Motivation versus Inspiration! How does it matter to weight loss?

Motivation versus Inspiration! How does it matter to weight loss?

Someone explained it to me in a way that really meant something to me. Motivation is someone else talking and Inspiration is what I feel ‘inside’ - maybe after listening.

According to Wikipedia they don’t make the distinction. “Motivation is the activation or energization of goal-oriented behavior. Motivation may be internal or external. The term is generally used for humans but, theoretically, it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well.”
Inspiration may refer to: * Artistic inspiration, sudden creativity in artistic production ... Then it goes on to describe the Muses… ”in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature are the goddesses or spirits who inspire the creation of literature and the arts..”

Interesting! I like the idea of a Muse – goddess or spirit. But I digress!

Someone tells you something and you either accept it or reject it. Whether it is a good idea or not! Now someone says ‘hey you look terrible did you gain weight?’ after you hit them (real or figuratively) you feel rotten. What do you do about it? Often nothing! You feel miserable. So you … sulk and eat! Probably! Go workout? Only in books! So them telling you how to lose weight: What to do? What to eat? Exercise more? Do you listen to them? Probably not! You have to feel it – inside to make it work.

Good thing most people don’t make comments like that. They usually just stop at “… um…how are you feeling? I have this new …. (substitute – treadmill, gym membership, cream, recipe). You should try it! You will like it!” I have probably done it a ton of times as I try new things. We always want to share. Make everyone feel as good as we do. (hey! that is what blogging is all about – sharing!)
So think how it makes you feel when someone says “Don’t you look great?” You stand a bit taller, and suck the belly in and you feel even better. What a great feeling! I love it. Motivation becomes Inspiration. You feel it! You want it! You have taken what someone has said and made it your own.
I have met some people who I have not seen in a long time. Lost weight, toned up (remember it is still my journey and I am not there yet!) and it feels great when they say ‘Wow you look fantastic!’ ‘You look younger’ (okay I am bragging!) and I am feeling great and feel younger. Who would believe exercise and eating right (and losing pounds) would change your attitude. I know you read it but to believe it is different. I know I have not finished my journey but I am on the right road. I know who I am and what I want to be. I am INSPIRED! I read and listen to MOTIVATIONAL speeches and make them mine. It is for me! Time to enjoy life! Be a MUSE!

On the Road to Eating Well

Funny how you get obsessed with the number on the scale. You watch it change throughout the day. The smallest number in the morning after your body has had a chance to digest. After a workout and a bottle or two of water is not the time to check... so why do people get on the scale then and complain about how much they weigh?
The adds are starting for the next Biggest Loser Contest. I admire those people. Imagine going on t.v. when you feel your very worst. You have hit the bottom and the only way is up... and everyone is watching you. They see you struggle with the highs and lows. A good workout. A frustrating one where you end in tears or screaming or being screamed at. And you get to relive it over and over again. That is real dedication to a better life. Of course we take the tips and use them at home - don't we???
The key is often said is to have group support - someone in your court, cheering for you. What better way than with the whole world watching (or the ones who don't want to watch CSI or the Next Best Dancer).
Being accountable to yourself is great but being accountable to others is fantastic. We are strange race. You would think the most important person to not disappoint would be yourself but NO... we need someone else's support and approval. Our kids look up to us to show them what to do. How to do it right! Sometimes we make mistakes and that is being human but being a parent is hard... and so rewarding. We need our kids to make us parents! or grandparents!
So how can we be better? By taking care of ourselves! Showing them that we value life - ours - theirs! Not everyone can reach out or go to a meeting or find a workout buddy. So how can you realize your are worth it? You have to really dig deep and realize YOU ARE WORTH IT! But unfortunately it often isn't enough. The contestants on the Biggest Loser didn't get to be 300- 500 lbs over night. We have seen the pounds creep on. Tim Hortens is always advertising some tasty treat. What is just one little treat going to do... and it tastes so good. I always thought the advertisers should just stick the donut straight on to the leg, but, or thighs. You know 'thanks' and splat! plaster it on! That is where it will end but I guess that won't sell the donuts. but it might make us realize where it goes. You could have a rainbow of colours up and down your legs - blueberry blossom donut here, a bagle with cream cheese here, an Ice Cap dripping here, hamburger with ketchup & relish with a side of fries over there... you get the idea. We don't need all those calories - yes some to stay alive but the rest just get wasted on the body giggles.
Funny how you get side tracked when you start writing. I was going to mention a great recipe to use some of the fruit from your garden or local market. I went to a rare food lecture. Very interesting! Not for the lift style for me but great ideas. One of the recipes that she shared was for a blended drink with vegetables and fruit. It is a great way to get spinach and other green items in your diet with out working at it.
Very simple recipe for a VEGETABLE / FRUIT SMOOTHY
Great for breakfast, lunch or any time.
40% green vegetable - spinach
60% fruit - mango, banana, strawberries, peach
water
blend
drink
As you get used to the colour - will be greenish, add more veg and less fruit
Change the fruit depending on what you have available. For the demo she used mango and banana. I have also added sprouts, etc.
Enjoy!
Wonder what the scale will say today?

