Happy New You in 2012

"Embrace the process and the results will follow." This quote by actor,  Bradley Whitford,  summarizes what I learned during my weight loss journey this year.  Real weight loss comes when you learn and follow the process of eating the correct portions of the right foods followed by exercise. I lost 25 pounds this year so  I did have some success.   However, I focused too much on the short term results on the scale and not enough time on establishing a healthier routine and embracing the full process required for long term success.

Thank you readers, for your support. I wish you much success in your weight loss journey. Take the time to learn what works for you. Make the small changes daily and the results will follow. Take care and good luck!

A Gift To Yourself

Tis the season and all that kinda stuff. In my opinion there is way too much emphasis on food and shopping and buying gifts for people who don't really "need" the gift.

Of course, giving to charities and keeping the less fortunate in mind this time of year is a good alternative to rampant consumerism.

How about your own health and weight loss needs? Why not give yourself a gift of a membership to a gym or the "Y"? How about a good pair of walking or running shoes and a goal relating to "going the distance"?

2011 is almost past and a new year on the calender lurks just ahead. For those of us who must and need to continue to lose weight, its not the "end" of anything in that regard. This battle for a better physical "self" never ends. Keep fighting the fight and never give up. After all, the gift of better health and fitness is the gift that keeps on giving.

In Sickness and in Health

Good morning fellow worker bees. In my blog last week, I mentioned that I was going to take some time out for me. What happened? I ended up staying home to care for my daughter who was sick. So while I did not get my "me" time, I did have time to reflect on just how important health is to everything. Losing weight is really important and I am glad I've finally decided to lose some, but health is the long-term goal. Being out a couple of days made me more appreciative of this fact.

If you are blessed to be without a serious disease, give thanks and then do something to continue your blessing while you can -- relieve stress, exercise more, drink water or just sleep more.

Until next time.

Shopping Injury

So how did you do at holding the line on eating for Thanksgiving? I did fine on T-Day. I did somehow put the two pounds back on that I had just lost the week before during the long holiday though. So its back to seek the "routine" again. My routine typically involves walking and jogging these days. A "shopping" injury, however, is hampering those activities.

I was roped into going to an outlet mall near Mebane NC at 10pm Thanksgiving night. I was wearing some cheap unbroken in work boots as we walked aimlessly in search of who knows what. The walking in those boots really tore up my right Achilles tendon area. So I was limping around for a couple of days and its still tender but ok to walk. Haven't jogged since though. Will give jogging a try again today. Just shows you how important proper footwear can be.

Now lets all get back to it and keep on keeping on my fat buddies.

Doing What You Must

How many of you love getting up early every morning to wake your kids or yourself up to go to school and to work.  If you were truthful, you'd admit that there are probably other things you'd prefer to do today, but yet everyday you get up and follow your normal routine.  Why?  You do it because you must.

Those who know me well, know that in my perfect world, my day would not start until 10am.  I am a night owl and no amount of blogging has changed this fact.  My body prefers to work until the twilight of the day, but I have come to realize that I lose more weight when I do three things:

• Get up early and get breakfast
• Have a plan to accomplish three key projects, two ad-hoc requests, and one thing on my procrastination list (I know I am NOT the only one out there with this list :) ) and then
• Take some time for myself

So, this week I strive to go to bed my 10pm (Toastmasters, you can stop snickering now) and work on my to-do list, and finally take some time out of my crazy schedule for M-E.  Every day I follow a routine that goes against my natural rhythm doing things for others because I must, so this week I am going to try doing something different to help rekindle my weight loss journey.  I know this last one will be the hardest, but I am going to give it a good try and will post about it next week. 
Until then take care

Nancy Johnson

Take a Minute to Appreciate

Its that time of year where I take time to give thanks for life, my family and friends and even for the negative parts of life -- like being overweight.   Why would I be thankful for being overweight after almost a year of trying to lose weight?  As much as losing weight is my goal, today I wish to remember those that do not have enough to eat -- even here in Charlotte, North Carolina.

So while you are enjoying tomorrow's festivities, do something for those who could use our help. Donate some food, or some money, or even some time to those who are less fortunate.  Enjoy the holidays and take a walk (or in Dan's case, a run) it's a great way to reflect and to work off the bird.

