Your Ideal Weight

Positive Aspects

 

During challenging times it can be so easy to cascade into a downward spiral of thoughts and emotions without even noticing it. Whether it's the economy or a disappointment at work, a stressful relationship or a "less-than-perfect" body, a negative domino effect can happen in short order when you look at any situation through the wrong lens.

And, since your body is right there with you 24/7, it's one of the easiest targets for unproductive thinking. A tight-fitting pair of jeans or an upcoming reunion can bring about a vivid mental display of every extra bite of food you've ever taken when you didn't really need it, and every workout foregone in favor of an extra hour of sleep.

That's why I love the practice of focusing on the "positive aspects" about just about anything--my day, my relationships, my life in general, and (yes) my body. When I identify that first thought that could start a spiral--like how my midsection seems to be more like a maxsection as of late--I do my best to stop right there and choose a more productive thought. That's the midsection that carried my two children. For that, I'm grateful. That's the midsection that 2 inches healthier in size than it was two months ago, effectively reducing my cardiac risk. For that, I'm also grateful. And, it's the midsection that can feel the warmth of another person in the warm embrace of a hug. For that, I'm once again grateful.

Even when things aren't ideal, a cascade of positive aspects helps me focus on what is good and gratitude-worthy right here and now. When I head in that direction, rather than the direction of negativity and self-loathing, it's not only a lot more pleasant but also a lot more productive in setting the stage to experience more of what I DO want rather than what I DON'T want.

 

 

Welcome. I Love You.

 
I recently began taking private yoga lessons with an amazing teacher, and these lessons have quickly morphed from straightforward yoga practice to something that I’ve started calling “Yoga Therapy.” I love it. We talk a lot about the things that happen to me during my practice. And, usually those “things” relate to some sort of unkind thought I have about my body. Thoughts like, “Why is my fat rolling over my pants in this stupid side angle?” or “Ugh, I hate the way my stomach looks when I’m inverted! I bet everyone else thinks I look fat. The teacher is probably grossed out.”

 After I explained these thoughts that plague me both on and off my mat, my teacher asked me what it would feel like to have a “perfect body.” And I realized I had absolutely no idea. I’ve spent so much time, energy, and brain space thinking about how much I hate my body that I’ve never conceived of what a perfect body would feel like.

 I know the “right” answers. Functional. Pain-free. Efficient in its movements. Energetic. Of course, none of these answers involve how my body looks, yet whenever I think of achieving perfection, I think only of skin, bones, and defying gravity.

 Whenever I have these types of epiphanies about the dichotomy between what is true and what I believe, I want to immediately and sweepingly change the way my mind works. Of course, it doesn’t really work that way. Just like it’s impossible to lose 100 pounds overnight, it’s impossible to reprogram a lifetime’s worth of thought processes with the push of a reset button.

 But that’s where small steps come in. Man, I love the power of small steps! It’s so much easier to think of changing when all I have to do is something tiny.

 So, my small step right now is really so small that it’s almost embarrassing. All I’m doing right now is noticing these negative thoughts I have. Waving at them as I listen to them announce themselves. And then saying, “Welcome. I love you.”

 And the coolest thing is that lately when I’m trying to sink deeply into a side angle, I’ve stopped caring so much about the fat on my side.

Contributed by Katie Howard, Ideal Weight Guest Blogger

Rock Hard Flab

So, under the sage advice of all of my healthcare providers, I've been rehabbing my way back to functionality after my 2nd back injury in the past 9 months.  Most recently I started PT (finally!) to restore my core strength (core meaning the abdominal and deep muscles that support your spine and...well...pretty much your entire midsection, which in turn supports everything you want and need to do with your body). 

I realized in a moment of disillusionment that I had lost so much of my strength, and my once truly stunning "rock hard abs" had disintigrated into a serious case of the "gooshie mushies."  Ok, in an effort to remain ENTIRELY truthful, they hadn't been designated as "rock hard abs" since the birth of my second child, but even after that, they still could at least be referred to as "kind of thick plexiglass hard abs."

But, I've been doing my best to stay optimistic about the journey back to pain-free movement and Zumba classes, so I took on the pelvic tilt exercises with conviction and focused all spare energy on holding in my rather flacid midsection every time I walk.  This, I was told, would begin to start engaging those core muscles slowly but surely and retraining them like out-of-practice circus animals to behave again.

