Are you Stuck? Get a little Help from your Friends

I went to BED THINKING about my Blog yesterday on "Making a Plan"

I woke this morning... did my usual routine and stepped on the Scale

*#%@!......   IT'S STUCK!

I've hit a plateau in my weight  ( no surprise...  it's what a body does) 

NO wonder I was blogging about making a PLAN!

Ok,  really... no dahhhhh it's what a body does when you need to "kick up the Heat".
I also need to be HONEST!   That can be like a Four letter word (no, I can't spell or count)

I just finished a few days on a vacation... socializing with Family.   So, I  "fudged" a little with the healthy food choices.  Ha ha.... No, I didn't eat Fudge... but didn't hesitate to have food and snacks that I KNEW were not in my classification of being "healthy life giving food choices"!

So,  instead of feeling discouraged this morning (although I did for a few minutes)

 I thought about "MY PLAN"

I walked into the kitchen and Said Get it together....

"First day of Fast":  NO breakfast today.... (see yesterdays blog)

give my desires to God 

yield to my Spirit controlling me this morning 

NOT MY BODY and MIND.

But what REALLY gave me even more strength is reading last nights blog and then turning on   PANDORA Internet Radio- Christian Rock Radio

Listening to  the Rhythm of the Music that has words that feed and help to center my MIND on What is REAL and HONEST and TRUE and Feeds my SPIRIT

A PLAN TO WIN!!!

Then I tried to look like I was in the locker room after a pep talk from the coach.... 

Made one of those ridiculous motions of "Ya, let's do this" with my arms 

You see,  YOU MUST engage ALL three of YOUR Being's


I engaged my Spirit: 
       Listen to uplifting Music to feed and encourage my Spirit
I engaged my Body:  
      Made a physical movement to tell my Mind... I'm doing this!
I engaged my Mind:  
      Blogged - Reinforcing my Thoughts

SYNERGY!   BALANCE! 

a real Game Plan that uses the whole team

your team members:

Body

Mind 

Spirit  

The Body, Mind and Spirit 
            MUST work together as a Team to WIN!!!!!


 Part of MY PLAN 
(taken from my blog of "The 7 Habits" December 26, 2010 )

It takes 21 days to develop NEW habits!  

Habit #1: Modify your food intake  - Count Calories and Nutritional Content of Food

Habit #2: Increase your activity level - Yes EVERY DAY! 30-45 minutes Minimum - BURN Calories

Habit #3: Eat breakfast every day - No Skipping meals ( 3 meals / 3 snacks) 

Habit #4: Monitor your weight regularly

Habit #5: Stay consistent with your eating - Healthy,  Full of Nutrients and Fiber! NO empty Calorie foods

Habit #6: Control your portion size and your environment

Habit #7: Be accountable

Ciao and Salute! To your Health and Wellness

The REAL Coach!   

He has a WINNING Plan for Your Life

Pick up His PLAY BOOK! ( The Bible)

it's all you need for

Balancing 

Your Body, Mind and Spirit

The best-laid plans of mice and men - Weight Loss Plans!

I'm very mindful of this:  
No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it.

I thinking about........ why I need to Plan things.


Here's a story:
(I'm writing this for ME, so I am of course the Main Character in this story)


I receive a  mysterious letter.  Enclosed in the letter is a Ticket to Disneyland.  This is one of my most favorite place on the earth.... well, except I hate the crowds these days.... Oh my I am digressing.... sorry).


The letter states that the Disneyland Ticket is only good for May 1st and there are certain conditions that needed to be met to use the ticket on this day.


I must  walk to Disneyland from San Diego, and must arrive  at   Disneyland no earlier than May 1st at 10 am.  Now, you say... that's a really dumb story.  Wait... it gets even more stupid.  

When I arrive at Disneyland ON TIME, I will have waiting for me 

inside Snow White's Castle a Crisp One Million Dollar Bill  

YEA!  Now, I like this story, even though it's still really really dumb.

You see I have to make the REWARD  in the story something very valuable 
or I'd NEVER WALK to Disneyland! 


If it were just a free day at Disneyland... I'd by my own ticket and go when I want dahhh!


But here is the interesting lesson in this story.  

          To achieve the Goal of arriving on time I MUST make a PLAN 

and I must REALLY REALLY want to Succeed:

If I didn't make a Plan... I'd risk NOT getting to Disneyland On Time and I'd risk loosing a Million Dollars!


In My plan :
I'd have to calculate the route to take (walking)
I'd have to calculate how many miles a day would be reasonable for me to walk
I'd have to calculate what I needed to bring on my walk... where I'd stay at night 
     (gosh, a little like Forest Gump ! )
I'd have to calculate a  formula:
     Miles walked per day x day's =  Mileage to Disneyland 
Then I would know what day to start the journey to arrive on time  
I'd have to buy some excellent walking shoes with the right clothing.
I'd have to make sure I'm in good health to take such a long walk!
Take my vitamins and minerals on the trip to keep up my strength
(probably some other things to plan that I haven't thought about)
I'd Probably want to take my iPod to listen to as I walk for encouragement
(do you see how this type of plan can relate to developing a weight loss plan?)


