I recently passed my fitness instructor re-certification test. I answered 40 questions right out of 44. In addition to being a certified group fitness instructor, I’m now also a certified Lifestyle Fitness Coach. The most informative part of my studies was the section on the learning process, so I thought I would share it with you. Hopefully, it will help you assess which stage of the weight loss process you’re currently in. I’m impatient and I always want things to change or be fixed right away. However, when we strive to change our behavior to eat healthy and move more, it’s a process that unfolds over time through various phases. The motivation for change usually comes from a single event or several experiences that transition us to the next phase, which is hopefully and improvement over our old way of being.
Transition 1 – Disconfirmation
Transition 1 is when some aspect of your old world, no longer works or makes sense. For some it may be a poor medical report or perhaps your 10 yr old daughter beat you in mad dash to catch the bus. In my case it was my work pants no longer buttoned and I literally busted out of them at the seams. What was your “rock bottom?”
Phase 1 – Disorientation
Phase 1 is when excuses no longer work. In my situation, I could no longer say, oh I just gained few pounds. I never dry my dress pants, so I couldn’t even blame the dryer for shrinking them. This phase is often very emotional and we experience blame, sadness, frustration or guilt. The length of this phase varies from days to weeks to months. Have you let go of excuses?
Transition 2 – Reframing
Transition 2 is when you finally confront the facts and get to what bothering you. You are able to reframe what your challenges might be without self-blame and without blaming others. In my case I have to face the facts, I have crappy genes, the only thin people in my family lost weight, I come from a culture that embraces and celebrates food, and I’m an emotional eater…. They say the truth will set you free.
Phase 2 – Exploration
Explore what you need, what did not work in the past, and what changes need to be made. You develop an intervention program and plan. In my past the low-carb, Beyonce lemonade, and cabbage soup fad diets did not work. I’ve never had long-term success without tracking my food or attending a group support meeting. Have you identified what didn’t work, and what must change for success?
Transition 3 – Reflection
In this transition, you begin to piece together thoughts and feelings to create a strategy for action. What’s your action plan?
Phase 3 – Reorientation
In this phase you try a new plan. For example I chose a 5K training plan when my goal was to become more active, and I chose to return to Weight Watchers after I explored my previous methods of success and failures.
Transition 4 - Naming
In this phase you enjoy broadcasting your success and usually want to share with other who may be trying to attain a similar goal. I reached this stage with my fitness training. I ran a 5K and finished a half marathon. I was definitely proud about it and certainly broadcast it to the world on YouTube. I even created a Wall of Fame for others to brag on their success and inspire others. It’s now obvious what my next phase is in my weight loss journey. I need to stick to my weight loss plan so that I can get the naming phase where I proclaim “look at the new improved thinner version of me!” Like I’ve said before, I finally got to the end of the beginning.
Phase 4 – Equilibrium
This phase is where you have obtained a happy healthy way of being. This is a result of hard-earned learning that has been tested, tried and proved. It shows your capacity to grow and develop when you confront challenges when your old way of life is no longer viable. Sometime when we lose a half of a pound or can only run for 2 minutes, we don’t realize how close we really are to success. Repeated good behaviors can lead to major weight loss and longer miles. What’s your action plan for success?
Wow, what a weekend! My Big Little Sister and I went to Houston, Texas for a mini vacation. I’m going to try not to make this post too long, especially since it’s not about healthy eating or working out. Y’all know I’m a night person; I was packing and doing laundry until after 1 AM the night before my our flight. My sister sent me the cutest pic of niece. She said she wanted to go on the airplane with us and got in the suitcase so she could go too.
I dropped off Nyah at her grandparent’s house and picked up my other little sister to take us to the airport. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6 AM, and I simply can’t move quickly at that time of morning, especially after a few hours sleep. It was totally my fault that we were running late, and we literally had to run through the airport to avoid missing our flight. Half-way to the gate, the automatic walkway broke and stopped rolling right before we got on. I was mad at myself for not being more in shape as I ran full speed through the airport. We were both sweating by the time we sat down on the plane 5 minutes before takeoff. “I can smell your deodorant” my Sis said… “yeah because it’s really working I told her.”
We had a nice flight and I had the funniest voicemail from my Special Friend when we landed. He was pretending to cry and begging me not to go to Texas. It was a full 2 minute message of nothing but outrageous wailing and sobs; it reminded me of a goofy Saturday night live skit. I laughed so hard, he cracks me up.
