FUNLOVEN:S FWTS

Day #28 Best Friends For Life

Even though Maribeth's post was from 2017 I loved it so much that I saved both pictures and I am pasting her M-O-T-V-A-T-I-O-N here:

M-make short term goals
O-out with the negative thoughts
T-think of why I want it
I-imagine how good I will feel (when I resist overeating)
V-visualize my future (move away from past)
A-acknowledge success
T-treat myself and others with respect
I-investigate new ideas and foods
O-observe my healthy lifestyle
N-never give up and never give in

I underlined all of the positive points that Linda made in this last lesson and I took the quiz. I am going to stick to weighing once a week on Wednesday mornings after I pee, but before I eat or drink anything. I will record my weight on SP. I will remember to wait 48-72 hours before weighing myself after an overly indulgent day. I will remind myself that the scale is NOT a reflection of me. And I will remember that my scale is a reminder to stay focused on my actions and healthy behaviors.

One of Linda's statements really resonated with me in this lesson and is a follow-up to the one I related to in Lesson 27:


EVERY SINGLE DAY I WILL STRIVE TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT WILL MAKE ME FEEL PROUD OF MY EFFORTS!

Day #27 Building The Friendship

I have to say that it was a sentence on the last page of this lesson that struck a cord with me:

OVER TIME MY SCALE WILL REFLECT THE BENEFITS OF HOW I AM LIVING!

I have read about the Dot Calendar before and given it some consideration, but have never used it because it seemed like just another place to document what I was already documenting on SP; just more documentation of which I already don't have enough time to get done (hence I am always behind on my Team posts here). I am rethinking this now since I started learning about the Bullet Journal. I started using this method just before October 1 and I can see where I might be able to implement this idea/data in one central spot instead of scattered all over the place.

Day #26 When Your Weight Is Totally Stuck

I am a very Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 kind of person and so I have found today's lesson (and yesterday's) very helpful. A plan I can actually follow.

Linda recommends that if we are stuck we might consider making a DRASTIC change. I think this can help not only with moving the numbers on our scale, but also with helping our motivation when we start to lag.

I have been strong and determined for a few days in a row now and I truly want to keep that steak going. What do I need to do? Stick to my food plan and avoid alcohol. This will be a challenge for me since my dad is coming for dinner tonight, we have a party to go to tomorrow night, and we are entertaining friends for a birthday celebration on Sunday.

Where I have really been lagging is in my fitness routine. This makes Linda's 30 Day Plan for exercise perfect timing for me!

Day #25 Jolting The Scale With Interval Training

I really liked this lesson and I am going to try this technique as recommended on the Elliptical I use at the Y. I also like the interval training by Jonathan Roche that listed for us.

I am learning more and more to listen to my body. Because I have been so inconsistent in getting my fitness in every day I have found that when I do go it is more difficult. On Fridays when I attend Step or Jazzercise Class I can actually feel my heart beating too fast and I have to take breaks until it calms back down.

On the Elliptical there is a speed and heart rate monitor that are accurate enough for my purposes. I sweat when I use this machine and if I am working too hard my toes actually start to feel numb. Therefore, I make sure that I keep my heart rate under 160 and preferably around 150 bpm.

Every time I meet with my Trainer we discuss how my routines are going and it seems we are constantly adjusting things - change an exercise, eliminate an exercise entirely, add something new to my routine to cover a different muscle group better. ST is hard for me and because of my old joints I do not move as fast as the young ones. Therefore it takes me over an hour to get through a routine (on top of my 10 minute warm up on the Elliptical). At my last meeting with her we made changes again. She is rather noncommittal because it is, after all my routine and not hers, but I finally pinned her down to saying that More Weight is better than More Reps. Therefore, I have cut my reps back from 15 to 10 for each exercise without feeling guilty like I wasn't doing my best.

Day #24 Switching Things Up With Exercise

I have a pretty good fitness routine in place (when I follow it) and I am pretty conscious to make sure that I change things up frequently. Basically I :

1. Use the Elliptical machine Tuesday and Wednesday
2. Follow one of the four ST routines I have on Monday and Thursday
3. Attend a Step Class on Friday which alternates with a Jazzersize Class
4. Yoga on Sunday

I could improve my yoga by going back to the Regular class instead of the Rejuvenation class. Also, I always feel guilty and discount the days when I walk outside with a friend because I don't get the same level of exertion (a.k.a. calorie burn).

