by OneMoreBite | Feb 19, 2004 | Food Safety
The Portland Oregonian ran a piece February 16th, 2004 about beef and why it would be impossible for them to ever guarantee the nation’s beef completely safe from Mad Cow. Why’d they write this piece? I imagine they first figured hardly anyone would read it; as it was technical and boring, and secondly, by simply stating this up front they’ve managed to remove themselves from liability. Once a company goes on record as stating their products could be potentially harmful, you cannot go back later and sue them (at least that is the theory — it didn’t work out so well for Big Tobacco).
The AP is reporting this morning that a House committee is challenging the Agricultural Department’s view that the first cow found with Mad Cow in the US was a downer. This is hugely significant because at present only downer cows are tested.
Three witnesses at the Washington state plant where the cow was slaughtered have gone on record stating the cow was not a downer; it was acting crazy and was shot so as not to injure the other cows. Consider that for a moment: This cow would not have been tested had it not suddenly gone a little “crazy” and this was while already on its way to slaughter.
Mad Cow is named for the symptoms of cows acting a little loony–but this was before the cow was a downers (cows too sick to walk or stand are called downers). The policy of only testing downers is obviously flawed, yet will the Agricultural Department risk discovering that our meat supply is a contaminated mess? I seriously doubt it. Stay tuned…
by OneMoreBite | Feb 18, 2004 | Exercise
If we can’t see something happening, we aren’t happy. That’s why people are so enchanted with watching their weight drop on the scale. That they can say, “Look, Martha, I dropped five pounds!”
Even when they start to feel better, notice their pants getting looser, they still run to the scale for validation that what they are doing is working, and sometimes, despite the obvious fact that their body shape is changing for the better, a lack of reduction on the scale will cause them to quit in despair. This usually within a week or two. LOL
That’s funny because people who get in shape and stay in shape are in it for the long haul. They find activities they like, running, biking, swimming, hiking, whatever, and if they choose they do weight lifting. I personally love weight lifting. Nothing but weights has ever made a significant change to my appearance. I can do aerobics until I’m blue in the face but my body doesn’t change, but give me a set of dumbbells, and look out!
If you are getting started or thinking about getting started on a weight lifting program for weight loss, remember, it takes at least six weeks of steady, consistent work before you can expect to see a result – some people will see a difference much sooner, some will not, but give it six weeks before you start crying that you aren’t seeing any difference. Most likely you’ll notice your clothes fitting better, your watch or rings getting looser, you may even see a loss in your face or hands. Weight comes off from all over, not just the places we might prefer.
I just started using our new DDR (Dance, Dance, Revolution) game and I love it. I’m a bit of a klutz though and I discovered I have lousy timing. It’s fun though, and what I noticed right away was I kept saying, “Okay, I’m going to quit, just one more time,” and then I’d do one more time, and I’d say, “Okay, just one more,” and over and over I did this. I didn’t really want to stop I just had other things I needed to do. It’s addictive in that you’ll want to get better. Plus, it’s hard work. I can feel it in my muscles today.
If you have kids, tell them about DDR – There is no better game for teaching a motor skill and getting movement at the same time.
I’ve only used the game twice but I was already checking to see whether I can notice a difference in the mirror. Not yet, but soon…
So no matter what you are doing for fun or exercise, give it time to do the trick. Consistency is the key – do it regularly and you’ll soon see a difference.
by OneMoreBite | Feb 16, 2004 | Change
Making a Change when Others Don’t Want you To
In NLP there is a process called “Creating a Compelling Outcome.” Your outcome is what you really want, but knowing what you want is only a small part. Finding a way to achieve it, and whether it is even possible to ache comes first. When you decide to make a change consider everything that will be affected by your decision to change as well. This is how you can uncover hidden aspects that may have derailed your plans in the past, and make adjustments to take care of them before they become problems in the future. Your family members for instance. Who hasn’t tried to diet only to have their spouse surprise them an invitation to dinner at their favorite restaurant? Who hasn’t decided to stop eating snacks only to find their kids got bags of chips and dig for Friday night?
When you decide to make a change it’s as if the whole world suddenly conspires against you. If you really WANT to make a change, whether it be in your eating habits, exercise, work, play, or any habit at all, first stop and check whether this change will work for you and those around you.
1. Put yourself first. If you stopped to consider others before you took any action, you’d likely never do anything. No one wants anything to change in their lives. If you asked how they’d feel about your plans to make a change, they’d likely say, “No. I can’t go without pizza, I’ll starve.” Your husband may make a face when you mention eating less fatty foods and more vegetables. Your parents express surprise and alarm that you might do something unhealthy. “We’re only looking out for what’s best for you, honey” they’ll say while handing you a plate full of cookies. Sure they are.
