Vibrant, Healthy and Strong...a Journey to Wellness

[Kathryn C.]

Wow, Alaskan Bush announces your weight. That is not nice.
Trying to lose weight because of what other people think of you puts so much more pressure on you. I too, am so sick and tired of that way of thinking. It did me no good. Got me nowhere and possible only bigger. The charts and planning, with the assumption that I could do better was crazy. Just stick to Ann Louise's FF Plan but try to make it as simple as it can be, and you CAN do that. I always over think everything, making it much harder that it has to be. I have realized this because I am having the smoothie for breakfast and lunch. It is so easy!! So that is what made me think that when I don't have so many smoothies, I can simplify my breakfast and lunch while still staying within the plan. Thus, relieving some of the pressure and making it easier.

You will see 185 because I know you will keep plugging along. But I am shorter that you, I am only 5'. If I could just grow 10 inches my weight would look much better. But, alas, my growing upwards if over, and my growing outwards is also over.

Everyday you stick to the FF Plan you are better off than the day before, and gaining. Oops...you can take the two ways. I don't mean gaining weight, I mean gaining ground towards a happier, healthier, longer life for you.

Great idea to reward yourself every two weeks. I may steal your idea, just have to think what it is that I would like to reward myself with.

When I see thin people who are eating really fattening things, I say, "Boy are the lucky, they can eat that stuff and never gain weight". Maybe we are the lucky ones. I will try to explain what I mean. For all the junk they are eating, look what it is doing to the inside of their body. It is not a good thing. They may be thin but sickness may be around the corner. Maybe we are overweight, but we are in the right direction. On the FF Plan we are eating healthy. Doing good things for the inside of our bodies. We will end up being healthier that those thin people, because this way of eating for us WILL be forever. What we should be saying when we see them is, "Unlucky for them that they can eat that way (and probably do all the time without ever thinking about it)". They are not treating their bodies right and it will show up eventually".

Boy, I have a few different sizes in my closet. The last time I lost weight on FF I gave all my big clothes away, saying I will never need them again.

I have to tell you, from having 5 days without sugar, coffee, and grains, my head is not in a fog like it was. I can't believe what that stuff does to you. I feel crisper!!! Much better attitude about everything. It surely feels so good

This is an exciting journey....this forum is helping me so much this time around.

[wendya]

Hurray Kathryn!

Welcome to Day 5 and a crisper, sharper, more confident you! Go back and ready your posts from earlier this week. Doesn't even sound like the same woman! You've gone from "I think I can, but" to "I'm in charge here and I'm gonna kick it!". Lovin' the difference - and that's just your attitude! Wait till the scale and measurements follow!

Of course you can celebrate every two weeks. In fact I was wondering what was wrong with celebrating every week we complete the plan? I'm not talking big things (except once in awhile), but making sure you watch the sunset. Talk to a friend you haven't seen in awhile. Getting a new flavor of tea. Mastering a new yoga pose or exercise. Whatever we want...just to say thank you to ourselves for our commitment to our bodies and our health.

Totally agree that my days of growing outwards are over. Would so love to have another 10 inches - I would look a lot better and could reach more than one shelf in my kitchen! But we are on this wonderful plan and we are gaining on our quest to be healthy. One day at a time. For me it's almost a miracle that I've followed this for 4 weeks. I think once upon a time I managed to do weight watchers for about 3 months, and then quit. Too much planning. Too much work.

Your comments on simple resonate here. Let me tell you how simple my day is. Breakfast is always a smoothie. I love my smoothies. I was doing this pre-FF, so switching a few ingredients was simple. Lunch is always simple too. My eggs - either in a frittata full of veggies or hard boiled and sliced on top of a pile of spinach/cabbage/tomatoes and whatever else I have in the garden. Dinner is equally as simple - and I don't have to cook it. Beef or Shrimp, steamed veggies and sweet potato. A fruit for afternoon snack. That's it. Pau. (done). I know that a lot of folks spend lots of time planning menus, but that is one of my stumbling points. To many ingredients, too much shopping, too much prep. To much another "have to" that equates failure if I don't do it.

I will add one or two recipes a week to my repertoire, but it will be a gradual thing. I don't get bored eating the same thing because I am simply fueling my body, not feeding my cravings. In fact, I love cookbooks. love to read them and imagine making all the goodies. Now I'm reading the recipes and wondering how I can adapt them to be more FF friendly. I love to experiment in the kitchen and now will be experimenting with a FF purpose. Yesterday I made a tasty FF friendly papaya seed dressing. Needs a few tweaks, but definitely a nice change up from my oil/vinegar dressing.

Really appreciate having you to talk to and celebrate with. It does make a difference to do this with friends. Have another successful day!

[Cheryl Todd Shergold]

Wow Wendy,
This is EXACTLY what I needed to read today! What an awesome post, SO inspiring! Thank you!
Cheryl

[wendya]

Since I seem to get sidetracked in the evenings, I'll add another post this morning.