The key work for me is CONSISTENCY!

Day #23 Ways To Boost Your Weight Loss

1. Strive For Accuracy - I have to be very careful about the ingredients I put in my smoothies and the amounts of those ingredients also because otherwise that healthy drink can reach a calorie range in the 400s. Therefore I don't use avocado, banana, and yogurt all in the same mix. Linda tells us we don't have to be perfect, but we do have to stay within our range. Thank You SP for that range!

2. Drink Lots Of Water - I am very conscious about my water intake. I strive for 8 glasses a day and some days it can be an effort. For some reason I don't always have the same degree of thirst. I do appreciate the knowledge, however, that it helps flush the toxic wastes from my body!

3. Be Consistent - I still have a tendency to skip lunch especially on days when I am busy. I have never found the high cal - low cal days, fasting days, or "free" days work well for me. I do much better when I keep everything in perspective, moderation, and balance.

4. Skip The Slow-Downs - this one really spoke to me. Alcohol in any amount, even one glass of wine or a beer, alters the way your body manages weight loss. Geez, way to ruin a girl's fun! I always thought it was the same as swapping food calories. Also, along with lowering your inhibitions, I have noticed that when I drink I get the munchies. Apparently this is somehow tied to the sugar content of alcohol.

5. Move A Lot, But Not Too Much - Doing a moderate amount every day is critical. Again, moderation is key I think. I have noticed that whenever I do more exercise several days in a row I have a tendency to feel more hungry. Linda tells us this is because we may not be taking in the number of calories our body thinks it needs to manage that exercise level. And she warns that we will be tempted to grab easy snacks that can skyrocket our calorie totals. What a light bulb moment. This is exactly what happens to me!

Day #22 How To Recognize A Plateau

I have not had any plateaus that I am aware of and my previous posts explains why. However, once again, I did find a lot of the information in this lesson interesting.

First, that researchers aren't sure why these slowdowns occur.
Unconsciously you may have increased your calorie intake or decreased your exercise.
Perhaps there has been a weather change.
You have been on the same diet for 5-6 weeks.
You are at the mid-point of reaching your goal weight.
You are under some kind of stress.

No matter what the cause, Linda's advise is that this is the time to push yourself to stay focused and be patient.

I CAN DO ONE MORE DAY! ! !

Day #21 When The Scale Won't Move

Well, I would be glad to blame it on the scale, but alas, I have no one to blame except for myself when my scale won't move. As a matter of fact, my scale has not moved in the past 5 years! I joke that I'm practicing for maintenance, but it really isn't a laughing matter.

Linda talks about being perfect, spending tons of time planning, cooking, and even sacrificing your fun. I will confess that is the point that I struggle with. I cannot seem to sacrifice my fun. I do worry that I'll never be able to lose weight. I just haven't been able to figure out how to have fun without food and drinks!

I found it interesting that Linda mentions that "no one knows exactly what causes weight loss to slow down". Maybe we are under more stress than we know. I wonder if there has been a study on cortisol levels to document the stress people are tolerating (perhaps without even knowing it).

I also found the 30 Day Rule interesting. I never knew it takes approximately 30 days for your body t permanently shift weight as a result of a weight-loss plan.

One thing I will give myself credit for - I WILL NOT GIVE UP AND QUIT!

Day #20 Letting Go Of Scale Memories

I would have told you that I absolutely did not have any scale memories until I read this lesson! Oh how it all came flooding back.

My body image nightmares started in the 5th grade when I was 10 years old and needed my first bra. It was a hot summer day when my mother brought me to the department store. I will never forget the feeling of sweat and the whiff of perspiration that hit my nose(and I was sure everyone else's also) as the saleslady pulled my shirt neckline out so she could "take a peek". I was mortified!