We picked up our rental car and used my navigation system to get to my friend’s house where we stayed. Technically she’s my ex-ex-ex-boyfriend’s sister, but that’s a long story.
Her house was so nice, and she had housekeepers cleaning when we arrived. I was like geez, friend, you didn’t tell me you were rich!
We went apartment hunting on Friday during the day. My sister thinks she is moving to Texas with my niece (I’m in denial.) On Friday night, I went out with my friend, and my sis went out with a guy she met on Facebook. I told her he could be the Facebook Killer, you know, just like the Craigslist Killer movie on Lifetime? Good thing he wasn’t, he was just a nice normal guy.
On Saturday, my blog friend, Tex NY Queen gave us a whole list of stuff to do in her hometown. We ate at Empire Café, saw the beautiful meditation statues and went shopping. I ate way too much on Saturday, and topped it all off with a pina colada at a local Mexican restaurant.
Sunday was my big day. I didn’t come for the apartments, the food or the shopping. I came to go to Lakewood Church, where Joel Osteen is the pastor. Oh my GOD! I was so excited I squealed as we drove past the front. My sister was convinced I would pass out and faint when I saw him, and had the video camera in hand. I was so nervous and excited, that I had to go the bathroom. My mom told me I would probably be a little speck in the stadium seating sanctuary that holds over 16,000 people, so I didn’t expect to be close. I don’t know what my sister told the greeter, but she ushered us right to the front and center. She unhooked the velvet rope, and told us to sit in the middle of the 4th row! The 4th row?! “What did you tell her when I was in the bathroom?!” I asked. She just smiled. I started to feel that faint/tears feeling come over me. But I didn’t. Especially since we were almost an hour early and service hadn’t begun yet.
Finally, after meeting some really nice members sitting behind us, service opened with praise and worship singers I’d seen on TV. I was so freakin’ excited I almost forgot I was at church and not a music concert. One song really touched me, and made me cry tears of joy, reflecting on God’s grace. I got a new job, my building rehab is complete, I’m writing my 1st book. Since the church was just over half full, I figured something must be wrong. It was always full on TV. Maybe Pastor Joel was not going to preach at the early service? I was still happy just to be in the place that gives me strength and encouragement every week on TV. Then my sister said, “Look, there he is!” We were so close, OMG he was there, and he looked just like he looked on TV. When he made eye contact with me, I almost died. I can scratch Lakewood and meeting Joel Osteen off my bucket list.
He delivered an awesome sermon as usual, discussing the importance of having a vision for your life. However, towards the end of service, I started to get antsy. Church in real life was a lot longer than the quick sermon on TV, and I feared we would miss our flight. As if he saw me and my sister squirming, Joel pleaded, “just give me 5 more minutes.” We definitely couldn’t get up and leave after that. We stayed until the end, and tried to maneuver through the crowd. But, we ended up running through the airport again. But, this time we weren’t so lucky. The ramp was pulling away from the plane as we approached our departure gate. We missed our flight home! Luckily we were able to fly stand by, and get a seat on what turned out to be an otherwise completely full plane. All in all it was a great weekend. My sister survived the potential Facebook killer, we reconnected with old friends, and I got to meet one of my idols. I’m sure the scale will reflect all the hamburgers, Mexican food, and my signature peach cobbler that I baked as a parting gift for my friend. But, I ready to accept it, and get back on track.
It’s that time again… Running Into Shape.com is 3 years old!
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My original Couch to 5K Week 1 Training MP3/podcasts has been downloaded 24,666 times!
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My Rock Couch to 5K Week 1 Training has been downloaded 6,665 times.
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Running Into Shape has had over 696,335 visitors.
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and I’m writing for my very first e-book!
Not bad for a 3rd Birthday!
They always say that people like to read lists. So here is a list of 5 Reasons I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.
Pinch Me Reason #1 I quit my job today! I’m making millions on the internet and no longer have to work a 9-5. Okay…so I’m not making millions online, not even hundreds, but I did quit my job. Way back in the summer I interviewed for a job at another law firm. But, they specialized in asbestos cases and I don’t have much experience with that. However, the partner and the attorneys really liked me and said they would keep my resume on file. On Friday they asked me to come in to discuss a new position they had created. The position is a hybrid position combining paralegal and IT skills. Computers are my thing and I have eight years of paralegal experience, so naturally it was a perfect fit. At the end of the meeting the partner offered me the job! I was shocked and honored that they remembered me and chose me. The office manager at my current job looked completely surprised when I gave my two week notice. I’ll keep my reasons for leaving professional and just say that the firm was not the best fit for me. It was two long years, and I’m grateful for the change.