Nancy Johnson

Weak Week

This is it. A week not for the weak of willpower. Enjoy family and friends and small portions of good food. Get that exercise and come out of this week victorious weight loss buddies.

Due entirely to tight schedule and smaller amounts of food I lost another two pounds this past week. That's 34 pounds so far. Four inches in the waist. A good start for 2012 when I must continue pushing onward.

Next 5k race/run will be in Kannapolis on December 17th. It'll be nice and slow again but something to help me focus on jogging more miles.

I have much to be thankful for and this week allows us a time to reflect on our many blessings.

Now get out there and walk my fat buddies.

Setting Goals

Good morning, blog readers. It has been a while since I posted.  Sorry, but a lot has gone on.  Good news since my last post, I've lost another 3 pounds. I've only got 9 more pounds to go to meet my annual goal!

I realize that many have been disappointed by my progress. I understand that many expected a huge weight loss through a stringent diet and exercise.  That was never my goal.  I set my 36 weight loss goal based on the craziness of my schedule and the reality of my life and I am almost there.

Many overweight people stay overweight because they set goals that are not achievable for their life.  Everyone has a different motivation.  I started the year with three motivations -- my health, my daughter and a reunion. I will end this year with only two.  It's never good to put an event as a motivator. 

I've learned alot since starting this blog, but I have a lot more to learn and do.  Setting goals is a great way to start, but getting and staying on the course is the only way to achieve the results.  Stay true to Y-O-U.

Until next time.

Nancy Johnson

Don't Stop Now

The last page of the wall calendar keeps wanting to flip on over to January. Its like I'm in a time warp blasting ahead to the future while still needing a lot more time to "do stuff".

This past week my favorite dog/pet ever had to be put to sleep. Very emotional for this old guy. A few days later I wake up with my heart beat pounding in my upper front tooth. Yep, a root canal. I'm now in my last few days of clinical for my Phlebotomy class with the final exam on Friday.

My daughter has a big birthday this weekend and T Day is next week.

Life goes on and our diet and exercise may be harder to fit in but don't stop now. For that matter, don't ever stop. A lot of us have lost weight in the past to only gradually have it come back onto our bodies a few pounds at a time until we were back to the heaviest weight ever.

I can't be honest and say it won't happen to me or you again. I can say we can't afford to allow it to happen again. Use these holidays as your experiment with willpower to defeat the food demons and come out of this at least one pound less by January 2nd. That will be one small victory toward winning this battle.

My total for the year now stands at 32 pounds lost. Not the goal. It is a good start to keep on working on for next year.

Keep at it my fat buddies. You are worth it.

Soup or Salad?

Getting ready to "not" mess up during Thanksgiving week. Planning ahead and being aware to not gain weight during this time is important to keep or get on track. No need to start off the New Year with an extra five to ten pounds.

To help curtail overeating on Thanksgiving try having something filling for breakfast that isn't too caloric. An apple, whole grain toast...oatmeal etc.

For the big meal consider slowly eating your salad or if you can have a soup before hand that is also satisfying and yet not too caloric.

Go ahead and enjoy the company the color and smell of the food. Think about the occasion while drinking a glass of water. Let others at the table begin eating first.

Enjoy each bite and savor the taste and chew very slowly. Just keep the portions and amount of food very planned and controlled.

Then there are the left overs. If you travel to someone else's house you don't have to take any left overs home. If you host a dinner, try to give away left overs to get them out of the house.

Last of all, you can freeze some things to get them away from tempting you later that day or the next.

Enjoy the total experience and if you are "into" such things, volunteer to work at a homeless shelter etc to serve others food while also helping you to stay on your diet.

Share any other ideas you have that you plan to do to help you stay out of "dieting" trouble this season.

Big Bird

Quick! Run! Walk! Hide the eating utensils! Thanksgiving and other eating
frenzy holidays are fast approaching. There is a Big Bird hovering over you and its not just a Vulture. Its a Thanksgiving Turkey with all the trimmings!!!
If you've lost weight this year don't let go of it for a few days of
gluttony. If you intend to keep on or start a diet don't start even further in
the "hole" by gaining ten pounds during the holidays.
Lets brainstorm some about how to enjoy these special meals and yet not
over do it. Give me your ideas or gimmicks that help you resist yet enjoy.
Certainly portion control and exercise during this time will be important.
But how about enjoying a meal? What are you going to do? Plan it now. Visualize
it now.
By the way, the exercise and walking and jogging on Monday was like being
super charged with this great outdoor weather.
Get out there and walk vigorously to stay warm. Read more: http://cltbiggestlosers.blogspot.com/2011/10/dont-be-turkey.html#ixzz1cjxfR8Eg

Tricks less treats

Are you ready for the little monsters that will soon pounce on your doorstep? Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays, but it is special for my daughter!

