June/July 2005 ~ Issue # 22
June/July 2005 ~ Issue # 22 |
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Finale of Challenge Since last July we have been following the progress of 19 people. During this challenge the 19 were able to communicate with their teammates via individual message boards as well as a public board which people could come in and lend support, learn and share their own journeys. This is the last chance for you to hear from the challengers during this 1 year long journey with them. Some people saw progress and losses. Some some inches lost. Some lost momentum and some gained forward momentum. Overall those that remained committed to this challenge were able to learn from it whether they saw weight loss or not. This newsletter is dedicated to the lessons learned from the journey. To gain weight is so easy but to lose it is not. Don’t lose your momentum and choose to keep moving forward. IF you do the work, you will see results. The T2C (talk 2 challengers) forum message board will remain open as a source of support to those seeking it. There is a ton of inspiration in the archives and I am sure there will be more words of inspiration to come. All are welcome.
Hi Fellow Weight Loss Challengers!
Random
thoughts on Lessons Learned this past year:
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JUNE-JULY 2005
Hello Everyone ....
It has been a very
interesting journey during this challenge. At times it was smooth sailing and at
times it got to be rough and rocky. You know what though - this is called life.
That is why learning a new and different way of coping without turning to food
has been interesting. Oh yeah .... I have had setbacks many of them where I
would slip back in my old habits. I just didn't stay in them very long and got
back on track of healthier eating.
When I started on my new
lifestyle journey I weighed over 400 lbs { 425 } and when I joined the challenge
I weighed 373 lb. Today I weigh 330 lbs. The encouragement and support I have
received from all of you in this challenge has been amazing. It was really
wonderful. I accredit my success in this challenge to all of you, my support
group and my special friend, Linda Herndon.God has used all of you to
encourage and stand behind me.
This picture was made at
the " Heart Affair " back in April where I weighed 342 lbs. Last year I wasn't
able to attend it as I couldn't get around well enough to go. This year I did go
and had a wonderful time. There was a lot of walking and I did get tired,
but I really enjoyed it and looking forward to next year. I plan on being
able to get around a lot easier then - then I did this year.
I wish all of you continued
success on you journey .... I know you will be sucessful. God bless each
one of you !
Carolyn Skaggs - Bucyrus,
Ohio
THINGS TO REMEMBER… _________________________ T he more you impress the subconscious with what it is you DON"T want… the more you make the impression that you HAVE it!________________________ LOVE HAS FOUR COMPONENTS Care - You must care about the person and show that you care. Responsibility – You must accept the responsibility of caring. Respect – You must respect the person you love and show them your respect. Knowledge – Arm yourself with the knowledge of loving and make sure that person knows they are loved. START LOVING YOURSELF TODAY! ______________________ DARKNESS is the ABSENCE of LIGHT… There is no such thing as the negative…there is only positive. Everything is good when we see things clearly. There is always a higher reason for good or an opportunity for growth when we stumble upon stones in our path. When negative things appear…it is because we are absence from the positive. Back to Key ONE! _______________________ BEGIN each day renewed by taking a few moments to have a heart to heart talk with your best friend, that refection in your mirror, reminding him/her how much you care…________________________ HABIT is the intersection of Knowledge, Skill and Desire. ________________________ Stages of Change: Performing healthy habitsMaking the connection between the habit and your daily living Change in perception of how you NOW view yourself ___________________________ Between Stimulus and Responselies the "Freedom of Choice" ________________________ Notice… There is an "I" in Illness and a "WE" in Wellness W iden your Circle of Support this dayC all a Friend_______________________ Sayings Submitted by…Delight Tabesh From The California Phil-i-busters
What I have Learned...I had to give this topic a lot of thought. I know I have learned quite a bit.1. That its good to have support and groups even if only to build relationships. I have seen people really grow and "bud" since i first began. It's such a pleasure to see. 2. That it is so much fun to go on a shopping spree especially when you have dropped 8 dress sizes! 3. Probably my biggest Lesson came back in the fall in reguards to stress. It is pointless to stew over the events of the past. It is what it is, one can not change it. I can not choose how others react to my choices, nor should i react to other people's poor choices. It is what it is. I can not dwell on things, like all the things i did to get fa,t or the bad choices i made along the way....it is what it is. To live in the past keeps you from progressing and not just in weight loss but this thought process works for all events and stresses you have faced. It is what it is. The only way to move forward is to create action, forward action. To plan ahead so you do not find yourself in those past dilemma's again. To do something about the here and now. This new attitude has allowed me to get through some major stressors i would have otherwise have let them get to me. 4. That its ok to be me, who I am here and now is good. I can improve my health, but my health is not who I am. Learning to appreciate myself and love myself for who I am feels great. I wish everyone the best successes ever and hope to hear plenty of successful stories in the upcoming months and years. All Health and Wellness to you all. Kay
Getting Fired Up In
2005 A year has come and gone
It is hard to believe a year has come and gone. A
year ago we were all so excited and planning for the big camp out in Canada.
Everyone was losing. I hit my lowest weight in years. The retreat was a
wonderful experience, but by Oct. I was struggling. I have gained and lost the
same weight numerous times since then. I'm still less then when I started
with Dr. Phil but it could have been so much better. I have learned a lot and I
have never quit and I won't. I have been thinking a lot about why I have stalled
out. I started my weight loss journey on oxygen and totally bedridden. I have
lost over 150 pounds. I'm no longer on oxygen, I can get up and get out in my
chair and walk short distances with a walker. I can cook, shower and do things
for myself. I have come so far so why stop? It is like I'm healthier, but not
healthy enough to go to work, or have much required of me. Is that why I don't?
