It's sounds like what you're doing seems to be working for you with the food changes and the running.

But you state that you are dieting.

Lifestyle Changes is NOT a diet. We are changing our way of eating, we are now eating very healthy and are starting to exercise.

This is for the rest of our life not just a temporary thing.

With many of us, it involves other people in our family also.

You have judged me completely wrong and instead of making snap decisions about what I'm doing, you should have asked. I have made lifestyle changes, in fact I used to eat McDonalds everyday, smoke and drink a ton of soda. I've cut all of these things out of my life not just so I can lose weight, but because I want to change me life, because I want to live long, healthy and be able to enjoy everyday to the fullest. I say that I am dieting because I am cutting more calories than I intend to when I hit my goal and this is not how I am going to be eating for the rest of my life, but it is very close. Furthermore, my sister AND my fiance are taking this journey with me. I am actually a little offended that you would come to all of these conclusions without even bothering to find out a single thing more about me. You should ask before you lecture instead of getting mad about buzzwords like "dieting".

I'm sorry that you misconstrued what I said. I certainly did not intend to offend you.

When we talk about lifestyle changes, it IS for the rest of our life. We change how we live by watching what we eat and exercise. We do stress that WE are not dieting.

You can do what you feel is right for you. If that's what you want to do, then I'm behind you 100%.

I wish you the best of luck in reaching your goals.

Hi, Deirdre! Welcome to the Club!
 

I see that you and Pat ran into a little misunderstanding, and I know you two will straighten it all out if you have not already. Welcome to the club! I PMed you, and I will put your info on our stats sheet ASAP, now that I am back home in NC from my vacation in VT.

Lots of work to do to get caught up with the chart! Sorry, folks, please bear with me!!
HUGS!
:p

The right motivation could literally be the difference between life and death.

That’s the power of motivation. Given the right reasons, people have changed lives, changed history and changed the world.

“Sure, that’s great,” you say. “But all I’m trying to do is lose weight.” That’s the old, misguided way of looking at it. You might not want to change the world, but you do want to change your world. Anyone can lose weight. To keep it off – to make that permanent lifestyle change – it takes something more. It takes the right motivation.

The right motivation is a potential diet deal-breaker.

What To Do With Your Motivation?

Motivation happens in two stages.

First, you find out what motivates you the most about weight loss. This is different for each person and even different situations.

Second, you turn that motivation into a tool by surrounding yourself with it, immersing yourself in it.

Motivation can be useful and inspiring at the same time. Not only is it important to do things for the right reasons, but it’s just as vital to find creative, timely ways to remind yourself of those inspirational reasons.

What Is Your Right Motivation?

The right motivation is whatever it is at any point in time that keeps you going for another day. Today it might be the mirror. Tomorrow it might be the look in your child’s face. Next week, it might be a picture of the vacation you want to look good for. Surround yourself with as many of these motivating options as possible, since inspiration could come from different sources each time.

The right motivation will get you out of bed in the morning with pep in your step and an eagerness to meet the day.

The right motivation is a vision, a picture of what life will be like after you’ve lost weight.

The right motivation won’t let you quit. Oh sure, you may have setbacks and you may get discouraged, but it will never stop you from taking two steps forward.

What Types Of Motivations Work?

Some types of motivation are more effective than others. Most people spend too much time worrying about extrinsic motivators, where the standards are set by someone else (the scale, the mirror, negative comments from a spouse, fashion magazines, etc.). Instead of thinking about what’s important to themselves, they think more about what’s important to other people.

You’ll be more successful if you pay more attention to what’s important to you as a benchmark. Want to have more time with the family? To have more energy? To feel better about yourself? Those are the motivators that will keep your new lifestyle in play for the long run.

10 High-Stress Personality Characteristics
Chronic Stress Isn't Normal

Stress has been so ingrained in our days and in our culture, that we probably don’t even recognize it any more. We may believe that the general underlying sense of uneasiness we feel is normal and acceptable. Or we might blame the tension and stress we experience—in traffic, at work or at home—more on what’s happening “to” us than what’s happening “within” us.

The problem with this attitude is that it brings on a sense of helplessness, that there’s nothing we can do about stress other than cope. This thought alone is a source of stress, isn’t it?