She loves everything Halloween and would love for me to dress up like Abbie from NCIS minus the hair. Unfortunately my daughter is a diabetic and the normal routine of trick or treating has a different meaning. Im lucky. My daughter is past the age of going trick or treating like so many children will do today. Halloween is tough for her and for the many Charlotte children who have diabetes.

Many of you will soon hand out candy to the little witches and globlins that knock on your door. This year, like the past 3 years my daughter and I will make the choice to avoid the sugary carbs. Take care.

Don't Be a Turkey

Quick! Run! Walk! Hide the eating utensils! Thanksgiving and other eating frenzy holidays are fast approaching.

If you've lost weight this year don't let go of it for a few days of gluttony. If you intend to keep on or start a diet don't start even further in the "hole" by gaining ten pounds during the holidays.

Lets brainstorm some about how to enjoy these special meals and yet not over do it. Give me your ideas or gimmicks that help you resist yet enjoy.

Certainly portion control and exercise during this time will be important. But how about enjoying a meal? What are you going to do? Plan it now. Visualize it now.

By the way, the exercise and walking and jogging on Monday was like being super charged with this great outdoor weather.

Get out there and walk vigorously to stay warm.

Time for the Sprint

My goal was to lose 36 pounds this year and another 35 next year. OMG, I've been so busy with life that I completely got off track and now I have only 9 weeks to lose the remaining 12 pounds to meet my 36 pound goal by New Year's Eve.

The old me would have given up on my weight loss goal before the first St. Patrick's Day toast. But the new tenacious me remembers all of the other tough goals I've achieved through discipline, sweat and prayers:

• 1990 - gave up smoking (yes!)
• 1999 - gave up alcohol and hubby (with divorce I no longer needed the booze)
• 2009 - gave up my fear of public speaking (with Toastmasters help)
• 2011 - gave up the green bottle of BVO and with it my adult acne

I have been able to make some very SERIOUS lifestyle changes in the past.  Yes, I've been in a real rut over the past two months. But I can and will get back on track.  So now it is time to make one more huge commitment - I WILL GIVE UP FAT in 2012 so I MUST meet my 36 pound goal by 12/31/2011.  It is time for the tortoise to pick up the pace and make the mad dash.

One of the commentors suggested that I find a way to combine my passion for Toastmasters with my need to lose weight and get healthier. What do you think about these three ideas?

• Set a 3 pound minimum loss in between speeches. 
• Ask two of my fellow members who both love to run to nudge me over the next 2 months. Cayce and Ian, I hope that you two marathon runners are up to the challenge!  
• Take a picture in a bikini and post it on the District 37 Facebook page until I lose the remaining 12 pounds.  What a picture!  There may be some that will tape my mouth shut to make this happen quicker.

All of these ideas are a bit extreme but a tortoise gotta do what a tortoise gotta do.  I can't let Dan beat me across the finish line.  :)  Until next week.

Nancy Johnson

Children of the Corn

Autumn is such a wonderful time of the year. You see more neighbors out on their porches or walking the community streets. Windows are open and football and apples abound.

I do have a warning for you, however. Beware of the corn. Candy corn. Its my favorite waist of calories in the form of orange and yellow condensed sugar. Trick or treat my foot. I say its a grand scheme to just "trick" me.

Instead of candy corn I need to find the world's largest corn maze and get lost in it with nothing but water to survive for about a week. That might kick in more weight loss.

The last few weeks my lack of balancing diet and exercise has resulted in nearly stagnate stats. I've walked fewer miles. I have done fewer push-ups and when I've behaved food wise, I've allowed my feeling of being tired win out and not exercise as much. The end result is one lousy pound lost during this time.

That's 30 pounds so far this year. Its also not even half what I need to lose to reach my ultimate goal. Obviously my willpower has not held up this year.

