Sunday Suggestions

I think each Sunday I am going to try to find a few new fitness tips to share here to keep myself motivated and give the blog a bit of structure. Please remember, I'm not a doctor or an expert on anything other than my own life. My advice doesn't always work and may not be helpful to anyone at all, least of all myself.

If you like this idea, please feel free to use it on your own blog. It would be nice for you to leave a link here so that we can all, benefit though. I'd also greatly appreciate a link back to my blog. Thank you.

Suggestions:

1. Never say "diet!" This was a title of Richard Simmons' first book which was published in the 80's back when I was attending highschool and being called TW*. First let me say that I adore Richard Simmons. His Food Mover system is they only weight loss program I've ever gone on and I did lose 40 lbs in 3 months using it.

Richard has a point about not using the word "diet" because it implies a temporary, quick fix instead of a sustainable life change which is what is truly needed in the fight against obesity. He talks a lot about how the first part of the word is "die" and what we're doing is fighting to "live!"

He's goofy, he makes me laugh, me makes me sweat, and he makes a lot of sense. I love his autobiography. Read it if you get a chance.

For my fellow bookfiends, he is in the process of writing a new book at this time.

2. Know your triggers. Dr. Phil always says "You can't change what you don't acknowledge," and that is especially true when you are binge-eating. When you feel like stuffing your face and going out of control, what are you really avoiding? Once you realize what you're doing take a "time-out" and reflect on what you were thinking when you made that choice to pull up to the trough and wallow. For me, it was avoidance of negative feelings about loved ones. Knowing that, I can now realize that if I'm mad at dh or my mom the best thing to avoid is the kitchen, not my emotions. The emotions will be sorted out more quickly if I deal with them directly instead of pushing them away with food.

3. Don't rush it! As Geneen Roth points out in her new book Women Food and God,
"Real change happens bit by bit. It takes great effort to become effortless at anything. There are no quick fixes." Be patient withyourself and don't get discouraged if you aren't making progress as quickly as you'd like.





(*titless wonder - I was so skinny I resembled the ironing board.)