Korrie
Moderator
I found this article in last months Prevention magazine. The following 10 steps are all about turning that feminie impulse to nurture, inward and becoming your own best caregiver.
1) PLEDGE TO CHANGE
You need to write out a contract. Do it on your best stationary, no scrap paper.
"I-------commit to starting my weight loss program on -----. I believe that I can accept and complete my challenge to the best of my ability. I REALIZE this IS work and accept the self-care price I mush pay to achieve my mental and physical transformation. I COMMIT to keeping a daily log that tracks my progress and forgives my slip-ups. I WILL PRACTICE these 10 principles to help myself stay on the course. I WILL EXPECT and adapt to adv3ersity and see tough times as learning opportunities. I WILL STRIVE to take action and not to ruminate, bitch, moan or whine. I WILL BE SELF ASSERTIVE and fight for the right to take care of myself. I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE and reward myself for my achievements along the way"
2) FIND YOUR MOTIVATION
Getting healthy often isn't enough, you need to find a deeper motivation. Draw a picture of a bull's eye. The outer rings include the reasons you feel obligated to change, such as health, and the inner rings are the deeply personal maybe even hidden reasons to change. Here's how.....
Draw a bull's eye with at least 4 rings. Ask yourself one question...."why do I want to change my body?" write down the first 3 answeres that come to mind. Write those on the outer most ring. Now go deeper, Ask again "why do I want to change?" Look for answeres that stop you in your tracks. They might be serious or humorous. Write the first three in the second set of rings. And so on. Now looking at the bull's eye, picture yourself sitting on the sidelines dressed in dark shapless clothing,watching others out running, playing, enjoying life. Then imagine yourself in a comfortable, fitted outfit, riding up a long hill on a coutry road, happy, fit and free. Repeat this process anytime temptation takes hold.
3) LEARN TO LET JOY IN
When asked, "what brings you joy" most will say "my family" Now ask yourself, besides your family, what brings you joy? Caring for your family is just one aspect to what it is that makes you whole. You must find what else brings you joy, is it gardening, running, writing?
4) WHINE BUT GET THE JOB DONE
Listen to yourself "I'm stupid, I'm fat, I'm ugly, ect" that is called a Rumnation Rut. The definition of ruminate is "to go over in the mind repeatedly" This leaves you vulnerable to BMW "bitching, moaning and whining" about your body, your willpower, your behind,ect. Employ any distraction techinque at your disposal. Get off the couch and go for a walk. Take the kids bowling, do anything but let your brain hold your butt hostage.
5) FORGET PERFECTION
No woman-no human- can diet and train perfectly day after day. Striving for perfection is a prescription for guilt. It eats away at the positive energy you need for making progress. If you work hard and keep your focus 80% of the time your doing great. The other 20% of the time, you get to be human-fallible. Here is where keeping a journal is helpful.
6) CONTROL STRESS, FIND PEACE
Make yourself stress Rx signs in colorfull letters "STOP,THE ANSWERE IS NOT IN HERE" tape these signs to the fridge, kitchen cabinets -even the vending machine at work, if you dare. When you confront this sign, close your eyes for a second. Takes a deep breath and say "the answere is not in the fridge"
Your second sign should read "THE ANSWER IS HERE" and tape that to your gym bag, your bath salts, or your favorite CD. After stopping at the first sign, walk directly to the second. Honor that new vice inside you. Its the voice of empowerment and each time you withstand stres in a positive way, the voice will become louder and louder!
7) GIVE YOURELF LICENSE TO CHILL
Research supports meditations positve effects on mood. Whats more, it appears to literally change the minds of those who practice it. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, progressive relaxaton. It doesn't matter which you choose, as long as you like it and do it regularly.
8) LEARN TO STAY CALM IN A CRISIS
You must learn to care for yourself in the good times and bad. The ability to regroup allows you to continue to eat healthy and be active no matter the crisis. Plan A is when your life is on schedule. Plan B is your life on stress, you then there is plan Me. Plan me is your fallback, the way to take care ofyourself in the mist of chaos. To prepare this plan, write down what your healthy eating and activity plan is on low-stress days. Thats plan A. now make a list of everything that could wreck that plan and rewrite it, devising ways to work around these problems, thats Plan B. If you really get off track, Plan Me can be 3 days of withdrawl and regrouping to regain momentum. In those 3 days, you'll refocus on plan A
9) FIGHT FOR YOUR SELF CARE
Most women rely on help from their husbands to get their own "me time". Not anymore. You are going to have to rely on yourself! Realize that you are not being selfish, you are just trying to find a balance. It may help to come up with a Mission Statement, whatever works for you, it may be "This is my time, I am here to defend it". When the phone rings, let the answereing machine get it.
10) FORM A 911 SQUAD
People who are trying to make lifestyle changes, do better when they surround themselves with a strong network of support. Those in your squad should be kind, of course, and willing to reply to your calls, email, and more. They should also be able to look you straight in the face and tell you that dress doesn't work for you, or that your making everyone nuts with your endless BMW'ing. A sassy sense of humor never hurts, either!
