1 - Find a weight loss buddy online or in your community that can help you.

According to a study by the University of Vermont, having a weight loss buddy online or in person is going to help you lose the weight as well as keep the weight off in the long term as well. The study followed a number of volunteers for a period of 18 months. The people that had weight loss buddies in their weight loss program managed to sustain their weight loss much more effectively than those that did not.

2 - Find ways to incorporate the color blue into your world more often than you already do.

There is a good reason why you're going to be hard pressed to find a fast food restaurant that is decorated in the color blue. Apparently the color blue is an appetite suppressant. If you serve dinner up on plates that are blue, or dress in the color blue while you are eating, or even if you cover your table up with a blue cloth, you're going to make an impact on your eating. Apparently the colors red, orange and yellow have the opposite effect by encouraging your eating.

3 - Remove all of your "fat" clothes from your closet and start thinking thin.

Once you have reached your weight goal, you are going to want to throw away every single piece of clothing that no longer fits. As you pare down your weight in the direction of your weight goal, you should do the same thing, periodically trying on clothes and removing the ones that no longer fit you. Knowing you won't have any clothes that fit if you gain all of the weight back will be an excellent incentive for keeping it off.

4 - Downsize the size of your dinner plates.

Studies have found that less food placed in front of you translates to consuming less food. The more food that you place in front of yourself, the more that you are going to eat regardless of your actual level of hunger. Rather than using a regularly sized dinner plate, you should serve your meals on salad plates. The same thing can work for liquids. Serve your drinks in six and eight ounce glasses rather than large sized, sixteen ounce glasses to make sure that you do not consume more than you need.

Photo credits: wine me up

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I've been in a fog of sorts for quite some time, a sugar fog.  Only recently has this dense, gray world begun to disappear.

I've finally come to a place where I feel confident I can stand up to and prevail against the Sugar Monster.  I honestly didn't think it possible, but now I feel like sugar is finally losing its hold on me.  And I'm grateful, relieved... and humbled.

Where I Was

This is a 180-degree turn from the moody, desperate, foggy, sugar saturated person I once was... and have been for, years! Scary that it took me this long to figure out the connection, but better late than never, right?

And once I DID put 2 and 2 together, I wasn't ready to try to battle the Sugar Monster for probably yet another year.  Too fearful - fearful that I would fail. I had to get to a point where I wanted to put health as my focus and wanted it badly enough.

I also needed more stability in my life before I could work on stabilizing my diet.  For the past 10 years my work environment was continually mounting stress on my body.  I worked long hours, crazy shifts, and often experienced a lot of adrenaline-producing events while on the job.  Those crazy shifts - working nights then switching to days and back again - were what got to me.

I've learned that my body doesn't like change.  Unfortunate maybe, but it's the truth. My body likes to be on a schedule, and if that schedule changes, it affects me as a person.  Throwing off my circadian rhythm by working various hours of the day and night, getting little sleep, and eating poorly was like adding fuel to the Sugar Monster.

Sugar was my go-to substance to keep me going when my head was screaming to lie down. It was my comforter when I felt stressed and rundown.  The more processed junk I ate the more I wanted, and the cycle continued until I felt stuck in it.  I then began to crave sugar ALL the time!

Where I Was Heading

Well, obviously things have changed for the better - oh, not that my previous job was horrible or anything!  It just wasn't ideal for my body.  Now I work more "normal" hours.  I get weekends and holidays off.  I get a lunch break for the first time!  This job is not at all stressful.  My body is on a schedule.  I exercise regularly, and I've cleaned up my diet considerably (and having a blog actually does help in meeting those nutrition and fitness goals)!

After mulling around the idea after starting this blog last fall, I decided in Feb that I was ready to face the Sugar Monster and defeat it once and for all. I was at last making a commitment to changing my focus on improving my health.  I was tired of... well, being tired!  I didn't enjoy living in the sugar fog.  I was fed up with being preoccupied with sweets all day long!  I was disgusted with eating junk when I really didn't even enjoy the taste.  Hey, if I'm ever going to eat dessert, it had better be darn high quality!  Yes, I'll be high maintenance when it comes to desserts thank you very much!