At first, I referenced these modest little exercises as my "rock hard abs" workout.  Then I jokingly referred to them as my "rock hard flab" workout, because that's kind of how it felt.  Then, even though I laughed when I said it or thought it, I suddenly (and thankfully) caught myself.  That's exactly the WRONG way to go about creating the change we want in our bodies or in our lives.

In the realm of health and well-being (much less every other area of our lives), we're taught to focus so much on what's wrong, what's not as it should be, how things aren't the way we want them to be, what's broken, and the like.  We live in a world focused on weaknesses rather than strengths, deficits rather than assets, and illness rather than wellness.  And that's what gets us weaker, with more deficits, and more illness. 

That common Phrase "what you focus on expands" is absolutely correct, whether it's your negative thoughts about your job, relationship, bank account, or waistline.  So, my resolution today is to transition (again) from referring to my "rock hard flab" and return to focusing on my "rock hard abs."  Seems like it has better potential to bring me more of what I want in the coming months, including a healthier back and a super-human midsection, so I think it's worth a try, at least.  Won't you join me?

Big Goal? Small Steps

We love the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Robert Maurer.  Maurer makes the case for breaking down big goals into small steps in order to take the fear and "stress response" out of any undertaking.  Whether you want to start an exercise regimin, reduce your fast food consumption, monitor your food intake, eat more fruits and vegetables, or change your thinking about your body, it all starts with one simple step.

Maurer uses Kaizen Theory, which is the origin for "continuous quality improvement," to make the case that small investments of time and energy, or small steps toward larger goals can yield huge benefits over the long haul.  And they do so without forcing you into a state of misery or apathy or overwhelm.  They help build momentum and demonstrate a track record for success, both of which set the stage for long-term results. 

Maurer tells the story of a single mother who had a goal to start exercising both for health and stress reduction reasons.  Like most single parents, though, her schedule was packed full and she found it overwhelming to even think about starting an exercise routine.  Maurer suggested she start by simply marching in place during the commercials of her television show each evening (which she used as her "down time" after the children were in bed).  Within a matter of months, the woman had instituted a full-blown fitness program that had a major positive impact on both her body and her mind (through reduced stress).  All of this happened naturally...organically...simply from taking one small step toward a larger goal.  Thus, no stress, no frustration, no giving up.  Just slow, steady progress that led to major positive changes.

Similarly, in Your Ideal Weight Faculty Member Deanna Davis's The Law of Attraction in Action, this method is referred to as "Taking Inspired Action."  When you take inspired action, it's a step that gives you a little charge...a burst of energy and desire...a feeling of possibility (not one of dread or hopelessness!)  So, the next time you want to make a change in your life, focus on one simple, small inspired action that will move you forward.  It doesn't have to be a giant leap in the direction you want to go...small steps will help you travel that path toward your ideal weight with conviction and certainty!

No New Year's Resolutions...Only New Year's Solutions!

It's no secret that the #1 New Year's Resolution year after year is "to lose weight."  And it's no secret that it's typically the same people (and a heck of a lot of them!) making that resolution year after year, which means that people (obviously) aren't getting the results they're after. 

Why not ban your New Year's Resolution to lose weight in favor of choosing a a New Year's SOLUTION to reaching and maintaining your ideal weight?  That comes from leaving the "quick fix" mentality behind, banishing the word "diet" from your vocabulary, and choosing a whole new way of looking at your weight and your well-being.

A New Year's SOLUTION to your ideal weight could be to make one small decision each day to support your health (like increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables or deciding to walk on your coffee break).  It could be to create one new habit that puts a good health activity on autopilot (like eating a protein-rich breakfast each day or recording your food intake after each meal).  Or, it could be to build accountability into your nutrition or physical activity goals by buddying up with someone who also wants to lose weight or by joining an online community for inspiration and support.

Whatever it is, it's all about changing your mind first in order to change you body for life.  When you forego New Year's Resolutions in favor of implementing New Year's SOLUTIONS, you'll set the stage for long-term results and a lifetime of health benefits.  And be sure to visit Your Ideal Weight for a one-of-a-kind program to help you do this!