I also have a vague memory of being weighed in the 7th or 8th grade. Was it in gym class? Well, I might not remember some of the details, but the memory of the scale reading is definitely not vague! At 5'9" there was only one other student that was taller than me (a boy) and I had been "chubby" for most of my life. In the 6th grade my mother had gotten me an entire new wardrobe for school. I loved my new clothes and was so excited to get them at the time. But over the next 2 years as I continued to grow and gain weight I came to hate those clothes because they no longer fit and I felt poured into them. Like Tracy in the lesson I was horrified and humiliated to be the biggest person in Junior High. I will never forget that weight!

Today, now that I'm much older and wiser, I remind myself that dwelling on those memories won't change my behavior and help me stay on my weight loss path. That hating my scale readings won't improve my weight loss of my life balance!

Day #19 Trouble In Scale City

I can't imagine beating up my scale just because of the number it gives, and, I can't imagine being without a scale either. Ever since joining SP it has become like a road sign for me. It reminds me of where I have been and where I want to go. I would have to completely remove it to some out of the way place in our house before I could ignore it. Even if I was going through a period of Scale Denial with an I Don't Care kind of attitude struggle period, I would sooner than later step back on and face the music.

For me the important message of this lesson came from Karen -

"Eventually, I figured out there was a flaw in my own thinking. Every day, I was weighing myself as a success or failure as a person!"

I do not want to give my scale that kind of power!

Day #18 Tracking Reveals The Truth

When I read today's lesson I saw myself in Sandy. I have a bad habit of being lazy and grabbing a snack bag for munching instead of measuring out portions when I am feeling anxious and craving a snack.

Even last night I had grabbed & eaten 4 large cookies out of frustration before I caught myself. Then I managed to track down the box the cookies came in so I could see what the calorie count was. 180 cals. per cookie! This morning I did one of the very things Linda has talked about - I jumped on the scale to see what the damage was. I think this is most frustrating to me because I had been having a very good, balanced, and mindful week until that point.

I have been using my new Bullet Journal to record my foods; no amounts or cals, just the food. Also, with the new start page from SP there is, of course, a place for tracking so I have done a bit of that just to get the Spark Points. I have come to learn that I know what a measurement looks like even though I don't always like how small a serving size is.

It is other situations that throw me for a loop. So as long as I stay mindful I can do pretty well.

Day #17 Weight-Loss Patterns

I am very familiar with the 5-6# loss the first week of a diet. I have seen it many times over the years. I also accept that, no matter how fast I want it to happen, after that first week I will only lose 1-2# max for the remainder of weeks. My age (over 60) doesn't make this any easier or the fact that I'm female. It is what it is and I can't change the facts!

Even though I am sometimes tempted to try one of those low-carb diet plans, I still subscribe to a balanced diet that includes all the food groups in moderation.

Realistic expectations and trusting the process will help me stay motivated and stick with my diet plan when the scale doesn't reward me.

Day #16 How To Retrain Yourself

Linda starts out by saying "You might be afraid that you'll mess up on your diet plan if you even go near one (a scale)". I could really relate to this as it immediately reminded me of times in the past when I was feeling very confident and positive about how something was going to go only to have it all fall apart which made me fearful of facing a similar situation in the future. It seems like the more sure I feel of myself, the more I fail! This surely leads to self-doubt and lack of confidence in my abilities. This is very illogical thinking because, in my heart, I know I am a very capable person.

So, how do I overcome this kind of thinking?

STEP ON THE SCALE AND NOTE THE DATA. THEN STEP OFF THE SCALE AND GRAB MY "HEALTHY-LIVING" UMBRELLA. TELL MYSELF "MY ACTIONS (NOT THE SCALE) WILL DETERMINE MY OUTCOMES". THEN GO LIVE MY LIFE!

Day #15 The Dreaded Doctor's Scale

Even though I don't like getting on the scale at the doctor's office, it is not enough to keep me from going to a very important part of my health care plan.

Gill is right when she mentioned in her email that weighing at the doctor's office breaks all of the RULES! There seems to be a new push in many places about taking your shoes off before you are allowed on the scale - no bare feet. Despite the staff rolling their eyes, I insist on making them stand there while I take my shoes off so that I can get weighed in my stocking feet. After all, those darn shoes must weigh at least 2#!

One of Linda's statements really hit home with me:

IT SCREAMS HOW BAD I HAVE BEEN AND ASKS WHY I CAN'T SEEM TO MANAGE MY WEIGHT BETTER!