Pinch Me Reason #2 On Saturday when I put on my winter coat, I said “oh man, my coat got bigger.” Then I realized wow, I got smaller.
Pinch Me Reason #3 I’m so glad that it’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently. Throughout the week I consistently counted my weight watcher points. There was one time I cheated and didn’t track the right portion sizes. Then I realized I was only cheating myself, and went back and corrected it. Then yesterday I went to my sister’s Super Bowl party. I ate nachos, a hot dog, barbecue chicken wings, and even a cupcake (or a cut-kate as my three year old niece pronounces it.) I was so scared to weigh in today. I changed into a pair of scrubs, the lightest article of clothing I own. My Special Friend told me not to worry because he was convinced that I would lose weight again this week. I figured he was nuts, especially since I ate the cut-kate. He gave me a big fat “I told you so” when I told him I lost THREE pounds this week. That’s a total of 11.4 pounds! I’ve been losing weight for five weeks in a row, and I have to tell you it feels great.
Pinch Me Reason #4 What else could I possibly be excited about? I’ve decided to write an e-book. For those who don’t know, an e-book is an electronic book that you can download instantly to your computer or electronic device. I’ve written about 70 pages already on a topic I think you will enjoy. I hope to launch the book in early March.
Pinch Me Reason #5 Lastly, that investment property rehab project that’s been stressing me out for months, and draining all my money is finally done. It passed the final inspection and I can move in a new tenant. Here’s a before and after picture of the bedroom. The Maintenance Man truly is a miracle worker.
Before Rehab, after the Hoader Moved Out
After he worked his Magic
I’ve got exciting news! First, I’m so super excited that Me and my Big Little Sister are going to Houston, Texas next month for vacation. We have friends and family there, and I’m going to go to Lakewood Church. Do you know what Lakewood church is? It’s the biggest church in the whole country. And, do you know who the pastor is? JOEL OSTEEN! If you read my blog then you know I’m like a Joel Osteen groupie. Okay, maybe “groupie” is bad choice of words, I don’t want to go back stage and….ummm well…let me stop while I’m still ahead lol…. Let’s just say I’m a super fan, yeah that sounds better. On so many occasions Pastor Joel has brought me out of funk and inspired me to be a better person. Even recently, it was his sermon that helped get me through my first week of Weight Watchers. I constantly tell myself all day long, “I weigh what I should weigh, I’m Healthy, I’m Active, I’m Disciplined, I’m Focused and I have what it takes.” My sister thinks I’ll faint before the sermon as soon as I see him and, I probably will.
And in other exciting news I got braces today! Yes I’m a 30-year-old with braces. I had them in college and swore after 2 years of torture that I would always wear my retainer. Well, like most people, I didn’t wear it, and my teeth spread back out. I couldn’t stand to look at them all spaced out anymore. Although over the years, I’ve gotten really good at hiding my teeth when I talk and even better at taking pictures. See Exhibit A, Me and Big Little Sister on Christmas.
I found this cute little cosmetic dentist’s office. The dental assistants cater to you like Hooter’s girls and walk around in high heels with their scrubs. They have flat screen TV’s at every station and fresh-baked cookies on your way out the door. The dentist is young and kinda hot too…I had to ask myself am I really checking him out? Lol I’m sure I’m paying for all of this extra stuff, but they treat you so good! It’s nothing like the kid’s baseball themed orthodontist office I went to years ago. And, get this, the dentist is part of the 6 month smile program. My braces are clear, and they will be off in 3 or 4 months, not years. When I’m all done he’s installing permanent retainers so I don’t ever have to worry about them spacing out again. I’m so excited! Now for the “Before” pic, See Exhibit B, the scary real deal. (I can’t believe I’m posting this.)
Anyway, if you’re wondering about the food and activity side of things, me and my Little Sister danced and sweated with the Kinect last night and I’m down a total of 7.6 pounds just in case you didn’t see my post on my Facebook Page. Man, it feels good to be in control.
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