When you realize that the stress you experience may have something to do with you, it helps you take control and start to solve the problem. Here are 10 personality traits that are symptoms of being highly stressed. Some are characteristics that, by their nature, add even more stress to your life. This list will help you recognize if you are highly stressed and give you ideas for doing something about it.

How many of these qualities do you exhibit?

Over-planning each day. Do you feel the need to stick to a strict schedule? Do you live in fear of falling behind or overlooking a task?

Doing several things at once. With too much to do and not enough time, it’s easy to think that “efficient” means doing everything at once. He who chases two rabbits catches neither.

Extreme need to win. Do you feel like a failure if you don’t come out on top—even when the only competition is your own expectations?

Excessive desire for advancement. Highly stressed people need confirmation from outside sources that they’re doing okay and performing well.

Inability to relax without feeling guilty. Do your weekends become opportunities for “accomplishment” and “getting something done.”

Impatience with delays. When you’re under pressure, everything in life takes on urgency and the additional burdens to get everything done as fast as possible.

Overcommittment. Are you chronically late or forgetful of commitments? Does your schedule cause problems in personal or professional relationships?

Chronic urgency. See #6. Now!

Highly competitive drive. Have you forgotten what it’s like to have fun for fun’s sake? Have you “grown up” so much that playtime actually causes you anxiety?

Compulsion to overwork. Is your office more familiar to you than your backyard? Do you find yourself missing out on what you might otherwise deem “meaningful”?

Why Do We Beat Ourselves Up?
A Look at Self-Destructive Thoughts

If we had friends that treated us the way that many of us treat ourselves, they wouldn’t be our friends for very long. Imagine a friend who calls up just to complain – about you. Or an alleged buddy who quickly says “I told you so” when you screw up. Or someone who encourages you to give up instead of encouraging you to do your best.

Why do we do this? Why do we treat ourselves in such horrible ways? For some, the negative self-talk is so bad that it would literally be considered verbal abuse if coming from another person. Do any of these sound familiar? “I’m not good enough.” “I knew I’d fail.” “I can’t believe I messed it up again.” “Why can’t I be more like (fill in the blank)?” “I don’t deserve to be happy.” If someone said these things to you, imagine the impact it would have on your confidence.

Negative reinforcement can easily turn into a damaging self-fulfilling prophecy where you live down – instead of up – to expectations. It’s a bad habit that could strangle any growth and needs to be dealt with now. This is not “friend” talk. Yet it’s exactly the kind of destructive feedback we give ourselves.

This kind of language can have serious consequences, but people turn it on themselves all the time. Why? What did we do to deserve this? Is our self-esteem so low that we think we need to be talked to – even by ourselves – like this? Hopefully not.

You’re a fantastic person on an exciting journey, in the middle of creating a life that you want. If I were you, I wouldn’t put up with that negative voice in your head. You deserve better. If anything, eating healthy is such a sensitive issue that your self-esteem needs to be built up, not torn down. What’s so wrong with reminding yourself of how wonderful you are? Isn’t that what you would do for a friend who needed a word of encouragement?

Sometimes, this can be easier said than done. Any self-bashing you might do may actually have its roots in something other people have told you over the years. Harsh words can leave scars that never go away. Still, that doesn’t mean we have to carry on the legacy of beating ourselves up.

You deserve to be treated with respect, encouragement and patience. You demand that much from people you know. Demand it from yourself.

The Healthy Lifestyle Path
The Start of the Journey

From the time we start having any control in our lives, there are numerous paths we go down. Early in this process we may go about it with reckless abandon, not worrying about the consequences or if we are on our path to “success,” whatever our path to success may be. For some people, success is the “good parenting, good morals and values” path, for others success is the “devotion to making the world around them a better place” path and some are happy with the “sacrifice everything for career” path.

Regardless what your plan is, often times they lead us in different directions. A special someone teaches us we want the “family” path more than we realized, or a certain job helps inspire us towards the “career” path. As we go through life, different paths pull us in different directions.

Once we reach a certain point in life, we start to analyze a little more which path we want to go down and think about the consequences. For some it’s in their 20s, for others it’s not until their 50s. Eventually we realize that we possess the power to control which paths we go down, and to some degree, the consequences.

