Before
After
Marcia signed up for a weight loss program at the beginning of 2013 that was based on a low glycemic plan. This program gave you the food to eat in pre-packaged single portion servings, so it was all lined out for her. She has come to realize that having some kind of "plan" is necessary for her success. Marcia is a self proclaimed "rule-follower", which means that if you set the guidelines for her, you better bet she's going to do it! Some of us struggle to follow through with such things, for Marcia she finds herself motivated and once she commits, she's focused.
Some other things were occurring along the way. The program she was following had healthy living classes that she actually attended before she started the diet. In these classes she felt encouraged and was given a new vision of herself and courage to make changes. They actually spoke about seeing yourself in a different light. This is so key. If you want to be healthy and fit, see yourself as that person versus overweight and disappointed with yourself. Even if you don't totally believe that new vision, the more you really put your mind there, the more you will start making choices that follow suit.
I also hosted a bible study that was centered on health and fitness. Marcia was a part of that and feels that also added to her changing perspective. It's all about letting go of habits and patterns of thinking that keep us stuck, and embracing new ones. This requires stopping and taking an honest look at yourself and where you are at. If you are going to let go of anything and change, you have to know what you are letting go of and be upfront about it. For some of us that might be some deep rooted pain from the past, self-esteem issues, the disbelief that we deserve better or are worth it; or it might be the unwillingness to let go of what we find comfortable and self-gratifying. It could be a fear of new things and change. There are so many whys that are different for each of us, and critical to identify.
Marcia's change has been about moving from being emotionally motivated with her food, to being motivated to be healthy overall...not just physically. One very key piece to her journey is that now she recognizes when she is veering off course and makes conscious efforts to refocus. It is important to understand, though, that this actually starts before the "veering off course" ever occurs. Prevention is where it's at and this is a huge part of Marcia's change in mind set...her "aha moment", if you will. Not only will Marcia tell you this, but you can see it very clearly in her daily life: she continually seeks knowledge, resources and experiences that all relate to healthy living. She is always learning new ways to be creative with her lifestyle change, how to make it fun, and surrounding herself with other people of like mindedness. This is something she emphasizes: you MUST stay connected with healthy people and look to others for inspiration who show healthy results in their own lives.
I could go on and on about Marcia's journey. It's been an awesome thing to watch. When the transformation happens from the inside out is when it will stick.
A few things to leave you with that work for Marcia:
- Challenging herself with new goals and specific programs help keep her from getting bored and stuck in a rut.
- She does so much better when tracking her food and exercise, then it's right there in front of her and she can see where she needs to be more focused AND reward herself for the positive changes.
- Planning ahead before events/situations where she knows she will be tempted to go off track.
Happy 2014 everyone!!!
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