Another Fun Goal Method

I received this great tool that I am incorporating into my daily life to get me closer to my financial, weight and other life goals. It's from Sean Smith, the Master Results Coach. I've come up with my "MTO's" for each goal including my guitar and language practice. As Sean shares, it's more about building on small successes than striving to overcome the feeling of failure. I love this idea!

Use MTO Goals to Improve Your Results

I talk a lot about goal setting and goal getting, and one of the best tools I’ve learned recently is called MTO - minimum, target, and outrageous.

A few weeks back at his Advanced Breakthrough to Success Seminar, Jack Canfield taught us this powerful tool to get you into ACTION, and a light bulb went off in my head. It’s so simple, and yet very, very effective. It will change your results immediately!

Let’s say I have a goal to get to my ideal weight (which is true, and you’ll hear more about that in the upcoming weeks). One of the actions that I know will help me achieve and maintain that goal is exercise. Here’s where MTO comes in.

M – Minimum activity. If you were ready to go to bed and had not yet reached your goal, what is the minimum level of activity you are willing to commit to, no matter what? For the ideal weight goal, mine is 5 minutes. So I’m willing to absolutely commit to a minimum of 5 minutes of exercise daily – simple right? Anybody can get in motion for 5 minutes.

Now 5 minutes may not seem like much, and it’s really not in the grand scheme of things. But it’s HUGE in terms of goal getting. Why? Because it allows me to have a success for the day, instead of feeling like a failure.

Instead of going a day without exercising, I continue to do the actions, though small they may be, but momentum gets started with just one little push. Often, I start exercising for the 5 minutes and end up doing a little bit more, sometimes a lot more. But had the goal been 20 minutes, and I was tired, I probably wouldn’t have done anything. See the power in this?

T – Target activity. This is the target, or ideal level of activity to achieve your goal. For instance, my daily target level is 20 minutes of cardio, or 30 minutes of basketball.

O – Outrageous activity. This is the level of activity that would simply be outrageous and get me to my goal lightning-quick. My outrageous amount is an hour a day.

Now let’s look at my weekly MTO goals…

M – 2 days a week, T – 4 days a week, O – 6 days a week

I have to tell you that I am so much more inspired to do my exercises now, because I set achievable goals and gave myself permission to succeed on 3 different levels a day, and 3 different levels each week, instead of the all-or-nothing approach without flexibility, setting myself up for failure on a daily basis.

Tell me if this rings a bell…In the past, I would work out like crazy for a week or two, looking for results (those of you in our coaching programs know that doesn’t work). When I was unhappy with the results, I’d stop working out because I didn’t want to keep feeling like a failure.

And then several months later, when I got to the point where I was sick of being overweight again, I’d go like gangbusters for two more weeks. It was a constant, vicious cycle I had created, and it wasn’t helping me at all.

With this new concept, I’m on the right path because it’s so much easier to stay inspired to ACT everyday. And the more I succeed, the more I want to continue to succeed, so it’s a positive cycle this time.

Small successes lead to medium successes which lead to your dreams.

Too often, people set a goal and when they don’t achieve it, they punish themselves. They get mad, irritated, frustrated, and upset, and then they end up scrapping the goal altogether, telling themselves that they just can’t do it.

But adopting the MTO concept changes all of that. Because success is easier to accomplish, you’ll feel good, you’ll be happier, and you’ll have a much better chance to get what you want.

Take this concept, apply it to all of your goals, and watch your results soar. In Mary Kay for instance, you can set daily and weekly MTO’s around phone calls, handing your business card out, etc – any ACTIVITY. (Make sure it’s an activity and not a result that you don’t control (like holding skin care classes, getting a name & number, selling, etc.)

Enjoy the Journey! ;-)
SS

Sean Smith, "The Pink Caddie Coach," empowers Independent Beauty Consultants to identify and erase all their inner obstacles and create personalized action plans guaranteed for success, so they can make more money, have more free time, and live the lifestyle of their dreams. To get Sean's weekly e-newsletter, "Pink Possibilities", delivered directly to your email, subscribe now for FREE at www.PinkPossibilities.com.

The Goal Snowball

I thought that this blog entry by Alwyn Cosgrove was fantastic. So much so, I wanted to share.

The Goal Snowball
One of my goals for this year was to complete 250 workouts - which translates to about 5 workouts per week on average. This morning I hit workout 263 - so not only have I beaten my goal - I hit it ahead of schedule.Goal setting is still hard for some people. I'll often meet clients who are interested in losing fat and decide that they will start daily cardio, weight train four times per week, eat six small meals, cut calories by 20% and reduce their carb intake.These are great goals -- but most people are trying to do too much at once. The solution to this is to use the goal snowball effect. Here's how to do it:
1) List five or six behaviors you need to improve or change to reach your goals. What do you need to be doing that you're not doing? What bad habits do you need to kick? What good habits do you need to instill?
2) List these things from easiest to hardest.
3) "Maintain" all your other goals and focus your attention on the first thing on your list (the easiest one.) Spend two weeks just focusing on achieving that goal so that it becomes a habit.
4) Once that change has been made and ingrained, move up to the next item on your list and focus your efforts there.
5) One by one, knock out these changes and/or goals. For example: Maybe you sleep late. First goal might be to get up 30 mins earlier every day.Second goal might be to go to the gym as soon as you wake up - and go four times a week instead of three.Third goal may be to make sure you always eat breakfast.Fourth goal? Reduce portion sizes at 3 out of 5 meals...and so on.So in 10 weeks or so - you're getting up earlier - never missing a workout, have done an extra ten workouts, and eaten breakfast everyday (which is a key factor in fat loss) while consuming less calories overall. These goals would "snowball" into a bigger overall effect with long-term success whereas trying to do all things at once would likely result in short term failure.--AC

www.alwyncosgrove.com

Munchies

I had the munchies today. I had three mini Twix, a Reese cup, a mini Whopper pack, some lemon heads and a mini Crunch. I probably would have done better if I had a full-size candy bar. At least then I realize how much I am eating. Anyway, it is done and I am no longer munching.

I started TOM today. I am hoping that is why I have been hot the last few days and not getting the best of sleep. I was so hungry when I got home from work, but nothing seemed appealing. So, I had some pineapple, 2 pieces of toast, some fresh, marinated mozzarella and some kettle chips. Random, I know. I didn't know if I wanted, sweet/salty, creamy or crunchy...so I had it all. The best part is that I do not feel bad about it. I am tired of feeling poorly about anything that I am enjoying. This is something that I want to continue to work on.

Tomorrow is Halloween and I am going to wear my Texas Hold-em costume. My only fear is that it may be too risque for my office. LOL We are such a square bunch of people.

R and I talked after work today. I am looking forward to getting together this weekend. I don't have the festival to work after all, so that frees up some time for other things. I was really looking forward to the extra cash though.

I talked to my friend, Carol, who is a jewelry designer/maker. I have helped her in the past at festivals. We talked tonight and she shared with me that she wants to leave her job to pursue her business full-time. We got to talking and it was great. The best part is that at the end of the conversation, she said, "Every time we talk, I get so energized." What a beautiful compliment.

Tonight, we had a 5.6 earthquake. Fortunately, no damage occurred at home. I happened to be at my mom's place so that made me feel better. I am now starting to think that October is earthquake month. The big one here in SF Bay Area also occurred in October 1989. I still remember it vividly. Some wonderful art came from my experience that still makes me smile today. I wonder where it is now. Oh well!

Ciao!

Halloween Week

I love Halloween. It is my favorite holiday of the year. I had a couple of parties on Saturday night and had a lot of fun. I did well with the alcohol having just 2 drinks, but had 2 egg rolls and a Kit Kat. The egg rolls were delicious. One would have been sufficient.

I will have to post a photo of my "Texas Hold'Em" costume. My friends and I play "hold'em" regularly, so I knew that it was more of an inside joke. The funny thing was that it was a winner. It also cost me just $5 to create.

I love making my costumes. Past hits were Dorothy, a girl scout and Miss Treated. Simple, fun and memorable.

Yesterday, R and I spent most of the day together. We has a great time. He cooked dinner for us at my place: bruschetta, pizza and hot wings. It was as if we were watching a football game, yet I don't have cable/satellite. Everything was delicious and I did pretty well with portions. I did have a couple glasses of wine with my meal. I weighed this morning and my weight is stable. I am learning to enjoy the food and slim the portions.

This morning, F IM'd me to find out how things were with his brother. I told him that all was great. R told me that F was a bit jealous of the situation. I laughed. He gave his blessing! Anyway, I hope to be able to spend some time with R. We laughed so much that my stomach hurt.

Prego!

Some Sleep

Last night, I was able to sleep for about 4 hours. This is the first chunk of sleep that I've had in three days. I am sitting at my desk feeling a fit tired.

R and I had our first date last night. We went to a delicious Mexican restaurant in the Mission of San Francisco. We met about 5:30 and I headed home about 11. He packed a little bag of Benadryl, Airborne, a scarf and a hat for me. It was really sweet. He is quite affectionate which I enjoy, but I am not ready for it. I really want to develop a friendship before proceeding with anything. I owe it to myself to take things slowly.

I weighed in this morning with a one pound loss. That was a surprise because I figured that the sodium from the food would have set me up. I am happy to see that it did not.

Today, I have an interview with Lane Bryant. I am looking to make some extra cash over the holiday season and help me get ahead on some bills. I also am looking to buy a car so this will make a difference as well.

