[2cute2Bfat]

Greetings to all lurkers and posters.
This is going to be a new thread topic focused on "studying" Dr Phils The Ultimate Weight Solution
We invite you to read the entire book or take it one chapter at a time, following the discussion within this thread.

We will begin discussing Chapter One onSunday.. May 2, 2004
Each Sunday we will start discussing the next chapter for that week.
This will be a 12 week program. We hope all of you join in every week.

It is recommended you have a pen, pencil and/or a colored highlighter with you as you read.
Mark every word, sentence, phrase or paragraph that hit home for YOU.
Read each chapter as if you are going to be tested .. (You're not going to be tested)
Then come to this thread and share what hit home for you... what you took away with you from that chapter and how you are incorporating it into YOUR life.
Feel free to post often ... you may get a dozen different topics you want to share per each chapter.

I know many can read the entire book in an evening... others will need a week... while some of us may need the entire 12 weeks. There are 12 chapters ... plus a few extra topics at the end. But the idea of this thread is to share what we learned from each chapter and learn from others insights.

You do not have to be a Dr. Phil fan... many here are not. BUT... let's face it... we can all learn something new that just might be what will make a difference.
Each Sunday anyone can feel free to copy and paste this introduction and then start the new study.
Be sure to title it Book Study /Chapter #/ date-date
We are looking forward to reading everyones input.

[2cute2Bfat]

Chapter ONE !!!!

I have only read the first 10 pages and I don't have my book here with me... but I do know one word I have learned already.

ACTION !!!!! We have to take positive action for our recovery.
You have to be willing to DO SOMETHING for your success.
It is time to forget what you have done wrong in the past and focus on the NOW.

I will be back tonight with a more detailed discussion. I was only peeking for a minute now. I have LOTS I want to share just on the first 10 pages.. and I have not even got to his 7 keys yet. LOL

[Terri in MO]

Here's what I've picked up so far. I too haven't finished the chapter but this thought has stuck.

I've told myself many times that I HAVE to get the weight off for my health. For my back, for my feet, for my HBP, etc.

Well, I don't HAVE to do anything.

But I do WANT to do something. I WANT to get this weight off so that I can feel better.

He mentioned that creating the feeling of "having to" is failure thinking.

I never thought of it that way.

More later!

[katrinabgood]

I was able to read for quite a bit last night at work...all I can say is, "Wow." Lots of good, sound, practical, doable stuff there. I am impressed. And I'm <I almost said "hopeful" here, but changed my mind> confident that I will be successful this time around.

I think I'm up to Chapter 4...whatever the chapter is with the first key. I went back this morning to look for things in Chapter 1 that I had highlighted. It struck me that the first sentence highlighted read, "If you have lived like this for very long, you may have developed an underlying hopelessness." How sad. Because I have. I will go through spurts of determination and willpower and then somehow fall off the wagon. Each time I do, I think I sink a little lower than the last time...I know I have thought..."this is HOPELESS...I CAN'T do it." Deep down, I know this is NOT true. I CAN do this. I can do anything I set my mind to. So how do I set my mind and make it stick? well....that's what I hoping, no...what I KNOW Dr Phil will tell me!!

That's it for now...I'll be back later.

[Terri in MO]

This morning I got up and did my pilates. Why? Because I wanted to. Because I wanted my body to feel better. And it does.

I thought that I had gotten a lot from watching the WL shows and spending time on this sight and didn't really need the book.

I too have felt that hopelessness because it seemed that deep down, no matter what my motivation, something was telling me that I would never get to where I want to be. That nagging doubt that made it easy to sit on the couch or have that extra helping.

I'm setting that doubt free. I know what I want. I know I can achieve what I want.

He does hit the nail squarely on the head.

[katrinabgood]

I'm setting that doubt free.

What a wonderful image! I'm picturing Terri opening up the window, the curtains flutter gently in the breeze...she holds the doubt in her hand, raises it up high, and watches it fly away. The clouds part, the sun bursts forth and a rainbow appears...

[2cute2Bfat]

WOW .. Kat... I like that image.
Thank you for making Terri's great post... even greater. I owe you one.
I am copying that image and tapeing it to my computer. I think I am even going to find a photo of a window too to attach it to... and even draw in my own rainbow. Thank you !!!!

Here is my homework. I don't promise to always be sooo detailed... but I need it right now. LOL
_______________
Okay... Page 3
Change can come in either of two important ways:
START behaving positively or STOP behaving negatively.

That is pretty self explantory.
Start eating 5 serving veggies, drinking 8-10oz of water, exercising, and following the 7 keys in this book. Talk "positive" to myself, take time for myself, and as DP says... GET REAL.

