I am so excited to introduce John from ezgreatlife as one of my guest bloggers while I am in Costa Rica. I know you will enjoy this!!!! Miss you all! Thanks John for doing this and I hope you will all stop by his blog like I do each day. By the way, John even wrote this with a broken arm. Now that is a true blogger and friend!
Falling Down and How To Get Back Up
As I began to approach 40, I realized that something about me had changed. Gradually changed. Fundamentally changed. It's as if I woke up one morning, just before Christmas 2007 and had an epiphany. I looked in the mirror and was smacked in the face with a reality check. There was more of me to love, considerably more! That's an indirect, polite way of saying that I had gained a lot of weight. Years of overindulging in my favorite dishes and neglecting my body had taken it's toll.
I was really upset with myself for letting things get out of hand. I pondered what to do about it for several days. I came up with a plan of attack, based in part on what I had learned when I quit smoking almost 12 years ago.
Am I Committed?
To me, the first step in dealing with a problem like the need to lose weight is making the decision that you REALLY want to lose weight. That may sound overly simple, maybe even obvious. But, many people "want" to obtain things like weight loss but are not serious and committed. They are not willing to make the necessary changes to achieve their goals. If you are not wholeheartedly committed, you will fail miserably. I quit smoking a half dozen times before I quit for good. The difference? I finally decided that I really wanted to quit and made up my mind that I was willing to give up the pleasures of smoking. It was not until I developed the mind set of being smoke free that I actually quit for good.
"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. " ~Sidney Howard
The second step in my process was defining some clear goals. I decided to define three main goals to help reach my objectives.
**Start Exercising
I began walking 2 miles a day, one in the morning before work and one in the evening. I adopted a puppy and made a deal with my daughter that we would help motivate each other. And of course, now we have a puppy who LOVES to go for walks.
**Try to eat more healthy foods
I dramatically increased my fruits and vegetables. I began eating several healthy snacks throughout the day to decrease my hunger. I try to cook some veggie meals every week, in place of meat dishes. I try to avoid junk food.
**Lose 25 lbs
This was a lofty goal at the time. I began this one on New Years Day 2008. I was able to achieve this goal on April 7, 2008. I was able to obtain this one mainly due to my mindset. That I was going to stick to my new eating habits and exercise program.
And lastly, you have to just DO IT! Motivate yourself. Push yourself. Work towards the end result.
Houston, We Have A Problem
Everything was going as planned, until mid-summer. I was very busy at work. My daughter was out of school, working and hanging out with friends. Our family settled into summer, hanging out at the pool and the beach on weekends. We cooked out on the grill every chance we had. To make a long story short, I fell off the wagon. We had a very fun summer, but now it was time to pay the piper.
Fall had arrived. I was feeling REALLY guilty about letting everything go. I needed to get back on track and fast! I made myself a To-do list of things I had neglected around the house. I decided to get back on my diet and exercise plans. My daughter and I re-committed to help motivate each other and resume our daily walks. Things were looking brighter. I was feeling great.
And Then It Happened
My wife and I decided to take the family to the mountains the first weekend in October. We planned a fun trip of sightseeing and hiking. At the end of the second day, while on a four mile hike, I had an accident and broke my arm.
I was heavily sedated for two weeks. I gained ten pounds. I was feeling depressed. Something had to give.
Do Not Pass Go, Return To Start
So here I am, a year later, almost where I started out. I have decided to pick up where I left off. Pull myself up by the boot straps. I am having trouble walking everyday, due to my arm continuing to swell (when not raised above my heart). I should get the cast off in 3-4 weeks and I will begin physical therapy. In the mean time, my son has offered to help get me back in shape. He is going to start walking with me and the dog. I have GREAT kids! It is going to be a tough road, but the end result is my motivation.
Whether you want to quit smoking, lose weight or just start an exercise program, try the following. And when you suffer setbacks, revisit this list to help get back on track.
**Make the commitment to yourself
**Define your goal(s) **Imagine yourself the way you want to be **Remind yourself of what motivates you **Enlist a partner, help motivate each other
There you have it. Simple right? As you probably know, it's easy to talk about, much harder to do. But with a good set of goals, persistence and a little motivation, you can and will achieve your desired results.
John Bristol
How I lost 25 lbs in 4 Months
http://www.ezgreatlife.com/2008/04/10/how-i-lost-25-lbs-in-4-months
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