I was also scared of the toll sugar might be taking on my health. I wanted to get healthy, in body and mind!  It was time, and I was finally ready. Thus began the deliberate and slow battle between me and the Sugar Monster, and this time I had a plan and was committed to winning.

Where I Am Now

That brings us to the present and back to what I wrote at the beginning of this post. Now by virtue of my being very sensitive to sugar, I'll always need to pay attention to what I feed my body, how it feels, and what it needs.  But it's absolutely worth the extra effort. And working on improving and maintaining health is supposed to be a lifelong journey, is it not?

Life sure is a lot more beautiful and interesting outside of the fog.

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I think I can safely say that because I love to sing, I get asked to sing, and I even get paid to sing.

Now, as to whether or not I am an outstanding singer is a matter of opinion. I believe I have ways to go before (or if) that can happen!

One aspect of the singing biz that thrills as well as terrifies me are auditions. I dread them like I'd dread going to the dentist for a root canal. Yet, if I want to get roles, I have to audition.

I absolutely could not pass up a recent opportunity to audition for an opera company. I was required to sing two arias, both in different languages. I had to prepare my resume and meet with the company director, administrator, and choir master.

To calm my nerves I had written out a list of positive affirmations and read them everyday a week prior to the audition.

I wrote out one-liners like:

You love to sing
You are confident
You are calm
You are an excellent singer
You will sing with power and beauty
You will have fun
You are God's child; you have nothing to fear!

After a while, these affirmations slowly sink into the subconscious, and like a self-fulling prophecy, you start to believe them, start to live them. They really did help to keep the paralyzing jitters at bay!

Now, why would I bring this up besides it being a bit of juicy news? I think this exercise can apply to any aspect of our lives that we feel is a significant challenge, yet definitely worth the effort. Things like, preparing for a marathon or just getting in better shape. Maybe even conquering a sugar addiction.

There's probably a dream/goal that all of us have that looks a bit daunting, so why not give the positive affirmations exercise a try? It sure isn't going to hurt, right? Write a list of positive statements that motivate you and help you feel confident. I wrote mine on note cards and kept them with the arias I was practicing. I read them at work, I read them before practicing, I read them before my audition. I made sure I didn't spill them all over the floor where prying eyes could read them (oh, how embarrassing!) and thus cancel out all the good they've done me!

Now it takes more than just positive affirmations to achieve a goal (I did practice my songs... over and over and over), but they CAN help boost confidence and dispel jitters.

So, I survived the audition, and I even left feeling pretty good about it.  The next challenge is for me to put it out of my mind and try to wait patiently for the outcome!

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This is partly due to my job, largely due to blogging, and mostly because it's my own fault!  Sitting all day actually makes me tired!  I also dread the Numb Bum Syndrome and the infamous "Blogger's Butt."  I believe my body craves and needs to move.  Nothing like a walk outside to re-energize!  Are you the same way?  But sometimes I just get too lazy to get up and move, and I hate being lazy!  Such a conundrum!

On the other hand, I finished the WOMAN Challenge this past weekend and received that coveted completion certificate.  My goal in this challenge was to exercise 5 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, and I did accomplish that.  Yes, some days were harder than others, like when I visited family in Texas, but I still squeaked by! 

And you know what?  It felt good to complete that 8-week challenge. But now that it's over, I'm sort of wishing there was another one.

You see, creating goals and a little competition with myself motivates me.

Then I thought why not create my own little, personal challenge?  Why not make it a goal to get some physical activity every day!  And by physical activity, I mean:  taking a walk with my husband after dinner, making a point to get up from my desk every couple hours at work to walk around the building and take the stairs, doing some lunges across the living room, stretching my entire body before getting in to bed.  Etc, etc, etc...

