Aimee's Adventures
Message Board!!!
The Topic for week ending May 26, 07 was:
Plan for a Summer of Success!
Plan for Successful Summer Vacations!
Preface:
The beginning of the meeting was a REVIEW of Last Weeks Topic: Cravings and Urges
For this REVIEW please see the second to my last posting on the “Topic for Week Ending Saturday May 26, 2007 – Review”. The point of the review is to recap and keep fresh all that we have learned and to hear it again in case we missed a meeting or misunderstood something. May I add that I learned something different and new that very much helped me to understand the difference between the two. I hope the review will help you. The review also serves to tie in from last week to this week.
Note: I attended two meetings because I missed the first 10 minutes of intro and review of the meeting. I am combining what the two leaders stated in one report.
Plan for a Summer of Success!
Plan for Successful Summer Vacations!
If we plan our summer vacation well there will be no mishaps and we will have a very successful summer vacation. If we do not plan, then all will fail. We must PLAN our vacation CAREFULLY with every detail.
Here is an example of how we must plan for our vacation to Mount Rushmore, Disneyworld, Smokey Mountains, Lake Placid or just camping:
1. Determine a LOCATION
2. SET a DATE
3. Make travel car/flight arrangements, plan driving route, be sure to gas up the car or get to the airport on time! Plan around the traffic or unexpected delays.
4. Make accommodation arrangements or reservations, camping ground reservations, hotel reservations etc.
5. Buy clothes to dress for the weather.
6. Pack
7. Go have a good time and a successful vacation.
Now let us plan for a Successful Summer!
The summer is filled with challenges of attending weddings, attending baseball games, picnics/BBQs, going on vacations, graduation parties, and holidays. To be successful on our weight loss journey through the summer we must PLAN and PREPARE ahead.
The leader then passed out Story Boarding Paper.
One the Paper we were to PLAN to MEET a GOAL for the Summer.
1. Determine your GOAL: to be a specific size, weigh a certain amount, have a different blood glucose or blood pressure measurement/reading
2. SET a DATE: Labor Day 2007 was suggested (just around the corner on Monday September 3 , 2007 just 3 months away!)
3. Obtain/purchase the WW and other items you will need in order withstand possible stormy weather to ensure success.
4. Pack your suit cases = pack or stock your purses, car, cupboards, pantry and suitcases, literally, with the items or tools you will need for a successful summer, summer vacation….a Summer of Success!
a. List of meetings in the area you are vacationing in: meetings are a lifeline.
b. WW Dine Out Companion: to pick and choose where/what you want to eat to spend points wisely to stay on your chosen Core or Flex food plan.
c. WW Snacks to Plan and be Prepared place in the car too! Don’t be afraid to take them everywhere this summer!
d. Points Finder/calculator and Journal to stay on track
e. Water so that you do not dehydrate in that summer sun!
f. A pair of sunglasses and sun block lotion (to block out negative thoughts)
5. Expect Challenges during your vacation or summer, but bring a Beach Towel to wipe off all of the mistakes you may make. Forgive your self and start over immediately. Don’ CONTINUALLY look in the rear view mirror at what is behind you, look ahead to avoid accidents in the future. Learn from your set backs but move on, move forward ahead.
6. Review your successes so that you know you CAN move ahead and succeed in the future. Some things like reviewing your wt loss booklet for the exact wt loss thus far, acknowledgement of drinking more water, eating healthier foods, being in smaller size clothing, documenting your food intake and journaling…..all are successes that you can review to KNOW you can move ahead with success.
7. Remember to keep your eye on the prize or your GOAL that you set in step #1. To help recall this quote from Mario Andretti, famous race car driver: “Never loose site of your goal. Prepare in every way you can….. so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.”
8. Have a great Summer of Success!
FYI no rubber bands at my meeting! In fact the first leader passed out nothing except great discussion. The second leader passed out a storyboard for us to place our goal date and our goal. She had a filled a suitcase with the above items and demonstrated each, including the dark eye glasses, bottle of sun block lotion, beach towel, fat picture of herself and her wt loss booklet. She was very colorful and dramatic. She kept taking something out of the suitcase each time she finished the topic every one was on pins and needles. She had a very uplifting spirit about her. My regular leader took the day off. I was pleasantly surprised with the two other leaders, one male and the other female.
Additionally one leader said: “Expect the unexpected”. I thought it sounded familiar. So I looked up the words ‘expected’ and ‘unexpected’ on this site and found this:
On May 9th, 2007 - 12:53 AM I wrote to Maajida in reply to her post of May 8, 07 - 9:54 PM entitled: “nervous re upcoming challenges” the following:
Reference: http://pub18.bravenet.com/forum/1520267441/show/1051022
“1. Make a commitment to yourself regarding your health, not your wt.