It never occurred to me that I could refuse to get weighed. How ingenious! I might just try that and hope I don't get labeled as a "difficult" patient.

Day #14 When To Stay Off The Scale

This lesson has come at the perfect time for me. I have seen weighing daily ever since Linda recommended that 3-day test back on Day #5. It has shown me exactly what I already knew - that my weight fluctuates a great deal based on what I have eaten.

Yesterday I ate many things that were not on my plan and many of them were unhealthy foods. I knew my weight would be up this morning due to fluid retention, but I was not expecting it to be up as much as it was

Even though I knew what was coming on the scale I was still upset. This has led me to finally make a decision that I think has been brewing in the back of my mind ever since the 3-day test started. I am a weekly weigher and I am comfortable with that.

Since my weight is up so much I will be drinking extra water and making sure I eat very healthy until Wednesday when I will implement another of Linda's suggestions to make a weekly weigh-in on a Wednesday or Thursday instead of a Friday of Monday.

Day #13 Who Owns Your Weight?

My first response was - Well, I do! But that isn't all there is to it. My G.F. conversations seem to simply revolve around the idea that we want to lose weight and how we are failing to stick to any kind of discipline that gets us to our goals. We rarely share our numbers, but to confess, I am secretly interested to know what they all weigh so that I can compare myself to them. How ridiculous! I am not them. I am ME! And I need to focus on what works for me and how to achieve my own goals. Even knowing this I wonder in silence about their numbers. I can spot a dieter a mile away by their behavior around food. I have a friend who is similar to my height and build and I am frequently comparing how I think I look to how she looks to me (are we the same? is that how I look? has she gained/lost weight?). Boy, is my insecurity showing!

I was shocked at Linda's example of Anne and how her DH belittled her! It really brought to the forefront for me how I nag DH for his poor food choices because I want him to embrace a healthier life style. And then there was the incident this past Monday when he commented on how many cupcakes I had eaten. He never says anything about what I eat and it is a good think because this really made me angry! Instead of stopping like a kid caught with my fingers in the candy jar I grabbed that cupcake and defiantly ate it! ! ! I now see clearly that trying to control and shame someone into losing weight will never work.

When I read the email from Gill about this lesson she mentioned a point that I had to go and reread because it struck such a note with me and I had completely skipped it on the first read through:

Don't get caught up in the trap of confessing every diet slip-up. If you eat a candy bar instead of your apple, you don't have to announce it to the world. Confession doesn't usually improve your weight-loss efforts!

I may not confess to the world, but I confess the negative to myself instead of focusing on all of the positive efforts I am making. In my head it is that trap of "bad girl" vs "good girl". When I confess my "bad" eating to others I think I am looking for acceptance and approval from an outside source instead of from within myself where it really needs to be.

Day #12 Healthy Scale Talk

Logically I know that my body did not gain 3# of fat stores overnight because of all the extra food I ate last night at knitting (cake, peanuts, Chex Mix) and then at home with DH (apple cider, donut holes)!

I like the new talk Linda suggests: The Scale Went Up. The Scale Went Down. The Scale Stayed The Same.

I also realized that even though I think I focus too much on my scale when I do daily weights, I actually use that "average" number when I enter my weight on the Elliptical machine at the Y. I will remind myself of what my "true" weight is the next time I find myself fusing about what the scale reading shows.

Day #11 Seven Scale Guidelines

I have mentioned in previous posts how weighing myself daily often left me feeling just like Paula - depressed and hopeless after weighing myself.

I also found her new found attitude very uplifting:

"I focus on healthy eating, moderate exercise, and finding new hobbies rather than doing mindless eating. Plus, I talk out my feelings rather than bury them under food. I wrote out a simple plan and told myself it was how I would live the rest of my life."

I already do 6 of the 7 guidelines that Linda recommends. The one I am reconsidering is changing my weekly weigh in to Wednesday. I usually did it on Friday mornings and then when we started this review on a Monday morning I switched to that day. Now I see the merit that using Wednesday would have.

