Recently I went with my partner (and avid fan of footie) and a female friend (a huge fan of Arsenal footie) to a Arsenal vs Reading live football match at the new Emirates stadium. I was overwhelmed with the 60,154 people sitting around the stadium for a 90 min game of men running around after a small white ball! But I have to say what an amazing experience! Believe it or not I really enjoyed it as I could actually relate to what the game was all about. I know I sound like a loony but hear me out.........it is just like the game of losing weight! Why......well we need to be focused, we need rules, we need discipline, we need to overcome obstacles (being tripped up, shooting for a goal and it hitting the cross bar), we need our team members to help play the game and we are all trying to score our individual goals! I have tried so many new experiences that I normally would not have bothered with especially if they didn't involve food! How sad that I have missed out on sooooooooooo much. I am making up for it with plans to keep doing something new each week! Try it, it's liberating and it makes life exciting!We are now 50 days into the 100 day programme or the start of week 8. What a interesting week we have had! Discussions about lapsing (cheating to those not in the know of our language), not being able to drink enough water and not eating all four packs a day. It really is amazing how we are coping with all these challenges each week and coming together to share our experiences. I have to say that the ladies in our group are incredible individuals! They have overcome so many obstacles in their lives and are now going through one of the most challenging experiences they will ever face. They do it so honestly and with so much dedication that I feel lucky to be part of their lives! If it wasn't for them I would not still be in the programme. Thank you to you all for your continuous support, belief in what we are doing and total dedication that we can go out for "drinks" and still be able to enjoy ourselves having ordered bottles of sparkling water!
At this weeks group session, we learnt about Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT. This is the REAL stuff that makes this programme so life changing. It is all about how we think, feel and behave in our live. It will help us to recognise the "crooked thinking" patterns and the "I should" from "if I wanted to I could" attitude that really has a major impact in how we treat ourselves. As one of our team members said it time for us to stop being our own worse critics and giving ourselves a break. Finding a balance in how we think, feel and act will go a long way to helping us manage how we deal with our impulse to eat. This is going to be interesting time for all of us as it will be challenging, difficult, liberating and even life changing if we really take these next few weeks on board so watch this space.
I am really excited as I am now 3 pounds off 3 stone weight loss but even more exciting is how great I am feeling! Mentally I believe that this programme has done more for me than the weight loss on its own. I am not saying that it isn't a great motivation but this is about a lifestyle change and not a quick fix weight loss programme. Once the 100 days are up we then move onto a 3 month programme to re-introduce conventional food back into our lives and learn how to manage real food in the real world! After that is completed we are still in it for another year at least to make sure that the weight loss is permanent and that we really have changed our relationship with food to be healthy and positive. Our friends, family and work colleagues support is really important to us as it keeps us mentally motivated and proud of the incredible achievement we make each week we stick to this challenging programme. Come back next week for the 3 stone photo shoot which should be one to remember!
Thank you for all your encouraging comments and e-mails and I really hope that I can keep inspiring people to realise how special they are and how life can be everything we want it to be.
7 comments:
OMG! Nearly three stone already. And in such a short time. How quickly those 50 days have gone. Although it probably seems longer for you! Unlike the Arsenal this season, you are totally going to succeed! And already you are looking amazing. Can't wait to go shopping! The next 50 days will whizz by.
Thanks for your comments. The last couple of days have been very tough especially as we know we are on the last few weeks but am staying focused and saving for our shopping trip.
Hi there little Sis....had some difficulty previously with the orignal webpage address you had sent - I apologise for the length of time it has taken me to write to you in support. I have so enjoyed reading your journey and your thoughts/comments - your focus is very insightful and inspirational too. It is incredible the progress you have made towards achieving this significant challenge. I love the football analogy! In recently joining up on a weightloss programme too, I was alarmed by my BMI being so high. Crickey this wasn't simply about loosing the kilos I put on after having Daisy - it is about my health and well being. I too have a goal of 10 000 steps a day and initially found this hard to achieve. I decided to committ to 50 min power walk every morning which achieves about 5886 steps setting me up for the day and wearing the pedometer for the rest of my day clocks up the remainder of the 10 000 steps needed. The volume of water you are consuming is amazing I am still struggling to consume 2 litres...Before when I thought I was hungry - I was infact thirsty - to gage my "hunger" I drink a glass of water first...wait approx 20mins if I am still feeling hungry then I eat something. I agree the word "should" is the most limiting word in our vocabluary because it results in feelings of guilt, shame, anger disconnecting me from what I am truly feeling and needing.
A Poem for you: See Me Beautiful
See me beautiful
Look for the best in me
That's what I really am
And all I want to be
It may take some time
It may be hard to find
But see me beautiful
See me beautiful each and everyday
Could you take a chance, could you find a way
To see me shinning through in everything I do
And see me beautiful
I look forward to reading more about your progress Tamar - well done on what you have already achieved my beautiful sister! You have always been beautiful to me!
me again...I forgot to comment on seeing your photos - oh my word Tamar you are looking fabulous - I became quite tearful. Here's to celebrating you love!
me again ...I guess I am catching up huh...something I read in your intro ...."lighterlife saved me from myself" - I see it differently Sis.... it's you who made the choice and the commitment - LighterLife is a programme which resonates with you and is providing you with the tools to assist you in achieving this goal. You have given yourself a gift of health and wellbeing something that is long overdue...for you give so much to others you are finally doing something for yourself...creating a balance you have long strived for. Ok that's enough waffle from me now....I am just so excited for you! As Daisy's I l o v e you - you you you - It is all about YOU!
Thanks my sister for your very supportive comments and the lovely poem.I will use it in my next blogg on the site so everyone can see it first hand. I am really happy too that you have found a programme that you will also help you. Let me know how it goes. You could start a blog if you liked so that I too could support you in your endevour as it is really difficult do so far away from each other?
Hi, Managed to blow up the picture of you and your friend outside the stadium. Took hours for it to download but you're looking good. Have it stashed in 'my photos' file for future reference/comparisons.
D.
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