I have contemplated going without a car. It would really turn my life upside down, but I gave up cable over a year ago and haven't missed it much. I am sure that I would get used to it after the initial pain. The money savings would be huge (no car not, insurance, maintenance or gas). I wonder what the time expense would be. I probably would become more efficient with my errands as I would plan my days out better.

Something to think about.

Another Sleep-Lacking Night

I went to bed last night about 9:30 because I was up the previous night with a cough. I was so happy to be tired and thought that it would be enough to keep me asleep for the evening. I snuggle up in my bed with my book "Eat Pray Love" and begin to doze after a few pages. Well, at 11:11 PM, I wake up. Man! 90 Minutes of sleep!! Damn!! I even was hoping that my cardio session would have whipped my butt and made me even more tired. No such luck. So, I get up and start hacking. It's not one of those productive coughs. NO, it's the dry, "I've-got- a- popcorn hull-stuck- in- the- side- of- my- throat" coughs. These suck!!

I am such an internet junkie that I choose WebMD to solve my problem. I enter "chronic dry cough" and it pulls up some great information. I immediately put it in action. I prop my pillows and lay on my back. I don't normally sleep in the position. (Oh yeah, prior to reading about my dry cough I watch a video clip on sleep positions and personality. It was quite interesting...I digress.) So, I lie down and realize that my cough is under control. But, I can't sleep this way. I turn on my side and the coughing comes back with a vengeance. I get back on my back and stay there. I was able to get to sleep about an hour later only to be up again. I somehow manage to eek out two hours of sleep.

This would not be such a big deal except that I haven't slept in the last couple days, have a date tonight and lack of sleep always shows on my face and my attitude changes with lack of sleep. I am considering a reschedule of the date so that I can be better company. We'll see how the day plays out.

This afternoon, I have my second appointment with the chiropractor. I actually have had pretty good results from the first adjustment and the neck pain has seriously decreased. It shows up more when there is a stressful catalyst. Now that I am aware of this, I immediately change my stressor if at all possible.

So, as I mentioned earlier, I went to the gym last night. It is always tough getting in there and doing more than just cardio with so many people battling for the equipment. I really wasn't sure what I wanted to work on before I got there and it resulted in a interval cardio session and a short bike ride. One great thing that came out of the trip to the gym was that I met my step teacher's sister who is quite overweight. I mentioned to her that I attend WW and she was interested in attending. I told her that I would love to give her a friendly reminder and have her join me. She seemed excited. We'll see what actually happens. I got her number and will call her Friday night for a Saturday morning weigh-in.

I weighed this morning and the scale is down from yesterday. I am looking forward to a nice loss this week from increased activity and the addition of extra vegetables through salads for meals.

I have a date tonight and we are going to have Mexican in the city. I am craving some enchiladas. I haven't had any in a very long time. My plan is to have a few chips, enjoy my enchiladas and skip the margarita. (Oh how I love margaritas!) I am having salad for lunch.

This date is with brother #2 (R). I still feel awkward meeting with him, but I think that it is better that we get together, check out the situation and let it go from there. Mamma mia!

I didn't realize that I had so much to say. LOL

The Slight Edge

Have you been blinded by the "Quantum Leap"? The "Overnight Success"? The "Breakthrough"? I have and I believe it's because I am a dreamer. I can dream with the best of them. If my fantasies were to come true, wow, I'd be won amazing human being. LOL

I was listening to a CD that my friend gave to me. She knows how much I enjoy personal development products. She also knows how much I talk about the quantum leap yet end up many times in a quantum heap of unfulfilled goals. I have listened to the CD twice on the way to work. It actually is quite different from most things that I have come across in changing your life through achieving new goals and behaviours.

The basis of the Slight Edge by Jeff Olson is that we are where we are by the small consistent decisions that we make over time. Not a single decision, but compounded decisions to do or not do brings us to wherever we are in life. I believe this for the most part because when I lost 85 pounds, it was be consistent and persistent about my exercise, food choices and learned behaviors that brought my success. My success did not come from just attending one Weight Watchers meeting or going to the gym once or choosing to eat a salad instead of a bag of chips once. It was my daily decision to do the "slight edge" activity that brought me to a size 10.

When I gained the weight back, it was because of the slight edge activities that found 70 of the 85 that I had lost. Staying in bed instead of going to the gym. Eating more than I needed one too many times. Choosing food over emotional techniques to get through the trauma, drama or boredom.

Now, I sit here on the edge of a choice. To add daily exercise back into my routine or to continue to work my plan without it. I know that it will make a huge impact on my weight loss and it will also make a huge impact in my emotions. Here's why: I have more opportunities to fail each day that I DON'T workout. I like that I don't feel this sense of failure in my life. I also have never been good at exercising 4 times a week and being happy with it. It becomes an all-or-nothing situation. Rationally, I know that it doesn't have to be this way. Experience-wise, I know it has been this way. I guess it's another "slight edge" opportunity for me. To learn to be happy with 4-5 days of workouts and choose the two days that I will be off from exercise at the BEGINNING of the week.

Boy Matters:
Text today: "I miss you! Have a good day!"
My response: "What do you miss?"
His response: "Your beautiful smile. I'd like to see you."
No response from me to this one.

Sometimes, I Like to Make Messes

This weekend, takes a big piece of the cake. Let me start by saying that I know that I was being a bit selfish by inviting the guy that I've been on 2 dates with to have his brother join my friend and I for a drink after dinner. I wanted to have some fun and do what I am good at: bring great people together.

Well, after dinner, I text F to see if he is still interested in meeting my friend and I. He calls right back and says that he has something that he has to take care of but will stop by with his brother for a few minutes. About 5 minutes later, F and his brother, R, show up. My friend is paying for the meal and I go out to meet the guys. I greet F and he introduces me to his brother. Thirty seconds later, my friend, C, comes to join us. After all greetings and such, F shares that he is going to be gone for a little and will rejoin us after he is done with his task.

So, R, C and I walk to a lounge for a drink. We order and sit in a little corner for some fun conversation. It was great. R is full of energy and funny antics. C and I are having fun laughing and talking. We have a few drinks and decide to walk C back to her apartment as I could tell that she was tired.

We walk her back to her place, use the restroom and head out. I have my car so I drive R home. He decides that he wants to continue the fun with some champagne and chocolate. I decide that this is not a good idea and tell him so. Long story short. I drop him off and head home. Mind you, F never did come back and I talked to him as I was dropping his brother off. He apologized saying that he was still working the deal.

I head home tired and make it safely. I said a little prayer of gratitude because I was that tired. I am home about 5 minutes when the phone rings. It's R checking to see that I made it home. He also apologizes for his brother's behavior for not returning to meet us. Then, he shares with me how much he enjoyed spending the time with me. My head is spinning. OMG! We talk for a few minutes and I head to bed.

The next day, R calls me three times. I asked him if he told his brother that he is calling me. He says, yes. I still don't say much.

On Monday, they both call. F is trying to feel out the situation. I knew that when F and I hung out, we would only see each other a few times casually. I shared this with him. F gave me the blessing to date his brother because he said that he hasn't seen his brother so happy and he wants the best for him. I almost died. I told him that we should have dinner as planned on Saturday and leave it at that.

What is a girl to do?! LOL

Birthday Week!

This week I turned 30! Yes, this is a major life event and I am loving it. Tonight will be my final birthday celebration with friends. The festivities started last Friday with my actual birthday being on Tuesday (October 16th). What a wonderful week! I don't usually fuss about birthdays, but I really am happy about joining the "Dirty Thirty" club (Thanks Melissa!).

So, as a treat to myself, I purchased a guitar two weeks ago and will be starting lessons today. I spoke with my guitar teacher and he seemed excited that I am interested in learning his specialty. I am eager to do this for myself. Something that I can master in my own time, with my own abilities. I currently have little music knowledge except that I took voice lessons when I was 13 or 14.

My weight loss is going very well. I am really focusing on my hunger level instead of my visual level. I have been so used to eating a certain amount that I neglected to listen to my body. I realized that I can choose to eat so much less by just listening to my hunger/satisfaction level. I haven't changed any of the foods that I am eating, just the quantity. This is huge for me. I also have noticed that I want "lighter" foods: fruit, veggies, etc. I have never been a huge meat eater, but I eat 2-3 oz at some point in the day. I am okay with this.

I wasn't planning to head to the gym this morning as I have a full plate, but I think that I am going. I should call my sister and see if she is planning to go. Her gym doesn't open until 8 on the weekends. My gym is 24 hours which I love.

Life's Little Roller Coaster

The last few days have been a living roller coaster. I broke up with my boyfriend. I welcomed my newest niece into this world. I applied for a new job. And to top it off, I won 2 tickets to see George Lopez on the radio this morning.

It's amazing how much can happen in 72 hours. I am grateful that I have been able to positive for the most part. I am so happy and excited for my niece. She is so loved by so many people.

It was very hard the first day that I was split from Matt. I love him and know that this is best for us. He is such an incredible person. I wish that it could work out. I know that he loves me too. It's just not the right time for us.

Winning George Lopez tickets was such a blessing. My mom is such a huge fan. I knew that when I was calling, the tickets were mine. I almost went into a trance. When I learned that I won, I got teary-eyed thinking of the happiness that my mom would have.

I wish that I knew how to tap into that trance more often. It was a wonderful place of calm. I was so assured of the outcome, it was amazing. I just need to be assured that life is always going to turn out as it should: beautiful.

