January is probably the most busy season in the weight loss industry. I probably don’t need to tell you why as you have probably experienced the “starting over” syndrome yourself in January many times. My friend lamented that it is hard to get in her gym classes in January because of all the “resolutioners” in their new spiffy matching work-out outfits. She also noted that these “resolutioners” all disappear by March!
When we Shift there is no starting over because everything that happens to us on our journey to weight mastery is a lesson that will help us becomes more masterful in the long run. We lose the lessons when we keep starting over—what a shame!
My coaching for this week is—never start over—commit to yourself and your weight release for life and steer clear of the “resolutioner” syndrome. This week I am sharing with you long-term success clues from two Shifters who have now been maintaining weight for a long time. I hope their strategies for long-term success serve you (see below these Shift offers).
Only 2 places left for the January 21st REShift—please let me know if you are interested ASAP.
Only 10 places left for the January 21st Shift Weight Mastery Process. If you are new to Shift and wonder what it is all about email me back and we can set up a time to speak.
Saturday Support and Monday Night Phone Classes are currently enrolling.
Cheri Johnson has been Shifting for 2 and a half years and maintaining for almost an overall 80 lb weight release for almost a year. Here are some of her insights to long term success.
Rita,
I just wanted you to know how wonderful this last year and a half of Shifting with you has been for me. I have released 80 lbs overall (the last 20+ with the Shift) and the last don't feel like I ever deprived myself, starved myself, white knuckled it, nothing! I got to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted just by staying within my gas tank for releasing weight.
I wanted to lose weight via the slow track, my motto being 'slow and steady wins the race', and there was no pressure for me to lose it quickly (which in my case usually involved a strict diet followed by an all out binge resulting in more weight gain than lost after said 'diet'!)
So here I am, Shifting two and year a half years later—keeping an 80lb weight release under my belt and I have never felt healthier or happier in my life when it comes to food. I know this is something I can and will be doing for the rest of my life--becoming a master at long term permanent weight release.
I thank you so much for all you do--Rita, you really are Shifting the world one person at a time.
Alone we diet, together we Shift!!! Thank you sooo much.
I just wanted you to know how wonderful this last year and a half of Shifting with you has been for me. I have released 80 lbs overall (the last 20+ with the Shift) and the last don't feel like I ever deprived myself, starved myself, white knuckled it, nothing! I got to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted just by staying within my gas tank for releasing weight.
I wanted to lose weight via the slow track, my motto being 'slow and steady wins the race', and there was no pressure for me to lose it quickly (which in my case usually involved a strict diet followed by an all out binge resulting in more weight gain than lost after said 'diet'!)
So here I am, Shifting two and year a half years later—keeping an 80lb weight release under my belt and I have never felt healthier or happier in my life when it comes to food. I know this is something I can and will be doing for the rest of my life--becoming a master at long term permanent weight release.
I thank you so much for all you do--Rita, you really are Shifting the world one person at a time.
Alone we diet, together we Shift!!! Thank you sooo much.
I would say what has worked for me so far:
1) Focus on your vision--what is more important, the food, or the
vision? Sometimes the food is/was, but I really have a strong vision
of what I want to look and feel like, and I keep it in my mind at all times. But I'm not perfect as you'll see if you look back at my food, nor do I want to be perfect. I want to be Shifting and healthy, and I feel I am. This, for me, is forever. It's a process, and we are loving scientists. TRULY
looking at it like that also works for me.
2) I write my food down every day and send it no matter what. Do I
forget sometimes? Yes. But I find I do so much better when I write it
down IMMEDIATELY after I eat it. Otherwise I do and often will forget
if I don't write it down right away. I also like to save my calories
for later in the day--I don't like having no calories left at the end
of the day, so I try to save the most calories for night time.
3) Exercise
4) Listen to the hypnosis CDs every night before bed
5)Ask for help.
6) Keep shifting!!! I knew this change was for LIFE, so I was happy on the 'slow
track' because I knew slow and steady would win the race, and I was
right. I can't "do" diets any more, so I found (and am continuing to
find) what works for me. Consistency over time, not perfection or
quick results. I know this is weight that is OFF cause it took me that
long to pack it on, and it took me that long to release it.
7) Be easy with yourself. We're only human.