For many of us, a healthy lifestyle is one path we are currently trying to maneuver, now more than ever. And some of us have strayed far away from this path. Thanks to the hard work along other paths in our “map to success,” there are plenty of obstacles to overcome, even at the start.

Picture yourself trying to travel from Texas to Maine as quickly as possible. Now imagine taking a turn towards California. You’re way off course, right? It’s very similar when you realize you want to start taking the healthy lifestyle path. Discovering that healthy lifestyle path quickly is difficult if you took turns early in life that led you away.

The great part is, no matter how far you’ve veered from the healthy lifestyle path, once you start moving towards it, you are moving forward! Often times, we want a do-over. If you find yourself west of Texas, unfortunately you still need to make up that ground.

Besides, there are probably reasons you strayed away from the healthy path that you need to resolve. Going down a path is a continuous journey, one that involves learning at each step of the way. We need those habits to help us along the way. Otherwise, we could just jump in a plane and fly to Maine in no time. Without those habits, we don’t know how to survive in Maine!

Working hard and getting to the “start” of the healthy lifestyle path might not produce the results that initially inspired you. Instead, it will produce results far more important – principles that will help you achieve anything you set your mind to and you are willing to work hard towards!

Healthy Eating with a Positive Twist

For many of us, getting healthy means giving up all the foods we like to eat and starving ourselves for long stretches throughout the day. Of course that would not be a pleasant experience. If you are dreading each day while you are on a so-called ‘diet,’ then what’s the point? Getting healthy, though, has to do with much more than eating right – it’s about simple things that you will enjoy.

Every little bit counts; even activities that you think have nothing to do with your health count. Walking around the neighborhood, talking to friends and family on the phone, setting goals, reading - these are all activities that will help you in your quest to get healthier, all while keeping you positive.

Sure, you may have to watch out for some foods in your diet, but it’s more important to simply incorporate healthy foods – fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates – into what you eat.

At the same time, exercise does not have to be a rigorous, three-hour workout. The key is finding exercise you enjoy, such as playing racquetball, riding a bike or throwing a football with your kid.

And that’s just the point – getting healthy is something to enjoy, not to detest.

Getting healthy is not something you should look at as a chore; it’s something that can be a fun and great experience.

It can be a positive experience that will not be a short-lived fad, but a new way of life for you.

9 Ways to Get More Out of Your Day
Time to Ignore the Hourglass

Do you always feel pressed for time?

Lack of time can be detrimental to our physical, emotional and spiritual health. When we are pressed for time, we tend to exercise less, eat foods for their convenience rather than their nutritional value, have less time to interact with our families and friends, and spend little, if any time, on self-development and spiritual growth.

Here are some simple ways you can begin to take back some of your time:

Set aside a certain amount of time each day just to do what you want to do. How about 1 hour each day? If that’s not “possible,” start with smaller increments of time, say 15 minutes, and work your way up.

Doing part of something is better than doing nothing. Even if you can’t complete a task or a project, it is better to take a small “chunk” out of it rather than letting the whole thing slide until later. If you absolutely “hate” working in that manner, then just make sure you set aside a specific time to complete the entire task or project.

Learn to say “No.” This isn’t always easy, but it can make a world of difference. Even if you don’t want to say “No” completely, try to set limits around how much you will do and when.

Bundle your tasks. Save up non-urgent errands so that you can do those that are logistically close to one another.

Delegate. How much is your time worth? It may be worth the cost of hiring someone to do things like mow your lawn, clean your house, AND you will be purchasing the precious commodity of time. It’s more than okay to ask for help.

Do the yucky stuff first. Take care of the tasks that you dislike so that you don’t waste precious mental time ruminating about not having done them!
Are the things you feel you “have” to do really necessary? It can be easy to get caught up in the details to the detriment of the big picture.

Take an honest look at the activities and people in your life that are “energy drainers.” Do they need to be part of your life? What would happen if you eliminated or reduced your time spent on/with them?

And, most importantly, set aside time each week to do something special.

Make sure that, no matter how busy you are, you take time to play.

