Be Patient: The Results Are Worth The Wait.

     In the words of Benjamin Franklin:  "He that can have patience can have what he will."

     I will admit, patience (with regards to myself that is...) is NOT my strong suit.  I like to think that when it comes to other people I have a great deal of patience.  However in my faith through Christ, I have learned that I cannot change others...I can only change myself.  So when I'm faced with a difficult person or a difficult situation, I remind myself that I cannot change the other party.  I can only determine my reaction to whatever the scenario is.  

     I have found with regards to my health and fitness, I am extremely impatient.  I often need to be reminded that losing weight, and becoming healthy takes time.  It doesn't happen overnight.  It has taken years to get into the shape that I'm in, and it will take time to change for the better.  I know when I started this blog I was very motivated.  I had a lot of excitement, and couldn't wait for the next time I got to weigh-in.  I wanted to see the magical number on the scale keep lowering.  The last few weeks though, my weight loss has definitely slowed.  I know that I've been doing what I'm supposed to.  I am eating right, working out a lot, drinking lots and lots of water, but yet I haven't been able to lose the weight like I did with the first challenge.  

     My trainer Justin Cox tells me that I needn't worry.  If I'm doing all those things like I say I am, then everything will be okay and results will show in the end.  Yet, hearing those words doesn't always put your mind at ease.  It's had me so worried that I have become practically neurotic when it comes to food.  Gaining weight is what has been on my mind 95% of the day. It wasn't until this past week that my mind has been put to ease.  On Thursday I was asking Justin what it is I'm doing wrong.  At that point in time, I was getting discouraged and was feeling really down about the whole thing.  I wanted to know what I could change.  Like I said before, I've come to understand that I cannot change others.  I have also fully well come to know that I CAN change me.  So, I wanted to know what was necessary for me to change.  

     All it took was one simple calculation.  He had me step on the scale, and unfortunately I had the same lousy results.  I had actually gained a pound since the last weigh-in.  This time though, he calculated my total body fat% too.  In the beginning of January when I had my measurements taken my body fat% was at 24%.  Which by-the-way isn't terrible.  That is completely within the healthy range.  On Thursday though when he calculated it,  while having gained 5 pounds over the month...I've lost 2% more of my body fat.  YAY!  I cannot explain how much of a relief that was.  

     So these last few days, I have really come to understand that I have to be patient.  I can obtain my goals, and I know I will.  If I keep doing what I know is right and helpful, there is absolutely no reason why I won't improve.  

With all that being said....I had mentioned in my very first blogpost that I would have pictures along the way to show my progress.  I took 2 pictures of myself before the challenge started in January.  Last Thursday after I got home from working out, I took another set.  Seeing numbers on a piece of paper really does help put the mind at ease.  Pictures though, are worth a thousand words.  Actually being able to see the results in color feels AMAZING!

Here's me the first week of January weighing in at 138 pounds.

And now the second week of February weighing in 5 pounds heavier!

Picture of my back in January

Picture of my back in February

     To some, this may not seem like a big difference.  To me though, I feel like a million bucks.  There's definite improvement, and seeing it has given me the motivation I've been looking for.  Today at the weigh-in we took measurements as well as weight.  I am happy to say that I'm back down to 140lbs.  Plus, I have lost 4" around my hips. These results came in just a little over a month.  I am super anxious to see what the difference will be in two more months.  Dare I say I am actually excited for bikini season!

     So to all those out there struggling along, please keep going.  I promise you, you will never regret doing a workout, or giving up that piece of cake.  I do promise you though, if in a year you still haven't tried...you will regret that.  

    

     According to Jim Rohn:

    "We must all suffer from one of two pains:  the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons."

   Be patient, but don't let yourself regret not trying.

Always Have That Yearning For More Knowledge.

     I know after reading that title, one may ask yourself the question: What the h-e-double hockey sticks does this have to do with getting fit and becoming healthy?  In all honesty though, that one statement can cover so many aspects of everyday life, not just healthy living. 

                                 

     Whether it be buying a house, choosing a church to become a part of, or deciding what to buy for groceries, knowledge can only be a good thing.  When you are considering buying a house, it wouldn't be wise to buy based upon pretty photos on a realtors website.  While pretty is good, finding out your drywall is covered in black mold isn't something you want to find out after-the-fact.  When you decide to look into a church for the home of your spiritual needs, you may want to learn a bit about their beliefs.  If you yourself believe in Jesus Christ, you probably don't want to join a congregation and pledge your committment if they believe in voodoo.  Finally if you are new in town, you may not want to buy all your groceries without shopping around and finding the best product and value.  In all of these situations, having more knowledge can only help you.  With all that being said, why would this not be the case when losing weight or becoming fit and healthy?