If you share my lack of "total" success in your 2011 goals, don't give up or give in. There are huge dangers of food consumption lurking on the upcoming calender and we/I need to salvage all we can over the next two months.

This isn't about a quick fix. We have to keep on fighting and trying for life. Next blog lets think about exercise and diet during the "eating" holidays.

Reporting to Work, Are You?

If larger people didn't have enough going against them in the media, a recent Gallup survey says that if you are obese, you are more likely to be reading this post in your bed as opposed to getting ready for work.

I realize that health related issues cause many to miss work; for obese workers and for those who aren't obese. I'm sure there was just enough truth behind this particular study to make it newsworthy. But as one of the many overweight workers who does not have a serious health issue, I can say that we aren't all adding to the $153 billion cost of absenteeism. Many of my overweight brothers and sisters regularly report to work and are some of the hardest working people around.

Let's not paint everyone with the same brush. Look around you at work today. I'm sure there's someone working around you with a little extra girth in their trunk.

Stress, Exercise and Diet

The clinical portion of my Phlebotomist training began yesterday. Naturally, I was awake hours before I needed to be. I'll be going to new places working with unknown people each week for the next five weeks. Hours and days will vary. My thoughts are to make part of the work day extend soon as I get home to do my exercise. Typically I eat too much when stressed. Or eat too much when not stressed. My old saying used to be feed a cold and feed a fever. No more. I'll be too busy fortunately, to eat often and too tired to eat too much.

The adventure continues and having to find new ways to be flexible with time and energy is something we all struggle with in one fashion or another. Keep at it folks.

My non-deductible contribution

Happy Tax Day #2! I consider myself a very charitable person, especially with my time. I love giving to charities involving children. But I never quite thought of the fees I have paid Weight Watchers as one of the charities I was supporting UNTIL I heard Rosalyn's speech two weeks ago. In her speech about procrastination, Rosalyn had a line about being a Weight Watcher donor because she paid the fees but wasn't fully following the program. I thought I was the only one, no seriously! I know I'm not the only one.

If intention was all it took to lose weight, I would be trim and singing like Jennifer Hudson. But it takes much more than joining a club or even joining a gym. Losing weight can be hard and sometimes I feel like throwing my white flag up and giving up BUT I won't. Until next time, remember to take baby steps one day at a time.

Feeding Frenzy Holidays

In the immortal words of Charlie Brown, good grief. Have you seen the calendar? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are all rushing toward us fat folks with aroma, taste and a whole bunch of calories. Oh my. Hey you, is that your belly or a bowl full of jelly?

There will be so many snacks, treats and huge meals lurking around every kitchen so as to pop our shirt buttons. Don't give in to it!!!

My challenge is to actually lose weight during these holidays. The typical among us gain weight this time of year.

If you shy away from cold weather you may also eat more comfort food and avoid outdoor activity.

I actually love a walk/hike/jog in blustery cold air. We overweight folks tend to sweat during hot weather so its about to be great for us to go outside and move without leaving a trail of body fluids trailing along behind us. Actually, I sweat even when I'm slender. Maybe being an X Floridian I'm trained to cool off asap via a waterfall of gushing sweat pouring down my face. (Hope you are not having breakfast).

To help me focus, I'm already looking to sign up for my second 5k race event. Last weekend was so much fun to get out there and participate again.

There must be plenty of Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell runs and New Years gut busters out there to chose one nearby.

Now get out there and enjoy this gorgeous time of the year with a good outdoor walk.

H20

Two months ago, I gave up one of my last vices -- Diet Mt. Dew. With this change, I have increased my intake of water. However, as I was speaking a week ago, something happened that was both embarrassing and enlightening. I was answering a question after a 20 minute presentation and as I tried to close my mouth, my lips had a joker-like experience. My mouth was so dry that my lips were stuck over my two front teeth. It was funny, but is was not pretty to have to rush to my drink and pry my lips down.

At that moment I fully realized my mouth was trying to tell me something my body couldn't say - drink more water. Until this happened I never thought about the importance of staying properly hydrated for speaking and for weight loss.

Experts say that most of the time we eat, our bodies do not crave food; it really wants want water.  So, before you eat, drink!

Until next time.

Nancy Johnson