Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I love this motivational poster from Shape magazine. It reads:

“When your mind starts to wander, take three deep breaths to bring your focus back to your goal.”

It has been hard for me to stay focused on my goal. Since I have so much to lose, it’s hard for me to think about being at goal. I find it a lot more inspiring to think about my short term goals like staying food sober, attending my Weight Watchers meetings and exercising at least three times a week. Those are things that are COMPLETELY under my control, as opposed to my weight loss, which feels completely OUT of my control.

Ironically, if I stay focused on those small goals that are in my control, I ALWAYS lose weight at the end of the week. Weight loss has been such a struggle to me that it feels like it is not something that I have any power over, yet paradoxically, I DO have control over it if I just follow my small goals.

I wish there was a way to make this all easier for me, but I know that if it was easy, EVERYONE would be thin and perfect. All I can do is take three deep breaths and focus on my small goals every day.

I LOVE this advertisement. It was for some body building protein powder and I’d never buy that product, but that ad is GREAT for motivation.

Sometimes when I just can’t get the motivation to exercise, I like to think of myself as a hero. I have to train in order to be ready for when the action hits. Would I be able to run away if I needed to? Would I be strong enough to fight my way free? Thinking about these things makes it a little easier to do my workout.

The next time you’re considering skipping your workout, remember this ad and think of yourself as an action figure.

Weight Watchers started a brand new plan yesterday called PointsPlus. Rather than allow their precious plan information to leak a tad early, they opted to disable their iPhone app completely. For the last two days, I haven’t been able to use my Weight Watchers iPhone app to record my food. Rather than allow me to use the old program they have COMPLETELY disabled my program.

Sorry, Weight Watchers. I really love your meetings and my leader, but your corporate decisions have been so shortsighted that you consistently let me down. What is the matter with you folks at a corporate level? Why aren’t you more like the local leaders and staff?

I revamped my Edibles app on my iPhone and it’s logging my food and exercise just fine, by the way.

Here’s how to do it: How To Use Edibles with Weight Watchers PointsPlus

Update 12-02-10:

I have now downloaded the new app, but it requires me to “update my account” on their website. I’ve checked my address and looked at my status, but the entire website seems to have forgotten who I am and that I’ve been a member for YEARS.

An email to tech support resulted in an automated response with a promise of an answer within 24 hours. I am almost finishing my first week on the PointsPlus program and I’m seriously UNIMPRESSED with how they transitioned my iPhone app and eTools account.

Weight Watchers is launching a new program. In the UK, it’s called ProPoints, but in the States, they are calling it PointsPlus. The old Points system has been completely changed, which will change how you’ll calculate the new points on your Edibles program.

According to Wikipedia, the new PointsPlus formula is as follows:

Where pp is the PointsPlus value, p is the amount of protein, c is the amount of carbohydrates, f is the amount of total fat and b is the amount of fiber, all in grams. This formula is an empirical match to the Weight Watchers calculators and may not be exact; Weight Watchers has not published their actual formula.

This formula is pretty convoluted and very difficult to enter into the Edibles Calculator, so Mike converted it for me. This is how I entered it into my Edibles Calculator:

Even if you’re using the Weight Watchers iPhone app, there may be a few days WEEKS when you won’t be able to track using your phone because the app won’t be available as soon as the program starts.

• Weight Watchers: The new program and your iPhone App

The App may not be available for a day or two after the new program launches. We appreciate your patience during this time. You can use the website for tracking, and everything else you usually do on your phone.

You might just want to try out Edibles to see if it works better than the official Weight Watcher app.

• Edibles – Diet Journal

Update 12-02-10: Due to differences in food labeling in the US vs. the UK, the PointsPlus formula is vastly different than the ProPoints formula. I changed this entry to reflect the proper formula for the United States.

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I love these advertisements from Nike. They encourage me to be strong, to let myself shine and to become fit. Sometimes I need encouragement like this and these are the perfect ads to tear out of a magazine and put on my wall right in front of the treadmill.

Next time you’re feeling a little uninspired to exercise, print up these ads and look at them while you get your butt going.

Remember in yesterday’s post when I said that things always work out better for me if I am my own cheerleader? It turns out that there is science behind the idea of keeping your goals to yourself. This talk from Derek Sivers at the TED conference explains it:

Think of your personal biggest goal. Imagine deciding right now that you’re going to do it. Imagine telling someone that you meet today what you’re going to do. Imagine their congratulations and their high image of you. Doesn’t it feel good to say it out loud? Don’t you feel one step closer already like it’s already becoming part of your identity? Well, bad news. You should have kept your mouth shut, because that good feeling will make you less likely to do it.

That backfiring of every compliment I receive when I lose weight is something that happens to ALL of us. Announcing our goals makes us feel like we’ve actually accomplished them, so from now on, I’m keeping my mouth SHUT!

Whenever I get back on track, I tell everyone that I know that I am back to eating healthy and that I need a little encouragement. All the people who love me are really good at cheering me on, but there is something about getting that feedback that backfires on me. After every compliment and every positive remark, I lose steam. I don’t know what it is about having a cheerleader that makes me slack off, but I’ve definitely noticed a pattern.

This time, I’ve kept my mouth shut.

I’ve been working on the simplest of things: tracking my food every day, staying within my caloric restrictions and following five out of my seven healthy habits every day. If I do all three, I get another day added to my “food sobriety.” I’ve been food sober for over ten days now, but I haven’t really talked about it with anyone. Having a family of cheerleaders isn’t nearly as helpful for me as being my own cheerleader.

If you have noticed that every time you tell someone about your eating plan, you blow it, then try NOT telling anyone anything. Maybe you’ll see more success if you be your own cheerleader.

I love Michelle Obama for her style and her grace, but I love her even more for the Let’s Move Campaign. They have great tips for parents:

• Keep fresh fruit in a bowl within your child’s reach to grab as a quick snack: I would add that you need to clarify to your children that it’s okay to eat the fruit, even if you eat the last piece. Assure them that you’ll keep it full for them.
• Take a walk with your family after dinner: Or a bike ride or play a game of basketball. Whatever kind of activity you do together that gets the blood pumping is awesome.
• Plan a menu for the week. Get children involved in planning and cooking: This is essential. Not only does it teach your children about eating healthy, you teach them important life skills. How many college students are out there who don’t know how to cook anything but mac and cheese? Your kid won’t be one of them.
• Turn off the TV during meals and share some family time: This is a great way to teach children how to savor the food they’re eating, but it also gives them time to talk with you. I can’t count the number of times I overate because I didn’t have anyone to talk to about my problems.
• Talk to the principal about organizing a school health team: This is the only tip that seems lame. I don’t want the school getting involved. There were so many times that the five food groups talk at school devolved into a teacher commenting on my weight that I think schools should just mind their own business.

Remember that children look to YOU for their role models. If you are eating healthy and exercising regularly, they’ll want to parrot your actions. The first step toward healthy children is healthy adults.