Day #10 Scale Myths And Beliefs

1. I'm gaining muscle - It takes a MINIMUM of 8-12 weeks before this shows up as a true change.

2. It's from the cupcake! - I do know that, if I eat a carb loaded meal or binge on junk food, the scale reading will be up the next day. What I need to remember is it is all salt related as it takes a few hours for my body to turn extra calories into fat stores.

3. Your doing it all wrong - I have given up on fad diet plans although I did recently consider the Alternate Fasting concept. However, deep in my heart I truly believe in BALANCE using all food groups and that it is simply a matter of cutting total calorie intake.

Linda asks "Does the scale keep you motivated?" Not usually. Ever since Linda's 3-day Test I have gone back to daily weighing and I can't say that I like it very much. Monday night I made some poor food choices. I knew my weight would be up Tuesday morning because my body is so sensitive to salt. Sure enough it scale reading was up 2#. During the day I ate a healthy breakfast, skipped lunch, resisted many temptations at the Asian Buffet, and drank extra water for the day. I though for sure my weight would be down this morning. It was not! Not even an ounce! After all the peeing I did last night I thought for sure my body would release some of it's fluid retention. I was very disappointed to see that nothing changed. This is the very reason that I don't like to weigh daily. It is too minute for me. Looking at the data with a "fine toothed comb" or magnifying glass.

I will continue weighing daily until next Monday when we start our 3rd week. Then I am going to go back to weekly weigh-ins. Meanwhile, I am not going to panic. I am going to be patient and continue to use my Bullet Journal to record my meals and note my poorer choices.

Day #9 What Affects The Scale

I am aware that there are plenty of outside forces that can affect my weight. From the ones Linda mentioned I made a list of which of them can routinely apply to me:

Time Of Day
Water Intake
Stress
Travel
Weather

I also added Salty Foods and Increased Carbs. I experienced both of these last night. Plus the humidity is up today - along with my weight by 2#. Today I plan to eat healthy and drink extra water.

Day #8 Using The "Right" Scale

Boy do I have some scale stories! Stepping on and off how many times?

I have a simple digital scale that I really like. It is consistent and reliable. Yup, I didn't lose any weight this week and I know why. I started tracking my meals using the simple Bullet Journal method and so far I am really liking how clearly it shows me my eating behaviors.

I remember years back when I was shopping with a friend a Target. There we were standing in the isle trying to decide on which scale I would buy. So many choices, but at the time Digital was a new thing. Boy did we feel like idiots trying to figure out how to use it!

I like Linda's advice that it actually doesn't matter what scale you use just as long as it is the same one every time. It reminds me that we are meant to look at the number it gives us only as data to use for setting up our goals.

This week I am going to be more mindful of my food choices as there were 3 meals last week where I could have done a better job.

Day #7 The Games We Play

I recognized myself in many of these games!

I used to weigh myself every morning when I first woke up - AFTER I peed and then BARE NAKED in order to get the lowest weight. Darn it's cold first thing in the morning! So now I weigh myself with my nightgown on with the knowledge that my is actually a bit less.

I used to wear the light clothing I could when I went for my weekly weigh-in at WW. I stopped going to WW because - well, it's a waste of money if you aren't going to do the work!

I still hate to keep my shoes on at the Doctor's office when I get weighed (or any place for that matter). When I can break this habit I will know that I have really made progress.

It used to make my DH and me very upset in the game of golf when we would find someone cheating on their score. Now our attitudes are different. We realize that those people are really only cheating themselves. The score on the scale is very similar because deep inside we know we are only cheating ourselves.

Day #6 Keep Your Scale - It's O.K.

I am definitely keeping my scale because, as Linda points out, one of the quickest ways to let your weight get out of hand is to stop weighing yourself altogether.

I liked the advice she received about speeding and I turned it around a bit to apply to the scale:

Every morning when I first wake up I am going to step on the scale.
I will tell myself "This is data to help guide your day".
I will then pause and reflect to determine a goal for the day.
Then regardless of where I go or what I do that day I will notice every temptation I face
And mindfully remember the goal I set for myself.

I am doing the 3-day test. This morning my weight was the same as yesterday. I have had many social events this week with too much salty food. My goal - EAT GREEN TODAY!

