:nono: Jenfrus! have I told you lately that you're a brat?!

"There is no can't, only won't."

That quote reminds me of a story I heard recently. The founder of one of my businesses, Art Williams, started as a high school football coach. He took over the losing-est team in Georgia in the 50's or 60's. He was watching the kids in the weight room and when one of them reached muscle failure, he would tell the kid spotting him, "I can't." Art figured that was a big chunk of the team's problem. So, he had a paddle made with holes drilled in it and he told the players if one of them caught another player saying "I can't," they got to give the other player 3 swats. He stated that in a month or so you couldn't make a word game to get one of his kids to say "I can't." Regardless of how you may feel about his method, when the kids stopped saying, "I can't," they started to win.

OHHHHHHHHHH you guys:hug: are great. I feel soooooo welcomed now!! I will warn you though that I keep things as optimistic as possible especially since life is hard enough and don't even get me started :dizzy: on this weight loss issue. I don't even have to mention the lose/gain, :dz: lose/gain history here because we all have the same story. I don't have to mention how it affects the good ol' self-esteem because we have all experienced the lowest of the lows right?

So what I will do is :D just learn from you guys, and share what I have learned from my :book2: readings.

Oh a good one that got me thinking was from a book that I recently finished titled "Life Is Hard, Food Is Easy", gee I wonder why that got my attention...........uuuummmmmmmmmmm????? Anyway she wrote something to the effect that there is a major difference between being "Interested" and "Committed". The first one you do things based on how you feel, example "Oh forget it I don't feel like working out today." Compared to the second one "Okay gonna get the butt movin' even if I don't feel like it. If I want to get into those jeans then the flab must be moved." That really got me thinking because according to this I am a graduate with :carrot: :cb: :cb: honors mind you, from the Interest Academy for Weight Loss!! Congratulate me why don't ya???? Well enough of being interested for me it is time to become committed!!!

Another thing that I really appreciated was a post from Lovebassets? I believe. She wrote that she had a great trainer who would constantly ask her WHY questions. For example if she didn't want to go on the threadmill:woops: for cardio she would ask her 'what do you want?' and her answer (I think this was her answer) "I want to fit into my clothes", made her see how important it was for her to do her cardio. I think that I will try and find that posting and print it.

Again I thank you so much for the welcome and I hope to help you guys in return.

Lynn

P.S.: Did learn quick on inserting thse little things or what???? :D :D :D

:bravo:

You are now the :queen: of smilies!!! :D :D :D

Tweety -- Welcome! I really believe in COMMITMENT. It helps when motivation fails. I started the process of weight loss weighing nearly 300 pounds. I couldn't even envision the big picture or set huge goals. But it turns out I committed to the process. And I am sticking with it!

Oooh I remember that! Commitment vs Interest - I think I read that in Shape, but the book sounds good. Wonder if I can get it over here. :chin:

wyllen I love your quote at the end of your post......Your 5'C of healthy living!!

Congratualtions :bravo: on your success and I wish you continued determination to reach that GW!!

Morning everyone! That Wyllen has lots of good stuff to say Tweety, I always look forward to her posts.

Just to add my 2 cents: I like to quote Bill Phillips, of BFL fame who says:
"Progress, not perfection"

And then someone's signature says something to the affect of needing to turn motivation into momentum. I like that one as well.
Cindy

Hi guys new to this Again... Need a place to hang and check in... Did this last year and the support was great...Unfortantly I gained it all back plus....I have a thyroid issue and the doc just told me I probaly will not lose it yet to hang on for a few more weeks but I can not wait.... So I am back on the band wagon, not sure if it will work yet but I figure I would get into the swing and get my body ready for it. IF I lose any I will be happy. I just do not want to gain.. Anyway Looking forward to some chating and motivation.....

