Thursday 26 November 2009

Passing on the Love!



These two awards were so kindly given to me by Green Stone Woman.












I would like to pass the "Atta Girl" award on to Lori-Ann at Amazon Runner because she really is making a difference with the Lakota Crafts project. This project is about providing the Lakota people with income from their own traditional crafts and thus working towards alleviating their poverty. You can read all about this project here and link from her site to the shop if you are tempted for a beautiful selection of unique handmade gifts for Christmas.

I would also like to pass the "Atta Girl" award onto Tammy at From Fat to Fab. She is a true inspiration dealing with large amounts of personal and family stress whilst battling food addiction. Her fortitude never ceases to amaze me. And even though she has so much already to cope with in life she is always generous with her time in helping other bloggers. Her presence in the blogosphere really does make a difference!

I also give this award to Diane at Fit to the Finish. I don't think there has ever been a greater inspiration than someone who has really suffered with her weight and then successfully dealt with it and maintained a healthy lifestyle for 12 years - despite a further 4 pregnancies. She is making a difference to so many people who are struggling to find a way out of their weight problems. Diane proves that it CAN be done and I am so happy that she chooses to share her experience of this whole journey with us.

The Deborah Award was created by Ces for her friend midlifepoet. The explanation of this award is here (I'm unable to copy it into blogger of course) and it really is quite beautiful. This award is for special (female) blogging friends who have stuck with you through your journey.

In Gratitude I would like to pass this award on to the following people who have all offered me friendship and support through the last few months, both on my blog and through email:

Chrissie at A healthy Mind and Healthy Body
Paula at paulawannacracker
Leslie at Something Brilliant is Brewing
Tammy at From Fat to Fab
Judith at The Art of Not Working
Cheryl at Wishing and Discovering
Lori-Ann at Amazon Runner
Natalie at My Kashi Diet
Amy at No to the Deuce
Losing Waist (Don't know if I'm allowed to give her name!)
Amy at The not so secret life of a not so super together mom
Jogging Auburn at Quest for a Mile
Lisa at In Weigh Over My Head
Letta at Jumping off the Binge Wagon
Diane at Fit to the Finish
Patsy at Musings on a 100lb+ Weight Loss Journey

All can be found on my blog list. And I'm sorry that these awards are only for the ladies because I can think of a couple of men I would have passed these onto as well. Sorry guys!

I have other awards to pass on but those will have to wait for the next post. In a way, this seems like an appropriate day to be thankful for all the friendship I've been shown in the blogging community, given that it is Thanksgiving in America today.

A bit ironic that on a holiday when Americans are being thankful for the abundant lives they have, so many people are so anxious about having too much food! I hope all those who are celebrating today have a wonderful day with lots of love and healthful eating.

Anyway, what about the diet? I am on day 12 of my diet and things are going surprisingly well. I was very anxious about it all the first week. So worried I would mess things up yet again. I was super careful. Making sure I only shopped when I wasn't at all hungry, making sure I didn't go into any convenience stores after my walks - the time when I felt most vulnerable. Making sure I only bought good things at the supermarket. I was so relieved to make it through that week! My eating was perfect and I got 4 good walks - I was actually rather annoyed at myself as I felt I could have done 5 if I had put my mind to it.

However, I was still not making it to bed at a reasonable time. This has been a problem for me all year and I am so tired of it - literally! So this week I have been working on it. I reframed *getting to bed on time* as an essential part of my weight loss efforts rather than just an add on. And thus have managed to make it into bed at or before 2am the last 3 nights. I feel SO MUCH BETTER for getting into bed 2 hours earlier. It is as Sean says, you have to make it your highest priority otherwise it won't get done.

I also feel ready to add another goal to the 3 already listed, which is to build up a routine of toning exercises. So far I am doing push ups and plank exercises, and I want to add stomach crunches and leg exercises.

I am still not feeling very confident about things. For me it is not about "stringing together good days" like Jack Sh*t. To do this thing I have to focus on the bigger picture, to think in terms of weeks and months. To be constantly thinking of where I want to be in 4 weeks, in 8 weeks, about the clothes I want to be wearing in the future - all the ones I have right now which I can't currently get into. Also I am not the type of person who loses weight day by day. My body tends to save it up - sometimes for weeks - and then I have a sudden big overnight loss. I always suffer this significant delay - which is agony! So what I'm doing today, or this week, is only going to show up in about 3 weeks time. If I didn't focus really hard on the future I'd be lost. I don't even get a big water loss in the first week - in fact my body's response to healthy eating is usually to retain even more water. Urrrgh! Luckily the water retention situation is starting to resolve now.

So far this week I have done 3 walks and I feel my speed is now picking up. The last couple of days I have barely even noticed that I was walking, apart from near the end. So my fitness has improved dramatically in a very short time.