On the Road to Keeping on the Road

I am doing it. Keeping on the road. Not always easy. The brain is a funny thing. It convinces you you need to eat or... or what? The world won't fall apart, you won't die if you don't eat or miss one meal. But we convince ourselves at the first rumble of the tummy we must eat,...or... what? So back to the comfort food which we grab quickly. Anything to keep the beast happy. A couple of cookies, whatever was left over, even a delightful capacino or other lovely drink that creates the full feeling(that is because it is full of sugar, fat, carbs). Then it is time to get dinner ready. (hey didn't we just eat the equivalent of a meal!)
Nothing wrong to enjoy something but I must remember what is a treat not have one every time I turn around. Those extra calories add up.
Yesterday my daughter wanted a Mc IceCap with chocolate milk. I enjoy those. Great treat on a hot day. Half way through I gave her mine to finish. Just didn't enjoy it. Now before I would have finished. Hey I paid for it... I am going to finish it. But I just wasn't enjoying it.
I am in Ketosis (no sugar of any kind - natural or the type we recongize)which means no fruit as well. And I am NOT hungry. Yes my stomach gives me the universal sign but it doesn't bother me (anymore). I don't jump to feed the beast. But sometimes I do forget to feed it.
Yesterday I had my shake for breakfast. Then went shopping. Bought my daughter and myself the Ice Cap. (which I didn't really drink). When I got home I was busy and forgot to eat my pudding. And the headache I got... wow! reminded me that I must feed the beast whether I want to or not. After a migraine pill and a pudding (Ideal Protein vanilla) a few minutes shut eye and back to normal.
So keeping on the road is a balancing act. I am enjoying watching the scale staying at the lower point. It fluctuates through out the day. Kindof an experiament I do. Jump on - check. Morning is always the best. And my belly is getting smaller. Well I think it is! I am finding the bones on the pelvic girdle. (the ones the young skinny girls have sticking out and you love to hate them) For so long I convinced myself after having three girls it didn't matter. But it really does.
Every day is convincing me I can be the best that I want to be. You just have to believe in yourself.
Keep on the Road! Now time for my workout. Maybe concentrate on the abs!

On The Road to Taking Control

Wowhoo! I did it! Lost 8lbs in 12 days. And not feeling hungry! Well still want the snacks and have to remind myself -I AM THE TREAT NOT THE FOOD! Hard to do. Of course the first part is water retention,... blaablaa... I know the deal! and it won't be that good again. And some of that was what I had just put on. But that is not the point - I have to remind myself. I AM BACK ON TRACK. Weight management is a life time life style. I am not talking about weight loss but weight management. You can't treat yourself - and this time I mean the food intact - not exercise - and expect your body to be yours. It is but under the bubble you have created on top of the good stuff.
Hey I like that - the BUBBLE you have created!
Like any bubble you have to burst it. Now this bubble isn't just air but it is water, fat(yuck!) and other stuff that you had too much of. So pop! let's get rid of it.
On a fun note I went to the Greek Festival last night. Not sure what the big attraction is? I have always wanted to go and talked my girlfriend into going. We definitly weren't the only ones. Great crowds (did I mention I don't really like crowds) but the evening was perfect to be outside. A perfect summer evening! We finally got to the right lineup for food - and once there it was quick service. Choose the Greek Chicken Soulvaki and salad. Tasty! (It was a different line up for a drink) Went to the dinning area! Loud! Don't know how tents can be so loud but it was like a swarm of bees. Ate and quickly went back outside. Looked at the souveniers and left. The music was nice but the guy kept talking and we couldn't hear what he was saying. Maybe next year I will get again and see a different side to the Greek Festival.
We are still having fantastic weather. It is the end of August and I am loving the season. Summer started off ... well it took a long time starting.. but now it is here.
Yesterday's workout included weights so I can take today off for that. Time to go for a walk and enjoy the day!

The Push I need to the Road to Health and Fitness

Maybe that is the push I needed. To scare myself! Monday night I came back to the city. (Returned my grandsons home to St Thomas and made the 630km rainy trip back) Tuesday I stepped on the scale and saw the damage I had done to me. Right then I took control of me. I AM THE TREAT – NOT THE FOOD. I can do this! I felt so proud of myself when I had lost the 25 lbs before. I AM NOT GOING TO GAIN IT BACK!

