If... then statements

Many times we have "if...then" statements imbedded in us that we don't even acknowledge. Sometimes the rules serve us but many times they don't! Let me give some common examples:

• If I can't exercise at least an hour, then I might as well not exercise at all.
  
• If I eat one item outside my diet, then I've failed and might as well eat anything!
• If I don't lose weight for one week, then I've failed and am going to quit!
  

15 minute blocks

Initially, I couldn't exercise for an hour straight without WAY overdoing it. But then, who ever said that you have to exercise for an hour straight?

I got committed to exercising an hour a day but breaking it into four 15 minute blocks. What a difference that made! My exercise could be:

1. 15 minute walk during lunch
2. 15 minutes of weights
3. 30 minutes of active Wii games with the boys

Everyone can exercise for an hour each day, if they can break the hour into smaller blocks. It's your body, so you make the rules! Consider the activities that you could do to make your active hour each day:

• Go swimming with your kids
• Take a brisk walk
• Lift weights
• Do an aerobic video
• Go for a run
• Ride your bike
• Play a high activity Wii game
• Do some Tae Bo or other exercise video
• Jump Rope
• Go hiking
• Walk at the mall

If you're having a hard time finding an hour a day to exercise, consider breaking the hour into blocks that you can do. Before you know it, you'll be exercising consistently!

You won't get fat eating an apple

I remember once when losing weight wondering how many calories an apple had. My Mom looked at me like I was crazy and said "You won't get fat eating an apple". You know, it's so true. In making a shift from being unhealthy and very fat (359 lbs), to making healthy choices and losing the excess weight, I've thought often of her remark.

Cindy and I have not been counting calories during our weight loss, we've instead been choosing healthy foods. Our typical breakfast has been homemade granola with yogurt and fruit. Our lunches are often salads with a bit of meat topping. Our dinner is has a meat, veggies, and a serving a potato, rice, or homemade bread. In between meals, we snack on healthy choices like a piece of fruit or some nuts.

The most important diet choice is to choose healthy foods. We've gotten so warped in our concept of what is healthy. Somehow a calorie-reduced processed snack food is advertised as a better choice than a natural, wholesome food. Don't believe it!

You won't get fat eating an apple.

Pivot Points

In our life, there are often pivot points. These are moments of decisions when direction changes for an individual. For me, there was a pivot point on September 30th, 2007 regarding my weight. I realized on that date that though I weighed 350 lbs, the problem wasn't my weight but my fitness level. I was unhealthy and the weight was a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself. On that date, I started working toward making healthy choices in my life.
Looking back in my notes, I started very simply by walking 20 minutes a day. My unhealthy condition wasn't created in a day and the solution wouldn't be created in a moment either.

I had just seen a biggest loser episode, where they said that the average person makes hundreds of food choices in a day. I believe it! The truth is that those of us who have gained fat through the years have made too many choices that were unhealthy. The balance needs to shift to making more healthy choices.

Have you had a "pivot point"? Whatever aspect of your life that you're working on, consider choosing a point from which things will be different. This means that you've got to make a decision to change.

Here's a "Before and After" picture, with 49 more pounds to go!