Relaxed Mind and Soul

I took a day off from work. I needed it. I have been on the road for too long. I was so stressed on Tuesday evening that I ended up at urgent care to get a "super duper pain shot" (according to the nurse). I was having a hard time allowing other people to have control on things that have been impacting my life greatly this past month. The shoe finally dropped and now I am home.

I met my sister at the gym for a late morning workout. She is a school bus driver and has a long break in the morning. She usually hits the gym at this time. I left her a message and Voila, we met at the gym for a quick workout. I needed to make sure that I got out of the house early otherwise I could stay inside all day. I don't want that.

This weekend will be packed with fun things between Mary Kay trainings/events, my date with Matt and the "Now and Zen" concert on Sunday. Today, I am spending the time shopping, cleaning and chillin'.

Oooohhh...It Feels SOOOO Good!

Get your mind out of the gutter. :D I am so very happy to report that I have been hitting the gym at 5:30 in the morning to get my workout done. It is amazing how much easier it is for me to stay on course with my workouts when they happen first thing in my day. I have been meeting my friend to do our cardio and strength training workouts. I am totally accountable to her, so I will not NOT show up.

I watched the first episode of the Biggest Loser last night. I love that show. It's not because of the crazy workouts, but because I love to see people be transformed by a process. I love how quickly these people can shed fat and build muscle at the same time!

Jillian is back and brought some 'alternative' training methods with her. The contestants were flipping tires, snatching sandbags, using Iron Woody bands and pulling/dragging large objects with the rope. I thought that it was great to see 'new' methods being used to whip people into shape. That's what I like about Jillian and her workouts. She continues to utilize new methods to keep things fresh for the contestants and shows the viewers options for their workouts.

I am following my Weight Watchers program and enjoying the flexibility. I have been obtaining wonderful results when I am consistent. Isn't that always the key. My goal is to be done 15 pounds by my 30th birthday and to be at goal before I reach 31!

The last few weeks I was in a funk. I didn't know how to break it. The more that I tried to get out of my crappy mood, the more that I wanted to stay there. It was terrible. I am hoping that I can call it "hormones" or "PMS". It was scary to be there. I didn't recognize myself. I was afraid that I would become a nasty person. Yes, it was bad.

I am reading "Return to Love" by Marianne Williamson. From this book came some beautiful passages that had filtered the troubled thoughts that had been residing in my mind. It feels great to be out of that negativity now.

I know that it is unlikely that I will always be positive, but I know that I can choose to stay as positive as possible. I like giving energy to others, not taking it. That's how I felt the last few weeks. My poor boyfriend has been utterly patient with me and will be getting a wonderful "Thank You" from me. LOL

Ahhh, it feels like I can breathe again. I know that making a decision for my weight loss and workouts has brought clarity to me. I am so grateful!

Happy September

I am writing to you from my office. It is a place that I haven't visited in a while as I have been working on an investigation for the last three weeks. Talk about not having a schedule. Wow! It's amazing. I am only here today and will back out and traveling tomorrow.

The past weekend was a beautiful experience. On Saturday, I celebrated my friend's 30th birthday with her family and friends. What an occasion! There was so much food, beverage and fun. They had a mariachi band midway through the festivities and it was incredible. I have never heard "Happy Birthday" sung so loudly than that night. I wanted to record it to play it at my birthday party.

I got reacquainted with a high school friend and her husband. The amazing thing is that as her husband and I were talking, he realized that he knew Matt. They were in a certification class this past spring. I expect that we will all get together to have some fun soon.

I met Matt's dad this weekend. It was nice to finally meet him. What made it more special was that my family got to meet him as well. We both have really small families.

Some huge happenings: my sister and niece will be moving in with me for a few months. I haven't lived with someone in about four years. It was a quick decision and I hope to gain some huge benefits from having my sister with me. My sister is an avid fitness freak. Yes, she was responsible for me getting my gym membership in 2001 and loving it. I hope that having her around will lead me to consistency with my workouts and possibly and new workout buddy.

Autumn is a time for shedding the older to get ready for the new. I hope that this season brings much renewal and awakening to my family. We definitely need it.

It's been a while

The last few weeks have been a bit sad for me. I realize that I am not getting any closer to anything at the rate that I am 'moving'. I am at a stand still with my weight loss. I am still experiencing pain with my neck and shoulders despite the therapy. There is so much family stuff going on it's ridiculous. Business is okay, but definitely not moving in a huge way. I feel like I am swirling in a drain. I feel like I am waffling. If I could make a decision on something and move headlong in that direction, I will get somewhere. Yet, I hold on to both sides of the fence and my ass is taking a beating. I was driving last night and thought, "This is how people become crazy." I wonder how much longer I will subject myself to such craziness.

I did get to my step class on Saturday. That was a refreshing experience. Something that I needed for my body and my mind. I have an incredible need to get things "right". It was perfect that I didn't get every move through the class and even looked silly at times. Some things came easy, others, not so. This is part of my growth. I have a huge fear of being "embarrassed". I needed to "survive" my mess-ups. LOL

I need to create a schedule to help move me through this period in my life. Something with each area of focus and allotted times to do the things that are important to me. When I learn that discipline will bring my desired freedom, I will no longer have so much waffling in my days.

PASSION

I realized that my life is missing something...PASSION. I feel that I am missing something that gets me so juiced up that I am so excited to get my day going and only lay my head down out of pure exhaustion. I remember days where I was creating and working on art projects. I would spend my whole day alone, with little food/beverage and would work for hours in peace and fulfillment.

I want some "juice". I want some vigor. I want to jump out of bed in the morning to meet my passion again.

What were previous passions in my life?

• Creativity: calligraphy, bookmaking, papermaking
• Makeup artistry
• Sculpting my physique
• Health/Weight Loss
• My business

Looking at this short list, and knowing that there are more that I didn't include, I know that I still have love for each of these things. I think that I need to spend some time practicing each of these to see if I can reclaim the passion.

Do you know where my passion is? Do you know where I can find some? Share your thoughts with me.

WENG WENG RAP

So much to learn, so little time

Do you ever feel this way? I often feel that there is so much that I still need to learn, but there simply isn't enough time to get it all done. This leaves me feeling less than grand and the cycle of frustration continues. I have been realizing lately that I, Tamikka, information junkie, need not continue to cycle of frustration. What am I going to do with all of the information that I think is so necessary to leading the ultimate life? Really. How much information does it take to lead the life that I want? I have to say that I am still trying to figure it out, but I am also realizing that it is not quite as much as I once thought. I don't need to know everything that is going on in the world. I don't need to know what Lindsay, Britney or Paris is doing to live out their existence. I don't need to know what star is about to explode. I don't need to know the latest discovery in science. The funny thing that I realized (thanks Tim Ferriss) is that I will find out the information that is important through other people. There is always someone available to us that will give us the knowledge that they feel is imporatnt to our lives. I'll let them spend their brain units on it. :)

If I don't need to know that stuff, what do I need to know to live the life that excites me? This is a better question. Instead of wasting hours clicking, reading and gathering unnecessary but fun information, where do I need to spend my time? In developing my relationships, my career and my health. This feels like I could actually have enough time to do the things that will ultimately bring me to my desired life. I will be applying the information that I have spent so much time gathering and put it to wonderful use. Then, I will not feel that the time already spent was in vain.

This leads me to another point: Why am I an information junkie? I think that this is the easier question. I never wanted to look "dumb/ignorant/stupid". When someone says, "I'd die of embarassment" that would be me. I have always had a problem with feeling embarassed, "called out", ridiculed for something that I didn't know. I don't know where or why I picked this up. One possible answer is that I tend to be an observer of life. I see where/why people are ridiculed and I never wanted to feel that way. I was always highly empathetic. I took on what I THOUGHT others felt and were thinking. Did I truly know? Nope, but I THOUGHT that I did.

Well, I feel like I am making some headway and I like that idea. I'll be keeping track of my progress with my "low-information diet".

The Tears of Deeksha

Today, I had an incredible experience. I met with my Power Team that meets monthly. We are a team of people brought together by a common experience: an Anthony Robbins event. We are a group of go-getters, do-gooders, and everything in between. We met today to experience deeksha (blessing) facilitated by members of the Oneness Movement.

There was about 40 people in a relatively small room. We sat on the floor, on mats, on furniture, any place that we could find. I knew that I was going that my back was going to get tired either way, so I chose to sit on the furniture for at least my legs would be okay.

The session began with a little background on deeksha and the Oneness University. We watched about 15 minutes of a video program that was presented by a journalist and ended with a message from Lindsay Wagner. She shared the effect of deeksha in her life. It was simple, yet profound. She was transformed to 'see' again and found new appreciation in her familiar surroundings.

We began our process of receiving deeksha by closing our eyes, focusing on our breath and the opening ourselves to the divine power (God, Buddha, Christ, Supreme Being, etc.) There was soft, beautiful music in the background. We were just to remain open to our divine power and breathe. Each facilitator would come around the round and bless the participants by placing their hands on our heads.