The point I'm sure you see is to simply be more active throughout the day instead of sitting for all hours with one 30-minute hard core workout slipped in for good measure.

Yes, I still want to fit in those "real" workouts throughout the week as I think they're excellent for really improving strength and endurance. But I don't want them to be the sole focus.  You could say I want to take a more "big picture" view instead of only focusing on one of the details.

Early this year I made a goal to focus on health instead of simply looks when it comes to eating and exercising.  I think changing my view to more of the big picture (being active throughout the day) instead of focusing only on one detail (30-minute "real" workout) can help me with this mindset change.  It's definitely worth a shot! 

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time I get away from the computer and move a little...

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Very nice, but not the kind of plane I want to fly in to Texas!

Usually I let exercise slide when I'm on vacation, but since I'm participating in the WOMAN Challenge, I feel my conscious and competitive nature urging me to fit in exercise during the family visit. I am determined to get my certificate at the end of this fitness challenge!

No, not this one.

Perhaps I can fit in 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there if there's no opportunity to workout in one, long session. Maybe a walk in the evenings when the heat reduces from a blazing hot to just hot. I'll scout out my options once I arrive.

Um, no.

So, on my packing list sitting next to the computer here, I've included workout clothes and shoes. Besides the essentials, (clothes, shoes, toiletries) I've listed a book I've been waiting to start, notebook to jot down ideas should the moment strike, music to study and practice (well, ideally I should practice), and my iPod. I had planned on only taking one carry-on to avoid the nuisance of baggage checking and hoping my luggage makes arrives at its proper destination, but my packing list seems to be growing by the minute.

Maybe if I stick things in my husband's bag... He wouldn't notice, right?

Well, guess this doesn't look so bad after all.

Take care! And hopefully "see" you soon from Texas!

Photo credits: dusifabian, tlloyd, miras, macleod

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After her moving performance, a great soprano was approached by a woman who gushed, “I sing too, but not like you! I would give anything to sing as well as you!” The soprano graciously thanked her and replied, “If you truly wanted to sing like I do, you would have already given everything.”

Ooo, I like it! Maybe this story stood out to me because I enjoy singing and strive to improve. And yes, if you want to get technical, you could argue that some people are just gifted with beautiful voices that others will never have no matter how much they practice.

The point of this story, as I’m sure you noticed, is that to achieve a goal, you’ve got to put forth the effort, whether it is improving at singing, finances, running, push-ups, healthy eating, etc.

Desire

It starts with a strong desire to achieve a specific goal. If someone tells you to stop eating sugar, but you don't really want to, you're not going to achieve that goal. If you want to get a leaner body but the desire isn't a priority, you're probably not going to achieve that goal.

Having the desire to achieve a goal is necessary, but by itself, desire doesn’t really mean anything. Sure, the woman in the story wished she could sing as well as the soprano star, but was she willing to work for it? It's not enough to simply dream. You’re not going to be a prima donna, marathon runner, or lean, mean, fit machine simply by dreaming. You've got to put that dream, that desire, into action. No one is going to achieve your goals for you. (Unless you have a magical genie. But even Aladdin had to take action!)

Commitment

Taking action towards a goal requires commitment. Desire provides that spark of motivation, but commitment keeps you going when the going gets tough. Commitment prevents you from giving up and keeps you on track. Commitment doesn't listen to excuses.

Knowledge

The third component to goal achievement is knowledge. It’s important to know how to achieve your goal. You’re going to have a tough time achieving that lean, mean body if you don’t have the knowledge of how to specifically do just that! (And furthermore, you might injure yourself!)

You also need to know if your goal is realistic. Not everyone is going to sing at the Met, be a billionaire, compete in triathlons, or be Mr. or Ms. World Fitness – and that’s OK! You need to know what is realistic and achievable for you! Dream big, yes! … But not so big so as to prevent you from achieving your goal.