Spending time with friends, outdoors, at the movies, whatever makes you happy, is essential in helping you be the most focused and effective you can be with your time.

How to Deal with Setbacks
Become a "Bounce Back" Believer

We’ve all hit that bump in the road, the setback, the problem. What sets people apart is how they react to that bump. Are you one to spin out of control, in despair? Or do you grab a hold of that wheel and steer yourself straight? Whether it’s a school assignment, a work project, or a volunteer mission, we all encounter things that slow us down. You just have to keep in mind that a setback is only temporary and greater things lay ahead.

It is easy just to quit, give up and ignore the hard work you have put into something. We believe in the "two steps forward, one step back" philosophy. So what if something bad happens? Keep moving forward, developing what you have. You’ve already built a solid foundation on which you can rely. Hard work can’t be overlooked.

So how can you react when something doesn’t turn out as you’ve expected? First, be objective. Step back and look at the situation. Take responsibility where it is due, but don’t place blame on others. Is your setback really that significant, or will it just require a little extra exertion on your part? Come to terms with it and then start planning your next move. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to do this. Oftentimes, people are more than willing to give you support and advice, maybe even after being in a similar situation. You don’t have to be perfect; after all, nobody else is.

Bounce back. Reevaluate the goals you should have set for yourself at the beginning and retool them as necessary. Goals should be realistic and specific, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be flexible and are allowed for minor impediments. Instead of looking at your project as a disaster or failure, view it with success. Concentrate on how great it will feel after it is finally done, after you have put your all into it. Instead of focusing on a possible unsatisfactory performance one single time, take a moment to sit back and reward yourself for all that you have accomplished.

Above all, don’t live with regrets. Approach life with perseverance and dedication to the things that matter most to you. Success is never easy. It remains up to you whether you will give up, or fight through the tough battles to earn whatever it is you want.

A fragment of a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson is telling:

"Finish each day
And be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and
Absurdities have crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can."

Move on with your life. Keep reaching for your goals and you will achieve them. One minor setback is nothing if you really want something and are willing to work for it.

Going Through the Emotions
Why It's Worth the Trouble

The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life. You can feel invincible and in control. But it’s not always like that, is it? The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place. At times, it seems like even something as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble, you ask. Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?

You’re darned right it is!

When life and your mind are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you’ve got to take control of what you can. When confidence is low, that’s exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There’s no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way you can do that is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.

You can be the hammer, making things happen, or you can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you’re starting to feel like a nail, it’s up to you to keep your program moving forward. Gather yourself together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or quit.

You’ve probably heard this story before, but since you’re here, it’s worth retelling: A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter – allowing him to hop right out. He never gave up!

Here’s how your story and his intersect. If he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.

From the frog’s point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation. If you keep kicking, even if it just seems like you’re treading water, you’re actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on.

There will be good days; there will be bad days – sometimes several in a row. There will be lazy days and discouraging days. But there will also be days of revelation, days of making a breakthrough, days of being proud of who you are becoming, days of wanting to climb on top of your success and reach for the stars, because you just know that anything is possible.

These are the days that make it all worthwhile. These are the days that let you deal with those other, not-so-great days. Once you know those bad days will be there, it’s easier to accept them at face value and deal with them. But you have to keep kicking on those bad days to get to the good ones. If you’re not kicking, you’re sinking.

Don’t let the world or your own doubts take away one of the most positive things you have going for yourself – your determination to create a healthier, more energetic, more vibrant, more wonderful YOU.

Energy Stinks
Aromatherapy Smells Great

Each of us has a secret source of energy. You can’t hold it in your hand or see it in a book. Most mysteriously, it can boost your energy, mood and motivation without you even knowing it.

It’s a smell. Not just any smell, but a particular smell that invigorates you. It’s different for everyone. For some, it’s leaves; for others, hay; still others, rubber or smoke. People that turn up their noses at leather may perk right up when they smell motor oil.

The fact that odors can boost energy isn’t any news to people familiar with the basics of aromatherapy. We’ve heard for years about the effects smells have on our brains and bodies. Peppermint, for example, is widely used to increase alertness. In Japan, there’s a company that pipes in scented air to pep up employees. In the morning, cedar and cypress wake them up. In the afternoon, citrus stimulates their senses.