I closed my eyes and opened myself up to God. I breathed and worked to focus only on my breath as my mind is always racing. I found that as I tried to concentrate, my thoughts would turn to the facilitators walking about the room. I knew that trust and removal of resistance were available to keep me from fully experiencing the process. There was not much sound so I didn't know what to expect. I began to get nervous when I realized that there was someone next to me receiving the blessing. "Uh oh, stay calm, don't shake...wait, quiet your mind, focus on your breath, don't worry about them..." This is the kind of torture that I was placing on myself before I had my first experience. Then, it happened. The person moved nearer to me. I could sense them and the lighting changed in front of my eyes. I began to breathe more conscientiously. I began to relax and then, I felt warm hands on my head. It was amazing. The heat penetrated my scalp and began to coat my body. The image in my mind began to change. I didn't see much except organic shapes. I was able to relax and focus. This lasted for about 30 seconds before the person gently removed their hands.

I experienced 3 more people laying their hands on me. Each person had a unique touch which resulted in a unique experience.

We ended the first session by sharing some personal experiences. Some people had some amazing occurrences, others had something more ordinary. I was pleased that I was soon able to quiet myself and relax into myself.

What I noticed was that I had little expectation for the outcome which left me happy in the fact that I was able to enjoy the quiet. I also realized that it felt as if my soul had peeled away from my internal body. It was as if I was swirling around inside myself.

We took a short break and began again. This time, we were to receive an experience of gratitude. I just kept picturing moments with my nieces. It caused me to smile. They always bring the most joyous moments in my life. I was now eager to receive new "hands". This time, I was relaxed and calm immediately.

I received a deeksha where the person touched my head and then moved to my face. It made me smile. That touch provokes such love in my heart. The next person actually touched my heart first and provided such a rush that I began to cry. I wasn't sure if it was due to joy or sadness. I had one single tear trickle down my face. It was powerful. I felt more open than before. I was calm. I was present. A dog began to bark. Normally, I would have wanted to dog to be quiet so that I could concentrate. This time, I just was able to 'be' with the dog barking and still stay focused. It was a new moment of experience for me. Wonderful!

So, I found out that there is deeksha each Friday in my city. I am excited to be able to continue the work to provide more moments of peace within myself. I look forward to developing more knowledge with deeksha and spending time with the wonderful facilitators.

Japanese Treadmill Challenge

This will get you in shape real fast!

Faster Goal Achievement

I love Steve Pavlina. He has a website named "Personal Development for Smart People". He has about 500,000 visitors to his site each month. I'm lucky if I have 5. LOL I digress. Anyway, what I love about his site, messages and podcasts is that he uses all of the methods that he presents on his site BEFORE he writes about them. Having a personal testimony is always a bonus in my book. He also writes on many different topics and introduces many people to new ideas. It's great.

One of my favorite tools that I got from Steve's site is a "30-day practice". Did you know that it takes about 28 days to make a new habit? Most of us usually are gung-ho during the first week or two and then fizzle out by the end of the third week. Hmm, if we could just stretch it out for a few more days, we might have made it a habit. What I also love about the 30-day practice is that he gives us permission to 'trash' it if it doesn't prove to be something that benefits our lives. How silly of me to think that I, an adult, needed permission to say, "No thanks." to a personal goal? Yes, it's true and I am sure that I am not the only one.

Another topic that he shares is faster goal achievement. He shares that it is easier to achieve a goal if we already identify ourselves as the person who has achieved the goal. He encourages people to brainstorm the 'side effects' of being that person.
What will be different about my life when I reach my goal? Identify the side effects.
Then, he suggests that one starts closing the distance between the side effects and where you are now.

I thought about this. When I am at my healthy weight, my persona is different, my actions are different. I hold my body differently. I exercises daily without it being a chore. I look forward to it. I crave better options. It's who I AM, not what I struggle to do. Hmm...

So, WW has been going great. I have lost almost 7 pounds since re-starting 2.5 weeks ago. I have an official weekly WI, so that's what I use as my weight. I was proud of myself for having a loss even with it being TOM. This week has been a little strange since it has been TOM. I have wanted to eat more throughout the day. Luckily, I have stayed within my points regardless of what I have eaten. That is a great feeling. That's what I love about the WW Flex Program. It allows for the flexibility that I might need during these times of the month.

My training for my half-marathon has being going okay. I am having a hard time doing my 'during-the-week' training, but my long days are no problem at all. I wonder if it has anything to do with having a clear mind and no competing priorities (free from work, commute, etc.) It's also done at my favorite time of day, mid-morning. So, my remedy has been to just do what I want during the week and get my long training in on Sunday. It is my only "MUST". It is so much more enjoyable to me. This weekend, I have a six-mile training session.

Financially, things have not been the best. Thank goodness for having my Mary Kay business otherwise I wonder if I would make it through the month. I definitely am experiencing "more month than money" syndrome. I have scaled back on all the unnecessary things in my life. I don't have satellite and haven't had it in a year. I don't eat out often. I stopped all magazine subscriptions. I just can't seem to get on top of it all. I also don't want to work just to pay bills either. I need to enjoy life too! Ugh! I am trying to figure out how I can increase my income is a smart way, pay down the bills and add to my savings/investments. That is one good thing that I am financially proud of, I do have investments that are doing well. I'll make it. I just needed to vent. I'll have to utilize Steve's faster goal achievement method to change this experience of my life. Now, what are the side effects of being financially free...?

Titles are back!

My last post doesn't have a title. It's not because I didn't have one. It's because it wouldn't let me give it one. How strange. But, I see that the title function in up and running just fine.

So, I am still enjoying my WW and points program. I did find myself looking for something to graze on these last few days. What I realized is that I am about to start TOM. I was SO hungry yesterday after I got home from work, but dinner for my sister's birthday wasn't until 6 (1 hour), so I ate three random things: 1 dried mango slice, 2 crackers from a 100 cal pack and a bite of fruit. Then, I dove head first into laundry and dishes. It did the trick. Instead of blowing a whole bunch of points on snacks, feeling guilty, then missing out on a wonderful dinner, I gave myself some quick snacks and got into action. This is definitely something that I would not have done if I was not following a program. I would have snacked on large quantities of all three things and STILL had dinner. Yep. It's true. I like this tactic better and it only cost me 1 point.

At dinner at my mom's house was delicious. I planned to have ribs, rice, beans and salad. I neglected to think about birthday cake. So, I used some WPAs. I ate 11 extra points, but I had them available to me. Dinner was a success, I was satisfied and was NOT stuffed. Another meal conquered with pleasure.

On Tuesday, I was only craving ice cream and something salty and crunchy for dinner. Fortunately, I have WW Smart Ones Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough portion-out desserts available in my freezer for 3 points. I had one of those and a portion of Ritz Chips for 3 points as well. I was hungry after my Mary Kay meeting, so I enjoyed 1 point of honeydew melon. Gosh, the melon is SO good right now.

I am very proud of the fact that I have journaled all of my food intake using the WW e-tools program. I know that when I journal, I am successful in weight loss. I have been planning my day ahead of time the night before and packing my lunch. It creates for ease in my morning and allows me to stay on track. I love when I pack more food than needed for the day and end up leaving it at the office or taking it home for another day. I know that my eyes are still bigger than my stomach. LOL

I am already feeling "thinner" than just a week and a half ago when I started the program. I pulled out a pair of jeans that I haven't worn in a month to wear today. They are still snug, but I wanted to remind myself of the mental success that is necessary to win the physical battle. My head is in the right place and I am enjoying it. I am looking forward to more 'releasing' on the scale.

Four is a magic number...this weekend at least. I am very happy to report that I lost 4.6 lbs during my first week on Weight Watchers. I have been journaling my food intake and finding that my choices are leaving me satisfied AND experiencing weight loss.


During the WW meeting, the discussion was about plateaus and what truly constitutes a plateau. A weight loss plateau is when you are doing everything "right" and the scale is not moving. I have been here. It was miserable. I actually had a plateau that lasted six months. I finally realized that I was going at my weight loss "too hard" and found that by easing up, the weight started coming off again.


Some of the suggestions for breaking the plateau in WW are:

• Switch from Flex to Core (or vice versa)--this allows your mind and body to get different types of foods and gives your brain the ability to experience the "new"
• Increase your activity--Some people do the same thing day in and out. Your body adapts and makes it more difficult to experience a loss. That's why I love programs like TTMembers where you continue to grow your program as you grow in strength and ability.
• Try new foods
• Chill out!

The leader, Linda, shared this funny and insightfully quote on advice

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't." --Erica Jong

I also did 4 miles on Sunday during our 'long' run. We really did a walk/run session. The time to complete was 56 minutes. I really wanted to maintain a 4.0 mph average time. Mission Accomplished. Last night, I was pretty sore so I had Matt give me a massage. He ended with some chi work. It felt like I had Icy Hot on my back. It was incredible. He had to "remove" some energy because it was too warm. I told him that I have a "magician" for a boyfriend. He laughed.

Ooooohhm...

Sitting at my desk, enjoy some cantaloupe (I love melon.), looking forward to lunch with my friend/co-worker at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. It is hot here, but as I always say, "It's never too hot for soup...It's never too cold for ice cream." It was hot here yesterday. 100 degrees hot and I enjoyed a bowl of Taco soup with a Smart Ones chicken quesadilla and a small bowl of salad for dinner. It was yummy.

I have an appointment with a Mary Kay client after work.

I am dropping off her re-order and showing her the new goodies. One of the new goodies is our body collections. I am wearing our lotus and bamboo collection today. Here is what the advertising says: The blue lotus flower and majestic bamboo inspire this collection. Breathe in the clean, crisp scent. Each of the products contains antioxidant-rich extracts of blue lotus and passion flower to help shield skin from damaging free radicals. And carefully selected ingredients nurture your skin to help keep it healthy-looking and beautiful.