Day #5 Go Ahead And Toss The Scale

I wonder how many in our group will skip this chapter since their quiz results told them it was safe to keep their scale? I know I considered it, but I'm glad I decided to give it a read because it actually gave me some food for thought!

I laughed at myself when I read "If your weight enter the room before you do - - -" because when I am with my girlfriends our "conversations always seem to circle back to our weights, our diets, and our angst".

I'm not sure my scale dominates my thinking, but I will admit I experience some angst every time I jump on my scale. I will also admit that, like Brenda, my self-worth seems to frequently be tied to what I weigh, and because I never weigh what I want, I don't feel like I'm worthy or valuable!"

To overcome the shaming messages from my scale and the angst it caused me, I have changed my weighing ritual from daily weigh-ins to weekly it has given me a some sense of relief, but reading this chapter has made me wonder - Should I throw away my scale entirely for a period?

The other day Gloria mentioned that she liked to weigh herself every day because it reminder her to stay healthy. I love that attitude! This 3-day test has come at the perfect time since my next official weigh-in is 3 days from now. And to the positive affirmation I'm going to add:


IT'S JUST A NUMBER AND I AM NOT MY WEIGHT. I'M LIVING HEALTHY!

Day #4 To Weight Or Not To Weigh?

Maybe this should be titled Keep Or Toss!

My quiz results tell me that I can safely keep my scale.

My scale is not the problem. It is my thoughts and behavior problems associated with my eating!

Day #3 No More Drama

To me drama is when a group of people start gossiping about something - Did you hear? Did you know? Well, I can't believe it! I never would have done that. She/he deserves exactly what they got! Back and forth and back and forth it goes. I hate drama! I never would have thought of associating drama with my scale.

I did chuckle to myself when Linda asked us to think back to my first attempts at losing weight - You ate everything on your food list, did lots of exercise, and then ran to the scale to see if your efforts had worked. Sometimes I still do that, but more likely it happens when I have overeaten!

I like the idea of only using my scale as a tool for reviewing my actions or patterns and even then I'm not sure I need the scale to tell me I haven't been doing what I should be doing.

Day #2 The Scale Is My Enemy!

I'm not real sure I would call the scale my enemy. I'm going to have to think about this for a few weeks.

I could relate to Sherry's story. When the scale number doesn't change or starts to go up I get angry and frustrated. Then I start to struggle with every aspect of my program. I could also relate to Linda's statement:

"Treating you scale like an authoritarian parent DOES NOT result in weight loss. It only confirms your negative thoughts about yourself."

For this very reason I gave up weighing myself daily. I know that there are daily fluctuations in my weight, but what I was doing was panicking about what the scale would say each time I had a day when I didn't eat healthy. I was getting way too much negative feedback! So I now weigh in once a week first thing in the morning when I wake up.

I really liked how Grace changed her thinking by using words of positive affirmation each time she weighed herself. I reset my weigh date to Mondays with the start of this new review so I am going to use this technique next Monday no matter what the scale reads.

BEAUTIFUL, HOT, LOVELY, SEXY, PERFECT, ATTRACTIVE, FINE, ADORABLE, STRONG, CAPABLE, DEDICATED, GOOD GIRL, LOOKING GOOD!

Thanks

Sorry, Sue - a little diversion on your thread here!

She may mean the Seven Power Keys which are listed at the back of the book. You can find a printable version if you go to www.FriendsWithTheScale.com

Where?

I posted the 7 things about the scale above it for a few months. It was helpful.

I over-salted my midday meal today - accidentally when cooking. I'll try to remember that when I step on the scale in the morning!

I can relate to what you say about getting away with cheating eating! I've done that too.

Day #1 What's Wrong With My Scale?

Linda seems to always be able to start each lesson out with a statement that describes me almost to a tee!

"Each morning I cautiously step on the scale hoping for good news". The good news that I am frequently looking for is that I got away with my "cheating eating"!

I know there are many factors that can cause my weight to fluctuate, but the salt & water retention caused by eating and drinking too much of the wrong foods is my nightmare.

I think that looking to the scale to tell me I got away with another episode of poor choices can be a form of negative reinforcement. I want to change it into a positive reinforcer.


THE SCALE IS A REWARD FOR MY GOOD CHOICES!