2. Have a good positive self-talk. What would you say to a good dear old friend who is in this same situation! Treat yourself like you would treat him or her.
3. Eat a LARGE amount of healthy fiber in the AM with a banana and hot beverage. A bran muffin from TJ's or oatmeal.
4. Have another talk before you enter the party, while driving to. Tell yourself that you have a strong commitment. Rehearse, Rehearse Rehearse. Do a mental picture of what you will be doing and seeing yourself avoid any destructive habits and not repeating history.
5. Take an ACTION that is different and unexpected than the negative old habit or action. ALLOW yourself to take a positive action. Mentally Rehearse this as well.
6. In your talk: Pat yourself on the back for any previous accomplishment, no matter how small and remind yourself of them.
7. Afterward: Reward yourself with a non-food item with a job well done. Beck's book?
8. Recall HALT: Get a good night sleep, eat first: do not go too hungry, keep company during the party; avoid feeling lonely or different and do not allow yourself to get angry even with yourself for any reason.
9.The above is a way to kill the old habit or stop the cycle. I hope that this method will work for you. If not tailor it so that it can.
10 If you try the above or your own prescription, but are not successful, forgive yourself…. But move on ... and get back on program.
In reviewing what I had posted on May 11, 07 I would say that:
# 1 is about setting a GOAL
#2 & #4 is about planning and making reservations.
# 3, #8 is about PLANNING and PREPARATION
#5# 6 #7 are about reviewing your successes, rewarding yourself for small victories and looking and moving forward
# 9 is about flexibility and individuality
# 10 is about forgiveness and moving on ahead
I would say it is this week’s topic in a nutshell. Now only if I will follow it. Notice I did not say if I can, we all can, but WILL we! Choose the right course, the right route chart the right path for your vacation and summer of success!
Along time ago a WW meeting instructor said: “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail.” I do not know if that is a WW slogan or her own or one she quoted from another, but I often recall this whenever WW meetings talk about “planning and preparation”.
Respectfully,
JeanCat
PS I hope those who came away from their meetings with a different understanding will definitely share. We all interpret things differently. My understanding and interpretation is just that. I would love to hear from others ans what was said and done at your meeting.
For those who are interested:
More on Mario Andretti, successful Italian American Race Car Diver:
http://www.andretti.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Andretti#Later_life
Keep your eye on the prize!
Jean Cat
During my meeting I made a story board. I am holding myself accountable by posting it.
My Story Board Goal:
To be size 16/18 on or by Labor Day September 3, 2007
My prize: A new outfit
The road or path that I will follow to my ‘temporary’ destination to have a successful summer includes the following:
1. Hydration of at least 6 glasses of fluid a day (currently I dring about 2, still more than the zero a year ago).
2. Eat More veggies and fruit to equal 5 or more currently I eat about 2 - 3, still more than the zero a year ago).
3. Plan and Prepare by having snacks in purse and car. (currently I do this, but sometimes fail to use them).
4. Track and Journal daily: my wt, points, food intake and my thoughts and feelings.(currently I begin to track at the beginning fo the week and then slack off, still better than not,yet not as good as I once did).
5. Plan and Prepare daily meals as much as possible. (currently I eat well before leaving the house, but sometimes fail to bring lunch to work therby missing lunch or seeking food on a hungry stomac a danger).
6. Expect the unexpected and accept that URGES are a part of life and by not yielding to them. Progressively learn to not give into my URGES.
7. Move more. I currently walk three times a week. Add to this at least 20 minutes of movement per day by Labor day.
8. Sleep More - currently I get about 4 hours of sleep, but my body needs 8. However on Sunday night I usually get zero hours of sleep and never feel refreshed the whole week.
9. Attend all meetings this summer, and post and network on this site as this site is represents my meetings between WW meetings; being ever so mindful of my chosen words. (Currently I attend all meetings expect if I have a social gathering that is at the same time. Currently I post every day or evry other day except when I need sleep or my mom is in hospital)
10. Address each of these goals realistically at least once per week. Compare my progress. Post it and stay accountable.
11. On Labor day review EACH of my path challenges: Reward myself with a small non-food item for each of the successes I have made during this summer.
12. When I am a 16/18 reward myself with a new outfit.
13. Have a Successful Summer.
Thanks for letting me share.
JeanCat
Thank you for this review! I do not go to meetings regularly, so this really has helped!