Let me just say that it smells so clean and FRESH. It is so light and understated. Matt didn't know that I had it on and said, "Wow! You smell great." I love scents and often wear my favorite Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (which he loves), but never gave me the same reaction.
I have a couple of models that I will be working with this weekend. It will be a lot of fun.

This weekend is my first official weigh-in (WI) for Weight Watchers (WW). If I WI tomorrow, it will be for 5 days, so not a full week. I plan on being a regular Saturday morning attendee unless my schedule does not allow for it. I am excited to see my progress. I took a sneak peek at it showed a 3 pound loss and put me in a new "decade".

Last night, I just started reading "Time Traps" by Todd Duncan. Within the first few pages, I had a feeling that this book was different. It is about how much time we waste doing unnecessary things. I'll let you know what I think after I am done. It looks like a quick read. Hopefully, I can get through it this weekend.

This weekend, I have my long run/walk for my half-marathon training. Matt already did his regular workout today, but still has his long training on Sunday. I hope that we can do it together. I am going to squeeze my training in before meeting with my client.

It's good to be here today.

Proud as A Peacock

I am so proud of myself for checking off some major items from my "to-do" list. I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting and completed my e-tools information. I purchased my shoes for my half-marathon training and performed my first scheduled workout (3 miles). I am in the process of getting the last major item completed: my home office. Yikes it was terrible. Now, it feels decent. Soon, it will be perfect!

I have a closet in the office that needs to be purged. There are old sweaters, pullovers and jackets. I probably only wear one or 2 items, the rest I will donate. Freed-up space!!

So, going back to WW was great for me. I know that success is mine as long as I stay mindful of my actions. I weighed in and it was not good. At least I didn't gain it ALL back. LOL

The past day and a half have been full of food shopping and planning. It is still fun for me to do all this stuff. I can't wait for my first weigh-in. I know that it will be much better than yesterday!

Off to complete my list...

Decisive

It feels great to be decisive. To decide means to literally "cut off". Once I have "cut off" from my former ways and am committed to something, it flourishes.

I was speaking to my co-worker today and she said, "Tamikka, when you decide on something, you make it happen. You remind me of my daughter who does the same thing." Well, I know her daughter to be a major go-getter. I definitely took this as a compliment.

More often than not, I've had friends tell me the same thing. Some even call it stubborn. Of course, I like to think of it as "driven". The sad thing is that when I am not driven in something, I tend to flounder. I tend to dabble. I tend to "tweak". Tweaking, floundering, and dabbling all lead to the same conclusion for me: frustration. Someone said, "When what you want does not equate to what you are willing to do, all you get is a whole lot of frustration." Ha! Are they so right.

I know that when I am committed to doing "whatever it takes" and not just the "best I can do", I can move mountains in any area of my life.

Well, I've DECIDED to return to Weight Watchers on Monday. I actually looked at meetings that are local to my office so that I had NO excuse of being able to weigh-in and attend a meeting no matter where I am. I still am considering if I will make it my "home base". Either way, it's a done deal. I even invited one of my male co-workers to join me. Fortunately, I am one to do what I wish regardless of having someone go with me. I enjoy that quality in myself.

I know that leaving the place of a decision without taking action is the quickest way to ensure that you are NOT moving towards your goal, I have already pulled out my paper food journal and begun to record my food intake. Returning to WW provides the accountability and support factor that I enjoy so much. Read any material on long-term weight loss and you will find that having a supportive team is a way to increase success in reaching any goal.

I am excited and driven right now. I just need to make sure that I am in love with the journey and not just the results in order to maintain consistency in my life.

Laughter and Friends

My friend, Dana, was in a Ladies Only comedy competition in SF last night. Matt and I met up after I got off of work to have dinner and see her perform. We had a great time at dinner (pesto pizza and salad). The show was fantastic. There were a couple of performers out of the nine total that were not very strong. The rest were quite good. Dana took third for the entire competition (there were over 30 competitors that started the competition). I am so glad that we were able to cheer her on, get some great laughs and enjoy great company.

I am a natural-born networker. I love to bring people together and have them make incredible connections. Dana and I were talking about this. She is great on stage but feels she needs assistance in this area. Without even thinking, I began networking for her BEFORE the show started. When she came to the table (we were seated in front of the stage), I made sure to have her talk to the people around us that I had met in line. I think that when you are in a business such as entertainment, a lot of times it is WHO you know. She said that I need to be her "makeup artist agent". I agree. LOL

Matt looked absolutely adorable last night. He normally wears his hair "dry", but last night, I could tell that he added a little gel. OMG! I was so in love with the look. I made sure to let him know how I felt. He definitely enjoyed the feedback.

So, I talked to him about my weight loss goals and plan. He is so sweet and said, "I think that you are beautiful and sexy now." I appreciate his feelings so much. I have a healthy, supportive environment that will allow me to have success. I just need to keep myself focused on the journey.

On A Quest

I am on a quest...a quest to build my "perfect" weight loss/fitness/lifestyle plan. As I wrote before here, there are specific behaviors that equate to long-term weight loss and maintenance. I am tired of dilly-dallying with different programs, methods and approaches. I realized that I have the tools, knowledge and ability to be successful in long-term weight loss. I just have to execute the methods that work for ME. There are 1000's of ways to do it. I know of the one way that worked fantastically for me until I got blinded by the shiny penny and lost focus.

Here's what worked for me:

• Weight Watchers Points Program--specifically the 123 Success Plan where all fiber counted and not just up to 4 grams.
• Daily exercise focusing on multiple forms of cardio (HIIT; moderate cardio workouts up to 60 minutes); strength training: heavy-split, 3-4 exercises, 3-4 sets per exercise.
• Listening to my body.
• Enjoying the occasional treat and making it a TREAT.
• Keeping food variety up when in control, taking it down when not.
• Pre-planning my food for the next day. (I think this is where most of my success stemmed from.)
• Recording it ALL in a food diary.
• Tweaking things when it wasn't working.
• Having fun!

I think that I will give this program another shot. This means returning to WW meetings EVERY week. I will give myself 3 months to work it. By then, I will know if this program still works for me.

Small, consistent activities make for big, powerful results.

On a different front, Matt and I are going to go shoe shopping to begin training for the San Jose Half-Marathon. I am excited to find out what gear I will need to have a successful (injury-free) training period and run. Matt surprised me by sharing his desire to run with me for my birthday celebration. Woo Hoo!! This will be great for us. I love that we enjoy physical activities. (hubba hubba :D) LOL I can't wait to start running together.

This weekend, we are going up to Napa to celebrate his friend's birthday. It will be a fun, semi-romantic weekend for Matt and I. I hope that we can get away from the group for a little time for ourselves. That would be wonderful.

More Workout Fun

I received this in my "junk email" account. I use an old account to keep from getting bombarded with announcements, sales, tips, and other crap that can fill an email inbox within 2 minutes. Occasionally, I will find interesting messages in the mix. I might have to register with my actual address for Scott Colby information...Nah, he still tends to send some unnecessary material. His contact information is listed under his article.

"This is how we play baseball, fitness camp
style. : )
You can do this by yourself, with a friend
or a whole group of people.
(If you are with a group of people, divide
the group in half so you have 2 teams).
Set up 4 cones in a diamond representing
home plate, first base, second base, and
third base.
At each base, you have to do a bodyweight
exercise.
So here is an example:
Run to first base and do 10 pushups; Run to second base and do 10 jumping lunges each leg
Run to third base and do 15 crunches; Run to home plate and do 15 squats
After you do the squats at home plate, that
counts as one run. Continue on for
10 minutes and try and score as many runs
as possible.
If you are on a team or going against a friend,
try to score the most runs.
If you are by yourself, you can challenge
yourself by doing this workout for
4 weeks and trying to score more runs
at the end of the 4th week than you did
during the first week.
This will show you how much your fitness
level has improved.
Have fun!"

And again, if you are interested in joining our
Women's Fitness Camp, please visit:
http://www.womensfitnesscamp.com/classes.html

Vegas-Style Training

Cool, Outdoor Workout--Vegas Style

Scott Colby--http://www.womensfitnesscamp.com/index3.html


Making Exercise Fun
Here is something that we do in camp to get the
camp members to work together as a team
and have fun at the same time.
We'll divide the camp into teams of 3 or 4 and
each team gets a deck of cards (we take out the
two's, three's and four's).
Each of the 4 suits represents a different exercise.
For example, diamonds = push-ups, spades = squats
clubs = crunches and hearts = jumping jacks.

Whatever suit you draw is the exercise you do, and the
number on the card equals the number of reps that you do (jacks, queens and kings = 10 reps and Aces = 11 reps).
Each person on a team draws a different card, does their exercise and then goes to the next card.
So you are working individually on the exercises
but together as a team, you are working your
way through the entire deck. Try to complete the
deck as quickly as you can.

What a fun way to get outdoors and get a new workout style into your program. This would be a fun family activity as well.

If you didn't get the "Vegas Style" comment, it's because he's using playing cards. :D

Enjoy!!

Model Search--Model of Beauty Contest

So, my company is having a model search and I am really excited. I am excited to have one of my entrants be chosen as one of the FOUR winners. Wouldn't it be awesome to have the eye for finding talent that will be featured in a national publication! It is my goal to find her!

Here is the information from Craigslist ad.