By family dynamic I mean the world around you. Who you live with, who you work with, everyone you interact with is affected when you change. That’s why friends and family who at first are so helpful and supportive may start to snarl and growl when you ask, “What kind of food will be at the party?” Your change is forcing change in them as well.
Even when a bad marriage ends, it’s still difficult to say goodbye. Change interrupts our easy existence – it requires thought and effort. But look at the end result. A healthier body, a shapelier body. Less effort to walk the steps, more energy, enthusiasm and exuberance for everything you do. There are so many reasons to get started making a change, it’s just a small matter to deal with those around you.
2. Your Family Means You No Harm, Really. Understand, even though your family may fight your efforts to change, they do mean you well. They are just doing what comes naturally when the boats is rocked, i.e. they try to stabilize it. They try to get you to go “back to normal.” They want things to stay the same – after all, it’s working just fine, right? Even if there is trouble, it’s easier to stay the same.
3. Consider the Obstacles. Think through your plans to change and face obstacles head-on before they occur. For instance, you’ve decided you want to get up an hour earlier and exercise. This seems like a great idea, so now you imagine your usual morning routine and how it will change.
Example: You usually get up at 7:00 AM but not you’ve decided to get up at 6:00 AM. That means your alarm will go off earlier, interrupting the blissful sleep of your adoring partner. Are they happy about this? Probably not. No one likes their sleep interrupted, so what do you do? Do you just say, “Oh, okay, I won’t get up earlier after all. I don’t want to disturb you in your perfect life. I’ll just crawl back into my hole and wait until you die and then …” No, it’s not necessary to go quite that far. Instead think about what you want and why you want it.
You see them complaining, you see them making faces and acting disturbed, but you also see yourself quietly getting up and closing the door behind you. Then you see them slowly getting used to the new routine, complaining less and less. You may even see yourself being loving and supportive. (It could happen). Many couples have separate alarms – it’s not that big a deal. Don’t let your desire to keep your family happy take precedence over making changes that could greatly impact your happiness overall.
Now you’ve thought it through. You want to do this. You’ve pictured yourself scheduling it during the day, but you know it won’t happen. There is never enough time after work, or in the evenings with all the demands on your time and your responsibilities. You’ve determined that getting up an hour earlier is your best choice.
You are going to do this, and it will disturb others in your family. They will need to adjust, yes, but this is important to you, and letting others wants and desires come first isn’t going to solve the problem. It could be your partner will decide to get up with you – after all, who couldn’t use some daily exercise? Or, they will learn to sleep through your alarm, and set theirs for a bit later. It will work. If necessary go get yourself a separate alarm clock, and start using it. They’ll adjust. This is important to you, follow-through.
Make it work by working around others, but don’t let them dictate whether you have the right to make a change. You do have a right. We all have to make sacrifices whether we’re saving for a vacation or trying to get into shape to run a marathon. Show your family by example how to set a goal, then take the daily steps, and achieve it. Your kids will learn and grow from your example. You can also explain how an unhappy parent makes for an unhappy family – in other words, if mommy isn’t happy, the whole family suffers. Say it with a smile and they’ll get the idea.
Scenario #2: You’ve decided you’re going to go to the gym and work out right after work. Your spousal unit complains about this too (they’re the same one who complained about the getting up earlier idea, so you’re trying something else.) Notice how no matter what you want to do, they’re going to complain? Why is that? It’s because they’ve come to know and love their current routine and they don’t want it changed. Even if it means a happier spouse, even if it means a healthier life, they just plain do not want change. No one wants change thrust on them.
This is why it can be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible to overcome the influence your family and friends will try to assert when you want to make a change. Change affects everyone – keep that in mind, and then make your change anyway.
Plan, Implement Your Plan, Adjust as Necessary, and Plan Again
It’s a process – a road map. It’s not etched in stone. You may make a plan (getting up earlier for instance), try it for a couple of weeks and decide it isn’t working for you. Fine. Change the plan. Maybe you could work out early on Saturday and Sunday, plus one more day during the week. A lot of people are able to go the gym or go for a walk on their lunch hour.
Use EFT For Challenges Outside Influences Throw At You.
“Even though my husband doesn’t want me to get up earlier, I deeply and completely accept myself and him anyway.”
