WLC RALLY 2004 See what's happening -click here This coming Weekend! August 20-22, 2004 Fonthill, Ontario (20 min from Niagara Falls) Still want to come?? It is not too late! Come to the Rally and have a great weekend. Special Guest Speakers: Guest's who appeared on Dr. Phil Show Barbara Judith Terri Sandra Charles and special guest speaker Mary Lynn Stevenson Meet some of the Challengers from this newsletter too! Prizes and draws as well! See The Rally Website for more details. What more can you ask for Hello to all the challengers and cheerleaders! The past month of this challenge has been rather rewarding, to say the least. I am learning more about myself and how to accept myself when I can't change the circumstances in my life. FRIENDSHIP.......WOW ! It has been so easy making friends with all of you challengers; YES... even the B - TEAM ! { LOL } It is just like family and so easy to identify with each one. I really see myself in some of you and the struggles you have been through and going through. It is really a true statement, " If God brings you to it - He'll bring you through it. " Since I've joined the challenge I have started a live support group here in Bucyrus. The challengers have been so supportive and helpful, also some of the cheerleaders. The support has been just awesome. I was afraid when I started this challenge that I would let the rest of the team down and was ready to leave the group. It didn't take long for them to let me know that all that was required of me was my best. It is not a competition, rather a journey and the challengers were here to help and encourage all along the way. Now... I ask you, "What more can you ask for?" What a wonderful team to be on! Until next month..... Carolyn Team B - Secret Challenge Hello Fellow Challengers and Cheerleaders! I would like to let you in on a little secret challenge The Get Real Girls participated in over the last few weeks. We challenged each other to be the most motivational Get Real Girl on the team while enhancing our own spirit with the 7 keys of The Ultimate Weight Solution. The challenge was easy, you earned points for just reading your UWS book and picking out quotes that meant something to you. You earned additional points for journaling about the quotes and how they have impacted you. You then earned even more points if you did your journaling on the Talk2Challengers Yahoo! message board to motive other WLC participant and Cheerleaders. We didn't want to let "The Chosen Ones" in on this Challenge as they were not chosen to participate in this challenge (I guess you are not chosen for everything are you? J/K). We were hoping to see if we could motivate you with our experiences and inspire others to start reading the book too. It worked, others started posting quotes too! It was awesome!   And the WINNER is ******Alice****** Alice, you have earned the title of the most Motivational Get Real Girl! You posted your quotes almost daily and your stories and experiences inspired all who read them! You by far tallied up the most points. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us! On a side note though, when it comes to being inspirational, I feel that everyone who shares of themselves and opens up to their experiences for others to learn from is a true winner! We can only grow and learn when we have each other to grow with and to learn from and to when we support each other, using Key 7, we truly are all WINNERS! Thank you to all the challengers for being you! Teresa S