I don't know. But what I do know is there is so much more I want to do, ride my
bike, go kayaking, walk miles plus so much more, and that will require losing
more weight.
I have read the WLC book many times and I will
not quit. Dr Phil tells us the choice is ours and what ever we choose, we choose
the consequences that go with those choices, good and bad. I've learned many
things from the challengers this past year and so appreciate their support and I
just want to say thank you. This journey is not easy. For some the path is
straight for others like myself the path may have twists and turns but if we
don't quit we will all get there. I think I'm in the right place and was just
not ready yet. There was more to learn, inside changes to take place before
reaching my goal.
I have learned so much more then just weight
loss. I learned to not be so afraid of everything and many times stepped out of
my comfort zone. The trip to Canada, going to Texas with my son for his job and
being by myself, driving again, I even started writing again, I won a contest
and will be published later this year. Before this I wouldn't even
try.
One of the biggest things I realized is that it's
not just about the food, and it's really not just about the exercise either. One
of the women in my group said, “Food and exercise are only two of the keys to
permanent weight loss but there are SEVEN altogether. It is those other 5 that
make this a total lifestyle makeover. It's all 7 together that make it a
PERMANENT life change that will keep the weight off.” We don't measure progress
ONLY by pounds lost or inches lost or clothing sizes lost. We measure it by our
lifestyle.
I think it takes some of us longer because there
are things we need to learn along the way, to become the complete person we want
to be. If you look at the changes that have taken place in many of the
challenger's lives I think you will see the success from this past year we have
spent together. Thank you for letting me be a part of this. God Bless you all
and much success.
Hugs Jan,
Captain of The Get Real Girls. |
Lessons Learned
This is a hard subject to come up with something
to say. I learned a lot from the Dr. Phil UWS and the 7 Keys. I also learned
that if you dont stick to it, nothing you do will work to lose weight. I dont
know what happened or when but I stopped at some point during this challenge,
stopped following the keys and stopped coming here for support. I stopped
watching what I was eating and exercising regularly. I have since started over
AGAIN, as I have gained back 25 of the 54 pounds that I lost. I let my busy life
with working to many hours and going to school and taking care of my home and
husband be an excuse not to take care of me. That is where I need to change, and
I will keep working on that.
I can not believe its been a year already
since we started this challenge, it flew by. Thanks to everyone here for
being so great, especially the "regulars". You have all been great and I hope
that the posting doesnt stop completely because it is helpful to a lot of us. I
hope that we all continue to become healthier and thinner and never give
up!!
Laura
Lessons Learned Being an On-Line Challenger has been one of the most positive experiences of my life. This group hung in here with me over and over again. They helped me to see that I was a worthwhile person and that I deserved to be treated well in my life regardless of my weight. They helped me to see that I could take action in my own life that showed how important I was, that I was good enough. Without a doubt the biggest thing I have learned through working all of the keys and through being a member of this group is that I am "good enough" just as I am. I do not have to constantly be trying to improve myself in order to justify my existence in the world. That knowledge alone has done more to change the quality of my life than most anything in the last year. I have lost about 10% of my body weight so far. I have learned new habits of thought and action and continue to slowly integrate them into my life. My old habits were with me for over 45 years and I have learned to be happy with the patient improvement I am making and have abandoned the all or nothing diet mentality that plagued me. I have learned that when I wake up in the morning thinking about how much I weigh or what I am going to eat, that means something is bothering me and I am returning to my old ways of thinking as a coping tool, regardless of how poorly it works these days! I now know that type of thinking is a signal to look under the surface. I know those thoughts are not what I need to be concentrating on but are some sort of internal diversion from what is really bothering me. My relationship with my 16 year old son is no longer characterized with anger and distrust nor is my relationship with my dear and loving husband. These very close and important relationships have been in trouble and are vastly improved and are better than ever before. I know that I only need to do a little….eat a little less and exercise a little more….that is all that is required on the energy equation, to lose weight. Key one, wherein I learned my dysfunctional thinking styles and how to re-internalize healthy styles was a wonder. I was so caught in black and white thinking and some horrible labeling of myself. My perfectionism knew few bounds as I tried to reach some sort of emotional security through approval due to attempted perfection! It did not work. Key two, what a God send and how painful. I continue to work on healing from the horrible PTSD I suffered and each breakthrough brings much desired and hard fought peace and awareness and forgiveness and just plain better relationships. And what an impact it has on my eating as well. I no longer feel compelled to run from life by turning to the dull numbness too much food can bring. Key three-seven have all been very important and are the behavioral foundation of my new found serenity and self acceptance. I even wrote out exactly what I needed from my dear husband and he actually appreciated it and has been able to provide some of those things. Overall I am so impressed with this group and how much they have helped me. I can see how difficult it is to stay involved for the long run, which really asks us to let go of our all or nothing thinking at a deep level. It asks us to postpone our need for immediate gratification or should I say our diet mentality? This is a stellar group that I am proud to be a part of. Each and every one of you has helped me and touched me in a special way. I have every confidence that my life and health will only continue to get better with each passing day that I know deep in my heart that I am good enough and that I never have to be ashamed again! Love, Lanaya 365/335/170
MemoriesVisit the Newsletter Archivesto catch up on and reflect back on the last year. Get reinspired by some of the things shared by the challengers.A look back on some of the Rally Moments
Hello all WLCers
The group Blue Plate Experiment is hosting a 2 week Booty Camp with the Rapid Start Program.
It will start on July 5 and end on July 19.
If you are interested please subscribe to the
group at
Hope to see some groups, or individuals from
groups, come for some summer fun and lose a few pounds to
boot!
love, valerie (moderator..Blue Plate)
Some of the Challengers
Some of the Challengers pose for a pic at Last Years WLC Rally in Ontario.  |