     When taking such a GIANT leap in life,(That's exactly what weight loss is!) the idea that people can take fad diets, or simple approaches to getting rid of the excess pounds, is absolutely ubsurd to me.  After all, it took years for you to get your body into the shape it is in.  Why then, would it not take years, hard work, and knowledge about the best approach to lose the weight?  Sure one can go to the doctor and get gastric bypass, or a lap band put in. (BTW don't take my word on this, I'm sure in some certain situations those medical procedures are necessary.  I have only known 1 person who underwent gastric bypass to actually need it though. The others I never saw try to really diet or exercise to shed the pounds.) The problem with all of these things are, the real problem isn't being 'treated' or fixed.  You might have a miracle cure for now, but its likely that your habits which got you in this place haven't changed, which in turn will lead you back to this place.

     Here's the thing with these fad diets, much like most everything we American's buy into, fad diets are what's being advertised.  It's the shiny new toy that every kid wants for Christmas, but by next year...you parents out there know, those toys have long since been forgotten, lost, or shoved into a closet.  Onto the next! That's what we are all about.  I've worked in fast food for the better part of a decade.  It never fails, what is being advertised is what sells.  We can have one product literally for 3 years, but as soon its advertised if front of the consumers face....that's what the consumer wants.  The same goes with those diets.  Every year, there is a new diet pill out there, a new diet where if you starve yourself of certain nutrients that you need, the weight disappears.  There's always a new exercise that you can do once a day for 2 minutes, and magically your keg that your carrying around your waistline, will turn into a 6-pack.  Seriously, people actually believe this crap???????  It's apparently so, because the diet industry is worth around 42 BILLION dollars a year.  Yet somehow, there are still 70 MILLION obese people in the U.S. alone!  How can this be you may ask?  Well, because the majority of diets advertised out there are a farce. They have taken one piece out of a puzzle and claimed it to be the key to success.  People feed off this, because what is in front of their face has to be what's true.  In this day and age accountability has flown out the window.  Why would you ever do any research for yourself, commercials tell the truth...they don't lie right? If you are saying that right now, you should just stop reading this very moment...this blog has nothing for you.  Continue on stalking people on facebook, you'll get more out of that.  Anywho, I digress.  With such resources out there like google, wikipedia, blogs, youtube...you name it, its information is at our fingertips.  Technology and information are everywhere, from computers, to game consoles, televisions with internet capabilities, ipods, and cell phones, the excuse of ignorance should no longer be tolerated.

     When the drug phen-phen came out, everyone was amazed that you could actually be skinny and all you had to do was pop a pill everyday.  Little did they know, that taking the drug would also get them pulmonary hypertension and/or valvular heart disease, and/or death.  Had they known this, they certainly wouldn't have taken it right?  Now, looking back on that period of history people have learned a few lessons.  Firstly, I think for the most part the majority of the public knows that diet pills are a scam and in no way good for you.  Even if they haven't learned that, the FDA is far more weary about letting such destructive substances be sold to our ignorant society.  A few of you may remember when the Atkins diet became huge a few years ago...(or 10 actually.)  This diet swore that if you cut out your carbohydrates would be your answer.  There's also Weight-Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, South Beach...The list goes on and on. Some can show great success, while those same ones can show great failure. With all the different diet plans out there, it is easy to become overwhelmed.  You could literally get lost in all of them and not remember which diet you are focusing on.  You may not understand why one is working for you and then may stop.  I have been in the same position.  When I first decided I would lose weight, it was hard to know where to even begin.  Its hard to even know what to believe and who to trust with this sort of thing. $42,000,000,000 is more money than I can even begin to dream about.  Every company out there wants a piece of that pie.  So who's genuinely there to help, and who just wants your money.

   The point to tonight's little rant:  BE KNOWLEDGEABLE.  Here's the thing about losing your weight, or even just obtaining your goals: THERE IS NOBODY LIKE YOU!  Not one diet out there is perfect for everybody.  Everyone had a long winding road to get them where they are today. Everyone's journey has been different.  The key to losing weight, gaining muscle, obtaining whatever goal you have is KNOWLEDGE.  Knowledge to know what your strengths and weaknesses are.  Knowledge to know what you need to work on. Knowledge to know what the heart of the problem is.  Knowledge to know what out there is best for you.  Knowledge to know who to turn to.  Knowledge to know what's best to eat, to buy, to invest your time, sweat, energy, money and life on. Knowledge to know what you want.  Knowledge to know what does and will make you happy. Knowledge to know yourself.  A certain co-worker of mine, (You know who you are...)likes to say: "Knowledge is Power." When he says it, it is in a very dorky, I watch too much late-night Cartoon Network kind of voice.  The point though, is still the same.  Knowledge IS power.  SO BE POWERFUL.