Monday, August 8, 2011

12 key steps for keeping your sanity while on this journey to health.

These are  my teaching notes for the TOPS program I presented tonight. The explanation I listed are examples of what I do. I handed out a worksheet for them to fill in with their own ideas. This was the best one I have done yet because I talked about the emotional and spiritual side of things. The whole room was engaged and sharing their own ideas and expierences. Enjoy!



Losing weight is a battle. Keeping off the weight is a battle. Once you start this journey, you can end up on an emotional and spiritual roller coaster. If you don’t have the right attitude, you will not be successful. Listed below are 12 Personal Keys to getting healthy. Some or all of these things are set up to help you ride the roller coaster without losing your sanity. On the list provided, write down your own ideas under each point.

12 Personal Keys

1.       Set up your morning for success: This means spending time with God, drinking 32 oz of water, and going over my meal plan for the day. I then make coffee, exercise (if the kids aren’t up) and sometimes make a pot of green tea.

2.       Accept your body my mission statement to keep me sane. I want to be healthy and I believe if I am, then I will weigh what I am supposed to weigh. I will be a friend to my body and stop mistreating it with unhealthy habits, like junk food and sitting around.

3.       Master your metabolism Get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and don’t starve myself.

4.       Exercise Find ways to move. Walk the animals (dogs, cats, ducks, chickens) have a backup plan like using a good DVD. Park far away from the door at the store, take the long route.

5.       Balanced eating all things in moderation. Avoid refined sugars. Eat as close to natural food as possible. Remember the plate thing from last week. Half fruit and vegetables.

6.       Hydrate. Take water with you everywhere. Tea is ok if not sugared. Avoid sugary drinks. Eat high content veggies and fruit.

7.       Mindful eating “Am I really hungry?” How will I feel after I eat that thing? No nibbling while cooking or cleaning the few bites off the kids’ plates.

8.       Spiritual nourishment Spend time with God. Crowd the urge to overeat with something healthy and fulfilling for your spirit and mind, like reading or journaling.

9.       Reduce stress RELAX. Read, write, take a walk, bubble bath, hot shower, and talk to a friend or KOPS! Do what works for you.

10.   Long term goals Setting and looking at your goals keeps you on track. Put them in the front of your food journal if that helps. Having a vision of who you want to be and live to become that vision. Set short term and long term goals then reward you with healthy nonfood treats when they are reached.

11.   Supportive structure (includes your home, support group and your family.)  Set your home, workplace and car for success. Keep good foods in your home. Find someone to exercise with. Find exercise that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. Make yourself presentable each day so you feel pretty or handsome. Get rid of the dingy t-shirts and sweats. They are only for cleaning and construction work. If you look good, you feel good. Leave yourself notes and encouragement all around you. GO TO TOPS MEETINGS. Get accountable.

12.   Take responsibility. Be responsible with your weight loss effort but STOP FEELING GUILTY for the mess ups. It is time to take action and get back on track the next minute, not the next day. Take care of yourself but leave the blame game for the dogs. Take an inventory of yourself and your eating/exercise habits. When you find the areas that need fixing, fix them but don’t beat yourself up. Beating yourself up and feeling guilty will only keep you in bondage.

Eat Wise to Drop a Size.

Your heart, bones, and mind will thank you!

As you think in your heart, so are you! Proverbs 23:7