“Even though I don’t want to upset my family, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though no one is supporting me in my efforts to eat better, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though it seems that no matter what I try, someone complains, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Working through the emotional issues that crop up when you try to make a change and come up against challenges, is easy with EFT.
by OneMoreBite | Feb 11, 2004 | EFT Weight Loss
If you’ve struggled repeatedly, yet continue to fail in your efforts, what’s going wrong? Was it the way you tried to stop, quit, or cut down, was too restrictive? Did you say, “I’ll never eat ice cream again,” or “From now on I’m not eating that.” When you set such absolute restrictions on yourself and then the cravings and urges keep hitting you, washing over you like waves on the shore, relentlessly, repeatedly, it’s not unlikely that eventually you’ll relent. “I can’t do it. I don’t have the will power. I’ll never lose this weight.” The waves won’t stop coming unless you learn to ride them.
Learn to Ride the Waves
Get out your boogie board, and you’ll be glad for those waves. Think differently about the situation. So you’re riding a wave of desire – ah, there’s the crest, now you’re free falling down the other side – most likely you’ve forgotten about the wave entirely by now. Next thing you know, here comes another wave. What do you do? You ride it. Just ride it, and you’ll go over another and another. Habits hit hard, but each successive wave is a little less intense, a little shorter. By riding the waves you’ll find you can learn to surf them, then even enjoy them as they lose their power over you.
Sit on your hands if you have to, but ride the craving out. It won’t last. The toughest times are those first few days because that’s when your desire to continue old habits is highest and your will to ride out the craving is at its lowest. Even though your desire to change may be very high, the will to withstand those waves is low simply because your “usual” pattern of behavior is to dive right in.
Stay out of the Water
Post a “No Swimming” sign for the next wave. You can go swimming anytime but not this wave. Just this one wave. One minute at a time. If you have a habit of overeating, no matter what time of day, realize it’s just a habit. No different than a habit of biting your nails, twirling your hair, or picking lint off your sweater. Habits are acquired, repetitive tasks. They usually help us feel better simply because their repetitive nature is soothing. Habits can be broken if you are willing to ride the waves. If you’ve tried the “I’ll never eat …” again approach and it didn’t work, try the one-day at a time or one-minute at a time approach.
When the urge strikes, decide right then to ride this one out. Tell yourself, “I’m riding this wave,” and then as Nike says, Just Do It. That means you decide in advance that you will wait, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or 5 minutes; whatever time works for you. Decide how many minutes you will wait before you’ll go ahead and do whatever you are wanting to do. A few minutes gives you a chance for the wave to crest and you’ll be amazed how often it does.
Every single time you ride that wave and get to the other side it gets easier and easier. Now, for you, it could be that it takes a thousand waves before it gets easier but I can guarantee it will. The day will come when you’ll realize you used to have a problem with this food or that, or you used to eat an entire bag of chips every night, but you no longer do. Now if you want a cookie, you eat a cookie but that crazy desire to eat them all has gone. The tide has turned.
Try the W.H.A.C.K approach. Read Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss. Free Ebook.
by OneMoreBite | Feb 10, 2004 | Habits
I spoke to myself that way when the urge came on strong, and believe me it did. Time after time. The urge to follow-through with old habits is strong. It’s the same with eating less or eating differently. The urge to get the bag of chips is strong, and you won’t be able to resist if you think in terms of “never eating chips again.” It’s too large – chunk it down to a manageable size. Just today.
Today I Choose …
“Today I choose to eat a healthy diet. Today I will forgo my usual 6-pack of beer and drink only pure water. Today. It’s only for today. One day at a time. If I want to eat chips I’ll have them tomorrow.” Then, tomorrow, you decide again, for that day only.
Some days you’ll decide not to eat a healthy diet. Big deal. It’s okay. If you have a day where you’d like to skip it for that day, fine. Go ahead. The next day you decide again. Then the more often you decide to eat well, exercise, have fun, do things you enjoy, find other activities besides eating, then the weight will melt away, and you’ll develop healthier habits at the same time. Doing it in this manner allows your old urges to slowly melt away until the intense desire to go get that bag of chips when you sit down to watch TV simply disappears. You no longer think about them. The habit is gone.
You won’t have to do this every day for the rest of your life. Just long enough to break some old habits. Generally speaking I’ve heard it said that 21 days is what it takes to break a habit. I’d give it 30 days straight of deciding each and every day what you want for that day. Get a calendar and write it down, every day you make a choice, first thing in the morning. Choose to eat well or not, but make yourself aware that it is a choice and you’ll feel less like you are not in control and as you progress, you’ll be slowly getting back into those favorite pants you so long ago put away.
What have you tried?