About the Newsletter - 19 Challengers The 19 Challengers have been split into two groups. The A Team voted on a name and out of many suggestions, decided on "The Chosen Ones". The B Team also voted on a name and chose "Getting Real Girls". Each Team has a captain. For Team A, the captain is Wes and for Team B, it is Jan. The 2 teams are currently competing in a exercise challenge and keeping their progress on the "Presidential Challenge" Website. They are working towards rewards for recording their intentional exercise. Each month, these challengers will be sharing a little something in the newsletter about their experiences and things they have learned. We hope that their experiences will help inspire you in some way. Their progress can be seen also on the Support Group Website. If you would like to cheer on the challengers a message board has been created for just that purpose. You can access both by clicking here. A Blazing Fire Remember that old teaching, used to emphasize the dangers of being a lone ranger? A bunch of logs together will blaze bright and hot; but drag one log off to the side of the campfire, and it will soon go out. Dr Phil holds each of us accountable as individuals for our own progress, but he also makes it clear we NEED a Circle of Support. I have been powerfully impacted by this group of Challengers. I am blessed to have been allowed to join, and am constantly learning from them. Paula posted the phrase: "I do not believe in excuses." Read her story, and you will see why that hit me right between the eyes! I have put up little signs all over my house that say: "No excuses!" Jan has lots of "reasons" she could offer as to why it's harder for her to exercise. But no way! She is smokin'! I am so inspired by her efforts. So, I wanted to share with everyone that I am soooo excited to discover that I can do so much more in the way of Intentional Exercise than I thought I could! I have medical reasons that cause my muscles to be easily injured, so I have learned to start out slow, and listen to my body. I have learned that the key for me is VARIETY. I don't do a whole lot of one exercise; rather, I do a little bit of several different ones, spacing them throughout the day. This approach is more gentle on my muscles, and avoids injury. I love Tai Chi (done sitting), resistance tubes, mini-trampoline, Richards Simmons videos, I wear a pedometer, Leslie Sansone Walk at home videos, and soon I will start with a small Pedal/Rower machine. If you are "exercise challenged", take heart. Find something you think you might enjoy, start out slow, and be proud of every teensy bit of progress. Remember to adapt the exercises to your own needs, and have fun with it! And don't forget to Enjoy the Journey! Loretta Impactful Keys This past year has held so many lessons for me in this Weight Loss Challenge. I find myself more aware of my life in every possible aspect. The most impactful KEY for me has been both KEY 1 and 2 of Dr. Phil's UWS book. Mostly, I realized, that i have spent most of my life reacting to stressors rather than really thinking about how i will choose to react and taking steps to do what Dr. Phils says is a "solution sided approach". Can we say "light bulb moment"??? How many times have I read key 2 over and over or the book for that fact. Each time I read it a new light bulb goes off. If I had anything I could offer to anyone struggling with the UWS, it would be to say, get back into the book. Read it UNTIL....you "get it". The impact is has when you do "get it" is superb! I have lost a total of 40lbs using this book. I have reached my half way point and am excited beyond words! I look forward to seeing many of you at the WLC Rally and for those unable to go, we will be sure to fill you in, take pics so you don't miss out. Kay 250+/210/170 Niagara WLC Team Leader WLC News Team

A No-Fail Environment Weight has been an issue a not-really-discussed issue in my family for as long as I can remember. Like myself, my mom has been overweight for as long as I can remember. There has always been an underlying weight loss competition between my mom and me. I had thought that maybe it was all in my head until it was actually confirmed by my sister.   In 2000, my sister joined Weight Watchers. She asked my mom to join with her and they went together. I wasn’t asked to join with them. I’m sure they would have said it was because I had Rachael and I needed to be home to take care of her, but I she could have been brought with me or I could have even just been a participant from home but, it felt like a purposeful exclusion. Well, anyway, my sister and I were talking one day and I let her know how I felt and she told me my feelings of competition were right. My mother had gloated to her before about how much better she was doing at weight loss than I was. That confirmed what I had always felt. There have been several attempts at weight loss regimes on both our parts everything from Weight Watchers and Nutrisystem to books and Slim Fast by both of us, but never as a team. I have never been a saboteur to my mom but I can’t say the same for her toward me. Since starting the WLC, I have been very open about owning and using both UWS books and my mother went out and bought her own copy of the food guide rather than talking to me about it and/or discussing sharing the books and supporting each other’s efforts. When I took the circle of support audit in the UWS book, it was really hard to answer the questions with a clear cut T or F because I have a great circle of support at work but, not at home. Maintaining a "no-fail" environment is an ongoing challenge. My mother on any given day can bring home anything from creme horns to bags of chocolate kisses. I think she has figured out though that I have gotten stronger. She had bought a bag of kisses and left them on the kitchen counter and they were there untouched for several weeks before she finally took them to her bedroom. If she wants to put that crap into her body that is where she needs to keep that crap is in her own room.

