Wednesday's Wisdom - Don't Let Family Guilt Trips Derail You

We have goals. We have a plan. We have our meals prepped and workouts scheduled and then ...we tell others about it on Thanksgiving day and it all goes to sh*t, right?

With one of the biggest holidays of the year taking place tomorrow, many of you have already told me that it’s going to be hard to say "no".  You don't want to disappoint your mother-in-law because she's going to say "but you don't need to lose weight - you're fine the way you are"...or "what do you mean you don't want my homemade apple-cranberry stuffing that I slaved over for two days so YOUR family could enjoy Thanksgiving?"....or how about the simple "Its Thanksgiving.....you can cheat a little".

But the reality is when people try to derail you and bring you down many times it’s their own insecurities coming to the forefront. They don't want to see how great your willpower is at Thanksgiving when you have just one helping of mashed potatoes (1/2 cup) rather than a huge heaping pile with loads of butter and gravy, alongside a buttered roll and cornbread pudding... because THEY don't  have the willpower.

Your friends and family will pick on you: "Oh you can't have THIS ...you're on a DIET" (said in the most annoying, nasal and condescending voice possible).

They will try to get you to cheat: "Are you SURE you don't want dessert??  It’s so yummy ...one little bite can't hurt" (while holding a plate of warm pumpkin pie with ice cream under your nose as a tease).

And some will get downright nasty: "Whatever ...if you want to be selfish and shallow because you think you're better than us, then so be it ...we're going to enjoy our Thanksgiving meal".

These are all things I have heard myself through the years as I try to live a healthier lifestyle and in the beginning, I HAD to give up some of my favorites to stay on track. It was hard ....oh gosh it was hard!

But as I've been telling my clients all week long - STAY STRONG!  You have a very specific goal, and it IS all about you. It’s not about them, it’s not about their cooking or their own choices; it’s about YOU and your goals. 

So here's how to beat the Thanksgiving Day guilt-trip (personal and from the family) AND overeating at the same time:

1) Drink plenty of water throughout the day

2) Eat something small before you go to dinner. If you’re having your Thanksgiving Day meal at 2pm, you should have eaten at least 2 times before that! It can be a normal, healthy breakfast and then maybe a protein shake an hour or so before you go. This will help keep you satiated so you don't starve yourself all morning and then overdo it at dinner time.

3) Try to stay away from the rolls and other unnecessary everyday carbs.  You can have a roll any time you want. If you want to indulge, make it count - go for Aunt Suzie's special macaroni casserole that you only get once a year... or that amazing chocolate cream pie that Grandma makes. Don't waste your "cheat" on something you can have any time.

4) Keep your portions small and eat slowly; sip on water throughout the meal.

Some things to say to thwart off the negative family members and friends:

1) My trainer told me if I gained any weight, I have to do 100 burpees! If you want to do that with me then by all means, let’s indulge!

2) I'm so close to my goal - and don't I look great!?  I really want to hit this goal weight so that at Christmas I CAN eat what I want and not worry about it.

3) Thanks for your concern, but I'm really trying hard to be good.

4) Trust me, it’s not anything against your ________ (enter favorite one-time a year side entree that only THEY can make), It’s just that I have an amazing dress I want to fit into for New Year’s Eve and once I have one bite, I can't stop.

And lastly you can simply say "no thanks"...no explanation needed.

So like I said - BE STRONG! Stick to your goals and remember - WWDD (what would Devon do?)

Have a Wonderful and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

 

Wednesday's Wisdom - Attitude is everything!

Attitude is everything!

You've all heard this before: "attitude is everything", yet somehow most of us forget why this simple three word sentence is so very important. But it is - how you look at things and how you act, or react is so very important.

Today I'm being raw and real, so I'm going to make this a short one....

Look, here I am being raw and real. We are all human. We all have our ups and downs. Many of you who know me from my past know I've struggled with my weight. I've yo-yo dieted all of my life until I found The Challenge. For three years I've kept off the weight and have been very active, healthy and fit.

