Highs and lows

This week has been a week of highs and lows!  My main high was my weigh in on Tues when I hit my first goal of loosing two stone.  Other highs include having been to the gym and swimming and I even managed 30 lengths today. Lows have been going out 2 times this week and drinking far to much alcohol and lacking self discipline which the chocolate that is sat in the cupboard.

But tomorrow is another day and I am going to be really good and I am even going to the gym again after work!

Trouble is I have relaxed to much after such a big loss and lacked a bit of self discipline this week.  Just got to remember why I am doing this!  I will get back on a horse again!

Self Discipline

self-dis·ci·pline (slfds-pln) n. Training and control of oneself and one's conduct, usually for personal improvement.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published byHoughton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

self-discipline

n

the act of disciplining or power to discipline one's own feelings, desires, etc., esp with the intention of improving oneself

self-disciplined  adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Yesterday I totally lacked self-discipline, hence the reason for today's blog with the same name.  I went out with the intention of just having one wine last night, as I had already used up the days syns (on chocolate), but one led to another, which then led to more!

Here is an interesting link, which has some tips and ideas that may help (some I could change slightly)!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/wellbeing/5899818/How-to-improve-your-self-discipline.html#


Also take a look at this
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/self-discipline/

and this
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/

Empowerment!

em·pow·er  (m-pour)

tr.v. em·pow·ered, em·pow·er·ing, em·pow·ers

1. To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. See Synonyms at authorize.

2. To equip or supply with an ability; enable: "Computers ... empower students to become intellectual explorers"(Edward B. Fiske).

---

em·power·ment n.

Usage Note: Although it is a contemporary buzzword, the word empower is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning "to invest with authority, authorize." Shortly thereafter it began to be used with an infinitive in a more general way meaning "to enable or permit." Both of these uses survive today but have been overpowered by the word's use in politics and pop psychology. Its modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. The word was then taken up by the women's movement, and its appeal has not flagged. Since people of all political persuasions have a need for a word that makes their constituents feel that they are or are about to become more in control of their destinies, empower has been adopted by conservatives as well as social reformers. It has even migrated out of the political arena into other fields. · The Usage Panel has some misgivings about this recent broadening of usage. For the Panelists, the acceptability of the verb empower depends on the context. Eighty percent approve of the example We want to empower ordinary citizens. But in contexts that are not political the Panel is markedly less enthusiastic. The sentence Hunger and greed and then sexual zeal are felt by some to be stages of experience that empower the individual garners approval from only 33 percent of the Panelists. The Panel may frown on this kind of psychological empowering because it resonates of the self-help movement, which is notorious for trendy coinages.


empowerment [ɪmˈpaʊəmənt]

n

1. the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorization

2. the giving of an ability; enablement or permission

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in South Africa) a policy of providing special opportunities in employment, training, etc. for Blacks and others disadvantaged under apartheid

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

The above have been copied and pasted from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/empowerment

I have realised in the last couple of days how important empowerment is when you are on a healthy eating plan, to loose weight.  Why have I come to this conclusion?  I went out last night to meet up with friends at my local, and I always end up having far to much to drink, which affects my weight loss.  Last night I gave myself permission not to drink alcohol and drunk diet coke instead and which left me enough syns (part of the slimming world plan) to have a packet of Quavers instead.

This afternoon I went to the gym and had a really good session, and did 1.1km on the cross trainer (in 20 mins), followed by weights and then in 10 mins on the treadmill I did 1.05k.  I then went for a swim and managed 24 lengths today.  My fitness level is improving and I am now looking forward to doing the race for life tomorrow and I might even go for a swim afterwards.

He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

~ Maria Robinson

 

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

~ Sri Ram

The mind is everything. What you think, you become.

~ Buddha

These are all so true, please take time to consider them when you are trying to loose weight!

Time to get back on track, part 2!

I can't believe it's been so long since I last wrote an entry.....since the end of April I have sort have been cruising along and staying roughly the same weight.  Last week we had a different consultant at my Slimming World meeting as our normal consultant was away on holiday.  Lets just say she was the bitch from hell and she made me feel like a bit of rubbish (just trying to be polite and not be dragged down to her level!).  She laid into me for about 20 minutes.  Any way due to this I relaxed a bit last week and only put on a pound, which I'm happy with as I enjoyed myself!

But I'm so glad I went back to group last night it was so positive and chilled thanks to the girls! (You know who you are).

Since my last post I have still planned my meals on a weekly basis and have started to enjoy cooking again, but the last couple of days I have started to write down everything that passes my lips, so I will be absolutely mortified if I haven't lost weight this week.

What do I need to do to help me with my weight loss journey:
1) Take one day at a time
2) Write down everything I eat
3) Do I need that glass of wine?
4) Enjoy what I'm eating and If I don't like it, don't have it!
5) Realise when I am full up
6) I can have a treat (I had ice cream and fruit for desert, which was lovely).
7) Take responsibility for my actions
8) Visualisation.....3 times a days how do I perceive what I look like now and how I want to look in the near future
9) Being more positive

Why do I want to loose weight?
1) To be able to fit into smaller clothes
2) To look nicer
3) To reduce my blood pressure
4) To be able to ride again
5) To be fitter


Why I wouldn't want to loose weight?
1) I see it stopping me going out and socialising as I can't drink as much

Race for Life
I am taking part in this on Sunday, at 11am in Prospect Park in Reading.

Here is my link.....so please please sponsor me
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lucyjohnson406

I am doing the 5k challenge and I am not fit enough to run all the way round but I will complete it an am also looking at going to the gym and swimming over the weekend to.

How am I feeling now?
I have now got that positive feeling and am eager to achieve a weight loss each week, no mater how small...it is achievable!  Just need to keep that focus and enjoy doing it.  There was a very good line in the following article:
http://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/easy-ways-to-lose-weight-50-ideas/
Its the line about ice cream being the jewel in the crown and fruit being the crown!  That's so true and I read it after I had dessert of fruit and 60g of Ice Cream (5 Syns for those of you that are currently following the Slimming World healthy eating plan).

Hypnosis
I have got a Hypnosis app on my phone which I used for the first time in a long while, and I selected the weight loss and confidence session combined, which helped be to relax and I had a brilliant nights sleep