Back to the gym today

July 12, 2013
I made it back from Mom's and she had a great check up, her pace maker has never had to work in the 3 months since it has been in. She doesn't have to go back for a year. Yesterday I picked up the last of my nieces and we headed back yesterday morning, so 2 girls and a boy for the next week or so. We have plans to go to a couple of museums, hit the beach in the mornings and tomorrow we are going to the Mackenzie King Estate in the Gatineau Hills.
I have my weigh in coming up next week, hoping for another steady result. I have an appointment with my physiotherapist today.
I had a call from the Dr that was going to do my reconstruction surgery, there is now a 1 year wait for surgery and she would rather that I go to Montreal for the surgery as it is to difficult to get the money from the Quebec government for the surgery. 
I think I will just wait till we get back to Australia to have it, less wait times and probably better surgeons.
Whats your plans for the weekend?
Today's Quote:

Gearing up for the kids to arrive

July 9, 2013
Well tomorrow I will head to Napanee to take Mom for her pacemaker check then I will be heading back on Thursday with my nieces and nephew. I am sure we will have a great time. They are looking forward to swimming, biking and touring a few museums. I think I am ready, just a few grocery items to pick up today and we will be all set.
This morning I did my usual work out at the gym on the elliptical machine. I was reading an article on the fear of failure, so I thought I would make that my topic for today.

Fear of Failure

Sometimes we are faced with challenges we are unprepared for of feel unable to cope with. Our motivation is not always to succeed - sometimes it is to avoid failure. In trying to avoid failing we gain strategies to reduce any negative feelings associated with the outcome of failing.

The motivation to act due to fear of failing can be caused by a variety of factors in our lives. Individuals who are motivated to avoid failure will tend to use some or all of the following strategies for different tasks involved in a weight loss program.

1. Undertake easy tasks and avoid the more difficult ones. This will make it easier to succeed.
2. Invest little effort in the tasks that have been set for them. So they blame the results on their lack of effort and not their abilities.
3. Undertake only the overly difficult tasks, so that failure is due to the difficulty of the task, not the individuals efforts or abilities.
4. Cheat
5. Taking on to many of the tasks, failure is due to being overloaded with work.

Fear of failure is often a learned response to the expectations we place upon ourselves or the expectations of those close around us have for us. Discussing this with a suitable qualified person can offer significant advances in setting up the ideal cognitive conditions for weight loss.
Do you have a fear of failure?
Do you sabotage yourself or allow others to sabotage your efforts?
 Today's Quote;

A busy week ahead

July 8, 2013
I had a great weekend, walked an hour each day. I ate very well, kept to my diet and felt more energized. My shoulder seems to have settled at bit and I am in less pain, that could just be from the Advil. I went to the gym today and had an hour work out. Sometimes it is hard to keep motivated to eat well and exercise especially when you are in pain most of the time. So I did a little research on staying motivated to eat healthy.
I also went shopping this weekend for a dress for a wedding and was so proud of myself that the size 14 fit perfectly. I will be headed to Napanee this week to take my Mom for a Doctor's appointment and then bring back 2 nieces and 1 nephew for a couple of weeks. I also want to stop and check on my youngest granddaughter, she has a UTI and pneumonia, poor little thing.

Eating Healthy

1. Set small, measurable goals that will help you get to your overall large goal. For instance – I will eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, incorporate leafy green veggies into 3 meals a day, drink at least 68 ounces of water daily, etc.
2. Keep a food and exercise journal. This is extremely helpful to track how much you’re eating – sometimes you don’t realize how many small bites here and there add up. You can do a hand-written journal or go digital and log your food/fitness from the computer or your smartphone. MyFitnessPal is a great resource for this.
3. Crowd processed junk food out of your diet by adding in nutritious whole foods.
4. Skip the pantry and head to the fridge. No one really keeps a lot of processed foods in their fridge because they’re usually self-stable. When looking for an afternoon snack I tend to stick with something from the fridge (non-fat greek yogurt, fruit, veggies with hummus, edmamae, etc.)
5. Try new foods. Eating steamed broccoli and baked tofu every night can get old. Look for new healthy recipes online, in cookbooks or magazines so you don’t get bored with eating healthy. 
6. Enlist support from your friends and family. Whenever I realize I need to get back to my roots and clean up my eats the first person I tell is Isaac because he then knows not to offer me sips of beer and chips.
7. Team up with a friend and hold each other accountable for eating healthy.
8. Eat something every 2-3 hours. This keeps your metabolism running and also makes sure you don’t get ravenous and end up eating whatever is in sight when you get home from work.
9. Keep nutritious foods on hand and ready to eat. Preparation is the key to eating healthy! Having fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein, healthy fats and smart carbs each week is super helpful for staying on track. I like to make big batches of roasted veggies and brown rice or quinoa at the beginning of the week so I have healthy foods in the fridge ready to go for quick lunches.
10. Keep tempting foods that trigger you to overeat out of the house. For me this is cereal, packaged trail mix, granola and other packaged foods. If the tempting foods are already in your house because someone else bought them, I’ve found that putting them away in a (high) cabinet is helpful. Out of sight, out of mind.
11. Always bring a healthy snack with you when you leave the house for more than a couple hours. Apples, bananas, fruit and nut bars, homemade trail mix and carrots are super portable. And healthy protein bars are always good in a pinch.
12. Eat and enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. Deprivation tends to backfire so if you really want a treat, then eat and enjoy it.
13. When going out to eat, look the at the menu for the restaurant online. Deciding beforehand what healthy option you’re going to get can be helpful so you’re not tempted by unhealthy options once you’re there.
14. Don’t let one set-back keep you from working toward your goal. Don’t get down on yourself if you slip-up -just make sure your next meal is a healthy one! 