Model Search for Portfolio/National Catalog
Reply to: gigs-359563121@craigslist.orgDate: 2007-06-24, 8:52PM PDT

We are looking for female face models of all ethnicities, ages 18 and over, and sizes. No experience necessary. What to expect: skin prep, color consultation, and before/after photo for catalog. The "After" Photo will be used for selection for catalog feature. A gift will be given to all participants.

Four women will be selected from the pool to be featured in national commercial catalog: (The Look), receive a three-night, expense-paid trip for winners and one guest each to New York, a professional makeover and a $500 shopping spree gift card. (Winners required to sign a model release.) If you are interested in having an opportunity of a lifetime, contact me today! Runs through September 15, 2007.

If YOU are interested, contact me today.

What a Weekend!

What a busy weekend. I had a class of 25 students (24 women and one male) on Saturday for my Color Insider workshop. The three hours went by so quickly. It was the first time that I had created a 3-hour presentation from start to finish. It is pretty amazing to have that experience. I have taught on other subjects for three hours or more, but never has it been my own material. I am proud of myself.

Before the class, I sliced my thumb pretty badly as I was setting up. The bleeding was terrible. I was afraid that it wouldn't stop bleeding in time. With a few minutes to spare, I wrapped my finger with a paper towel and taught the class that way. It opened up again this morning and started bleeding. Luckily, it didn't get on my WHITE dress!!

A last-minute invitation for a 10-year old's birthday party brought me out to the park with my four-year old niece. She was quite the hit of the party...not with the kids, but with the adults. She is quite the character and the adults loved her. One lady thanked me for bringing her along. How many people thank you for bringing anyone, let alone a child, anywhere?! I've never had it happen. They got such a kick out of her because she was so honest. One woman asked her if she could have her eyes which are blue (the woman and all but one other guest had brown eyes). My niece told her that she could buy them. The adults howled in laughter. It was cute. When another woman asked for a hug as we were leaving, my niece told her that "her batteries were running out." They all laughed again. Yes, she definitely is a part of our family. No mistaking that!!

I had a three-day weekend because I took the day off on Friday. It is always much needed rest from work. I ended up spending time with my mom, sister and nieces. It was so much fun.

I ran into my friend, Linda, on Friday as well. She looks great. She crossed the one-year mark for being Cancer free. It was hard for me to hear that this wonderful, God-filled woman was battling breast cancer. I know that her faith carried her through it all.

Sunday was pretty low-key. I did have a Mary Kay class that I held for a new team member. We had a lot of fun. It was great to have such a fun group of women and an excited team member. She had fun, learned a lot and made some great money.

Matt came over to sleep last night. I say "sleep" because he didn't get here until 1:30 AM. I was awake as I went out with Kim to have a drink and appetizers. That was my dinner, too. Kim and I laughed so hard about so many things. I love to see her laugh because her whole body laughs. We need to do that more often.

I am off to bed. I am planning some Turbo Jamming tomorrow. It'll be a Cardio Party 3 day for me.

energy-8
food-6 (2 meals only)
sleep- 7
water-7
workout- rest day

RSS Feed Junky

I, T, am an RSS Feed Junky. Yes, I admit it. I love to know when my favorite, sites and blogs are updated. Oh, yeah, I already admitted that I love blogs. Now, I am sharing that I get my fix by having RSS feeds. If you want your blog shared easily, make sure that you are "feeding" your readers with more that great blog comment.

Today, as I was checking my "My Yahoo" page, I found that Tom Venuto (http://www.burnthefat.com/) had an update to his blog. I have to tell you that it was a message about "Maintainers vs. Losers". As I read the message, I realized that for 2 years, I was a maintainer that I would have listened to if I were trying to lose.

I lived by the self-monitoring rules of fat loss:

• tracking calories
• tracking body weight
• planning meals
• tracking fat
• measuring amount of food on plate

I did all of these things and I was successful in weight loss and, for a while, maintenance. I also included daily exercise and emotional management work since I was (AM) an emotional eater. All these things were integral to my success. I know that when I incorporate ALL of these modifications into my DAILY plan, I will be successful again. My current situation is that I will do a few or some, but definitely have not connected the dots for ALL.

One thing that I realized was that I knew that I would re-gain the 85 pound weight loss if I stopped working out. I didn't believe that it would happen because I was living the lifestyle of a healthy person. Yet, I did. I did because I thought that I had won the "battle" with weight loss and stopped being so vigilant with my food journal. Then, I let my workouts start to slip. Before I knew it, my 'lifestyle' was not a lifestyle any longer.

My Daily Report Card:

nutrition: 8
energy: 9 (did not go to work)
sleep: 9 (took a great nap)
water: 8
workout: Missed (0)

Reminiscing

I was looking through old photos of myself. This one always is so much fun to see. I remember that night so vividly. It was a celebration of my birthday in October 2004 where we all gathered to test the limits of fun. So many crazy things happened that night. It was also the night that I realized the power of my dedication to getting fit and staying focused.

I know my power...why is it then that I tend to discard it at the moment that I am challenged, not by outsiders, but by the mind that once took me to a level of fitness that rivaled amateur athletes?

nutrition: 8
energy: 7
sleep: 7
water: 8
workout: Planned Rest day

First Day of Summer

I've decided that I am going to utilize a scale to note my progress. Not a weight scale, but a number range (1-10) that will represent my efforts and achievements in obtaining my goals. Many times, I set out with my goals and am left feeling like I am not making progress. I am hoping that by utilizing my scale, I will feel that I am daily "wins".

So, here it is:
nutrition:
energy:
sleep:
water:
workout:

It is incredibly important to me to feel that I am making progress. Otherwise, I am one to jump ship and look for something better. I know that my mistake often comes in the form of impatience and not allowing something time to work. I have learned from my many coaches in life that MASTERY takes time.

Matt and I had a great tri/bi/shoulder workout yesterday. He was feeling a bit 'off' yesterday when we met up, so we sat and talked for a while. He shared that he wanted to do so much yesterday, but ended up feeling so unproductive. I knew that his thinking was zapping his energy. How do I know...I do it myself, very well! My remedy for when I feel like this is to get into action. Movement changes your energy and I knew that if we went to the gym and worked hard, he would get out of his funk. I was right. Mid-way through the workout, I could tell that he was different. I asked how he was feeling and he said, "Much better."

So, during our workout, I noticed how attracted I am to him when he is working out. I find myself "checking him out". It is so funny. I make sure that I let him know how good he looks. I also have stolen a few kisses from him between sets.

After our workout, I prepared our dinner: chicken fajitas, black bean and cheese baked taquitos, chimichurri rice, and fresh tortillas. We were so hungry by the time we ate. I kept my portion small and my plate half empty. We did enjoy some dessert and a movie before bed.

I slept pretty well last night, but I was extra tired once I got to the office. I have 4 more hours before departure. I am looking forward to it.

Today is the official first day of summer (and longest say) of 2007. I love summer time. I hope that I can achieve more of my summer time body before Labor Day!

Schizophrenic Life

Last night, I had a better night after all. I went to see my coach for our final session. We reviewed my "progress". I started our sessions with a desire to improve on my leadership skills, obtain health and fitness goals and improve on my work situation. After reviewing everything, I realized that in 6 months, I didn't do much. How scary is that that time passes regardless and we still can be in the same (or WORSE) situation if we choose.

Yes, it's a choice. It's a choice to make improvements as much as it's a choice to stay the same. For me staying the same sucks, but it is scary for me to make change. Schizophrenia! Until we are more committed to our change than to our commitment to stay the same, nothing is gained except a whole lot of frustration. I know that this is why the Mark Twight article knocked me over.

My coach recommended that I read some poetry. In six months, I read zero poems. He presented me with a book of poetry by Mary Oliver as a gift. I read my first poem in a long time last night. I was a bit confused. LOL

I've decided not to seek any formal coaching arrangement for a while. I need to use the tools and resources that I've gained to make some things happen. One tool that has proven to be invaluable is my journaling. I did not realize how much I get from my journal than when I read old entries from three years ago. That showed me the power of my thoughts, words and actions on paper.

After spending an hour reading my old journal, I was inspired and in love with me and my energy. I am naturally an energetic, out-going person. I realized that when I am not in my element, I lose these very powerful attributes. This is sad. I have something to look forward to as I reclaim my energy and my personality.

So after my coaching session in SF. I went to see Bea last night in Pleasanton. I was the only one that showed up for inner circle. The plan was to complete the program for Saturday's workshop. The funny thing is that I was glad that I was the only one as I am the presenter and I feel I should have control of the program. (Hey, I'm teaching!) Well, I later found out that she had planned it that way.

We had a great time chatting about different subjects, mainly around weight and authenticity.

She helped me to see that I could run my business from my own strengths and be straight-up with my clients when we are committing to an appointment. She asked me to do an experiment and be my authentic self to just "see what happens." I literally had a buzz going on in my body. I know that is what I need to do, why am I so afraid to do it. It's because after being picked on for everything that I did (my hair, my clothing, my intelligence, my weight, who I was interested in, my speaking style, my ethnicity), I came to the conclusion that "being me" was not good enough for others.

Do you know what kind of misery comes from trying to satisfy others desires for you? Yes, it sucks! This is no place for someone to live. I have abandoned my cottage...I'll let you know how the experiment runs!

Honest Truth

So far so good. I've stuck to my plan that I had listed on my fitday.com food entry for today. I like to see my percentages of fat, carbs and protein. I tend to lead a carb-happy lifestyle which I believe is fine if they are healthy sources of carbohydrates. I do strive for a 40-50/25-30/25-30 kind of program (C/F/P).