Today's ah-ha following on the concept of celebrating all my little wins and loving myself as I am. Not the beautiful, healthy, svelte body I will have. The wonderful, functioning body I have today. That is not what I think when i look in the mirror. In fact, I sometimes cringe when I see what I've done to myself. It's all part of my story, and I love all of me.

A few years ago I was in an intense workshop and our assignment was to go home and really study ourselves in the mirror - naked. Oh my was that interesting. First thing I realized is that all these years that I thought I was looking at myself in a full length mirror (you know the little cheap 12" wide things), I wasn't. I don't fit in those mirrors! In order to see both sides of my hips, I have to back up a few feet! What a deception that has been! In my mind, my hips are no bigger than that mirror! The rest of my mirrors are from the waist up, so that too is deceiving.

The next thing I realized is that I've never really LOOKED at my body. The night of the assignment I was in a hotel room with not just one full length mirror, but two. For the first time I could see the front, sides and the back at the same time. Wow! Is that really me? ALL of me? OMG! Yes it is.

Then I started at the top of my head, and gently touching each part of my body, I told it I loved it and thanked it for being part of me. My hair, my eyes, my cheeks, my nose, my double chin...you get the idea. For the first time I acknowledged with love and acceptance every part of me.

My mantra has changed a bit. Now I tell my body, "I love you. Thank you."
To my fat I say, "Thank you for doing your job. I'm ok. You can go now. I release you."

and I visualize those little fat cells happily jumping a ride on my lymph system for the journey out of my body.

Time for my lemon water and my smoothie.

What do you do to love yourself?

[Cheryl Todd Shergold]

PS...I LOVE the bucket list idea!!! Thanks Wendya!
Cheryl
"So from now on I will reward myself every two weeks with something special just because I've stayed on plan for another two weeks. No matter what the scale says and no matter what the tape measure says. My job is to just stay the course and fuel my body with what it needs. That means this year I will get to reward myself 26 times. I like the idea of celebrating 26 times! That's something I can make a bucket list for and have fun accomplishing"

[Kathryn C.]

I will write tomorrow. But, just had to tell you this. I also did weight watchers. I was 22 years old. I got to my goal but could never go on maintenance because I had to eat HALF of the WW diet to stay at my goal weight. That is crazy. I hope this doesn't happen on FF. I hope when (not if) I get to my goal and am on phase 3 that it keeps me at the right weight. HALLELUJAH!!!

[wendya]

Aloha Cheryl! Welcome! Thanks for dropping in. HOpe you'll share your bucket list.

Kathryn - Would you believe I first did Weight Watchers at the age of 12? And Jenny Craig and Pritkin and all the others. One parent or another always had me on some kind of diet.

We will get to Phase 3. In fact I was thinking that during the holidays I might just hop onto that to make it a little easier on myself, then come back to Phase 2. Phase 3 really just has more choices, not so much a ton of new calories. I think that we will make that transition with grace and ease also - because our bodies will be ready for it and we listen to our bodies now.

When I think about fast food now, I cringe. I have no desire to put garbage in my mouth. The smell of fresh bread still makes me drool, but would you believe I want to learn how to frost cakes!?! Not to eat the frosting (which used to be why I made cakes), but to create these beautiful cakes you find on arty cakes.com. Just Gorgeous! Not sure my will power is up to that challenge yet, so I just look at the videos for now.

Mellow day here. Working on some projects, drinking my cran and very happy that I'm connecting with a few folks on here. I've never done this WITH someone before. It sure is nice to know I'm not doing this all by myself.

Think I better go get some food and get ready for more water workouts. Hoping I see new numbers by Friday...the beginning of week 5 for me Better get that bucket list started - it's time to celebrate already!

[wendya]

Just a comment and some insight on the Weight Watchers vs FF issue.

I just looked at my charts to see what my measurements were the last time I weighed in at 264.4. It was back in February. I was doing a modified WW plan on my own. I was 13 inches larger at the same weight with the normal 'diet' routine!

What ALG has done is create the optimum balance that truly burns fat off my body. The tape measure shows it works. I'm not starving and I rarely get hit by a craving. I know it's only been 4 weeks, but it's such a blessing knowing that a) this works and b) I'm loving my new lifestyle!

Made it to the water today. That's four times this week. Hurray!
Tomorrow I'm gonna start dreaming up my bucket list. I've got lots of celebrating to do.

[Kathryn C.]

Does everyone know that there is a "Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide" book. It has a daily entry for food and other stuff...check it out!!

[birdlady]

Hi Wendy!
Great insights here. Boy, can I relate to "as soon as" syndrome. Been there, done that, as STILL doing that. Gotta break that bad habit! Must be nice to have a fresh, organic veggie garden a few steps away from the kitchen. I live in a condo and my patio faces the North. No sun here! :^( So, I rely on grocery stores or farmers markets.

Have a great day!