From Christine E Smith's Blog

My Last and Final Weight-Loss Diet – Week 1
May 10, 2009

I made it! Week 1 is history and yes, I really am feeling good. Sticking to the Medifast program has not been a chore, actually just the opposite. What with my busy schedule, the program has provided just the structure I needed to kick off what I am calling my Last and Final Weight-Loss Diet.

I’d love to tell you exactly how much I’ve lost this week…and I have lost. The problem is that my scale seems to have issue with reliability. Not that I’m calling it a liar, but its truth is rather inconsistent from one moment to the next. Checking in with my scale today went something like this; step on…lost 10 pounds. What? No way! Step off, step back on, lost 6 pound. Hmmm…Step off, step back on again, lost 8 pounds…you see what I mean? So, I’m guessing this week I lost somewhere between 5 and 10 pounds and I gotta get a new scale. I don’t do inconsistent relationships.

Now, let’s go back to why I am calling this my Last and Final Weight-Loss Diet. I know, that is a pretty bold statement to make. I understand your skepticism. We know all about the yo-yo diet with its loss and gain, loss and gain…and the gains sending that scale to higher numbers each time. You’ve seen me do it for how long now? Well, no more…not ever again. Understand, I’m not saying this because Medifast is some sort of miracle diet. Actually it has nothing to do with Medifast. Instead it has everything to do with finally deciding to “getting my mind right.” I have made many positive changes in my life, and each follows pretty much this same process:

1. Identify the issue I want to change
2. Determine my controllables (I can only change me)
3. Remove the negatives
4. Add the positives
5. Tack Action

Yes, that is a simplistic description of the process; I’ll explain it in more detail another time. I have used this process on everything from emotional distress to physical ailments. I overcame obsessiveness, depression and anxiety using it. I use it to manage the fibromyalgia so I’m medication free. Through this process I have changed relationships with family, friends and co-workers…and myself. This process has allowed me to move into a deeper spiritual life as well as improve my physical and emotional health.

By using this process this week became a time of reflection. A time to identify the issues I want to change. And not surprisingly, weight loss is not the issue. Weight loss will definitely be a byproduct of addressing the issue, but it is not the issue. If you remember, last week I mentioned my penchant for healthy eating, organic, whole foods, and what not. I also talked about mindful eating. Well, it’s obvious that eating right and considering each bite isn’t what got me to 240 pounds. Then again, healthy eating and getting my mind right isn’t just about being thin. It is all about my relationship with the food in my life. So, during my reflecting I came up with the following questions for myself:

* In developing an eating plan for life, what is the proper balance of food in/energy out that I can live with?
* I can reduce my intake, but is my activity level at a healthy place?
* How does my activity (or lack thereof) affect not only my weight, but emotions, fibromyalgia, hormones, sleep, sex drive, so on and so forth?
* How does what I eat affect not only my weight, but my emotions, fibromyalgia, hormones, sleep, sex drive, so on and so forth?
* Where exactly does my food come from?
* How are the land, the animals, and the workers who produce my food treated?
* Is this an issue for me? If so, how much?
* Is there a spiritual correlation between where my food comes from and my current weight and state of health?
* Should there be?
* What does mindful eating and healthy whole foods have to do with a lifetime eating plan?

These are just a few of the questions I will be examining
and blogging about over the course of the next few weeks as I establish the ground rules for my lifetime eating plan. I hope you will stick with me as I ponder these questions and find my way to a healthy relationship with the food on my plate.

BTW…Yes, I am ecstatic about the weight loss to date and looking forward to more!

PMS: To my Health Coach Jen: Thanks so much for the call this week. It was great to talk with you about all that is going on in my head and how the program is working for me so far. Thanks for the words of encouragement and affirmation. LOVE your updated website with the tips and recipes. You efforts really do make this process a lot easier for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Posted in My Take Shape for Life Plan