“Life's Little Victories are tiny little daily occurrences that make one quietly say "YES!!"
Keith Knight
I like to do this in my daily activities, look for “little victories”. Those small things that may pass us by if we are not paying attention, but once you notice them, they make you feel good, make you smile, give you a warm fuzzy feeling.
I know they give me something positive to focus on at the end of the day.
· Maybe it was as simple as finding a penny in the parking lot.
· You received a phone call from an old friend you haven’t heard from in a while.
· You got a pat on the back at work for solving a problem.
· Your child told you she/he loves you
· I live 15 miles outside of Helena, I was driving down our dirt road to work and I saw something lumbering over the fence. I slowed down, it was a huge bull elk, I savored the moment and it carried me all week.
· Another morning, the sunrise was so spectacular, I had to stop and watch, and it was truly breathtaking.
These moments don’t have to be big or cost anything. I urge you to open your eyes and pay attention.
How does this all relate to physical activity and weight loss? I will tell you, these little victories make you feel good and when you feel good, say it with me….you will be motivated to…say it with me again….stick with the program. You will feel energized and inspired.
Explanation of Weight Loss Plateau, otherwise known as, I stopped losing weight but I am still watching what I am eating and still getting my physical activity and why is this happening?
How calorie balance is related to weight loss.
“Your weight is determined by the balance between food (calories in) and activity
(calories out).
Let's look at four ways the calorie balance can work.
1. Your weight can stay the same. In this case, "calories in" from food equal
"calories out" from activity. Food and activity are at about the same level on both
sides of the scale.
2. Second, you can gain weight. In this case, "calories in" from food are higher than
"calories out" from activity. Either calories have increased or activity has
decreased or both. The balance has tipped this way [indicate direction of
balance].
3. You can lose weight. "Calories in" from food are lighter than "calories
out" from activity. You’ve eaten less food (by less I mean fewer calories, not less
in volume--remember, we said early in the program that you can actually eat more
food for the same number of calories by eating lower-fat foods), or you’ve done
more activity, or both. The best way to lose weight is to do both at the same time
and really tip the balance this way [indicate direction].
4. And finally, you can reach a new balance at a new weight. You have developed
new food habits and new activity habits and they are balanced again. This is what
happens when you lose weight and keep it off. You've reached a new balance
over time.
The important thing to remember is that:
• Food and activity work together to determine how much you weigh.
• To lose weight, it's best to eat less and be more active.
That way, you are changing both sides of the energy balance at once.
By TIPPING the balance, you can lose the weight you want.
• Then, over time, you can reach a new balance at a new, lower weight. We will
help you to make”
From Lifestyle Balance, NLB Coach’s Manual, www.hncp.org
You might simply need to change your physical activity to stimulate other muscle groups to become more active. Mix it up, if you’ve been doing yoga, try riding a bike. Doing aerobic exercise? Try strength training. Take a brisk walk. You get the idea. It might take a few days or weeks for things to get going again, be patient and be kind to yourself and the results will follow.
While you are waiting to get your weight loss kick started again, don’t give up. Look for your “small victories”, you worked hard to get where you are today.
· Your waist size got smaller
· You lost “inches”
· Your dress or pant size is down a size or more
· Your friends notice that you “look different”
· You have more energy
· You look G-O-O-D
· You feel G-O-O-D
· Your dog is wagging her tail and happy to see you when you come home, that means it’s time for a walk
· You know this is temporary and you have the support of your friends in the program
· Where would you be today if you didn’t even make it this far?
“To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.” Denis Waitly
No comments:
Post a Comment