Angel, thanks for all the helpful links to past discussions. I breifly skimmed them as DD is into everything this morning. Toddlers, got to luv 'em. I plan on going back and reviewing them when the babies nap.
Here are my thoughts on Chapter two. I wrote them in Word last night while I had a min. to myself. They are quite long so bear with me...
I very much enjoyed chapter two. It was a real eye opener. It is hard to “Get Real”. My self image and my body image are so skewed and have been for so long it is difficult to determine what is real.
I think that all along my expectations have been realistic. I have never thought I could weigh 112, which is what the low end of the height/weight chart says I should. Last time I weighed 112 I was probably 12. When I was 12 my dad required my sister and I to run with him 1 mile everyday, then as a family we would walk 3.5 miles after dinner. This was rain, shine, snow, sleet, hail, what have you, we walked. We always walked to the grocery store about 2.5 miles away and walked home carrying all our groceries. In the winter we cross country skied. In the summer we got up every morning and rode our bicycles 14 miles. On weekends a 10 mile hike was a breeze and 30 mile bike rides were not uncommon. In the summer my sister and I also spent 5-6 hours or more every weekday at the town pool, which we got to on bicycle (it was about 2 miles from our house). I weighed probably 120-130 when I was in my teens. I did not eat red meat, we weren’t allowed to eat processed cereal, everything we ate was monitored and approved by my parents, and my sister and I were required to spend 45 min. every night on the Stairmaster. We had to show our dad a pedometer read out proving we did it. I worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor. I ran at least 5 miles in the water 3 nights a week teaching lessons, I taught aqua-aerobics twice a week and at one point I taught two classes so it was four times a week, not including what I swam and the several hours I spent just walking around the pool during lap swim. I was fit, lean and I thought I was so fat. I am small boned really, I wear a size 7 ½ shoe, my largest ring size is a 6 ½. I thought b/c I was small boned I should weigh 112 like those charts said. I’m not telling you all this b/c I want to complain about my childhood, I’m just saying that even with extreme exercise and diet I could not weigh 112. So I have always set my goal to 135.
The definition of body image on page 23 really got me thinking. Dr. Phil says, “Don’t think of body image as what you see when you look in the mirror; it’s the reaction you have within yourself in response to what you see.” I thought about that. What came to my mind about my reaction to what I see Repulsive, Lazy, Gross, Globby. But these are the same reactions I have had since my teens. Looking back I don’t understand that reaction to the body I had then. I was healthy and active; you could probably bounce a quarter off my stomach. But for some reason I remember feeling so huge and gross. My body image was so out of synch with what I really looked like. My body image now is harsh but not distorted.
I agree with Dr. Phil when he says, “How you feel about your body can have a dramatic effect on your self-concept…..What you believe about your body shapes your self-concept and how it gets expressed.” That is so true. My body image from my teens affected the way I put myself out there to people. I thought I was fat, I dressed like I was fat, I assumed people wouldn’t like me b/c I was fat. Strange to look back on that.
At first I wasn’t sure about the part on loving and accepting your body as it is now (pg 24). This was a bit hard for me to swallow. I do not want to accept my body as it is now. But reading further down the page Dr. Phil states “If you are truly out of shape and you don’t like it, then having a negative body image may mean you are taking a realistic view…” That is me, and now I know it’s ok to not like how I look. You have to acknowledge the areas that you need to improve on, and the improve on them.
On page 25 we see that we need to use our gifts that we give to everyone else on ourselves as well. We need to give ourselves the same kindness and respect we’d give others. This is an area where I need to focus.
The section “Get-with-it-goal setting” made so much sense to me. First, goals must be realistic with specifically defined actions you will use to reach them. You must also include how that goal will make you feel once you reach it. The goal is then multifaceted. I did however have difficulty getting my goal to be specific enough as far as how it will feel. Did anybody else find that true? Once I answered all the questions in the goal setting exercises I think I ended up with a very clear goal. Here are my answers to the exercises:
Write what it is you hope to achieve (the number of pounds or the desire to maintain your weight loss within a certain range once you have reached it):
I want to reach a healthy weight of 135 and maintain that weight.
Describe what you will do (the behaviors or actions you must commence, change or stop in order to lose weight):
I will master the seven keys, learning to accept myself, gain control of food, eat for nutrition, and exercise.
When you lose weight, you want to feel:
When I lose weight I want to feel proud of my new shape, comfortable with myself, healthy and free of my poor relationship with food.
Review what you have already written. Express your goals in terms of measurable outcomes such as how many pounds you want to lose. I want to reach a healthy weight of 135 and maintain that weight. I will master the seven keys, learning to accept myself, gain control of food, eat for nutrition. I will use my tred mill at least 5 days per week for a min. of one hour per day, I will also incorporate one of my exerscise dvds 3 days per week. I will create time to do these things for myself by getting up early and setting aside time after the kids go to bed. (right now I have found I can squeeze in a couple half hour sessions a day on the treadmill. It's hard to get to a high intensity for any length of of time in a half an hour, but right now it's better than nothing.)
Assign a time line to your goal.
Create a timeline for achieving your goal.
I will lose 25lbs by Christmas 2004. I will lose a total of 50 pounds by March 1st 2005, I will lose the remaining weight by September 1st 2005.
Break down your goal into manageable steps.
Know what your steps will be as you learn more about the seven keys come back here and add other steps. Record the steps involved in reaching your goal:
I will use the seven keys and follow the action steps presented
I will treadmill 5 hours per week and do 3 workouts per week
I will eliminate junk food from my life
Create accountability.
Have trusted person that you check in with each week about your preogress. List those people who might be helpful:
You ladies here on this forum
My sister, Summer
I think with this goal I am well on my way to “reversing the negative momentum.” I am ready to start implementing my goals. I feel like I have a plan. Not so much a "on program" "off program" sort of way to weight loss. I am still doing WW points though. I will continue with that until I figure out the whole high yield low yeild thing when we move on to future chapters. Right now it seems to be "working for me."
Have a great day all. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter. Last week I learned a lot about things I may have missed. Sorry this is so long. You'll prolly figure out that I tend to be long winded about everything lol.
It is my goal to get to Chapter 2 this week! My job has me soooooooo stressed out! .....like Summer, I also have report cards to do..... as well as deal with the painters in my classroom...and my students...and well..I'll spare you! 
Thanks !!
LOL Again thanks!!! 