STOP justifing junk foods, drinking pop instead of water, sitting on my butt, downgrading myself, making time for everything but my needs of reading,journaling, sharing, etc.
___________________________

Quit conning yourself ... do you want to keep fooling yourself or not .... get real about fat or stay real fat

I am capable of conning myself daily. I use thoughts like "just this once"... "I will finish this up and not buy more"... "I will start over tomorrow".
Fooling myself... thinking what I have been doing will eventually work. It has not worked for 3 years now... so I need to do something DIFFERENT !!!
GET REAL about the fact I have to EAT to lose weight.. eat healthy, eat light, eat wisely.
I have to EXERCISE. I cannot burn off even 100 calories if I never do MORE than what I am doing now. I fool myself saying..."oh but I am so busy". WELL.... if that is the norm and I am not losing weight... then I need to do MORE. I have to burn off more than I take in.
I am looking forward to learning what DrP says about exercise. I bet I already know.. but maybe I am wrong.
______________________________
Page 4.
On this page I underlined...
Not quick and easy ....being overweight , never doing anything constructive about it... MAKE IT HAPPEN ...It will happen because you have made the decision to step up and do what it takes to have what you want.
I bolded the MAKE IT HAPPEN.!!!! No more wishing... I have to take the action.
_____________________________
Page 5.
PERMANENTLY .... take the decisive and effective action. .... get real .... keep it off
The key words here are Decisive and effective. I have wasted a lot of time and years on doing lots of uneffective attempts. If what I have done has not worked... then it is time for me to do what DrP says will.
______________________
Page 6.. This is a good one too...
"But for you to succeed, you have to translate this knowledge, awareness, and insight into ACTION. ....
If you will ... you will lose ... if you don't ... you won't."
Need I say more.
______________________
page 7
I want to type out the ENTIRE second paragraph. This is ME !!!
SHAME... DRAINED ..... underlying HOPELESSNESS ...
But I am not... I choose to focus on the next quote....
"Don't you give in to it !!!! don't give up before you start... That is the language of losers..."
I am starting with a CLEAN SLATE !!! I am putting the past behing me where it belongs and I am going to put my focus on what I do RIGHT and forget what I have done wrong in the past.
_______________________
Page 8
When you choose your behavior and your thoughts, you choose the consequences ....
Choose to feel very calm and very relaxed ... worthy... going to succeed....

It's about changing... what you eat... why you eat...where you eat... when you eat... and how you eat.

Changing yourself from the inside out..... so that it is as normal as breathing.

Our behavior determines our consequences.
The CHOICE IS OURS.
______________________
Well that is it for today. I have more reading to do.... AND EXERCISING and WISE FOOD CHOICES. I know that much already ... even without having read this book. LOL
This book is sort of like the AA book for alcoholics I think.
You put the plug in the jug ... and then study the book to see the whys and hows to keep it plugged.

[katrinabgood]

That was a GREAT post, 2cute...lots of good insight.

You know, this is EXACTLY what we have all needed. This is the kind of stuff that gets results. Digging into our brains, examining the reasons we do what we do, finding ways to change, discussing, comparing, learning. I am so totally motivated!

Quit conning yourself.

oh ho! I am a MASTER con man!!! I usually have a severe case of the "gonnas..." "Gonna go for a walk, gonna start the diet again today, gonna go to the gym..." and yet...........

Get real about fat or stay real fat...

So where's everyone else who's "doing" Dr Phil? Oh, you know what I mean!

All right, I HAVE to get off the computer now. And get moving. And not just SAY I'm "gonna." This time I mean it!

[ljs1223]

Okay - the first thing I highlighted in my book was get real about fat or stay real fat. That is the truth - I've just been in denial - trying to ignore it

The biggest thing I got out of this chapter is that willpower is a myth. I always have thought that I need to have tremendous willpower to make any type of "diet" succeed. And looking at it as a "program" change - that makes it so much better

And, we are changing ourselves - for the better, from the inside out - just like it says in the book.

kat - I love the image of Terri opening her window & watching her doubt fly away - cool - and the "I'm gonna" man oh man I'm notorious for having a bad case of the "I'm gonna's!"

Terri - I never thought of the "having too" as failure thinking either . . .

2 cute - wow - awesome post . . . you really did do your homework! And, keep them as detailed as you like. I like to read others detailed thought on this stuff.

Gotta run, got a crabby baby in the other room. I'm gonna try to re-read the points I highlighted and see if there are any other "revelations" for me

Back at y'all later!

[ageoldie]

Donna, I was going crazy trying to find what you posted on the pages you mentioned. I decided that we must not have the same book.! Then I remembered that I have the Large Printversion. No wonder we were not on the same page

Anyway I liked what you had to say. Just out of curosity, how many pages in your chapter 1? There are 41 in my chapter 1.

