Stop What You're Doing and Listen!

Did your teachers ever say that?  Mine did, all the time - because I was so busy trying to prove that I knew EXACTLY what to do, I just went full steam ahead without proper instruction or guidance, and guess what happened next?  Yup ... Crash and Burn!  


Do you recognize this behavior in yourself?  If the answer is "yes" do you experience the same outcome as me?  Are you sick of it yet?   Do you want to make a change?  So, just how do you change the behavior?  Or, more accurately; how do you open your ears to hearing how to change the behavior?


The answer is simple:  Stop what you're doing and listen - to other members!


Diet, Schmiet - Right?  So many of us have done this for years and years we KNOW what to do.  I wish I had a $bill for each time I have heard that in the meeting...  (Most of the time it's accompanied by member frustration as another week goes by with with either tiny weight loss or non at all).  As a matter of fact, when I hear someone say that "they KNOW exactly what to do", do you want to know what I immediately think?  Well, I'll tell you; I think to myself that this person is not 100% committed to their weight loss, they absolutely think that they are and they know they ought to be, but the plain truth is they're not!


How can I possibly know that?  Yup, that certainly seems very presumptuous of me and I fully expect to hear groaning and push-back from people who are going to say I am crazy, I KNOW I am correct because I have observed it for these past years as a WW Leader.


Here is what you need to be open to hearing:
Successful members tell me that there are 4 behaviors that make them successful and give them the ability to stick with this long term.  They are:
(1)  Tracking
(2)  Attending meetings
(3)  Exercise (or activity for the faint hearted)
(4)  Being open to changing what they eat.  


Number 4 - Being open to changing what they eat - for one thing, that means understanding that simple carbs (BRPPPS - [white] bread, [white] rice, potatoes [well perhaps the fried and creamed type], [white] pasta, pasties and [white] sugar) are products we ought to be consuming in absolute moderation, and that fatty foods, (shiny foods, fried foods and food with visible fat) are not our buddies!  They linger longer and they trigger us.  


So now what?   Slowly, over time, and I am talking months, make very small changes.  Pick one thing to change - take action and then stick with that one for a few weeks until you're used to it, then move on to another small change.


Some of the changes to try: switch out simple for complex carbs (the brown ones), reduce fatty foods by changing cooking techniques, add more foods with fiber; such as fruits and veggies, cut back on creams, butters, cheeses and salty foods... you get my drift? 


Keep doing this till this new way of eating becomes, precisely that; your new way of eating.  I know it seems obvious - but I am going to say it anyway - don't push full steam ahead and try to change EVERYTHING all at once and at the same time ignoring the screaming in your head, that's exactly the "old" way we used to diet (if you're anything like me).  Do it differently this time; pick one small, doable change that you do till it sticks and then choose and hone another one till you feel like you are making more better decisions than worse ones.


I am going to challenge you this week to this:
Every time you go to eat one of those BRPPPS foods - ask yourself this "is this my only choice for eating right now?" or "can I substitute this (______) with something else that is going to fill me up more?"


Good Luck!

Strategies for NEXT Sunday!
Watch out for the RED ZONE!
You may have heard announcers talk about the red zone as they're talking about the game.  The Red Zone refers to the last 20 yards before the end zone on the field.  Offenses change their plays and defenses change their strategy dependent upon factors that change when the game has moved in close.


In Weight Watchers; the RED ZONE may as well be the last 20 inches before the rim of the dish.  Just as players have to - you may need to change your offense or defense strategy in the red zone?  What's your game plan?
Come to this weeks meeting to strategize, compromise, cajole, share your ideas, hear new ideas, plan and figure out how not to falter!

See you there...
And finally:

In the Super Bowl there are Full Backs, Half Backs, Quarterbacks, Kickers, Running Backs, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles and Coaches.  

Remember this: your position this Sunday, is CHEERING FAN, or hostess extraordinaire… but you are DEFINITELY NOT the wide receiver! Rock YOUR position!


GO PATS!


I apologize for not posting a recipe last Wednesday - I was on vacation, but I'll double post this week :)