To me, the story at the beginning of this post is a good reminder that if I want to achieve big goals, I have to put forth the effort. What do I really want to achieve?  Do I know if the goal is realistic and how to go about achieving it? Am I committed to it? By answering these questions, I believe I'll have a better chance of accomplishing my goals and even learn which goals are my priorities.

And who knows, maybe after their conversation, the wannabe star put forth the effort to become a better singer. Maybe she eventually even sang on the same stage where she once listened to that great soprano.

Your thoughts? Any tips/words of wisdom to add or change?

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This week I'm armed with a plan, and I'm sticking to it! Here it is:

Get back to exercising early in the morning!

• Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri (Wed morning off since I'll be up late the night before at church singing practice.)
• Be in bed no later than 10pm
• Get up at 4:35am (Yikes!)
• Workout for at least 30 minutes

Continue eating breakfast with protein and a complex carbohydrate

• I've got eggs, low-fat cheese, and protein powder ready to go.
• I'm making whole wheat bread in the bread machine as I write this.

Start a food journal - more to come on this in my next post!

Have a planned sugary snack

• My body isn't ready to go off sugar at this time, so instead of avoid sweets and going out of my mind, I'd rather avoid potential binges and give my body it's sugar fix and remain sorta steady.
• Planning a sweet snack avoids the hunt for sugar, especially in the afternoon, and thus eating more than is necessary.
• The psychological affect of knowing I've got a sweet snack waiting for me lets me relax; I don't have to worry about where I'm going to find my sugar later in the day.

This plan is definitely do-able for me. What is comes down to is me putting it into action. I'm ready!

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Well, after some consideration, I've come up with two personal health goals I'd like to really focus on this year. They're important to me, they would improve my health, they are a bit of a challenge (I like a good challenge now and then), and I believe them to be attainable with time and effort.

My first goal: Focus on health instead of just looks

I confess that sometimes I put the whole "gotta be and stay thin" mindset as the priority.  This isn't to say that looking and feeling slender is bad. I just don't want it to be my main focus. Being thin doesn't automatically = proper nutrition, good health, and being fit.

Focusing on health to means exercising for fun and fitness, not driving my body into the ground to achieve the perfect body. (What is the perfect body look anyway?)

Focusing on health means adding healthier, "cleaner" foods to my diet - more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins - cutting out a lot the extra salt, sugars, grease, preservatives, and other such nonsense.  And, of course, all things in moderation! 

Focusing on health also means working on being beautiful on the inside as opposed to just the outside.  What am I doing to improve my mind and my soul?  Aren't those more important that outward appearances?

My second goal: Downsizing my sweet tooth!

I'm embarrassed, but it's no joke that I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas! (Just ask my husband!)

I don't think having a sweet tooth in and of itself isn't necessarily bad, but I tend to make poor food choices (lots of refined stuff) because of it. That's what's bad.  I get sugar "highs" and crashes; I get moody and sluggish. I can't even think clearly sometimes. That's bad. I miss out on proper nutrition. Bad again!  'Sigh' Kind of a sticky situation, isn't it?

Bottom line is I'm most likely addicted to sugar, I'm afraid to admit.  Some may say you can't get addicted to sugar, but I believe there is validity to the claim.  It's a topic I'd like to focus on in future posts too.

Anyway, this year I want to really learn about and work on decreasing my sugar cravings.  And I've already started with my healthier breakfast plan a couple weeks ago, so I'm already off to a good start. 

Still, I have my work cut out for me! I believe both goals to be works in progress.   I'm not going to put a mandatory completion date on them. Instead, I'll try to listen to and let my body adjust at its pace.  As long as I continue to focus on the big picture, meet the smaller steps to achieve it, and continue to improve, I will know I'm on the right track.

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• When Only Sugar Will Do I had a sugar craving the other day that I just couldn't shake. None of the "textbook" remedies seemed to work. I waited, kept busy, read a good book, relaxed, drank water, and had a small piece of fruit. Despite all these great alternatives, I still wanted the real deal. Visions......

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