But what’s still unexplored is a type of “Personal Aromatherapy,” in which each person may be physically and emotionally affected in different ways by different smells.

Aromatherapy works in two ways. First, many smells (apple pie, foot odor, perfume) simply produce emotional responses learned through association. Other smells most often used in aromatherapy oils (lavender, vanilla) have real physical effects. They cause the body to produce neurochemicals, such as serotonin, which relaxes and induces sleep.

What’s interesting is that this physical effect may also be learned. In fact, these same “chemicals of well-being” are also released when talking to a lover or listening to music. That’s where the idea of personal aromatherapy comes in.

Personal aromatherapy is a smell that’s closely related to an activity or interest that you’re highly invested in or really enjoy doing. The more “active” this activity is, the theory goes, the more its related smell will boost your energy. The smell and its effect on you are very personal things.

If you love working with wood and you use a lot of energy doing it, chances are the smell of sawdust will get you going.

Same goes for someone who loves cooking upon entering the spice aisle in the store.

When faced with these meaningful smells, you can’t help but feel a little rush of energy and pleasant thought.

So what does this mean for eating healthy? Just this: by keeping these personal aromatherapy scents around, you will feel more energized and more positive about staying active.

Of course, these are often smells you don’t want around all the time. (Who wants to live in a workshop?) In fact, they may actually be smells you normally find unpleasant in daily life. But it’s the emotional reminder that’s important, not the smell itself.

What activity do you really get fired up for? Does it have a distinct smell that goes along with it?

If you can find a way to give yourself a “shot” when you need it, you may have found the secret to staying charged up and motivated every day.

Surround Yourself with the Positive

If you put yourself in a positive frame of mind, you can accomplish anything. If you can clearly see your goal, see that it’s within your grasp, there’s nothing stopping you. That’s why surrounding yourself with positive images and visual reminders can be just what the doctor ordered.

You may already have an inner voice telling you that you can do it and reach your goal. But sometimes, that inner voice could be distracted, a little discouraged or even intimidated. Sometimes, it lacks conviction. Sometimes, you need an external voice telling you the same thing, reinforcing your confidence and determination.

Think about what might happen without that positive reinforcement. Suppose you had a parrot sitting on your shoulder, cackling in your ear all day long that your efforts are useless, that you will never reach your goal. Or suppose that every day, you were faced with a taunting picture of you looking your god-awful, embarrassing worst. Sounds pretty discouraging, doesn’t it?

Surrounding yourself with negativity will drain the energy, life and hope right out of you like a leech. Seems pretty obvious, but too often, we allow these negative messages to seep through.

Thankfully, the opposite is just as true. One of the quickest ways to boost your spirits and keep motivation high is to keep a positive picture of your goal close by. A picture or other visual of your ultimate goal is a huge motivator. Having it around all the time is a voice of encouragement whispering in your ear, helping you stay focused on the prize and energized to overcome any obstacle.

Everyone runs into a wall at some point. You’re not alone if you feel discouraged. To keep it from happening, or to deal with it if it does, try these ideas:

Use positive images. Find a visual that shows why you want to lose weight in the first place, or what you’ll be doing with your weight loss. A picture of your kids, the new dress you want to wear, a basketball.

Use positive words. Keep notes of encouragement with you or choose a few favorite inspirational words. You can get plenty of these words on our support message boards.

Use positive books and movies. Watch and read positive things that show you what’s possible. Trade your favorites with friends. Find a hero and try to adapt their qualities to your weight loss effort.

Use positive quotes. They could give you that lift right when you need it most. Choose one as your personal motto and plaster it everywhere.

Use positive music. Let music that makes you feel good become the background theme of your life.

With a visual nearby, your goal is right there. It’s clear what you want. It’s clearly within your grasp. You have the power to reach out and just take it.

I hope everyone is able to make the changes to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and not having any difficulty in cutting down portion sizes.

AND, I hope everyone has found some form of exercise to do and is still drinking lots of water every day.

We'd like to hear from you as to what you're doing and what changes you've made. Perhaps it'll help someone else to hear it from someone other than us.

Good luck in making your good changes in the Lifestyle Changes.