Laurie - Aug 2004 Unfortunately, there is another person that is effected by this situation and she is my daughter, Rachael.  Rachael unfortunately has a weight problem too. I am working hard to help her make better, healthier food choices. My mother and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on this. She is very slowly coming around. The last time she bought ice cream she did buy "lite" which I have asked her to do if she buys any and she hasn’t bought as much of it either so, we are making a little progress.   Well, I guess that is enough for now. I have given you a little more insight into my life. I will close by saying I have lost seven pounds since starting this challenge and have lost a total of 31 pounds since the end of February and my next weigh in is Monday morning. At my heaviest in 2001 I weighed 332, I am now at 241. I have lost 76 pounds in two years and have 76 pounds to get to goaI, which is 165. I am glad that I am able to take part in this challenge and hope that all who read about us are able to gain inspiration to stay the course.   Laurie

Jill's Journey The following quotes are from Dr. Phil and were taken from his book, The Ultimate Weight Solution:    "Obesity is a disease of choice."   "It is not possible for you to be overweight unless you have generated and adopted a lifestyle to sustain it."   "Require more of yourself right now!"   "You make a difference when you do different.  When you behave like a winner, you are a winner."   I write quotes from the book on little pieces of paper that I put in a vase on my desk.  When I am having an impulse moment, a down moment, a joyous moment, I just reach right into the vase and pick out a quote.  It spurs me to thinking and to acting on that which will make me healthier.  The previous 4 quotes are what I pulled out this morning.

It is SO important to start requiring more of yourself!  I have done that this week, after being at the same weight for about 3 weeks, and I have finally seen the scale drop!  I am so thrilled to be at this point in my weight loss and I encourage everyone out there to use the book to their advantage.  Read, read, and read some more.  I get different information out of it each time I pick it up, because I am constantly in different places on my journey.  Some days I need a lot of help with right thinking, some days I need better nutrition, and on and on.  I feel so blessed to be a part of this "Dr. Phil craze" and I am going to see to it that I do him proud and reach my goals!  I am rooting for you to reach YOUR goals too!!  Keep on keeping on! Over and Out, Jill 268/220/158

Wes - Team A Captain Hello fellow weight loss challengers. This weight loss challenge has only been going on for one month, but I am already excited about what is going on. It has been a great month for me, as I hope it has been for you. If you haven't been to the talk2challengers group yet, I encourage you to check it out. The other challengers and I post there regularly, have scheduled chat times, and we already have some a great team challenge going on, that you could do on your own too! Check out the group and search for messages regarding the Presidential Challenge. One of the exciting things that has happened in the past month is the naming of the teams and election of team captains. "Team A" has decided on the name "The Chosen Ones", and they have asked me to serve as their team captain! I am excited about this opportunity to help my team be big winners by being big losers! July has been an exciting month for me. Here are a few of the things that happened. During my July vacation, I worked at a Christian camp here in Maine, Camp Good News. This year was the first ever that I played games all week with no asthma attacks! In early July, I was interviewed by a local newspaper about the weight loss challenge and weekly meetings in Bangor, Maine. They should be doing a follow up interview and printing the article in August. I will post the article on talk2challengers when it is done. This month, I reached another milestone, having lost 50 pounds! My next goal is only a short time from now, when I drop below 300 pounds! I got a bunch of great compliments this month, from people at work, at camp, and at church. The most encouraging was when I saw someone across the street, who said she wasn't sure it was me because I look so different!

A group of guys at work has started playing basketball every week after work on Wednesdays.  Just this week I played full court basketball for 2 hours!  I am having loads of fun, spending time with friends, and doing something I thought I could never do again. This month I continued reading the Ultimate Weight Solution (again), and for the past 3 weeks or so I have been working on what I jokingly refer to as "intentional eating". That is, I have been planning my meals out ahead of time, making sure to use the "divided plate", and slowing down my eating by consciously tasting and enjoying every bite. I even bought Dr. Phil's cookbook, and have tried cooking some of the recipes from it. I find it takes some work to remember to plan my meals ahead of time, but it helps a lot. I will be continuing to work on this during this month, and I would invite anyone having suggestions or anyone facing the same problem to leave me a message on the talk2challengers website. I hope the articles this month help you and encourage you. You can change your life FOREVER! If you haven't started the WLC, commit to begin now. You can do it, I know you can! If you are struggling, stick with it, and ask for help. There are plenty of people who know how you feel, and they want to help you. If you are succeeding, tell someone! We have been given a wonderful gift, we should share it with someone else! Captain of "The Chosen Ones", Wes 355/302/230

