It's our last weekend of this challenge! Based on Amy C.'s comment earlier this week about how her thought processes have changed when she thinks more now about what she's going to eat, I'd love to hear all of your reflections on how your body and your mind have changed over the last almost 6 weeks. How is the new you different from the old you? What have you changed about the way you think about healthy living?
Check out this article about changing our thought processes to effectively lose weight and keep it off: The Weight Loss Solution: Think Thin.
What do you like or not like about this article? Anything you can pick out that applies to your situation specifically?
I liked these especially:
- "When [they] reach a plateau or lose motivation, ... welcome the opportunity to ... be honest with themselves about the areas in which they can do better. Since hurdles and dwindling motivation are certain to happen both at camp and at home, teens learn creative ways to reconnect with their goals and experiment with new weight loss strategies."
- "Negative affirmations can be replaced with a new, encouraging internal dialogue such as “It won’t be easy, but I can do it.”"
- "Thoughts lead to emotions, and emotions lead to actions...By changing the thought processes, we can control the bingeing and emotional eating. That is the process of lifestyle change."
- But the best of all is ths one: "Long-term weight loss is as much about thinking thin as it is about looking thin."
Make it a phenomenal weekend, you thin hottie you :)
I can't wait to hear your answers to the question "What does it mean to "think thin!" I need some light shed on that :)
ReplyDeletelol Sarah. I'll say I'm definately excited about my new relationship. He is amazing because he is so positive. He made the decision that life is too short to be unhappy and I agree. He is making positive changes in his life to live healthy. I feel good when I am with him and when I think about him which encourages me to keep pushing harder to be better and healthier.
ReplyDeleteFor me I have always heard "Think thin" paired with "Think positive". So much of our lives is negative and pesamistic that we are ultimately setting ourselves up to fail. I tell my daughter every day that she can do anything she sets her mind to. Now I just need to believe it for myself.
My daughter calls herself a "Do It Girl" We are all do it girls. We kick our excuses to the curb or we write them down and throw them away. Don't say why you can't, say why you can!
I agree with your favorite parts of the article Sarah. I think Shanda hit the nail on the head when she compared thinking thin to thinking positive. The article and this 6 weeks (and the last 6 weeks challenge) has taught me that this is a mental game we are playing with ourselves here. It's not so much about the mechanics of losing weight as it is about the emotional attachments we have to being overweight, figuring those out and conquering them and then keeping that knowledge close to us so we can keep the weight off after we lose it.
ReplyDeleteI really think most anyone can lose weight if they really want to, but only the truly saavy can keep it off. By saavy, I mean those that understand things like that article was talking about.
People are not overweight JUST b/c they eat too much. There are always emotional attachments. Why do you eat too much? What are you using food to cope with? What are you unhappy about? Figuring those attachments out and acting on that knowledge is key. We see it all the time on the Biggest Loser. Sometimes I think Jillian is a better therapist than a trainer!
The great part about it all is that when I see those people get on that scale and they have lost "x" lbs., it's so often a confermation that they have conquered some personal demon. They seem to feel changed inside more than out. Losing the weight can confirm to them that they are strong, worthy, accomplished, deserving people that can be happy. Obviously, weighing less pounds does not mean anyone is more valuble than another. It's the emotional, mental and spiritual work that is going on while the weight is coming off that shines through with those special moments we see on the show.
I am so proud of all of us! We are all on that journey to better our lives, figure ourselves out and have amazing futures! I love it!!
Wow Shanda and Meghan, I couldn't have said it any better myself! Three years ago when I lost my weight, it wasn't so much of how I looked on the outside that made me happy (although that was a bonus) but it was how I felt on the inside that kept me going and I was able to deal with some of those internal battles. I think that is key that if we can figure out what is going on inside of us then we are well on our way to a healthier lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago I lost my cousin in a very tragic way and some of those insecurities crept back into my life along with some of my weight. But now I am able to recognize what needs to be done and I try not only to surround myself with positive people but to BE and THINK positive and by doing this helps me to "think thin".
Thanks ladies for being that strength to me! I too am so proud of all you and I have loved being part of this group and have learned so much from each of you. And Sarah, thanks again for taking time out of your busy life to be our "cheerleader". I know I can speak for everyone and say that we all appreciate you!
I need your advice here ladies. My problem areas are just that, a problem. I am happy with the rest of me but my hips and thighs need help and I don't know what else to do to get them to slim down. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi Tara,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you are feeling because I have the same problem! Do you like to swim? A few years ago I started doing water aerobics and a half hour before my class started I would go and swim laps. I am not even a very good swimmer so I would use a noodle :) It was quite the site but hey it worked and it slimmed down my thighs and hips tremendously! I need to start doing that again because that is the first place I put weight on. Also I love to walk or I should say "speed" walk and this helps too! Good luck!
Emotions, they sure do cause problems. I personally find when I feel emotional that's when the negative thinking slips in. With practice, I have learned to stop and check what triggered the negative thought. This had helped me tremendously.
ReplyDeleteI have found that thinking thin for me means thinking healthy. I can't focus on pictures of thin people, or even thin pictures of myself. I feel like if I focus on looking a certain way I get discouraged because it's taking so long.
My thinking thin is setting fitness goals. I know if I can achieve my goals with running, swimming and biking weight loss will be a side effect.
I was so excited the other day on my run, I felt like I was making some forward progress and that keeps me more motivated than anything else.
Hi. I just did my end-of-week tests for sit-ups and push-ups and I'm so excited I don't want to wait until tomorrow to tell you!
ReplyDeleteMy progress on push-ups is less substantial, but way more exciting. I get to move from Week 2 column 2 to Week 2 column 3. I didn't do enough to move to Week 3 BUT actual, measurable progress has occurred!! Before the program, I could do 10 push-ups, now I can do 15. 50% more!!
For sit-ups test, I did 100. Now I know the meaning of "Feel the Burn" because my ab muscles felt hot and tingly.
Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I would not be doing this on my own.
Sarah F, great job! And I agree, if it wasn't for this group, I would have stuck to working hard as long as I have :) I am totally impressed by your real no-knee pushups!!!!!! Tara & Kim, the water aerobics and swimming sound fun. Something else I would suggest is taking up cycling. That will slim up the thighs a lot. See if there are any local spinning classes you can take through the winter? Running would also do the trick, but wouldn't be doable with the plantar fasciitis. I absolutely adore what you all said about thinking thin. I might have to print those out and re-read them everyday! You girls are all so wonderfully inspired. I just want to remind you all that tomorrow morning is our challenge's final weigh in with measurements!!!!! Then we'll have a week off from posting/commenting and start back up on the 23rd. Use that week off to still make smart decisions and to recruit your friends or family to jump on the next challenge with us!!! I have really enjoyed this :) Thanks, ladies!
ReplyDeleteMeant to say "wouldn't have stuck" sorry :)
ReplyDelete