I started my walking program 3 weeks before adjusting my food intake. I actually put on a bit more weight during that time as I was still eating too much. But I was able to build up my muscles and stamina - and I think maybe this is easier without the double whammy of calorie restriction at the same time. Why is it that we always put so much strain on our bodies all in one go?

Hope you are all having a great day, whether or not you are being thankful!

13 comments:

  1. That's okay... I don't want your sexist ol' award anyway. If you need me, I'll be over here sulking...

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  2. Thank you so much for the wonderful award. And even more than the award, for the generous comments you made about me. I sincerely appreciate it.

    I am so glad that you are having success with both your food choices and your exercise program. I can hear the positive tone in your voice as I read your post today and that made me happy for you.

    I often would hold onto a certain weight for days and then lose 3 pounds seemingly overnight. That was hard sometimes until I began to recognize the pattern.

    Take care of yourself, and you are in my thoughts.

    Diane

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  3. Thanks for the award, my friend! I am glad you're feeling more positive and doing well. The sleep thing is important, I am glad you're making that a priority. Keep strong, kia kaha as we say in NZ.

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  4. Bear Friend, I can't tell you how honored I am to receive these awards and I will place them on my blog within a day. I love the artwork on the tree one. A Lakota elder told me that trees show us how to live because they reach up towards heaven and root themselves into the earth at the same time-- you need to do both to be really strong, so they are setting an example.

    Today was not a great day, as you will read on my blog, so these really lifted my spirits just when I needed it, almost like you were having a psychic moment. Thank you my friend.

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  5. You're doing a great job, Bearfriend. If you don't get around to doing the exercises, then please don't feel bad. Being on a diet and doing the walks is more than good enough right now, so give yourself lots of credit for that. And don't think of it as being on a diet, but as eating healthy and sensible. Dieting has such bad connotations. It makes you think of deprivation and starvation, which you certainly don't want anything to do with. You must eat something if you're really hungry. Even if it is only an apple or another piece of fruit. Or a carrot! A lot of chewing and few calories and good for you!

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  6. Going to bed is tricky isn't it. I always am scared i'm going to miss something. My husband is a night creature so he stays up super later and gets up late in the morning, so I always want to maximise the time I have with him so I stay up late too, but my work means I have to get up early. recently, from reading yours and other peoples blogs i've made a proper effort to go to bed earlier and its really helped improve my mood which has had a knock on effect in improving my positivity towards a healthy lifestyle. Keep at it yeah. Together we'll get this whole healthy thing down to a T

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  7. Hi Bearfriend,

    Thank you so much for the award that recognizes friendship and support among the sisterhood. I am truly honored and will post about it tomorrow. For now, I have to say that I know I will have to boomerang the award back to you for the amazing friendship you've extended to me during my brief time in blogdom. Truly, you have a gift of listening, insightful reading between the lines, and connecting with others that has helped so many of us here, and quite literally changed some of my own fundamental ways of viewing myself and my "issues".

    Also, it's wonderful to hear that you are feeling more positive about your life in general, and eating and exercising in particular. How fantastic that you are 12 days in to your program and still going strong, especially given that your body tends to not reveal the fruit of your efforts on the scale for awhile. That takes steely determination to just keep doing the next right thing, trusting that progress is inevitable when the eating and moving are on track.

    Thank you again for this wonderful award. Keep up the excellent work!

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  8. Awww... Bless you for that! :o) I'll save the award for my post tomorrow.

    I'm so glad you're feeling more positive at the moment. Long may it continue!

    Bye for now

    Patsy x

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  9. BearFriend,

    I always pop across to read your posts and am always overwhelmed by the honesty shared about mental health issues.

    You are an inspiration to me, and I'm confident that as you start your weight loss journey you will continue to inspire me and the large number of people who read your blog.

    Thank you for the support you have given to me in the past and to date, it's always nice to know that someone is listening, even in the bleakest of times.

    Carly xx

    ps - good luck with the early bed time, i find it almost impossible to go to bed before 3 or 4am. i think i will have to add that to my ever expanding list of new years resolutions :)

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  10. Dearest Bearfriend

    Thank you for honoring me with this award. Truth be told... you are the one who deserves an award for your friendship, insightful and 'tough love' when needed. I look forward to your comments and I thank you for the friendship and support you have given us in blogland.

    What great news to read how you are walking and eating good. I know it's a struggle and you are doing it. I can hear the upbeat tone in your post and I can't help to think its because you're getting out and ejoying the loveliness that is around you. And, because you're making "sleep" a priority.

    Please continue to make sleep a priority. It's the best thing we can do for ourselves.

    Thank you again for your friendship.

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  11. Thanks so much for the award!

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  12. Hey Bearfriend,
    Congrats on your awards. Well deserved!
    I'm so glad to hear that you are continuing to do well with both the exercise and the eating. Keep working on the sleep thing though.:-)
    And many, many thanks for the award! It truly is an honor.

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All comments gratefully appreciated!