journal of the Endocrine Society study found a similar trend in a large-scale analysis of diabetes and obesity rates among British children.
"As the prevalence of obesity and being overweight has rapidly risen, an increasing number of children and young adults have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United Kingdom since the early 1990s," said the one of the study's authors, Ali Abbasi, M.D., Ph.D., of King's College London in London, U.K. "A child with obesity faces a four-fold greater risk of being diagnosed with diabetes by age 25 than a counterpart who is normal weight."
The cohort study used electronic health records from one of the largest primary care databases worldwide, the U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink, to pull data from 375 general practices. The researchers examined BMI measurements, diabetes diagnosis records, and other data for 369,362 children between the ages of 2 and 15.
Examining data recorded between 1994 and 2013, the researchers found 654 children and teenagers were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 1,318 were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Children and teenagers with obesity constituted nearly half of the type 2 diabetes cases - 308 in all.
The study found no association between obesity and increased incidence of type 1 diabetes, which is linked to an underlying autoimmune disorder.
"Diabetes imposes a heavy burden on society because the condition is common and costly to treat," Abbasi said. "Estimates indicate one in 11 adults has type 2 diabetes, or about 415 million people worldwide. Given that diabetes and obesity are preventable from early life, our findings and other research will hopefully motivate the public and policymakers to invest and engage in diabetes prevention efforts."
Article: Body Mass Index and Incident Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Young Adults: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Ali Abbasi, MD, PhD Dorota Juszczyk, PhD Cornelia HM van Jaarsveld, PhD Martin C Gulliford, MA, FFPH, Journal of the Endocrine Society, doi: 10.1210/js.2017-00044, published 25 April 2017.
Weight Loss
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
My watch, Wednesday Weigh-in, and alcohol
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Weight Loss
After a busy weekend, the last couple of day have seemed dull--but it's nice, because I've gotten quite a bit done. I've been feeling so much better since I started my new medication, and I'm thrilled that it's actually working. I'd gotten used to feeling depressed for so long (this bout lasted about 10 months) that I was getting desperate. I even told my friend Andrea, just before seeing the psychiatrist, that I was putting ALL my eggs into that one basket, and I just hoped that it would help.
Yesterday, I was SO energetic. My depression had made me feel lethargic and I had to force myself to do things; but now that I'm feeling better, I don't have to talk myself into things anymore. My house is super clean, I'm caught up on email (well, almost--but much more than usual), I've been spending time with the kids, and I just feel very
content. I'm not euphoric or anything, but I am loving that I don't feel depressed. I had so many really dark days that I thought would never end, and when I look back on those, I have a hard time believing it.
I was happy I got to spend some time with Jerry yesterday. He picked me up from the airport on Sunday night, and then we went to bed (I only saw him for about two hours, but I was unpacking, visiting with the kids, etc). He left for work before I woke up on Monday, and from work, he went to a concert with a friend on Monday night. I was sleeping when he got home, and then he woke up for work early on Tuesday, while I was sleeping. So last night was the first night I really got to talk to him since Thursday afternoon.
While I was in Boston, he did the coolest thing for me--he got a new battery put in my watch! Maybe that doesn't sound like a big deal, but Jerry bought me this watch when we were dating, probably in 2001-ish? I loved it, and I wore it until the battery went dead. Then I put it in my jewelry box, intending to take it in for a new battery. And it sat there ever since!
I was cleaning out drawers in my bedroom, and I went through my jewelry box as well. When I saw the watch, I told Jerry that I really HAVE to get a new battery, because I'd love to wear the watch again. So, while I was in Boston, Jerry surprised me by taking my watch in and now it works again! I know a lot of people don't wear watches anymore, because it's easy enough to check the time on our phones; but I've always liked telling time manually--with the "big hand" and "little hand"--instead of digitally. Anyway, I'm happy to be wearing it again! (It's definitely bigger on my wrist than it used to be--but that's just fine with me).
This morning was my Wednesday Weigh-in, and I was pretty psyched when I got on the scale to see that not only had I not gained weight in Boston, I actually had a good two pound loss this week! It was funny, though. I usually weigh in while wearing my underwear and sometimes my socks, but when I stepped on the scale, it said 140.0. SO close to the 130's--so I took off my undies and socks, and that was enough to bring it down to 139.8.
THEN, when I picked up my phone to take a picture, it went up to 140.2. Obviously, it doesn't actually make any difference whether it reads 140.2 or 139.8 (my body weighs the same either way), but because I was so close to the 130's, I wanted the official weigh in to read that. After a few tries, I managed to grab my phone and snap a picture before the scale registered the weight of the phone. HAHAHA.
I haven't seen the 130's in a long time. I think the biggest change over the last couple of months has been that I haven't had much alcohol at all. It wasn't just calories in alcohol that would be a problem (a glass of wine only has 100-125 calories); but a glass of wine usually makes me want to eat something, and then sometimes I would binge or just eat when I wasn't actually hungry. Alcohol gives me that, "Ah, screw it! I'll worry about it later!" mentality.
I haven't quit drinking alcohol entirely, but I can count on one hand the number of occasions that I've had any drinks--even including this weekend in Boston. I had one and a half beers on Friday; one drink with dinner at Kowloon, and two at the comedy show; and none on Sunday. Usually, on vacation, I like to indulge in several drinks! The benefit to drinking only on rare occasions now is that I've become a lightweight, and one or two drinks is plenty.
Anyway, I haven't binged in over two months, so I think it has made a pretty big difference. I still haven't been counting calories, but I've been eating four times a day and keeping my portions reasonable. I'm pretty happy with how things are going right now! :)
Weight Loss
Anita lost 206 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Anita lost 206 pounds. When day to day tasks became unbearable to perform, she knew that something had to change. As a health professional, she was sharing the importance of healthy living, but not making healthy choices in her own life. Check out how she took action to release the weight. […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Anita lost 206 pounds. When day to day tasks became unbearable to perform, she knew that something had to change. As a health professional, she was sharing the importance of healthy living, but not making healthy choices in her own life. Check out how she took action to release the weight. […]
Weight Loss
Study finds major health benefits linked to indoor temperature variation
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Weight Loss
Exposure to environments outside a comfortable temperature could help tackle major metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and should be reflected in modern building practices, finds a study published in Building Research & Information.
This new research reveals how exposure to mildly cold or warm environments, outside the standard comfort zone inside buildings of 21 - 22 oC, increases metabolism and energy expenditure which may help to tackle obesity. For those with type 2 diabetes, exposure to mild coldness influences glucose metabolism and after 10 days of intermittent cold, patients had increased insulin sensitivity by more than 40%. These results for diabetes treatment are comparable with the best pharmaceutical solutions available.
As a result of the positive benefits, the authors advocate that living conditions in modern buildings, such as homes and offices, should be dynamic and incorporate drifting temperatures in order to support healthy human environments. Such measures should go hand in hand with the classical lifestyle factors such diet and physical exercise.
The research, "Healthy Excursions Outside the Thermal Comfort Zone", published in Building Research & Information, outlines how preventable metabolic syndrome health conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, may be influenced by exposure to a variable indoor temperature.
The lead author of the study and Professor of Ecological Energetics and Health at Maastricht University Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt commented, "It has previously been assumed that stable fixed indoor temperatures would satisfy comfort and health in most people. However, this research indicates that mild cold and variable temperatures may have a positive effect on our health and at the same time are acceptable or even may create pleasure."
Richard Lorch, editor in chief, commented: "This ground-breaking research provides a new approach to how we think about the heating and cooling our of buildings. The health benefits from a short exposure to a more varied temperature range will redefine our expectations on thermal comfort. In turn, this will change our practices for heating and cooling our buildings."
The research, part of a forthcoming Building Research & Information special issue entitled "Rethinking Thermal Comfort", examines the practices of thermal comfort, and offers solutions providing healthier, comfortable, low-energy solutions in buildings. In developed countries, buildings account for up to 40% of energy demand and constitute a significant proportion of CO2 emissions. A reduction in heating and cooling of buildings will have a positive health effect on the occupants, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Weight Loss
Little kids' regular bedtimes and ability to regulate emotions may lessen obesity risk
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Weight Loss
Study finds link between routines, emotions and weight.
Family structure including regular bedtimes, mealtimes and limited screen time appear to be linked to better emotional health in preschoolers, and that might lower the chances of obesity later, a new study suggests.
"This study provides more evidence that routines for preschool-aged children are associated with their healthy development and could reduce the likelihood that these children will be obese," said lead author Sarah Anderson of The Ohio State University.
The study - the first to look at the connections between early childhood routines and self-regulation and their potential association with weight problems in the pre-teen years - appears in the International Journal of Obesity.
Researchers evaluated three household routines when children were 3 years old: regular bedtime, regular mealtime and whether or not parents limited television and video watching to an hour or less daily. Then they compared those to parents' reports of two aspects of children's self-regulation at that same age.
Lastly, they investigated how the routines and self-regulation worked together to impact obesity at age 11, defined based on international criteria. (The U.S. criteria for childhood obesity is set lower and would have included more children.)
The research included 10,955 children who are part of the Millennium Cohort Study, a long-term study of a diverse population of children born in the United Kingdom from September of 2000 to January of 2002. At age 3, 41 percent of children always had a regular bedtime, 47 percent always had a regular mealtime and 23 percent were limited to an hour or less daily of TV and videos. At age 11, about 6 percent were obese.
All three household routines were associated with better emotional self-regulation - a measure based on parents' responses to questions such as how easily the child becomes frustrated or over-excited. Those children with greater emotional dysregulation were more likely to be obese later.
"We saw that children who had the most difficulties with emotion regulation at age 3 also were more likely to be obese at age 11," said Anderson, an associate professor in Ohio State's College of Public Health.
Anderson and her colleagues also found that the absence of a regular preschool bedtime was an independent predictor of obesity at 11. Obesity risk increased even when children "usually" had a regular bedtime, as opposed to "always." The risk was greatest for those who had the least amount of consistency in their bedtimes.
How persistent and independent children were at age 3 - another aspect of self-regulation - was not related to obesity risk, nor were routines associated with these aspects of self-regulation.
The new findings build on previous research by Anderson and her colleagues showing an association between earlier preschool bedtimes and decreased odds of obesity later. Previous work published in 2010 showed in a US national sample that obesity prevalence was lowest for children who got enough sleep, had limits on screen time and ate meals with their families.
"This research allows us to better understand how young children's routines around sleep, meals, and screen time relate to their regulation of emotion and behavior," Anderson said. "The large, population-based, UK Millennium Cohort Study afforded the opportunity to examine these aspects of children's lives and how they impact future risk for obesity."
This research should prompt future work looking at the role of emotional self-regulation in weight gain in children and how bedtime routines can support healthy development, Anderson said.
"Sleep is so important and it's important for children in particular. Although there is much that remains unknown about how sleep impacts metabolism, research is increasingly finding connections between obesity and poor sleep," she said.
While it's impossible from this work to prove that routines will prevent obesity, "Recommending regular bedtime routines is unlikely to cause harm, and may help children in other ways, such as through emotion regulation," Anderson said.
But competing family pressures including parents' work schedules don't always allow for consistency, Anderson pointed out.
"As a society, we should consider what we can do to make it easier for parents to interact with their children in ways that support their own and their children's health."
The National Institutes of Health and the U.K. Economic and Social Research Council supported the study.
Researchers from the University College London and Temple University also worked on the study.
Article: Self-regulation and household routines at age three and obesity at age eleven: Longitudinal analysis of the UK Millennium cohort study, S E Anderson, A Sacker, R C Whitaker and Y Kelly, International Journal of Obesity, doi: 10.1038/ijo.2017.94, published 24 April 2017.
Weight Loss
Emotional overeating in children linked to home environment not genes
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Weight Loss
Overeating by children who are stressed or upset is mainly influenced by their home environment and not by their genes, according to new research led by UCL.
The researchers found that genetics play a surprisingly small role in young children's emotional overeating, unlike other eating behaviours seen in early childhood, such as food fussiness. Their study 'Home environment shapes emotional eating' is published today in the journal Child Development.
Previous research had focussed on how adults use food to cope with stress, sadness and other negative emotions. However, little was known about the development of emotional overeating in childhood and this study is the first to examine the roles of genetic and environmental factors.
The researchers collected data from over 4,800 British twins born in 2007 and taking part in the Gemini twin study.
Parents described their twins' tendencies to eat more than usual when experiencing emotions, such as feeling upset or anxious. They answered questions on two occasions; when their twins were 16 months old, and again when they were 5 years old. The researchers compared how similar identical and non-identical twin pairs were for emotional eating.
"We showed that children's emotional overeating is mostly influenced by environmental factors completely shared by twin pairs. Future research should look towards home environmental factors that might play a role, such as certain parental feeding practices or stress around the dinner table. Genes are largely unimportant for emotional overeating in childhood," said Moritz Herle, (UCL Behavioural Science and Health), who co-led the research.
"The results were surprising because previous studies have shown that other eating behaviours are strongly influenced by genes in early childhood; such as being fussy about food. Findings also contrasted with studies of adults that have shown that the tendency to eat emotionally is partly shaped by genes, while the home family environment we grew up in plays no role at all when we're older."
The researchers found that genes contributed just 10% and 4% to the trait of emotional overeating, at the ages of 16 months and five years respectively.
"People who have a tendency to eat for comfort when they are stressed or upset have been found to be more likely to gain weight and develop other mental health problems, such as binge eating disorder. Understanding when and how these tendencies develop is useful, because it helps researchers to give advice about how to prevent or change it," said Dr Clare Llewellyn, (UCL Behavioural Science and Health), senior lead researcher for the paper.
"The findings from this study suggest that if we want to stop children becoming emotional eaters, we should focus on influences within the family. Using food as a reward or to sooth a child who is upset might be one of the ways that children learn to overeat in response to negative emotions."
Article: The home environment shapes emotional eating, Herle M, Fildes A, Rijsdijk F, Steinsbekk S and Llewellyn CH, Child Development, published 25 April 2017.
Weight Loss
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
LIAM 338 – Be a Lover of Truth
Do you love the truth? Think carefully before you answer. Many people don’t want to know the truth. What they want is to know that what they already believe is the truth. There’s a big difference! Truth is always peaceful. Truth is not dependent on anyone believing it or not. It does not justify, plead, beg, or try to convince you to believe it. It just is. Lies, however, die if you don’t believe them. Lies beg, plead, want attention, offer detailed explanation, and try to convince. It takes a lot of work to keep a lie alive! I share with you how to know when someone is lying to you, and, more importantly, when you are lying to yourself. Listen as I explain:
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The post LIAM 338 – Be a Lover of Truth appeared first on Life Is A Marathon : Life Coaching | Self-Esteem | Personal Development | Personal Branding | Positive Thinking | Faith | Spirituality.
Self Esteem Feeds
Small-Scope Synesthesia
In response to my previous blog post on synesthesia, Gary Skaleski (MA, LPC, currently working as an EAP case manager) wrote the following:
“About 1976-77 John Grinder was teaching about modalities, and at one point came up with a technique which I had not heard anyone else talk about, not written up as far as I know, but which I found helpful. We started talking about synesthesia, and while discussing overlap, John suggested we spend time every day mapping from one modality to another, but at such a small level that we would never get overwhelmed. Example: take a sound. Not a word (big scope: “Amen”) but part of that word (‘Ah’) and turn that into a feeling (not emotion, but how and where that sound feels physically in or on your body), then take that feeling and turn it into a visual image (again, not a scene but a simple shape, color, etc.).
“The order is not important, and could start with a feeling, to visual to auditory, etc. Just keep overlapping at this small level. After a few weeks of doing this, I noticed a significant drop in my general anxiety — things that might have ‘gotten under my skin’ did not elicit as large a response as before.
“It’s an interesting and effective technique, and in this age of mindfulness and meditation, it’s also a way someone could take any experience, chunk it down, and use the small elements of that experience to remap at an equivalent level in all systems, so going back to thinking about the original experience is not as overwhelming as before.”
I wrote back: “Gary, thanks for your note. I remember Grinder presenting this ‘small chunk overlap’ as a way to work with schizophrenia about 1978 (and it may be mentioned in Frogs into Princes) as a gentle and non-threatening way to integrate modalities. I don’t know anyone (other than you) who has tried it, but it certainly sounds right, and I can’t see how it could possibly hurt. Boredom would probably keep me from spending enough time doing it to be worthwhile, but others might not be so encumbered.
Gary replied: “This was early NLP, so submodalities and spinning feelings were still in the distant future. I would probably spend about 20-30 minutes a day doing this, and it was fascinating to concentrate on the smallest detail (a line, different parts of words with different sounds, pitches, volume, and feelings here and there (equivalent to the est technique of asking, ‘What color is your headache? Where is it located? What shape is it,’ asking this over and over until it changed or disappeared). Anyway, we were still green in those days and John could have told me to put my head in a garbage can and yell to cure something and I probably would have done it.”
Steve wrote to John Grinder, asking him to look over the above to see if it accurately represented his memory and understanding, and/or suggest changes or additions; his reply is below:
John Grinder replied: “Your account strikes me as entirely plausible. I have no idea about the dates involved — it sounds close to when the period when we were exploring synesthesia. I have had good success in cases of clients who get triggered by X; if you elicit a reasonably well-specified description of the triggering stimuli, you can decompose them into their submodality components, and use small pieces of those components mapped onto other submodalities of other representational systems through synesthesia circuitry (e.g. swatches of color, small sounds, any of the submodalities kinesthetically) and either have the client’s unconscious (ideally) or in some cases, have the client deliberately present to him/herself these small chunk elements (and therefore meaningless and ineffective as a trigger), the triggers lose their ability to access the states that they have been historically associated with. In my experience, this has worked with the full range of clients, from chronic schizophrenics to off-the-street clients.
“I have used the small chunk approach with synesthesia mapping with many clients over the years — it works very well (for me, at least) with things like pain control. I remember taking a fall climbing and breaking a bone in my ankle. I had about one and a half miles to get back to my pickup truck. Because of my fascination with, and playing around with, such synesthesia mapping, I mapped the pain (important to maintain a sensing of the pain to avoid doing things that would exacerbate the injury) onto pressure and heat. By so doing, it was able to carefully return to my truck without further damaging my ankle.
“I have used it with women who want to be fully conscious during childbirth but not feel the pain. One striking example was a woman who has strong K > V circuitry. I had her practice for some weeks during her pregnancy. When she went into labor, the professional medical types wired her for contractions as well as the baby for heartbeat, breathing. She was walking around the room talking to her mom and friends, and the nurses were looking worried and constantly checking the instruments. Fortunately they were intelligent enough not to mention that according to the instruments, the woman should be in severe pain. The baby was born premature and was kept in a critical care unit because the brainstem breathing was not mature enough to safely maintain the breathing patterns. The mother decided to stay in the hospital to be close to her baby. Two or three days after the birth, she, the head nurse, and her mother walked in the room where she had been in labor. She stepped through the door, stopped abruptly and exclaimed, ‘They have painted the room!’ What had happened was that practicing the synesthesia patterning (K >V) kicked in unconsciously, and she had succeeded in remaining conscious and mobile by changing the colors in the room to one that served as a measurement of the pain without the requirement of experiencing the pain.
“I was amused by Gary’s statement about yelling into a garbage can — it is certainly accurate that congruency on the part of the agent of change is a powerful aspect of doing change work.”
Taking Ollie Marie on the Road!
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Weight Loss
I did my first show last weekend, it's a local one about 20 minutes from my house. Being this was my first time I had a ton of expenses - fixtures, canopies, signs {thanks to my friend GirlHobbs! She designed it for me!}, bins, pricing guns and tags, cash box, and a million kettle bells. Yes, kettle bells. See Friday is was hot and sunny and we had a huge storm roll through overnight which led to a COLD AND WINDY Saturday. No one was in the mood to buy summer clothes, hats, and accessories when they are walking around with parkas on.
Let me tell you - I owe Oliver 'hugs' whenever he wants for the next year! He got up at 4am with me {after barely any sleep from the hail coming down at 2am!} helped me set up in the wind, the person who had the spot next to me never showed so we took the brunt of the gusts and he had lots of times where he had to stand and hold it up. He stayed all day without complaint and I'm so grateful because it was really stressful and bitching would probably have sent me over the edge. I had to run to walmart to buy 200 bucks in kettle bells to tie the canopy down, actually worked really well.
I'm so glad I got up early to curl my hair to stand out in the wind. You can find my denim joggers here, my top here, and my sunnies here. Overall I only did about half of what I expected, but it wasn't a total waste because I learned all kinds of things I would do differently!
Like:
1. To speed up checkout just put prices on everything and do a quick sale - searching for specific inventory was taking WAY too long and no one likes to stand in line when it's windy and cold. I used the Shopify POS system and LOVED it. The only problem I ran into was that the iPhone 7 has no headphone jack to plug in a credit swiper so I had to buy a bluetooth reader for about 80 bucks.
2. I would have more signage! I only had a big one out front stating who we were and that we sold curvy sizes also, which I think was a great idea because a lot of boutiques only carry up to a large. I would do signs for deals - like $10 flip flips or sunglasses.
3. I did take my LipSense and only kept out my testers - people will walk up and open colors which I would have to damage out so I kept live product under the table.
4. I had people asking to try items on, but in the wind no way I could set up a dressing room, but if it's possible I sure would.
I do plan to do more shows so I feel like I'll be more prepared next time, hopefully! Indoors would def be a lot easier!
All was right in the world when I found out my favorite restaurant now has FROZEN Moscow Mules!! Well that and 11 hours of deep sleep.
Weight Loss
3 Big Reasons Why You Should Stop Drinking Diet Sodapop
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Weight Loss
I’ve been saying for years, that people need to relax on the fizzy drinks. The sweet drinks, too. Yes, that includes juice. And, for years, people have been coming aaaaat me about it. I mean, you would think I was threatening folks’ mamas out here. But I get it. People are very attached to these […]
The post 3 Big Reasons Why You Should Stop Drinking Diet Sodapop appeared first on A Black Girl's Guide To Weight Loss.
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Physical activity may ward off heart damage
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Physical activity can lower the risk of heart damage in middle-aged and older adults and reduce the levels of heart damage in people who are obese, according to research published in JACC: Heart Failure.
Obesity is associated with structural and functional abnormalities in the heart and subsequent heart failure. Heart failure may be caused by subclinical myocardial damage, in which there is damage to the heart muscle but a patient does not show sign or symptoms.
Researchers examined 9,427 patients aged 45-64 years without cardiovascular disease and a body mass index of more than 18.5 kg/m2. Physical activity was measured through a questionnaire and categorized according to current guidelines as "recommended" (at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity or at least 150 minutes per week of a combination of moderate to vigorous intensity), "intermediate" (1-74 minutes per week of vigorous intensity or 1-149 minutes of a combination of moderate to vigorous intensity), or "poor" (no moderate to vigorous exercise). To measure damage to the heart, researchers assessed levels of high sensitivity troponin T. Elevated levels of this biomarker are considered a marker of heart damage and have been shown to be associated with future heart failure.
Elevated levels of high sensitivity troponin T were observed in 7.2 percent of the total study population. Individuals with lower levels of physical activity were significantly more likely to have elevated levels of high sensitivity troponin suggesting higher heart damage. For example, participants who performed poor and intermediate levels of physical activity were 39 percent and 34 percent more likely to have heart damage than persons who engaged in recommended levels of physical activity.
The researchers subsequently looked at the combined associations of physical activity and obesity with this blood marker of heart damage. Obesity had been previously shown to be strongly associated with elevated levels of high sensitivity troponin, and the combination of obesity and elevated troponin was associated with a significantly increased risk of future heart failure. In the current study, the authors demonstrated that participants with obesity who performed poor levels of exercise had the highest likelihood of having elevated high sensitivity troponin levels. Participants with obesity who performed recommended levels of physical activity had a weaker association with elevated levels of high sensitivity troponin, and after adjustment for traditional cardiac risk factors, this was association was no longer statistically significant. These results suggest physical activity may lessen the association of obesity and heart damage. The authors also found a significant interaction between physical activity and obesity on elevated levels of high sensitivity troponin, which indicates that the protective association of physical activity and heart damage may be stronger among individuals with obesity, a group at particularly high risk for future heart failure.
"The protective association of physical activity against subclinical myocardial damage may have implication for heart failure risk reduction, particularly among the high-risk group of individuals with excess weight," said Roberta Florido, MD, cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins Hospital and lead author of the study. "Promoting physical activity may be a particularly important strategy for heart failure risk reductions among high risk groups such as those with obesity."
In an accompanying editorial comment, Tariq Ahmad, MD, MPH, FACC, and Jeffrey M. Testani, MD, MTR, said they encourage cardiologists to promote healthy habits rather than simply treating heart failure after it has developed.
"In this report we add to the body of evidence supporting moderate physical activity and its protective effect in the setting of obesity," said JACC: Heart Failure Editor-in-Chief Christopher O'Connor, MD, FACC.
Weight Loss
Britney lost 70 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Britney lost 70 pounds. At 17 years old, she was told that she had borderline diabetes, also known as pre-diabetes. This young lady took her wakeup call seriously and immediately began making changes to avoid an unhealthy lifestyle. Check out her journey. What was your motivaiton to change your life? All […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Britney lost 70 pounds. At 17 years old, she was told that she had borderline diabetes, also known as pre-diabetes. This young lady took her wakeup call seriously and immediately began making changes to avoid an unhealthy lifestyle. Check out her journey. What was your motivaiton to change your life? All […]
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Ten diabetes superfoods
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Weight Loss
Anderson, J. W., Baird, P., Davis Jr., R. H., Ferreri, S., Knudtson, M., Koraym, A., ... Williams, C. L. (2009, April). Health benefits of dietary fiber [Abstract]. Nutrition Reviews, 67(4), 188-205. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1pc6ozZ
Bes‐Rastrollo, M., Sabaté, J., Gómez‐Gracia, E., Alonso, A., MartÃnez, J. A., & MartÃnez‐González, M. A. (2007). Nut consumption and weight gain in a Mediterranean cohort: The SUN study. Obesity, 15(1), 107-107. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1jAEWsT
Bode, A. M., & Dong, D. (2011). The amazing and mighty ginger. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Chatterjee, R., Yeh, H-C., Edelman, D., & Brancati, F. (2011, September). Potassium and risk of type 2 diabetes. Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, 6(5), 665–672. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUpVTn
Christie-David, D. J., Girgis, C. M., & Gunton, J. E. (2015, February 10). Effects of vitamins C and D in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition and Dietary Supplements, 2015(7), 21-28. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aWheuK
Daily, J. W., Yang, M., Kim, D. S., & Park, S. (2015, March). Efficacy of ginger for treating type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 2(1), 36-43. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUpeJK
Dickenson, G. (2013). Going nuts - for nut and seed butters, that is. Today’s Dietitian, 15(9), 64. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUpeJK
Dreher, M. L., & Davenport, A. J. (2013). Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 53(7), 738-750. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1Snycle
Higdon, J., Drake, V. J., & Klurfeld, D. M. (2012, April). Fiber. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUpusg
Kelly Jr., J. H., & Sabaté, J. (2006, November). Nuts and coronary heart disease: an epidemiological perspective [Abstract]. British Journal of Nutrition, 96, Suppl 2:S61-7. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1RQbpxX
Lu, T., Sheng, H., Wu, J., Cheng, Y., Zhu, J., & Chen, Y. (2012, June). Cinnamon extract improves fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin level in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutrition Research, 32(6), 408-412. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUpuIM
Magnesium [Fact sheet]. (2016, February 11). Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1IuUZXx
Maher, P., Dargusch, R., Ehren, J. L., Okada, S., Sharma, K., & Schubert, D. (2011, June 27). Fisetin lowers methylglyoxal dependent protein glycation and limits the complications of diabetes. PLoS One, 6(6), e21226. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aUoIeP
Mattes, R. D., & Reher, M. L. (2010). Nuts and healthy body weight maintenance mechanisms. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 19(1), 137-41. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aWhl9Y
Mofidi, A., Ferraro, Z. M., Stewart, K. A., Tulk, H. M., Robinson, L. E., Duncan, A. M., & Graham, T. E. (2012). The acute impact of ingestion of sourdough and whole-grain breads on blood glucose, insulin, and incretins in overweight and obese men. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2012. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2orFmOB
Mozaffari-Khosravi, H., Talaei, B., Jalali, B. A., Najarzadeh, A., & Mozayan, M. R. (2014, January 8). The effect of ginger powder supplementation on insulin resistance and glycemic indices in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial [Abstract]. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 22(1), 9-16. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/12ndITj
Nagao, K., & Yanagita, T. (2009). Medium-chain fatty acids: Functional lipids for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. Pharmalogical Research, 61(2010), 208-212. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2aWhgD1
Palmer, S. (2008, July). The top fiber-rich foods list. Today's Dietitian, 10(7), 28. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/13kI5dq
Ryan, E., Galvin, K., O’Connor, T. P., Maguire, A. R., & O’Brien, N. M. (2007). Phytosterol, squalene, tocopherol content and fatty acid profile of selected seeds, grains, and legumes. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 62(3), 85-91. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2orI6v3
Schaeffer, J. (2013, June). Latest scoop on berries - Harvard study shows heart health benefits for young women. Today’s Dietitian, 15(6), 16. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/1GlC5SL
Shidfar F, Froghifar N, Vafa M, Rajab A, Hosseini S, Shidfar S, Gohari M. (2011, May). The effects of tomato consumption on serum glucose, apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A-I, homocysteine and blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition. 62(3):289-94. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2orSnr8
Tsuda, T. (2016). Recent progress in anti-obesity and anti-diabetes effect of berries. Antioxidants, 5(2), 13. Retrieved from http://ift.tt/2cMuRuE
Weight Loss
Monday, April 24, 2017
Recipes and Resources for Week 3 – 21 Days of Clean Eating
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Thank you so much for joining our April Clean Eating Challenge. Here are the resources for Week #3. We’ve posted new recipes and meal plans, along with information on dealing with cravings and emotional/stress eating. Enjoy! Dealing with Cravings 12 Snacks Nutritionists Eat to Stop Cravings When Clean Eating Makes You Feel Crazy: The Emotional Detox […]
Weight Loss
Thank you so much for joining our April Clean Eating Challenge. Here are the resources for Week #3. We’ve posted new recipes and meal plans, along with information on dealing with cravings and emotional/stress eating. Enjoy! Dealing with Cravings 12 Snacks Nutritionists Eat to Stop Cravings When Clean Eating Makes You Feel Crazy: The Emotional Detox […]
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A Boston weekend
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Saturday
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I'm home from Boston! What a whirlwind weekend--it went by so quickly. I started to write out a detailed post about everything we did, but it would have taken forever, so I'll just do a quick recap.
FridayI arrived in Boston at around 8:00 AM, and Caitlin and John picked me up from the airport. We headed from the airport to Sam Adams Brewery for a tour! "It's five o'clock somewhere" applies quite literally at Sam Adams Brewery, because all of their clocks are permanently set to 5:00, haha. So, the fact that it was a 9:30 on a Friday morning made no difference ;)
| Waiting for our Sam Adams tour |
First, we did a tasting while we were waiting for our tour. They had four blind samples of beers to taste and then respond to questions about each one on a computer.
Caitlin and I are not exactly beer-people, so we took a tiny sip of each just to see what we thought, but they all tasted the same to us. Our tour guide was awesome, and I learned quite a bit about making beer. I was mostly interested when he described putting unusual things into beers that are brewing--like oysters!
At the end of the tour, they gave us more beer to taste--some of their best sellers--so it was fun to taste without committing to a beer that I wasn't sure if I'd like. Then took a free shuttle/party bus to a cool pub called Doyle's. The driver of the bus was very intense, and had us cracking up. I felt like I was on a sitcom or something. I would love to do that again if I go back to Boston.
At Doyle's, I had the BEST fried pickles I've ever had in my life! Fried pickles are a favorite of mine, but these ones were honestly the best I've had.
| Fried pickles at Doyle's |
After lunch at Doyle's, we went on a mission to get a piece of carrot cake from Mike's Pastry. Their carrot cake is SO good, and I was looking forward to having a piece while I was in town!
Unfortunately, they were sold out. So I "settled" for a chocolate chip cannoli instead, and it was amazing. I'm kind of glad they didn't have the cake, because I wouldn't have tried the cannoli otherwise.
| Chocolate chip cannoli from Mike's Pastry |
We went to the Airbnb and chatted for a little while before going to a dive bar about a mile away. I love dive bars, especially when they have Keno. Caitlin and I played Keno, and we all chatted for several hours--it was exactly what I was looking forward to! I love being able to catch up with friends in a low-key environment.
| At Sully's, the dive bar where we spent the evening |
I had gotten a comment on my blog from a reader named Rachel, who is from Boston and asked about meeting up. I hadn't planned an actual "meet-up" because I was only going to be there for two nights, but I suggested that she meet us for breakfast on Saturday morning. I was happy that it worked out, and she met us at a little cafe near the Airbnb.
| Rachel! |
I always get nervous before meeting readers, because I typically know NOTHING about them. There is a lot of my life described here on my blog, so I feel like they know all about me--but I'm literally meeting a stranger. Thankfully, Rachel turned out to be not just "normal/not a serial killer", but she was awesome! As soon as she walked up to the table, I stopped being nervous. We had great conversation, and a yummy breakfast. Then we said goodbye, and John, Caitlin, and I went into downtown Boston.
It was cold and raining, unfortunately! It was raining the last time I was in Boston, so I had hoped for nice weather, but no such luck. Still, we walked the Freedom Trail, stopping at David's Tea to warm our hands with a hot cup of tea.
| Our first stop on the Freedom Trail |
| I love cemeteries, and I could have walked through this all day; I'm amazed that these stones are in such good condition for being from the 1700's. |
We went back to Mike's to see if they had carrot cake, and they told us to go back after 3:00, because it wasn't ready yet.
We went to Fenway Park for a tour. Caitlin and I both have Reynaud's (mine is terrible in my feet, and hers is in her hands). My feet started to get numb and then very painful, which drives me crazy! It was hard to walk up and down the stairs because my feet hurt from the Reynaud's (triggered from the cold). I was wishing Jerry was with me, because he would have loved the tour--but I'm pretty sure we'll go next year together, so he can see it then.
| Fenway Park |
| It felt like January, not April! |
After the park, Caitlin and I were dying to get warm, so we headed to the nearest restaurant for lunch. All I could think about was hot clam chowder. My toes finally thawed out, and I had some delicious chowder for lunch. John's friends, Will and Denise, met us there. They were fantastic people! I enjoyed getting to know them, and I could clearly see why John likes them so much.
After a late lunch, we went to Mike's (for the third time!) to get some carrot cake. It was only about 4:30, but they were out! The line for Mike's is insane--but it's totally worth it. And the line actually moves pretty quickly. We couldn't see if there was any carrot cake until we got to the front of the line, but we actually had fun while we waited.
| The line outside of Mike's |
| Almost our turn! (That's Will on the right) |
We walked to the car, and I couldn't resist getting a picture with this food truck, of course:
After that, we went to Caitlin's house to meet her boyfriend, Joe. Since our lunch was so late, we didn't get a chance to sit and chat, but Joe was great! His brother lives in Detroit, so we chatted about Detroit a little. Now, how is THIS for coincidence?--remember that day Caitlin came to visit last summer, and we went to Eastern Market in Detroit? Well, Joe (who Caitlin hadn't met yet!) was actually at a Tigers game in Detroit on that same day at the same time. Crazy, right?! They later met and are now smitten with each other ;)
Joe wanted to take us all out to dinner, so we went to a Chinese place called
Kowloon. Holy cow--I can't even describe how cool this place was! I wish I'd have taken some pictures inside, because it was truly indescribable. It was the largest restaurant I'd ever seen in my life, and the atmosphere was really fun. Even with the restaurant being so large, there was a wait to get a table, so clearly the food was good.
The menu was overwhelming, and I asked Caitlin and Joe to just choose for me, because I wanted to eat what
theylike to eat there. They chose well--the food was AMAZING. I wasn't very hungry because our lunch was so late, but I instantly made room when I tasted the food ;) Another place I want to go back to with Jerry!
| Just some of the food at Kowloon |
After dinner, we went upstairs for a comedy show. I happen to really love comedy shows, so I was looking forward to it. When we walked in, the hostess sat us front and center--which is a notorious spot for getting heckled by the comedians. Thankfully, the only attention we got was when the first comedian accidentally knocked the microphone stand over, and it fell right between John and me. John caught it before it hit me, so that was cool ;)
| Joe, Caitlin, me, and John |
Anyway, we had lots of laughs at the comedy show; and then I was full, tired, and ready for bed--it was a long (fun) day!
SundayWe took our time getting ready on Sunday morning, and then went to breakfast at the same little cafe as Saturday. I had packed up my stuff for the airport, because I knew I'd have to get there at 2:30. We got tickets for a Duck Tour (a tour around Boston from a vehicle that goes on land and in water). I learned some really interesting facts about Boston and saw some of the city I hadn't seen. It was fun! And the day ended up being beautiful--Friday and Saturday were cold and rainy, but Sunday made up for it.
| I look so awkward in this photo, because I thought John was taking a picture with me on the RIGHT, and the "Duck Tours" sign on the left. Hahaha |
I didn't know she had done this, but early in the morning, Caitlin called Mike's and ordered a WHOLE carrot cake! Hahaha. She wanted to make sure I got a piece of carrot cake before I left. After the Duck Tour, we stopped at Mike's to get the cake. We drove around for a while looking for parking so that we could each have some, but we couldn't find a spot--and it was time to head to the airport. So, we did what any carrot-cake-hungry people would do and we stopped in the cell phone lot. I cut out a slice of cake to take into the airport with me, and we all had a couple of bites of cake in the car. It was just as delicious as I remembered! (I imagine the other people in the lot were pretty curious about the three of us swooning over bites of cake in the car, lol)
Caitlin and John dropped me off, and I headed home. I had such a fun weekend, but it felt good to get home and see all my boys. I was wound up last night and couldn't fall asleep until around midnight; then I got up with the kids today. I'm exhausted! But thankfully, it's for good reason. I'm looking forward to going back to Boston (hopefully with Jerry) next year!
Weight Loss
Ebony lost 116 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Ebony lost 116 pounds. During a vacation in Aruba, she lost 7 pounds and decided to try to lose even more. She challenged herself each month to try new exercises and to eat a variety of healthy recipes. Since 2011, she’s worked hard to release the weight and her results are awesome. Check […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Ebony lost 116 pounds. During a vacation in Aruba, she lost 7 pounds and decided to try to lose even more. She challenged herself each month to try new exercises and to eat a variety of healthy recipes. Since 2011, she’s worked hard to release the weight and her results are awesome. Check […]
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Sunday, April 23, 2017
Wanda lost 41 pounds
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Wanda lost 41 pounds. This proud mom of three began her lifestyle transformation after being diagnosed with high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. She ate clean, did her research and worked out regularly. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. My name is Wanda. I’m a mother of three (ages 21, 15, and […]
Weight Loss
Wanda lost 41 pounds. This proud mom of three began her lifestyle transformation after being diagnosed with high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. She ate clean, did her research and worked out regularly. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. My name is Wanda. I’m a mother of three (ages 21, 15, and […]
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What to say
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My heart is not in blogging right now, but with those asking if I am okay and for an update, I decided to write something today. Am I okay? No, not really. Actually not at all okay, but what can I say about it? I decided years ago not to write about my family members' stuff, out of respect for their privacy. I wish I could. I would love to ramble on and give a lot of details about what we have been going through and share my emotions about all of it. It would probably be therapeutic. But I can't, because I don't want anyone coming back later and being upset that I wrote personal details about them. So without the benefit of being able to vent, there is no reason for me to write here at all. So I haven't.
But I do appreciate the concern and the support I have always gotten here so I wanted to say something. But what? Well myself, I am just finishing up a couple weeks of antibiotics from being sick. I feel like crap and am not getting enough sleep. My husband is having health issues that are affecting all of us. But the thing I am drowning in is that my daughter was given a pretty devastating diagnosis. Her deterioration has been life altering. We have spent a lot of time seeing doctors, therapists and specialists and travelling to the hospital hours away. I have been working on getting second opinions. We went to the hospital a few weeks ago, we are going again in a week, and again in one month or sooner. She is in daily pain and can no longer dance or go to school. As much as I would like to say more, I won't, and I ask you to respect that. I am just sharing this bit so you can see how it is affecting our lives. I love her so much and if only I could take away her pain, I would.
I am very emotional inside because I stay strong on the outside because I have to. It seems SO stupid to me to say *anything* about food or dieting at a time like this, but that's what the blog is about so, the update is that I have started stress eating and feel like I am kind of losing it. I eat food as a way to cope, or quell anxiety, worry, stress. I know I have started doing it. I cram food into my mouth because if I don't I will fall apart. I feel the tears and fear and scared emotions welling up and about to spill out (which I just cannot do... I have to take care of everything and can't be breaking down) so I hurry and shove some food in there to smash those emotions back down.
I need a better way to cope but right now this has to do. After next week we will know more about the course of action and what the next few months holds. Depending on that, maybe I can find a different way to deal. I am too high stress right now to make any effort in the food or diet direction.
Hug your kids. Just go hug them or whoever you love.
Weight Loss
My heart is not in blogging right now, but with those asking if I am okay and for an update, I decided to write something today. Am I okay? No, not really. Actually not at all okay, but what can I say about it? I decided years ago not to write about my family members' stuff, out of respect for their privacy. I wish I could. I would love to ramble on and give a lot of details about what we have been going through and share my emotions about all of it. It would probably be therapeutic. But I can't, because I don't want anyone coming back later and being upset that I wrote personal details about them. So without the benefit of being able to vent, there is no reason for me to write here at all. So I haven't.
But I do appreciate the concern and the support I have always gotten here so I wanted to say something. But what? Well myself, I am just finishing up a couple weeks of antibiotics from being sick. I feel like crap and am not getting enough sleep. My husband is having health issues that are affecting all of us. But the thing I am drowning in is that my daughter was given a pretty devastating diagnosis. Her deterioration has been life altering. We have spent a lot of time seeing doctors, therapists and specialists and travelling to the hospital hours away. I have been working on getting second opinions. We went to the hospital a few weeks ago, we are going again in a week, and again in one month or sooner. She is in daily pain and can no longer dance or go to school. As much as I would like to say more, I won't, and I ask you to respect that. I am just sharing this bit so you can see how it is affecting our lives. I love her so much and if only I could take away her pain, I would.
I am very emotional inside because I stay strong on the outside because I have to. It seems SO stupid to me to say *anything* about food or dieting at a time like this, but that's what the blog is about so, the update is that I have started stress eating and feel like I am kind of losing it. I eat food as a way to cope, or quell anxiety, worry, stress. I know I have started doing it. I cram food into my mouth because if I don't I will fall apart. I feel the tears and fear and scared emotions welling up and about to spill out (which I just cannot do... I have to take care of everything and can't be breaking down) so I hurry and shove some food in there to smash those emotions back down.
I need a better way to cope but right now this has to do. After next week we will know more about the course of action and what the next few months holds. Depending on that, maybe I can find a different way to deal. I am too high stress right now to make any effort in the food or diet direction.
Hug your kids. Just go hug them or whoever you love.
Weight Loss
Beliefs: the underpinnings of self esteem
By Irene Conlan –
As we work on this issue of self esteem, it’s important to know what you believe. I don’t mean what your parents told you that you had to believe, or a teacher, or – anybody. What do you believe? About what? About everything! Your belief system serves as the foundation for what you think, do say and how you feel and react to life around you and how you perceive yourself. You may have examined and formulated your beliefs and they line up with what your parents taught you—fantastic! Thank God for great parents. The point is that you examined them and made a decision one way or another—to accept or reject.
If, for example, you believe in a loving God who gave you free will and expects you to make decisions about your own life you will make a different set of decisions than you would make about yourself if you believe in an all powerful, vengeful God who punishes at a whim and creates obstacles all along your path to trick you. If you don’t believe in God at all, you make decisions from still a different viewpoint.
If you believe the purpose of life on this planet is to suffer, you will react differently than if you believe that life is meant to be lived in joy.
If you believe that since you came from a tiny town in Mississippi or Idaho or Arizona or a farm in Ohio that you can’t make a difference you will react differently than if you believe you can have as great an impact for good (or bad) as someone from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, or Paris.
If you believe your work is important you will go about it differently than if you believe it doesn’t matter. (And tell me about a job that doesn’t matter—they all matter somehow).
If you believe you don’t have any influence on anything or anyone, you will react differently than if you understand and accept the concept of “oneness” and know that everything you think, say or do impacts us all.
And, as Billy Joel sings, “And so it goes”
When you “fine tune” your belief system, you will most likely discover that many of your self esteem issues have been resolved and you just need to do a bit of tweaking here and there and then daily work like you need to do in a garden—you just have to keep pulling those weeds.
This is not an easy task but one that just keeps bursting with rewards. It takes time, patience with yourself—and others—reflection, meditation and a lot of revision of the revisions. As your consciousness expands it requires more reflection, meditation and revision. An on and on— “And so it goes. ..”
Your life matters. It’s up to you to decide just how you show up in the world.
Self Esteem Feeds
LIAM 337 – Success Principle: Intention
Nobody accidentally becomes successful. Reaching your goals and living the life you want requires that you know what you want, why you want it, the ability to visualize that life, and the belief that it can be yours. Putting all of that together on a day-by-day, moment-by-moment basis is living intentionally. Live your life with intention, not just for your big goals/dreams, but for all of your daily tasks. Decide what you want to accomplish and how you want to feel when it is accomplished. When you learn how to do this for all of your daily activities, you’ll truly discover the power of living intentionally! Listen as I explain:
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The post LIAM 337 – Success Principle: Intention appeared first on Life Is A Marathon : Life Coaching | Self-Esteem | Personal Development | Personal Branding | Positive Thinking | Faith | Spirituality.
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Chandra lost 60 pounds
http://ift.tt/2q3PQ2D
Transformation of the Day: Chandra lost 60 pounds. This Zeta Phi Beta soror was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and wanted to avoid a family history of the disease. She started her journey the day after that diagnosis and has not looked back. Her faith, connecting with supportive people and develping healthy habits have been the major […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Chandra lost 60 pounds. This Zeta Phi Beta soror was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and wanted to avoid a family history of the disease. She started her journey the day after that diagnosis and has not looked back. Her faith, connecting with supportive people and develping healthy habits have been the major […]
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Weight Loss
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Delicia lost 103 pounds
http://ift.tt/2pOU2UZ
Transformation of the Day: Delicia lost 103 pounds. A health scare motivated her to lose the weight. Since losing the weight, she no longer has to take medication for hypertension or anxiety. Check out how she took action to release the weight. My name is Delicia and I have been on my weight loss journey for […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Delicia lost 103 pounds. A health scare motivated her to lose the weight. Since losing the weight, she no longer has to take medication for hypertension or anxiety. Check out how she took action to release the weight. My name is Delicia and I have been on my weight loss journey for […]
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Weight Loss
Friday, April 21, 2017
7 Ways to Stay Confident During Stressful Times
It may feel challenging but you can stay confident during stressful times. Many people give into old habits and negative thinking patterns when they are under a lot of stress. This leads to succumbing to unhealthy behaviors that can lower your self-esteem. You can combat stress with confidence, it just takes some awareness and practice.
If you feel like your life is constantly chaotic you are not alone. Many people feel this way but they don’t do anything about it. They let stress take over and wind up feeling even more insecure about themselves. However, the more you learn and practice skills to stay confident during stressful times the easier it will be to manage anything life throws your way.
7 Simple Ways to Stay Confident During Stressful Times
- Take time to chill out. Read a good book, make time for a hobby like cooking or painting, spend time with your pet, take a relaxing bath, or do something that allows your mind to slow down.
- Take a technology break. It can seem impossible to distance yourself from your phone or computer when you want to avoid reality, but you can. It doesn’t feel good to waste time scrolling through others stories or news feeds when you feel crummy about your life, does it? Do something that reduces you stress instead. Take a walk, make a cup of tea or even organize a drawer in your home. Social media and technology increase insecure thoughts in most people, which makes it much harder to feel confident when your stressed.
- Ask for help. Are you overwhelmed? Have you bitten off more than you can chew? Get brave and honest, and ask a friend or family member to help out. People like helping, it makes them feel good too.
- Be of service. When you help someone, it helps you too. It allows you to stay confident during stressful times as it helps you get out of your head and connect with others. Helping a friend with a project, holding the door for a stranger, calling a friend to ask how they are doing or donating clothes to charity—all of these can take just a few minutes, but the emotional gains are much greater. You tap into a positive mindset, which reduces stress.
- Avoid over-scheduling. If you’re feeling stressed or overworked, pass on the happy hour or consider cutting out an activity or two, you won’t be fully present. Instead make a decision to do something to help you feel confident and more in control of your life.
- Take care of your body and mind. Getting active and eating well help you tackle stressful times. Your immune system can become weak when you are stressed which leads to illnesses and less energy. You can stay confident during stressful times by making healthy decisions. Drink more water, take a quick walk, grab a healthy snack or meal instead of opting for fast food. Each time you make the choice to do something to help your body and mind you increase your self-confidence.
- Zen out. When you’re stressed the chatter in your mind is louder than ever. Take a few minutes to get mindful and give your nervous system a much needed break. Try a guided meditation for a few minutes. Gabrielle Bernstein has some guided meditations that can help you stress less in as little as two minutes and there are many on YouTube as well.
Remember, you can stay confident during stressful times if you practice self-care and these tips to help you manage your emotions. If you practice just one of these tips you are more likely to feel confident and in control even if you aren’t under a tremendous amount of stress. Try one of these tips today and see how it helps you feel better.
Emily is the author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girls Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are.You can visit Emily’s Guidance Girl website. You can also find her on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.
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