What helps to motivate you to stay on track?
Can you share some of your help full hints? 
Today's Quote:

TGIF

July 5, 2013
The week has finally come to an end. I had a massage last night to try and loosen up my shoulder and back, then today it was off to see the therapist this morning. I wasn't feeling so well this morning so I didn't go to the gym first thing this morning, I waited till after physio and went for a half hour then, I'll try to get there over the weekend.
How to apply the Hierarchy of needs to weight loss.
A weight-loss program must be designed to meet the primary needs of the individual, ensuring adequate nutrition and support, eg programs that severely restrict calories may not meet the basic physiological need for food is not being adequately met.
The need to be part of a social group and feel like you belong can be addressed by using support systems such as a buddy or group environment. This may also account for some success in group weight loss programs. Overweight people can  feel alienated from other groups in society, and can associate with others and share common experiences, fulfilling the need to belong.
Feelings of self esteem and a strong sense of one's ego are possibly the most likely needs to not have been met by dieters. The need to feel accepted by family and friends, the need to feel attractive, the need to feel confident, feel emotionally stable and fulfilled, can drive a person's behavior in both a negative and positive fashion depending on the environment.This can start at home with the people around you, do they support your weight loss goals and do they know what is expected of them to help you meet your needs.
 Are your needs being met in your journey?
 Are you part of a group weight loss program like Weight Watchers?
Today's Quote:

Being true to yourself

July 4, 2013
Happy 4th of July to all my American readers.

Today I went to the gym and I stepped on the scales, I was not happy, it seems I have strayed a bit from my diet, well not the diet so much as maybe the portion size, I have realized that my love of potatoes has taken over, so back to being true to my diet and me, I want to get this weight off and I need to smarten up. I know I have been depressed lately, the pain in my shoulder has been terrible, so possibly I have been comfort eating a bit, I know I bought a chocolate bar the other day for the first time in years probably. It has been hard not being able to eat yogurt or cottage cheese as my snacks, I am not a big fan of the allegro cheese, but try to suffer through it. I am trying some protein bites and maybe I am not eating enough of them, because I seem hungry after dinner. Oh well, back on track today.
Also feeling tired today, I did do my usual work out but I think I will have a nap this afternoon.
I also saw my surgeon today and she is having a baby, so I won't see her for a year. She has asked me to have an ultrasound on my chest just as a part of my yearly check up. She was please that I am losing weight and could see it right away, that felt great.
Do you ever get off track?
Today"s Quote:

Fulfilling needs

July 3, 2013
I got caught up on sleep last night with the help of some gravol, I was actually sleeping on the couch before 9, woke and went to bed at 10, my shoulder is very sore today so I think I must have slept on it wrong.
I went to the gym and did my usual hour with resistance of 3, trying to burn more calories faster.

I thought I would touch on the topic of fulfilling needs.
Our needs are a driving force and one of the most famous theories on human needs is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs he suggests that humans have 5 levels of needs which exist in a hiearchy of importants. He divided these needs into two categories.
1. Primary needs, consisting of physiological and safety needs such as water and home etc.
2. Secondary needs which are more individual such as social or ego needs, for example belonging to a group or being recognized for your achievements.
Maslow argues that if none of the needs were fulfilled in the hierarchy, then behavior would be motivated by the most basic/primary needs - the physiological ones, hence these would dominate behavior.
Once a need is met, it no longer dominates, so the next level in the hierarchy motivates the person. This progression continues and the person works their way up the hierarchy as each level is satisfied. Throughout life a person will go up and down levels depending on the changes in their life. For example: a diet that does not provide enough calories or protein may cause hunger which will be the driving need that directs the person's behavior; once satisfied other needs will become important, and this process may happen each time a dieter goes on such a diet.
Have you read about Maslow?
Do you think it makes sense?
Today's Quote:

Another painting is done,,

July 2, 2013
Wow we are in July, where is this year going. The gym was closed yesterday and we were away over the weekend, so I was at the gym at 6 am, and managed to do an hour at resistance of 3, it felt good considering I have been awake since 2:30 am. Not sure why, but I just felt warm all night and had terrible night sweats.

I did go to a friends house and work on a painting, its for my brother-in-law in Australia. He sent me this picture a year ago, so its been a work in progress for a while.
Let me know what you think.

Today's Quote: