Empowered Connections Coaching

Listening to the wisdom of others!

icachris — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:34:50 +0000

For some reason the temptation to jump on the scales has been HUGE. Today, I realised the down-side. It looked as if I had put 4 lbs back on, having lost 7 and I was horrified. Well, people can see by looking at me that I have toned up etc. So, I am now ready to stop jumping on the scales. I will have to learn to wait and then deal with the good or bad news less often. I can be weighed at the gym and leave it at that.

The novelty has now worn off in week 4 and I am not wanting to spend so much time thinking about food. However, I think that the desire to lose weight has become so strong that I am unlikely to go too far off track. Tomorrow there’s a tasty fillet of sea bass awaiting and I am sure I can rustle up something for lunch. SO, I hearby support the advice generally given about not hopping on and off the scales too much. After all – does my happiness depend on a set of scales? No.

The power of perspective!

icachris — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:13:42 +0000

OK, When I looked at my result this week, my weight was the same as last week and my stomach measurement had increased, so I was disappointed because I am still working out 3 times a week. I have had one birthday meal out and had a very long day where I ate to keep myself fuelled etc.

Then I was asked a question – How much have you lost overall? Since 8th November, (over the month) the result was 3 inches from hips and waist and 2 from my chest and half a stone in weight.

So, I was dwelling on what looked like ‘no progress’, when if I take a 3-week time-scale there is significant progress. Also, I have made new food decisions and dealt with hunger and tiredness in new ways. There is ‘real’ progress because those habits will pay off for the future.

I am challenged by the thought of how I will manage the Christmas meals (3 in the next week). I will need to eat differently to others and I do not like attention being drawn to having less on my plate. I wonder why? Why would saying ‘ Just 1 potato please’ be a problem? I really have no idea! So from this point on I will ask for what I want or decline what I don’t want food-wise politely. (I imagine this probably has a historical route!) At my grandparents we were considered impolite if we declined food!
So I give myself permission to be IMPOLITE this month!

Do you see? All the information about weight loss in the world does not automatically change our habits. Often there are unconscious rules at play and until we notice them they continue to influence our choices.

Overcoming the sugar cravings!

icachris — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:23:03 +0000

For a long time I went to the gym but also gave into the sugar cravings just to keep up my energy levels superficially – because this was a habit.
I am pleased to say that whilst my body was screaming ‘chocolate cake’ today, I bought an apple and a banana along with my standard skinny decaf cappucino – 10 syllables in that coffee! In the short-term, this did mean that my tiredness came out and I really struggled to get to the gym because of the thought of the drive in the dark and the traffic. So, I felt like I was wasting time. However, a few hours on, I am pleased that I didn’t give in to the cravings and have put some healthy food into my system instead. I did allow myself some sweets – like smarties but with peanut butter in them. I measured out 25g and had them on my return from the gym and before cooking a late meal! I was not going to make mysef so miserable that my eating habits were unsustainable. This gave me enough energy to get the meal cooked – seabass and organic noodles and salad followed also by a weight watchers chocolate pudding!

Had I not allowed myself treats I would have got fed up with the daily effort!

So for anyone else who is used to giving in to the sugar cravings. Short term fixes are what keeps us NOT getting our goals. The apple tasted sweet enough anyway. I did look at the dark chocolate which is supposed to be healthy but I don’t really like the taste so did not go there.

Let’s overcome our cravings!

Distractions and Hurdles in weight loss

icachris — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:14:19 +0000

It’s inevitable. There ARE more important things than losing weight and at times our goals must take second place. For me, over the past week my parents needed help and it simply was not appropriate to give the same time and energy to my weight loss etc. I can happily say that I am no heavier and do still have the opportunity to lose a pound this week – though I may have to settle for staying at the same weight this week.

Just returned from a swim and conscious that I will weight myself on Tuesday – so without a workout, it might be pushing it and that’s ok. According to my Weight Loss Resources graph which tracks my progress and I am on track and I believe that by next September I will have either reached my long-term goal or be much much nearer it and that’s ok too.

I think relaxing about the whole thing is really important. Otherwise, the comfort eating can kick in so easily. So let’s embrace our higher priorities and disctractions etc with a creative approach and just see what we can do to maximise our health if not dot every i and cross every t.

For others on the weight loss journey – enjoy it!

Weight loss tip – Get enough rest or else look what happens!

icachris — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:27:29 +0000

Well, today I have had a more active day and longer than usual, with less sleep the night before and aches and pains from the gym. Managed my calories well until around 11pm. Enjoying watching TV with the cat relaxed on my lap. Chose to eat an instant porridge (which I knew would be surgary), then ate the last mince pie because I couldn’t be bothered to think where to put it! Yes, that’s the truth. I would have had to find a container and it was the 17th hour of the day.

All this says early nights help weight loss! Whilst I have done well this month, I need to choose to let go of the times that aren’t so good, to move on again.

Perseverence Pays

icachris — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:28:08 +0000

Well, since 8th november, I have lost 7 pounds and quite a few inches in different places! I am delighted and really want to encourage anyone who thinks they are struggling to get to their goal. Just recognise what tends to trip you up and then think creatively to find alternative strategies.

I have spent more time organising food and thinking about it but now I see the reward it doesn’t feel like wasted time! So I would say keep a long-term perspective.

I want to be fitter at 50 then 45! I want to have done everything in my power to be healthy. So the choices I am making are usually in line with that goal. And there’s room for a little ‘automatic eating’ or ‘comfort eating’ or ‘treats’. Provided this isn’t the norm, you can still get to your goals.

I may need someone to remind me of these words the next time I get impatient but for now I am on track and happy with the direction of my weight loss.

Thanks to friends who encourage me!

Feel free to experiment!

icachris — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:37:14 +0000

I have realised that a ‘trial and error’ approach is needed for weight loss which can be a challenge for those who want to ‘get it right’. What if ‘right’ was indeed ‘trial and error’? Wouldn’t that be freeing? When faced with experts giving me different calorie intake levels I was confused and initially a little demotivated. Now I am listening to my body and allowing for a higher intake some days than others. One of the piecies of advice was a big breakfast. Well, my treat has significantly cut into today’s allowance and I don’t want to be going to bed hungry, so it will a very small lunch (just to keep the metabolism going) and then my evening meal – probably without carbs again but with plenty of water.

My experimenting is working – 5 lb plus weight loss in 15 days and I will know in hindsight how many calories I have needed to be both energised and lose weight. Over restraint can just slow down the metabolism so experts tell us to eat something every 4 hours or so to avoid the body’s metabolism slowing down and not burning off the fat.

I have also needed to experiment with gym arrangements etc so that I can maximise my time for study. In the first couple of weeks, I have spent insufficient time studying but now that I have created the new habit, know my way to a new gym etc I have set up an early morning gym routine so that is done in a time efficient way. This also meant compromise. It means having different trainers and maybe not working out quite as hard sometimes as I would like. Maybe this is a bonus for my body anyway!

SO TRIAL AND ERROR AND COMPROMISE ARE PART OF THE DEAL – CERTAINLY IN MY EXPERIENCE FOR SUSTAINED FITNESS AND HEALTH GOALS.

Result!

icachris — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:27:46 +0000

4 lbs in weight lost, 2 inches around the waist in 11 days (I think) with 3 work-outs a week. Today arrived home and ate a piece of wholemeal bread and cake before I cooked the meal which turned out to be a superhot chilli. There’s a method. If you make the meal too hot to eat, that’s another way of reducing calories! That was some chilli powder!! No-one could say it was too mild! When I got back I was too hungry to cook a meal and not clear headed enough to think what to eat! However that was 11 hours after I got up and Monday is the hardest day to get the food sorted. By one system, I am well within my calorie count and by the other scheme I need to exercise tonight! Let’s see what the scales say in the morning and let them give me a clue.

Disappointed!

icachris — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:15:19 +0000

Having shared that I had lost 3.75 lbs in the week, it has now become 1.75 lbs in 10 days and I AM disappointed! I appreciate I may be building muscle but my guess is I just added some fat on. Quandry….. I have 2 sets of advice at the moment and not 100% sure what my calorie intake should be because of the different advice. Obvious advice would be to stick to one but I’d rather deal with the confusion! So getting on the scales serves as a check and I can adjust. However, if I then get deflated, will I still be as careful. I think the answer at this stage is probably YES. Too much invested in this to not work – even if it takes 3 times as long as planned! So, I declare, I will get to my goals and may have to be flexible with the timescale. The direction is good and I may find that over the weekend it sorts itself out as at the moment it doesn’t look as if I’ll eat out. Ate out Thursday morning so don’t know the calorie intake and it was a bit serving…. so here I am brushing myself down and carrying on!

Enjoying new priorities

icachris — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:23:42 +0000

So enjoyed being trained by my favourite trainer who really keeps me working at the level he knows I can achieve. Discovered that I had not been drinking enough today. Treated myself with a swim, steam and a dip in the jacuzzi today having prioritised fitness over other some other very important things. As a result of strategic session with MFT (my favourite trainer), this will probably mean I go to the gym in another location to keep the trainer. This will be time efficient and give me most chances for success.