This is the critical point of the story.

   If I failed to walk the required mileage each day... I'd miss the Goal of being at Disneyland on time!  

 I'd Miss the Reward of a MILLION DOLLARS! 


IF I failed to MAKE a plan... I would Fail!

I must KNOW MY GOAL and I must have a PLAN to REACH my GOAL

Questions:  How much do I NEED and WANT to Reach my GOAL?
                     What am I willing to Sacrifice to reach my Goal?
                     What do I need as motivation every morning to STICK to the PLAN?
                     Do I recognize that I HAVE to make a DAILY commitment - 


      It will be difficult to make up tomorrow what I didn't do today!  
                      I'd have to RUN instead of Walk... Ouch! That can be discouraging.


            This is how I see the TRUTH about developing a "weight loss" plan:


If you want to lose weight but you don't have a clear picture of WHY you want to lose weight... or  maybe it's a shallow reason (just like the free ticket to Disneyland)..... Forgetaboutit!  


You need to have a REAL Honest DESIRE to lose the weight 
for the right reason.... (just like the Million Dollars)


Trust me "looking good" is a shallow reason for weight loss and it will set you up to FAIL!
                 You'll end up saying in a moment of Weakness  "ah, I don't care..... so what " 

However,  if you want to lose weight because you really value 
being  and feeling HEALTHY!  
Because You value Respecting yourself


and 

If, you are sick of feeling sluggish and tired.... 

You are tired of moving around like a slug because of your weight!  

You  are scared of developing Diabetes or  Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia....  

 THEN you may have a REAL GOAL to work towards.  Something YOU won't make excuses to put off.  

So,  Make a PLAN! ( I can hear YOU..... so, stop with all the  excuses that you don't like to make plans...  and say that you  hate routines and schedules....  I bet your really happy that you don't have to schedule a sneeze or a BM... but you do need to make a plan if you want to lose weight)

• Calculate WHAT IS YOUR GOAL WIEGHT?
• Calculate what you need to reach your goal (DAILY calorie intake and calorie expenditure) Lot's of great Apps to use for this!!!
• Calculate a list of HEALTHY FOODS that will provide you with the NUTRITION/Minerals  and Vitamins you need each day. Make it reasonable and Available!  Try to make it Organic foods.
•  Calculate a TIME FRAME in which to achieve it - You NEED A DEADLINE!  

  

If you lost just  1 pound a week 

then next year 

at this time you would be 52 pounds lighter!  

think about that!

Start a Journal of this Journey!  
Be Realistic what you can do EACH DAY!  
Make an APPOINTMENT with YOURSELF


TIP:
Start the plan with a FAST!    
     Try this:   The first day Fast ONLY Breakfast  
                       The Second Day Fast Breakfast, snack and LUNCH
                       The Third Day Fast Breakfast, snack, Lunch, snack and DINNER and snack 
                       (third day is a FULL day of Fasting) 


When you're Fasting... it isn't about just NOT eating... It is about  recognizing how you feel when you say NO to eating.  Then Take that feeling and find POWER in prayer, meditation upon GOD's Word. It's taking CONTROL of YOU!

KNOW that you KNOW 

that the first Step in changing your lifestyle 

is to acknowledge YOU ARE IN CONTROL    

Tap into  your: 

"MIND, BODY and SPIRIT"

Fasting is like preparing for BATTLE!   


                                Yes, You are at war with your HABITS! 

"I'm going to order a broiled skinless chicken breast,
but  I want you to bring me  Lasagna an Garlic Bread by mistake" 

 It is most likely your HABITS are why you struggle with your weight!   

• Your "thought" habits  (negative self image, anger issues, un-forgiveness, fear)
• Your "spiritual" habits ( lack of)
• Your "body" habits of what and when you eat and when (if ever) you exercise.

Matthew 26:40-43  

   ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. 

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak

Your Creator knows this about you !  He knows that YOU want to be a healthy weight! He loves you and is there to SUPPORT YOU!
He knows that You are Weak when it comes to "self indulgence" and "not saying NO" to your desires to satisfy your cravings.  IT IS A SPIRITUAL battle.


So, when you're wanting to EAT and or feel Hunger Pangs:  

• Do some Jumping Jacks for crying out loud!  (or some immediate physical expenditure of energy)    
•  Say to yourself or out loud  a Scripture Verse (powerful tool)... and  or Pray for Someone who has a need greater than YOUR hunger.
• Drink a cup of Herbal (organic) Tea, or a glass of Lemon Water

I am saying that you NEED to use your BODY, MIND and SPIRIT to accomplish your  weight loss GOAL!


         You CAN DO IT!  Get that WINNING attitude... Know that God is On YOUR SIDE

This is the same concept as when You are trying to stop Smoking...  Same Principle to change ANY HABIT and develop  NEW LIFESTYLE  CHOICES!


Ok,  I'm getting my Battle Plan in order.... 


Ciao and Buona Fortuna to your 
                           PLAN for HEALTH and WELLNESS