Now to what jumped out for me:

1) I'm still looking for the "something you can take tonight that promises slim tomorrow" I know that is my problem. I want to be thinner, but I don't want to have to work at it.

2.)The next follow that up...it will happen becauseyou have made the decision to step up and do what it takes to have what you want!

3.)I liked that he says it's a coherent doable plan that will help us do this right, one time, beginning now.

4.)ACTION

5.)The next is going to be hard, because I'm not converted to Dr Phill yet...
"being open to this book and everything in it"

6.) In the First key " If you believe it, it is real for you."

7.) 2nd key I know I "eat to medicate" myself, and I deny that I have emotional issues with food.

8.)3rd key "getting rid of the clothes of your plus size life" Throw something away???

9.) 4th Key "identifying why I persist with the bad food habits, and replacing them with actions designed to weaken their hold over us.

10.) 5th Key Convienience Not sure I can give that up.

And that's as far as I've gotten. But I wanted to add my 2cents before I forgot what I'd read!

[Terri in MO]

Great insight going on.

I'm going to buy Kat a Dr. Phil T-shirt.

Another Dr. Philsm - Insight without action is a waste of effort.

I am not as obsessed with him as it sounds since I seem to know all his Philism.

Are we discussing each day how we applied what we learned in Chapter 1?

I talked to DH tonight about the way he sees his weight loss efforts. That he has to want to do this for him not because I tell him he needs to for his health. Great, now I'm telling him he has to want it!

[LuckyLadyBug]

Terri: I was "hit" with the

He mentioned that creating the feeling of having to is failure thinking.

also. He is right, I don't have to. I can live the rest of my life fat if I so choose! (but I don't)

2Cute:

I use thoughts like "just this once"... "I will finish this up and not buy more"... "I will start over tomorrow".

This is one of my issues also. I even tell myself this while telling myself I am lying to myself! HOW sick is that!

Here are the things I highlited so far. (I am taking this slow, SO I GET IT INTO MY BRAIN) I have gotten through page 9. (slow and sure wins the race!!! )

1. The strategies I require must be mine and mine alone.

2. I have to make a decision.

3. When I choose my behavior and my thoughts, I choose the consequences that flow from those choices. (put the blame where blame is due) I do live by these words in all other parts of my life, but have never applied them to my body.

4. I choose to feel very calm and very relaxed. (my new mantra)

Well, I am liking this.

[LuckyLadyBug]

Terri, can I go in with you????

I'm going to buy Kat a Dr. Phil T-shirt.

Maybe I could get her a matching cap?

Another Dr. Philsm - Insight without action is a waste of effort.

LOVE this one.

Are we discussing each day how we applied what we learned in Chapter 1?

Excellant idea. Even while reading the first 9 pages I have been wondering how I would make this time different, make it work! You have hit on the perfect solution.

[2cute2Bfat]

Barb... I only have 20 pages in chapter 1.
I bet you thought..."That woman is nuts." LOL LOL
After reading what you posted... I am not sure I want to read the rest of the chapter.
Get rid of my fat clothes !!! Give up convience !!!! I don't know if I can do that. LOL

Terri.. I have to rewrite your quote...
"Insight without action... is a waste of insight" LOL
It is true about knowledge too.
I get sooooo MAD at myself because I have all this "insight and knowledge" and I don't use it. Well ... let me rephrase that... in the PAST I never put that knowledge into action. I am trusting DrPhil to change that about me.
One thing that helps me "want" to change is another one liner....
"A person who is capable of reading and doesn't ... is no better off than someone who cannot read."

Lucky... I have a oneliner for you too. It applies to that quote about making a decision.
"A decision without ACTION is merely wishful thinking"
I learned that one years ago. It has helped me often.
When I want to eat something that is a no no... I talk to myself.... I remind myself... I have made a decision to eat healthy ... and it is my actions that makes it more than wishful thinking."

Okay... I still have not read the rest of the chapter. I was busy cleaning the garage Sunday.. and today.. I was busy procrastinating. I guess that is not funny. LOL

[Terri in MO]

From page 4 (small print version)

Nothing will stop you from being anything other than healthy, vibrant, in shape, and fully in charge of yourself and everything you think, do,and feel. This will happen becuase you will make it happen. It will happen because you have made the decision to get up and do what it takes to have what you want.

This is what I'm working on today. Really getting in ingrained into my thinking that because I HAVE made this choice, it will happen. It is happening. I don't think I've really recognized what I have achieved. I have lost 25.6 pounds since last January. Its been slow and its been frustrating. Why? Because I haven't totally lived up to my decision and let self-sabotage and excuses keep me from achieving my goal. Because I had that doubt. Now, I don't. I am going to look long into the mirror and see how I have changed and see what I WILL become.