I am considering joining http://www.calorieking.com/ . I really enjoy having my food journals available online as I can access it at home or at the office. I could also get the calorieking version for my Pocket PC. That might actually get me to use that darn thing after all. Having my food journals available in electronic format allows me to keep a record of what works and what isn't with my food intake.

Today is a busy day for me outside of work. I have to head to SF and meet with my coach, then travel down to Pleasanton by 7. We are working on the program for Saturday. I am leading the workshop for 25 women...I am looking forward to getting home tonight. LOL

Matt just called. He and the teachers are having a BBQ. I am so jealous. Not for the food, but for the fact that they are all off from work and enjoying life as it should be enjoyed: Together with friends and family. I wonder how long I will be able to love a teacher before I beat him down out of jealousy. LOL

One of my favorite things to do when I am online is to read other people's blogs. I often find great information, great inspiration and thought-filled insights that I incorpoate into my own life. After going down my rabit trail today, I found this wonderful article (rant) by Mark Twight of Gym Jones.

TWITCHING
Twitching with Twight
BY MARK TWIGHT
What's your problem? I think I know. You see it in the mirror every morning: temptation and doubt hip to hip inside your head. You know it's not supposed to be like this. But you drank the Kool-Aid and dressed yourself up in someone else's life.
You're haunted because you remember having something more. With each drag of the razor you ask yourself why you piss your blood into another man's cup. Working at the job he offered, your future is between his thumb and forefinger. And the necessary accessories, the proclamations of success you thought gave you stability provide your boss security. Your debt encourages acquiescence, the heavy mortgage makes you polite.
Aren't you sick of being tempted by an alternative lifestyle, but bound by chains of your own choosing? Of the gnawing doubt that the college graduate, path of least resistance is the right way for you - for ever? Each weekend you prepare for the two weeks each summer when you wake up each day and really ride, or climb; the only imperative being to go to bed tired. When booming thermals shoot you full of juice and your Vario shrieks 7m/sec, you wonder if the lines will pop. The risk pares away life’s trivia. Up there, sucking down the thin cumulus, the earth looks small, the boss even smaller, and you wish it could go on forever. But a wish is all it will ever be.
Because the ground is hard. Monday morning is harsh. You wear the hangover of your weekend rush under a strict and proper suit and tie. You listen to NPR because it's inoffensive, PFC: Politically Fucking Correct. Where's the counter-cultural righteousness that had you flirting with Bad Religion and the vintage Pistols tape over the weekend? On Monday you eat frozen food and live the homogenized city experience. But Sunday you thought about cutting your hair very short. You wanted a little more volume and wondered how out of place you looked in the Sub Pop Music Store. Flipping through the import section, you didn't recognize any of the bands. KMFDM? It stands for Kill Mother Fucking Depeche Mode. Didn't you know? How could you not?
Tuesday you look at the face in the mirror again. It stares back, accusing. How can you get by on that one weekly dose? How can you be satisfied by the artifice of these experiences? Why should your words mean anything? They aren't learned by heart and written in blood. If you cannot grasp the consciousness-altering experience that real mastery of these disciplines proposes, of what value is your participation? The truth is pointless when it is shallow. Do you have the courage to live with the integrity that stabs deep?
Use the mirror to cut to the heart of things and uncover your true self. Use the razor to cut away what you don't need. The life you want to live has no recipe. Following the recipe got you here in the first place:Mix one high school diploma with an undergrad degree and a college sweetheart. With a whisk (or a whip) blend two cars, a poorly built house in a cul de sac, and fifty hours a week working for a board that doesn't give a shit about you. Reproduce once. Then again. Place all ingredients in a rut, or a grave. One is a bit longer than the other. Bake thoroughly until the resulting life is set. Rigid. With no way out. Serve and enjoy."You see your face reflected there in a sweating brow, you hate what you see, but what can be done when there's no way out, no way out?"The Chameleons, "Intrigue in Tangiers"
But there is a way out. Live the lifestyle instead of paying lip service to the lifestyle. Live with commitment. With emotional content. Live whatever life you choose honestly. Give up this renaissance man, dilettante bullshit of doing a lot of different things (and none of them very well by real standards). Get to the guts of one thing; accept, without casuistry, the responsibility of making a choice. When you live honestly, you can not separate your mind from your body, or your thoughts from your actions."If you really want to hurt them and their children not yet born tell them the truth always".Henry Rollins, from the book See a Grown Man Cry
Tell the truth. First, to yourself. Say it until it hurts. Learn the reality of your own selfishness. Quit living for other people at the expense of your own self, you're not really alive. You live in the land of denial - and they say the view is pretty a long as you remain asleep.
Well it's time to WAKE THE FUCK UP!
So do it. Wake up. When you drink the coffee tomorrow, take it black and notice it. Feel the caffeine surge through you. Don't take it for granted. Use it for something. Burn the Grisham books. Sell the bad CDs. Mariah Carey, Dave Mathews and N Sync aren’t part of the soundtrack where you're going.
Cut your hair. Don't worry about the gray. If you're good at what you do, no one cares what you look like. Go to the weight room. Learn the difference between actually working out and what you've been doing. Live for the Iron and the fresh air. Punish your body to perfect your soul. Kick the habit of being nice to everyone you meet. Do they deserve it? Say "no" more often.
Quit posturing at the weekly parties. Your high pulse rate, your 5.12s and quick time on the Slickrock Trail don't mean shit to anybody else. These numbers are the measuring sticks of your own progress; show, don't tell. Don’t react to the itch with a scratch. Instead, learn it. Honor the necessity of both the itch and the scratch. But a haircut and a new soundtrack do not a modern man make. As long as you have a safety net you act without commitment. You'll go back to your old habits once you meet a little resistance. You need the samurai's desperateness and his insanity.
Burn the bridge. Nuke the foundation. Back yourself up against a wall. Have an opinion one way or the other, get off the fence and rip it up. Cut yourself off so there is no going back. Once you're committed the truth will come out. You ask about security? What you need is uncertainty. What you need is confusion; something that forces you to reinvent yourself, a whip to drive you harder."I never try anything - I just do it. Want to try me?White Zombie, "Thunder Kiss"
In Dune, Frank Herbert called it "the attitude of the knife,” cut off what’s incomplete and say “now it has finished, for it has ended there.” So finish it, and walk away, forward. Only acts undertaken with commitment have meaning. Only your best effort matters. Life is a Meritocracy, with death as the auditor. Inconsistency, incompetence and lies are all cut short by that final word. Death will change you if you can't change yourself.
“If I can change one, then I can change two. If I can change two, then I can change four. If I can change four, then I can change eight. If I can change eight, then I can change.”One Minute Silence, "If I Can Change"

This article made me think, shudder and share. "Aren't you sick of being tempted by an alternative lifestyle, but bound by chains of your own choosing?" This is so me! I desire for little of monetary value: love, friendship, connection, yet I've been seduced by possessions. Possessions that leave me empty, broke and fighting for a better way.

Now, that is the HONEST truth.

Weekend of Food

I love food! I love to eat! I often say, "If I could make a living by eating, I would." This weekend, I would have made quite a bit of money. Friday was fine. I actually did very well. I spent the night at Matt's house on Friday. I was missing my babe. We had planned earlier in the week to workout together on Saturday morning. We did and it was great. I really enjoy working out with him as I can lift more with a spot. Plus, his encouragement is always well-taken. Well, I was starving after our workout since my dinner consisted of about 350 calories the night before.

We went to breakfast. He took me to a cute little place in Palo Alto. We sat outside in the beautiful weather. All I was tasting was "toast with jelly". It's actually okay as it WAS my post-workout meal. I ended up having toast with jelly AND a Denver omelet with hash browns. It was yummy! I enjoyed it.

Well, we hung out at his place for a bit and then I went home. We had dinner plans with his co-worker and her husband for Claim Jumpers later that evening. Well, dinner went as planned. I had chicken and biscuits...more gravy please, and shared Matt's huge Sundae. Oh, I neglected to share that I did start my meal with a small green salad. Ha!

Today, I felt like eating more fried chicken. Yes, I had fried chicken twice in less than 24 hours. Uh-huh, yep. KFC to the rescue.

Then, it happened. I started TOM. I hope this means that it is the end of the "more than enough" eating for me for this month. I feel bloated now. I hope that I have something to wear tomorrow...

Dry Nose

So, I went to the gym at lunch. Man, after just a few minutes on the bike, my nose was burning. After 15 minutes, I decided to do some weights instead. The burning sensation went away.

There was a "trainer" at the gym who offered his assistance to me. He said that if I had any questions, he would be happy to answer them for me. I told him, "I could probably teach YOU something." I quickly realized that my mouth was off and running again. He got a good laugh. I ran to the locker room.

He found me at the back of the gym while I was lifting. Again, he offered his assistance. I thought, the best thing he could do is not to talk to me and let me finish my workout. Instead, I asked, "What are your certifications?" He had a nice list of them, yet after examining his body, I could see he was in the same boat that I am in... LOL

ANYWAY, I am going to use fitday.com to record my food intake. It is here available for you all to see: Fitday.com

Feeling GREAT!

I still have some congestion, but I am feeling great. This morning, I not only packed my food for the day, I also packed my gym goodies. I am going to the gym this afternoon during my lunch break. It is more than warm here, but it will be worth it. I am planning to do a cardio workout. Most likely HIIT.