Jan - Team B Captain Well this has sure been an exciting month I have lost another 10 lbs pounds for a total of 66 pounds. I have gone from riding my stationary bike 10 to 18 minutes. I even rode my regular bike out side one block took a little tumble but got back on and road home once I get to 30 min. I will try again.   We named our group The Get Real Girls which I just loved because we are getting real in so many areas of our lives. Not just eating. The big surprise was when They voted me team captain, this is such an honer. This is truly an awesome group of women.   We have challenged Wes's team to the presidents exercise challenge and will let you know how it is going as time goes on, but we are all doing LOTS of intentional exercise!   This was not the article I had planned to submit, but I ended up in the hospital with a bladder infection and an infection in the blood. I need to be on IVs so after waiting months for the Rally I May not be able to go. I Must say when the doctor told me, and I promptly told him I had to be better in one week, he just said this is serious and there is not much we can do but I'm still praying for a miracle. My son and I made our sign which is supper cool lol and almost all my live group is going to be there, plus quit a few of the Challengers. So now I'm praying for a miracle  The difference this time is I'm not giving up, and I did not eat over it. If we are not to be there I will just have to deal with it. So if you do not see me there please know I'm there with you all in spirit.   I want to thank my son for typing this out for me and sending it to Kay.  Go "Get Real Girl's!" Jan What - 42 pounds means to me...   Fitting into clothes that I once couldn't, Exercising for a longer period of time w/o being so tired, When I have to get on the ladder while painting my kitchen it doesn't hurt my legs, It means standing a little taller, Feeling my body start to take shape, Compliments from family,friends and co-workers, Smaller double chin and cheeks, Feeling happier, Feeling prettier, Feeling more confidence in myself, It means I can do it and there is no reason I cant reach my goal, and It means I feel proud of myself because Im worth it!!   Laura D. The Get Real Girls 350/308/150 Laura - July 2004

Accomplishments - Paula Hello everyone this is Paula once again from Windsor, Maine. There has been lots going on with our local WLC, but one of the most important things right now is the big Rally coming up. Several of us from here will be caravanning to Canada for the weekend and a few of us will even be speaking on Saturday afternoon. Hope to see you all there, but till then let me tell you some of what I have been able to accomplish since I have started this journey, besides the obvious weight loss and intentional exercising, which is AWESOME  in itself.   When we decided to move up here, 2 years ago this past July, it was a very bad time for me. My brothers and sisters and I had to decide to remove our mother from the ventilators and let her go that past April. That same evening one of my sisters decided to go into our mother’s home and remove everything she wanted for her and her grown children. There was no need to say anything since none of the others would help me.   What she did not take, the rest of us (4 sisters & 2 brothers) were allowed to go through with me being the last one.  Naturally there was nothing left of my mothers that I wanted, that would remind me of her, accept her lift chair. Since I was facing knee replacement surgery some day, I thought I might be able to make use of it.   I asked my sister about me taking it and my husband even offered to pay for it, well wouldn’t you know it, she refused saying it would be in the auction with the other things that were left over.   I won the bid on the chair and needless to say we paid less for it then what my husband had previously offered.  Today they auctioned off my mothers home after sitting empty for over 2 years.    When we moved up here I came with some bad feelings for my family, but with the help of the 7 keys I am able to let go of that hurt and pain. I am still working on key #2 “Healing Feelings”, but am learning to forgive my family back in Illinois and turn it over to the Lord.   My husband and I are making plans to move back to Illinois in the spring with the use of the money from the sale of moms home. I could not even face the thought of making this move back there with out the help of Dr Phil, UWS, the 7 keys, and all of my WLC friends.   Paula We still own our home back there so we have a place to live. My son and daughter and their families are still back there, but have moved from the home place about an hour in different directions. My granddaughter and her finance’ and new great granddaughter(due in Dec.) will remain up here. I can’t imagine her staying without grams, but time will tell.    I will miss everyone back here in my local WLC, but for all of you I will still have my pc and can keep in touch just the same as if I was still living right here in Maine.   Thanks to everyone for helping me master the 7 keys.   To be continued......Paula