1) PLEDGE TO CHANGE
You need to write out a contract. Do it on your best stationary, no scrap paper.
"I-------commit to starting my weight loss program on -----. I believe that I can accept and complete my challenge to the best of my ability. I REALIZE this IS work and accept the self-care price I mush pay to achieve my mental and physical transformation. I COMMIT to keeping a daily log that tracks my progress and forgives my slip-ups. I WILL PRACTICE these 10 principles to help myself stay on the course. I WILL EXPECT and adapt to adv3ersity and see tough times as learning opportunities. I WILL STRIVE to take action and not to ruminate, bitch, moan or whine. I WILL BE SELF ASSERTIVE and fight for the right to take care of myself. I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE and reward myself for my achievements along the way"
2) FIND YOUR MOTIVATION
Getting healthy often isn't enough, you need to find a deeper motivation. Draw a picture of a bull's eye. The outer rings include the reasons you feel obligated to change, such as health, and the inner rings are the deeply personal maybe even hidden reasons to change. Here's how.....
Draw a bull's eye with at least 4 rings. Ask yourself one question...."why do I want to change my body?" write down the first 3 answeres that come to mind. Write those on the outer most ring. Now go deeper, Ask again "why do I want to change?" Look for answeres that stop you in your tracks. They might be serious or humorous. Write the first three in the second set of rings. And so on. Now looking at the bull's eye, picture yourself sitting on the sidelines dressed in dark shapless clothing,watching others out running, playing, enjoying life. Then imagine yourself in a comfortable, fitted outfit, riding up a long hill on a coutry road, happy, fit and free. Repeat this process anytime temptation takes hold.
3) LEARN TO LET JOY IN
When asked, "what brings you joy" most will say "my family" Now ask yourself, besides your family, what brings you joy? Caring for your family is just one aspect to what it is that makes you whole. You must find what else brings you joy, is it gardening, running, writing?
4) WHINE BUT GET THE JOB DONE
Listen to yourself "I'm stupid, I'm fat, I'm ugly, ect" that is called a Rumnation Rut. The definition of ruminate is "to go over in the mind repeatedly" This leaves you vulnerable to BMW "bitching, moaning and whining" about your body, your willpower, your behind,ect. Employ any distraction techinque at your disposal. Get off the couch and go for a walk. Take the kids bowling, do anything but let your brain hold your butt hostage.
5) FORGET PERFECTION
No woman-no human- can diet and train perfectly day after day. Striving for perfection is a prescription for guilt. It eats away at the positive energy you need for making progress. If you work hard and keep your focus 80% of the time your doing great. The other 20% of the time, you get to be human-fallible. Here is where keeping a journal is helpful.
6) CONTROL STRESS, FIND PEACE
Make yourself stress Rx signs in colorfull letters "STOP,THE ANSWERE IS NOT IN HERE" tape these signs to the fridge, kitchen cabinets -even the vending machine at work, if you dare. When you confront this sign, close your eyes for a second. Takes a deep breath and say "the answere is not in the fridge"
Your second sign should read "THE ANSWER IS HERE" and tape that to your gym bag, your bath salts, or your favorite CD. After stopping at the first sign, walk directly to the second. Honor that new vice inside you. Its the voice of empowerment and each time you withstand stres in a positive way, the voice will become louder and louder!
7) GIVE YOURELF LICENSE TO CHILL
Research supports meditations positve effects on mood. Whats more, it appears to literally change the minds of those who practice it. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, progressive relaxaton. It doesn't matter which you choose, as long as you like it and do it regularly.
8) LEARN TO STAY CALM IN A CRISIS
You must learn to care for yourself in the good times and bad. The ability to regroup allows you to continue to eat healthy and be active no matter the crisis. Plan A is when your life is on schedule. Plan B is your life on stress, you then there is plan Me. Plan me is your fallback, the way to take care ofyourself in the mist of chaos. To prepare this plan, write down what your healthy eating and activity plan is on low-stress days. Thats plan A. now make a list of everything that could wreck that plan and rewrite it, devising ways to work around these problems, thats Plan B. If you really get off track, Plan Me can be 3 days of withdrawl and regrouping to regain momentum. In those 3 days, you'll refocus on plan A
9) FIGHT FOR YOUR SELF CARE
Most women rely on help from their husbands to get their own "me time". Not anymore. You are going to have to rely on yourself! Realize that you are not being selfish, you are just trying to find a balance. It may help to come up with a Mission Statement, whatever works for you, it may be "This is my time, I am here to defend it". When the phone rings, let the answereing machine get it.
10) FORM A 911 SQUAD
People who are trying to make lifestyle changes, do better when they surround themselves with a strong network of support. Those in your squad should be kind, of course, and willing to reply to your calls, email, and more. They should also be able to look you straight in the face and tell you that dress doesn't work for you, or that your making everyone nuts with your endless BMW'ing. A sassy sense of humor never hurts, either!