Well, guess what: owning two businesses, traveling a bunch, and some personal issues and injuries have led me to fall off the wagon. I've recently gained back about 8 lbs., mostly fat, and lost a bunch of muscle. I weigh the most today than I have in three years.

Now I have two choices I can make:  I can basically say "screw it", I'll wait until after the holidays to start my "diet"... OR I can change my own attitude and just own it, put it out there and start again.

My recent less-than-appealing attitude has not only affected my weight, but my workouts, my relationships, my business and my family. So how do I change it? How do I change my own attitude?  I need to revaluate my "WHY".  WHY do I do what I do? For what? For Whom?

I have spent the last few days self-reflecting and I've found my WHY again. It's different than when I first started this journey, but its solid and real. 

So, how do YOU make a change? How do YOU change your attitude and the six inches between your ears?  Remember WHY you started. Or find a WHY to begin - maybe setting a good example for your young kids, or to lose weight and get off medications, or to run a charity road race in honor or memory of someone? Whatever it is, if you find yourself struggling, find your WHY, cherish it and use it to fuel your positive attitude towards whatever it is you want to do!

Have a fabulous Wednesday everyone!!

 

 

Wednesday's Wisdom - To the Girl I see Everyday in the Gym...

To the girl I see every day in the gym gaining weight and to the person who says “I’ll go on a diet when I can join the gym”…. This is dedicated to you!
 
Shhhh – don’t tell anyone but… wanna know a secret? 
 

It took me a LONG time to figure this out…. I mean, like 15+ years to figure out this bottom line fact  - You cannot out-exercise a bad diet! Forgive me if I am starting to sound like a broken record, but I want to tell you a story about a girl I know at the gym. Let’s call her Tara. Tara is approximately 27 years old and is a local schoolteacher in the area, and I’ve known her via the gym for about three years now. Of course in chatting with her, I introduced her to The Challenge, and even gave her a free bag of Vi-Shape shake mix to try. She said she tried ONE SHAKE, with water, and didn’t think it was “for her” so she didn’t want to continue with The Challenge. Fair enough, she “tried” it (not really but if she wants to think she did, that’s cool).  

Now over the past three years, I’ve seen Tara work hard, and I mean really work hard at the gym. She’s there six days a week early in the morning before she’s off to educate our young kiddies. She does weight training – squats, lunges, curls, back and chest exercises, etc. and she is strong; I mean she’s lifting heavy weights! Then she’ll put on a heavy sweatshirt and do a good 45 minutes to an hour of cardio. She’ll work hard and sweat hard. She’s very strong and I’d even say in shape, and I admire her for her effort. Here’s the problem…

She’s gaining weight, and no, it’s not muscle. She’s putting on a steady layer of fat all around her body! I overhead someone at the gym ask her if she was pregnant the other day! Oh gosh, I felt so bad for her (it’s a logical question really since she just got married this past summer).

Now before everyone start telling me all the reasons she could be gaining weight (besides gaining muscle or being preggo), let me say that in my past conversations with her, I don’t THINK it’s a medical condition (i.e.: thyroid, steroids for some kind of reason, etc.), so that leads me to conclude really only one thing – bad diet. She has vented to me in the past about her downfalls with her diet – the pasta, the cookies at night, drinking fruity alcoholic beverages – and that she struggles with staying on track.

So –what does this mean for her? Well if she’s happy doing what she’s doing on a daily basis, then that’s great – but I know she’s not because she’s hired a personal trainer now, is hitting more classes, and I overheard her tell someone in the locker room that she also joined weight watchers because she’s gained weight.  

I know so many people who think that working out is the answer to losing weight and getting into better shape. Going to the gym and working out IS important, but so is your nutrition.  So whether you are like that girl who kills in the gym and still struggles to lose weight, or if you are the person who says “I’ll start eating better when I can work out”, you need to look at what you’re eating on a daily basis and really ask yourself if you are fueling your day’s activities with the proper nutrition. If you’re not or are struggling, pick up the phone and call me or email me; I’m always here to help!