's motd Friday May 15, 2009

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FOREVER

Friday, 15 May 2009

If you're one of my Clubhouse members, you get to participate in my weekly chats. In chat, we all get together once a week and talk about weight, exercise and motivation. Each week, we also have a theme for that week's chat.Before we get started chatting, I give everyone a question to answer that will be discussed in that night's chat. Last Monday's question was this: "What is the hardest part for you in staying on program?"Many of my Clubhouse members felt that the hardest part about staying on program was planning their meals. And you know what? I'll admit, that can be a little hard. But it's a good kinda hard for you. That's because if you plan your three daily meals, snacks and...stick with your plan, you will most definitely and without a doubt, begin to lose weight.But to plan those meals, it means you've got to go shopping for the food, you've got to prepare and cook the food and then clean all those pots, pans and dishes after you've finished eating. But the effort is so worth it after you begin seeing the results of all that planning and preparation. That is, when you begin seeing yourself losing weight! Many of my Webbies told me that the hardest part of staying on program was that their husbands and children could eat everything they wanted, even as they were working hard to eat the right foods themselves. And their families would eat all of those wrong foods, right there in front of them. Others wrote that the hardest part is going out to dinner while trying to stay on program. (Those appetizers can really get you in trouble!)

Also, quite a few of them say they struggle with making the time to work out. In the mornings when they get out of bed, their best intentions include getting their workouts in by the end of the day. But, as it often turns out, by day's end, they hadn't gotten in a single leg-lift or arm-lift!But the one answer one lady gave regarding the hardest thing about staying on program was this: "It's when you realize that you have to stay on this program for the rest of your life!"Truer words have never been spoken! Yes, we do have to work this lifestyle until well, our lives go away and we move on to that great aerobics class in the sky. And if you don't make this a permanent lifestyle change, you know what will happen.

Have any of you out there lost 20 pounds and then gained them back? How about 50 pounds...or 100? Hey, you know that weight can come back on and, if you get really careless...fast! And you know where the ends up when it does come back. Those "fat pockets" of ours get filled up all over our bodies!Okay, why have I not gained back any of the weight I lost? Well, it's because I know how to keep the weight off and do what I need to do to keep it off...everyday. Now don't get me wrong. I do have my days where I don't want to eat a salad or even look at one more chicken breast! Hey, every now and then, I want a little Mexican or Italian food. When those urges hit, I know which dishes I want and let's just say that they're not what you would call low-calorie or low-fat either. So when I want a little of those foods, I plan ahead. I'll have a smaller breakfast and lunch and save some of my FoodMover windows for dinner. And also, on those special treat days, I'll increase my workout from just one hour to about two hours.So see? There's my plan! And here I am, after all these years, still seeing the same numbers on my scale that I saw three decades ago! So what's the hardest part of staying on program for you? Write your answers down and challenge yourself to meet them head-on! Because when you stay on program, when you follow the yellow brick road to good health, you'll always want to stay on program and keep that body of yours looking and feeling good!Love,