djmommy I am new to this thread also but not new to the desire to wanting to lose the weight. Okay I will tell you what is helping me.
1) Re-reading :book2: BFFM.
2) Re-writing :comp: my goals.
3) TRULY believing that I am capable of doing this. Not just hoping that I will be but knowing that I will WITHOUT A DOUBT!!
4) Making daily goals which are guaranteed to take me one step closer to my ultimate goal.
5) Absolutely not accepting any excuses not to follow through on those daily goals. Unless of course one of the boys is ill or I am in ICU.
6) Making a committment to feeling and looking like I envision.
7) Making progress and forgetting about perfection.
8) Reminding myself that it took me a year to gain these 40 pounds and if it takes me a year to lose them as well as lowering my bodyfat which is what I am mostly interested in then so be it, what is the alternative? Staying this way...........uuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmm NOT!!!
9) Staying as optimistic and juvenile as I can get away with as a 43 year old.
10) And always reminding myself that the way that I look as nothing to do with how I am as a person. Thighs might be flabby right now but it doesn't mean that I can't make my patients laugh or have my kids think that I am totally :crazy: out of my mind.

So you come up with your 10 and make sure that you use positive words, make your statements in the present tense and repeat them every single day.

Oh another suggestion..........find an outfit that you were able to wear before and want to get into again and hang it in different places around your house. Every time you change the placement it will remind you of what your goal is, by putting it in the kitchen your family will think that you are totally whacked out (which is wonderful) and it will be a visual cue as to why you are eating :hun: cleanly, drinking more water than a water buffulo and working:lifter: out as hard as your body can take.

Hope this helps and go into this with the mentality that it is for a life time not just until you weigh a certain number on the scale.

You set your mind to it then you will achieve it!!

I need a little help here guys.......

Pre Workout Meal/Post Workout Meal---I am confused as to what I should eat for these meals.

Here is my schedule--
7:30 Meal 1: Protein, fresh fruit, starchy carb.
10:30 Meal 2: Protein, fresh fruit
1:30 Meal 3: Protein, fibrous carb., fat
4:30 Meal 4: Protein shake
-----5:30 - 6:30-----Workout
7:30 Meal 5: Protein, fibrous carb., fat

On Sat. I sleep an extra hour and start working out at around 9:00-9:30 for an hour and then at around 5:00-5:30 I usually go either walking or bike riding for an hour.

If you guys could give me some starting guidance I can take it from there.

Thanks

Thanks for sharing Tweety - I finished BFFM a couple weeks ago, with the intention of starting to apply all I'd learned immediately, but I think the whole thing overwhelmed me a bit, and I've not really done any of it yet.

I did join the BFFM "Inner Circle" site - it's $9.95 a month, so I figured I'd do it for a few months to try to get myself on track. There are a bunch of neat tools there - spreadsheets, goal cards to print,... but I'm not really getting into any of the discussion forums - seems to be more focused on people who are 3-5% out from their ideal bodyfat %, and not many who have a lot to lose.

What if we shared our goals here with each other? I did write mine out, but haven't looked at them again since. I really need to focus on my daily goals, as you said - this week I've been making lots of excuses!

As for pre-workout meals - if it's cardio, ideally Tom says we should be doing it without any food. I am still having a glass of milk with instant coffee mixed in each morning before *any* workout - cardio or weights. Then I have a protein shake afterward, once I get into work.

I thought I could answer you quickly about eating before lifting, but can't find in the book right now. Guess I need to do some more reading myself! ;)
Cindy

Tweety- You don't need a post-workout meal after a walk or bike ride unless you are cycling for several hours. After an 45 minute to an hour lifting session you need about 20 grams of protein and about 10 grams of a fast acting carb. This is a good time for a shake with fruit. I try to time my workouts so that I'm done within half an hour of my next meal since all my meals look the same nutritionally (more or less...).

Wow! what a great thread!

I was an avid Firm and Cathe' person but switched to callenatics,lotte berk and yoga. While I'm getting really flexable I'm gaining my flab and cellulite back! :(

How would I go about add those back into my workout?


Melodie