Lesson Learned (at least learning)

Jul 02, 2010

  I belong to a weight loss group, First Place which is a Christ-centered Bible Study weight loss group.  I was this session's "biggest loser" . Someone asked me what I did to lose 14.5 pounds this session.  I gave the standard answer, ate less - moved more.  But the other morning as I was entering in all my weights into Livestrong website tracker, I noticed the bouncing up and down I did for the first 7 weeks.  I realized, that in the last 3 weeks, I have focused more on what I was doing and stopped playing the game with myself -- "I am trying real hard, I don't know why the weight won't go down" -- as I eat another donut.   So, what happened in week 8?  On Day 6, we were instructed to come up with a blueprint showing "who you were, who you are, and who you will become".  I think this was the first time I actually visualized and put into words what I wanted (besides "to lose weight").  I want to encourge each of you, even if all you do is write the words, draw a picture of your body in the 3 phases, write a "typical day in the life" essay for before and after, think about what you want the end result to be.  You wouldn't remodel or redecorate your home without having planned what it would look like or how you would use it at the end.  You are remodeling and redecorating your body.   In closing, I have including an except from an article from Livingstrong website -- it really encouraged me to keep my focus on progress -- one step at a time.    THE STAGES OF CHANGE   Overview

People often expect to make changes in their lives quickly. "I'll go to the gym five times a week," they say, or "It's no big deal to cut out sugar." And then reality hits, the fatigue sets in and the cookies start calling from the cupboards. Whether it's starting a new exercise program, learning communication skills or a career transition, understanding how change works can help you find and maintain your motivation.

Six Stages of Change

According to University of Rhode Island researchers James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, there are six stages of change: pre-contemplation is the mindset before you even think about making a change; contemplation is the stage in which you start to think about making a change; preparation is the stage during which you start to get ready for a change; action is when you are in the midst of changing; maintenance is remaining consistent with your new behaviors; and relapse (which people tend not to realize is one of the stages of change) is falling back on former behaviors.

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