I started back on IDEAL PROTEIN. This is a great nutritional program. I have decided to keep it simple this time. Shakes and puddings for breakfast and lunch and a nice dinner – meat and salad or vegetables. There are 40 different foods to choose from – chili, soups, drinks, porridge, etc. But this time I am keeping it simple. And I HAVE LOST 4 ½ POUNDS by Friday. Feel better and on track.

I am now at the cottage and being good. No better than good. I AM GREAT! Remember the treat is me! Me feeling good about myself! Me feeling like I can do anything! Evenings I have treated myself to BBQ Soya or Sour cream or Chocolate puffs (another Ideal Protein food). Tastes great and fills me.

I will be going back on Tuesday and see how I did after one week.
I have had one detour – a friend came over for an ION CLEANSE DETOX and brought the most delicious treats. OMG! Worth the set back! I won’t describe it because I don’t want you to think it is okay to cheat. But if you are going to make sure it is a really really worth it. Why waste will power on something not worth it?
I even resisted the BBQ hamburgers and the outdoor concert in Westport. We were sitting right beside them and they smelled so good – and I was starving. I forgot to bring my own snack. But I pretended I had a hamburger covered in onions and other tasty things. And then it was finished! I had to do that 3 times. But I made it through and the concert was fantastic. Oldest and Goldies music by the Dohorty Brothers. Right on the lawn of the Cove Inn in Westport. It was there Music Festival and we stumbled on it. Had a fantastic afternoon – then back to the cottage for a swim, a canoe ride, and relaxing. What a life!
Now it is time for a swim as I have rambled along reliving my last couple of weeks. The bottom line for me is – CONGRATULATIONS TO ME! I have taken my life back and am on track. Sometimes you have to have a detour to find the Road to Health.

Holidaying down the Adventure Road



Well finally summer is here. And what a fantastic weekend it is. I have extended my mini-holiday. It started off as just a weekend at the cottage to staying up till Tuesday. (you can do that when you work at home and only do a couple of days out). The temperature is reaching 90* in the shade. But when you are by the lake – warm is nice and what a nice breeze through the trees. Wish I could share this with you. Come for a visit.

So how has my Fitness Adventure been going? Well a few set backs with my arm and leg. I like to think they were over worked but maybe old age – (OLD AGE!! we won’t think about that). Went for testing on my arm (it froze up when I was gardening. My hand just wouldn’t work. I had to write something and had to place my pen in my hand and use it as a single unit. Scared me I can tell you! When your fingers don’t work – well that is what makes us different than a lot of other animals – we have fingers! So went for this zap test – neurological testing of the nerves to see if there was a blockage (ie carpool tunnel). (Didn’t like the sound of that). Well now I know what the spy movies are all about. You have no control when they zap you. Bingo! Zap! Muscles twitch! And jump! Doesn’t hurt but it does at the same time. You have to really make yourself relax. Long story short – the tech didn’t think it was carpool tunnel but we must wait for the doctor’s results. A couple of weeks. Nice thing is if I don’t use my hand and arm it doesn’t hurt. So any ideas what it could be? Tendonitis? Arthritis? Just plain frustrating?

And the muscle in my leg – here I go again complaining! Must have pulled a muscle kick-boxing, and attempting to run. Every time I tried a little jog I am back to square 1. and limping. So how do people do it? It looks so easy. Everything looks easy when someone else does it.

I just had a fantastic time with my grandsons. They are 3 and 5 year old boys. Boys do not sit! They hunt for frogs, or spiders, of just run or swim or just move! They are so adorable and cute! – Hey! they are MY grandsons so I can say that. Love the little guys. I was able to watch them with their parents and aunt and her boyfriend for the long weekend and then I got them to myself for a week. We had so much fun. Love to wake up in the early morning with a light tap on the cheek – ‘Granma are you awake?’ – ‘am now!’ and the day started.

While my daughter we here I got to cuddle with the newest born little guy, Jake. He was born June 10. So little and cuddly! They grow up so fast.

So for over a week I enjoyed my holiday. No pushups, or squats, or lunges, or … well you get the picture. And I didn’t worry about what I was eating. Guess I should have! My plateau broke. But the wrong way. I gained 5 pounds! How could that happen! Oh maybe the Icecaps or the timbits or the extra chicken nuggets the boys didn’t eat. I get the picture. And it scared me. For months now nothing was changing on the scale. Went up a pound and down a pound, but basically stayed the same. Then in one week it jumps!

Quiz: What's your exercise personality?

Quiz: What's your exercise personality?

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