Last night, I met a friend for dinner at PF Chang's. Luckily, the items that I really like are low cal: won ton soup and the Shanghai Cucumbers. I ate 2 cups of soup, some chicken and brown rice. They neglected to serve us our cukes, but I ended up getting them for free.

I got home at 10:30 and talked to Matt for about an hour. I really needed it. Our previous conversation had ended on a strange note (in his eyes), so I didn't want either one of us to go to bed without resolution. By the end of the conversation, we had everything worked through and more. I love that we can talk candidly about anything (so far!).

So, Matt and I have a gym date tomorrow morning before we meet up with his friends. I will probably have to coax him to do a little cardio after we are done lifting. I'll show him that a little proper cardio goes a long way.

Watermelon and Rice Pudding

I am home from work today. I decided after getting my first night's sleep this week, I need to just take some good time to get well.

Yesterday, it took me 1hour and 52 minutes to get home. I was not happy AT ALL. It was hot. I am sick. I was not having it. Ugh! I left the office at 4 PM and walked in the house at 5:52.

My mom and I went to see Pickles and Shugi (my nieces). Pickles somehow scared herself while she was on the toliet (she calls it "tillit") and ran into the wall. She had a red line and bump on her forehead. She was extra sassy after the fall, so my sister said that she needed to bump her on the head again to bring her back to normal. Ay! I love kids energy. That is how we adults should act!

It's 11:36 and I am just about to get in the shower. Yes, I am slow today. I've only been out of bed for an hour!

No work for You!

I am off today because I have a dentist appointment midday and it is a waste of time to drive into the office either before of after my appointment. I am meeting a friend for lunch this afternoon as well. I am looking forward to seeing him.

This weekend was a bit trying. I got a lot done including every stitch of laundry needed for the house. That feels great. I love how the whole house smells as if it was laundered because of the articles that were. For some reason, I feel in the dumps more than usual.

My energy has been crappy. I still cannot pinpoint the reason why it is. My thought is that it got stirred on Monday and then on Tuesday it continued because of my work situation. Then throughout the week, there was a sense of "not getting the full story" in my work situation with my supervisor. I later discovered that my gut was correct. Then, why am I still holding on to the yucky stuff?

I did get more items to assist me with my weight loss and health journey. This weekend, I bought flax seed "powder/crumbles" from Costco. I am going to try to remember to sneak it into my food while I am cooking. I also purchased Fish Oil caps. I have been resisting it because of the "repeating" after I've swallowed it. Hopefully, it won't be so bad knowing that I am on my way to better health and vitality.

The Abs Diet is a book that has made me curious over time. I ended up buying it this weekend. This version is actually "The Abs Diet for Women". Funny thing is that I've always assumed that it was a book about "Spot Reduction". Having been around for a while, I knew that spot reduction is a myth. The book is NOT about that, but an overall program for health. I am enjoying what I have read so far. Definitely, there isn't any glaring mis-truths that I've found.

I am going to get my workout in. I will probably do it here at the house since I have most of the equipment. I will modify my cardio for a 'home-based' workout.

Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen was at the HP Pavilion last night. He was great and funny as always. He shared a message that is similar to all that I've been studying for the past two years. It was a wonderful reminder of the power of Spirit in our lives when you have faith. He finished the program with "The Blessing". It was beautiful. I am going to look online for a copy of this prayer.

The music was FANTASTIC. I fantasized about being one of the back-up singers for Cindy Cruse. She is an amazing singer. I went to purchase the 2 CDs that were only $10 each. (I love how they do not try to gouge us. LOL) But the line was way too long to make my friends wait.

It was something that I really needed. Funny thing, I didn't want to go. I was so exhausted from the week that I just wanted to go home and get away. I am glad that my friend, B, decided to call me and let me know that she was going. It gave me the energy that I needed to "show up". (You've got to show up to go up!) I have to remember that when I don't want to, I need to!

My dad is in town visiting. My mom is BBQ'n so there will be lots of favorites to eat. I am going to select my most favored items and let the others go.

I am still feeling a bit bummed. I just need to meditate for a while on something positive like myself at goal!

Woo hoo!

I am so excited that I have some soreness from my TT workout. My true soreness comes on the second day post-exercise. The other good note is that my second TT training session is tomorrow so I will be working THROUGH the soreness.

Last night, I had one of my 4 planned cheat meals. The idea is that you enjoy 4 (10%) cheat meals of your 42 total meals during the week. This allows for the flexibility in life and to keep you from potentially 'losing it'. (My words!) So, what was my cheat meal? Pepperoni, Bacon and Black Olive Pizza and 1/2 a small chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard from DQ.

Matt and I ended up watching TV and then heading to bed. It was great to spend some "cheat" time with him. LOL

Nutrition and Exercise

I have just spent 30+ minutes perusing (okay, more like devouring) the information on Brad Pilon's Nutrition Help website. I know that 30 minutes doesn't seem like a lot, but I am at work. There are some fantastic entries about the research done regarding muscle loss and calorie restriction, effective workouts, and so much more. My excitement grew when I read some research about the muscle is protected by resistance training even in an extremely calorie-restricted environment (800 cals/day). This is probably why I was able to look and stay strong while I lost 85lbs. The question "Should I strength train while losing weight?" for me is a resounding "YES!!!".

I am so glad that I was not afraid to train heavily with weights while I was losing. I think that for me, the fact that I am so competitive in the gym allowed me to train heavy. I know that competition is not always healthy and can cause injury when taken to the extreme, but for me it was important. It led to great muscles and great fat loss.

Make sure to stop by Nutrition Help and read up for yourself.

YES!

Yes, yes, yes! I went at lunch time and got my TT workout done. I am so glad that I decided to do it then. I know that after work, I would not have had the time and still make it to meet Matt.

Man, was that workout tough. I added in a 5 minute bike warm-up before I got started with the weights. I modified the workout due to time and lack of knowledge of the gym. I did step-ups in place of lying leg curls on the ball. I didn't know where the balls were. LOL

3 sets of squats followed by (FB)
3 sets of pushups

3 sets of DB rows FB
3 sets of step-ups (5 per leg)

Finish with 5 minute cool-down

I ran out of time, ran (yeah right! My legs were toast!) down the stairs and took a quick shower. I had to because the sweat was running down every part of my body. I know that I am on to something GREAT now! I forgot to pack my flip-flops for the shower, so I walked around in my high-heeled, clackety-clak sandals. I did take them off while I was in the shower. I am surprised that I DID NOT gag. The shower was well-kept, so I am sure that is the reason. Yes, I can look at sputum samples, vomit, blood, etc. but don't let me think about a slimy shower floor. Bleck!

The gym in located in a mall. It is pretty nice. They even have a half basketball court available.
When I walked in, I asked the man "Where is the locker room? Where are the free weights?" That is so awesome that those 2 places will allow me to satisfy my needs.

Do you know how difficult it is to maneuver a new gym? I have two gyms that I normally go to in my city. This one is very different from both of them. It has tons of cardio equipment available, some machines and a small section for free weights. The smallest I've seen in such a large gym. I am used to a much larger space for free weights. Luckily, there were only a few of us there.

One thing that I noticed was that there were only 2 flat benches available. Sadly, they were being occupied by 2 men chatting. They finally left as I completed my first round of supersets. I decided to utilize the flat bench nearest to a mirrored wall to do steps and claim a little corner for myself. I got the job done and done well.

I ended up taking 75 minutes to do the travel back and forth to the gym, change and workout. The actual workout was probably 40 minutes which is AWESOME!! I made sure to take the allotted rest time between sets. It felt like an eternity, but my heart rate definitely needed it.

So, as my official first TT training: I am in love! I know that this will be an effective way for ME to shed fat, keep my muscle and feel great.

Funky

and not in a good way. I have been in a funky mood since Monday. I can put my finger on one reason, but it seems to be permeating my days. I don't like it one bit. Yesterday, on my way home, I was so perturbed that I put my ipod in my ears to listen to something motivational. I listened to Marcia Weider's (www.dreamcoach.com ) "Taking Serious Steps". I needed that. It went very well with the T-nation article that I read this morning about serious goal-setting. Goal Setting for Hard Asses by Dan John. I remember listening to Tony Robbins share about the can of dog food motivation technique. As I read John's article, I started to gag thinking about it. That is a pretty powerful visualization technique.

I brought my workout gear for the gym with me to the office. I was so tired this morning to get up to work out and know that I am meeting Matt this evening. My co-workers want to go out to lunch, but my body and mind deserve the workout. I need to employ the "no-excuse" policy in my life. Yes, that's simply commitment. I know!

I am meeting my friend, Raj, for lunch on Monday. I know that he will be sure to bring me out of my funkiness. Hopefully, I am not in my funk, but if I am, he is a powerful friend who will give me the perfect tool to change that.

My sister came over yesterday. She is not one who needs any motivation to get to the gym or eat well. She is in another post with me. She has been working out for 16 years and it shows. Through two pregnancies, she has maintained her fitness and is approaching 36 years old. People ask her to flex often. I used to make her do it too! LOL She is always great for reminding me of where I started and how I can get back to goal. It's great to have such a strong support section. Thanks Debbie, Mom, and Matt!

Well, I had to show her old footage of me from 2004. We laughed at my silliness and were stunned by my level of fitness. It was pretty awesome. I need to post some footage of my old self.