1) Focus on your vision--what is more important, the food, or the
vision? Sometimes the food is/was, but I really have a strong vision
of what I want to look and feel like, and I keep it in my mind at all times. But I'm not perfect as you'll see if you look back at my food, nor do I want to be perfect. I want to be Shifting and healthy, and I feel I am. This, for me, is forever. It's a process, and we are loving scientists. TRULY
looking at it like that also works for me.
2) I write my food down every day and send it no matter what. Do I
forget sometimes? Yes. But I find I do so much better when I write it
down IMMEDIATELY after I eat it. Otherwise I do and often will forget
if I don't write it down right away. I also like to save my calories
for later in the day--I don't like having no calories left at the end
of the day, so I try to save the most calories for night time.
3) Exercise
4) Listen to the hypnosis CDs every night before bed
5)Ask for help.
6) Keep shifting!!! I knew this change was for LIFE, so I was happy on the 'slow
track' because I knew slow and steady would win the race, and I was
right. I can't "do" diets any more, so I found (and am continuing to
find) what works for me. Consistency over time, not perfection or
quick results. I know this is weight that is OFF cause it took me that
long to pack it on, and it took me that long to release it.
7) Be easy with yourself. We're only human.
8) I've experimented with cutting out as much bread as I used to eat
and I swear that had something to do with it.
and I swear that had something to do with it.
Erin E. has been maintaining her weight release since 2008. Her are her clues--
Hi Rita-
I got to my goal weight in May 2008 (I lost 26 pounds), and I have been working on maintenance since then.
The 5 most important things that have helped me on my path to weight loss/maintenance are:
1. I gave up on the idea that I will be perfect all the time. I have stopped making myself believe that everyone else in my life expects me to be perfect....because they don't.
I am, by nature, a perfectionist, and in other areas of my life it has been very helpful (my career is a good example of where this has served me well). Naturally, I figured that if this behavior worked so well in other areas, it would work for weight management. I was wrong - I just kept hitting that wall. The irony is that allowing myself to be LESS of a perfectionist is probably the best thing I have done along the way. Allowing for the inevitable "mistakes", instead of seeing every little slip-up as a complete and utter failure has been the most helpful thing for me. I view the "mistakes" as opportunities to learn and I keep going. I try not to dwell on past "bad" behavior. In fact, I try not to view any given behavior as "bad".
2. I have learned what my "red flags" are.
In the past, I have lost weight and gotten to goal weight and then I seemingly wake up one day and I am 20 pounds heavier. I have battled those same pounds my whole life. My problem was that I didn't observe my behavior well enough to understand that I was off the right path until I was really headed in the wrong direction. Now, I pay attention to 3 things and if I am not doing them consistently, then I know something is going on. For me, the three things I pay attention to are: Am I writing down what I eat every day? Did I go to my favorite class at the gym on Saturday? Did I go to Church on Sunday? Of course, these will be different for everyone, but if I answer "yes" to these questions, I am doing well. If I can't answer "yes", then I spend some time thinking about why I missed doing one of these things and I commit to doing them the next week. Conversely (and this is an example of how things can come full circle), for me, what I look like on the outside is directly related to how I feel on the inside (i.e. how happy/content I am). My weight is a "red flag" for me of how I am doing emotionally and spiritually.
3. I have a "weigh-in" day and I record it.
I need to weigh myself at least once a week. Some people say they "go by their clothes". That doesn't work for me. I can be up 10 pounds, and I would still be saying that my jeans fit great. It is not that I don't trust myself, but as they say, "numbers don't lie".
4. Track what my daily food intake and calories.
This is a big one for me. I get out of control really fast with food if I don't record it. I exercise and I believe it is really important to a healthy lifestyle, but the fact is that you can do A LOT more damage on the food side in A LOT less time. It takes me about 5 minutes to eat 500 calories (takes about an hour of intense exercise to burn that off). I have made peace with the fact that I will have to track my food and count calories in some way for the rest of my life. For me, it is a small price to pay.
5. Getting to goal weight is the BEGINNING of the journey. Not the end.
This is my most recently learned lesson. All those "thin" people that I see all the time, it turns out that most of them are working just as hard (if not harder) than I am to maintain their figure. It doesn't come easy to very many people - for some reason, I take a great deal of comfort in that fact.
Thanks Erin and Cheri for your inspiration and insights!!! Have a shifted week everyone! No starting over!!!:)
Oxox Rita
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