EVERYONE join us! Together we can do anything!!!
I am so motivated and jazzed about starting on Monday!
Last night after the meeting was over, I went for a LONG walk in Manhattan. It's amazing how many famous places are crammed into this small island...I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to come back to NYC but I definitely WILL be back...it's just glorious...now if only I could sleep through the 'city sounds'...
At L&S a couple days ago, Dusk posted the following - I thought it was a keeper and wanted EVERYONE to see it... I might even post it on the main Diet Plans board!
Quote:
When a person is being slapped around by the world and they don't know exactly how to handle it, it manifests itself in their physical being, ie. overweight or underweight.
When I go to a store, I look around at the heavy people and wonder what it is that conquered them . . . what problem was it that made them so stressed out that they had to eat in order to relieve the pain? I was one of them for most of my life and truth be told, sometimes new stressors come around that I have yet learned how to handle and it throws a little kink in my armor, but because of "the power," I'm able to rebound a lot faster than before. Back then, I never knew how to harness the power within. Now I do. Back then, whenever I would see someone who was physically fit, I viewed them as arrogant and egotistical. Why? Because of an aura that seemed to envelop them . . . a power that wasn't tangible and yet existed. This power flows from a person who has learned how to harnesses or control certain aspects in their lives and when that happens, a lot of their insecurities just melt away, hence, this person no longer carries himself like the moral majority. But herein lies the problem . . .
This power is incredibly intimidating to those who can't understand it. I couldn't understand it . . . in my eyes, when I saw someone who was fit, it automatically transformed them into someone who was shallow . . . so focused on "self" that they couldn't possibly be anything BUT arrogant. The way they moved, the way they reacted to certain situations, their general being seemed to be superior to those around them. Because of this, fit people are often labeled arrogant, egotistical, cocky, full of themselves, stuck up, and a whole slue of other adjectives. But those without the power fail to realize something -- these seemingly "superior people" still have their insecurities . . . they are still imperfect . . . they are still human. And because the "powerless ones" don't acknowledge this, there is a compelling force within them that tries to drop us down a notch or two . . . to put us in our place . . . to humble us.
Case in point . . . because of my illness, there are times when it takes everything within me just to perform the simple tasks in life. Recently, I was at the beginning stage of a "crisis," but was able to push myself through the barrier and went to the gym. It took all my inner strength just to be there and every last ounce of energy had to be channeled into my workout. When a couple of regulars were about to leave, they made a comment that shocked me. They said, "Have you gotten so fit that you can't even acknowlege us?" You see, they didn't realize that it was only by harnessing the power within that I was even able to be there at all. I had tapped into something that they couldn't even imagine. It never occurred to them that I was human . . . it never occurred to them that there might have been something going on in my life that caused me to be a little "introverted" that day . . . why? Plain and simple . . . because my muscles show . . . because the outward manifestation of that harnessed power was intimidating and they resented it, whether they realized it or not, and so they had to make sure that they dropped me down a notch or two.
So, the power starts with a decision to change . . . it starts in the mind . . . once harnessed, it manifests itself not only in our outward appearance, but also in how we carry ourselves. As for what we do with it . . . we can only try and help those who acknowledge the fact that we have accomplished something that they would like to accomplish. We lead by example . . . we answer their questions . . . we encourage them to try and harness the power within. That's what Bill Phillips did when he published Body for Life.
Is that cool or what?!? Actually I think I will post it on the main DP board - maybe some other folks there will want to join us in our quest for Clean Living!!!
JC - don't worry chick. I know there are SOME women out there who can be objective about what the scale says and not take it to heart. As for me...well, I'm going to take tape measurements and photos this weekend. I dunno about weighing though. Maybe at the end of 6 weeks?!?
Moxie - thanx for the compliments - and for posting recipes on the thread. I encourage everyone to post their faves!
Back to work - later y'all!
Yep I'm in the mood for this challenge, I'm really excited about it... I had a great cardio workout this morning just thinking about it... 
.
and enjoy the long weekend.
