Choose Life or Choose Death

Not to be melodramatic, but so many of our choices every day are influencing our life or our death.   Every empty calorie, harsh chemical (in my case, Diet Coke), unmoved body, over-eaten calorie is a vote for death.  Every healthy food eaten, eating only when hungry, eliminating empty calories, moving our bodies is a vote for life.  The amazing thing is that the more decisions we make to choose life,  the more we feel like LIVING life!  

I used to tell my Weight Watchers members that you can feel healthy or unhealthy, fat or thin at pretty much any weight solely based on how you are treating your body.  When you eat healthy food, you feel healthy, when you eat junk food, you feel like junk.  Pay attention to these decisions you are making and notice how they are really making you feel.  Of course chocolate makes you feel good when you are eating it, but how do you really feel afterwards?  Are you regretting the calories?  Does your blood sugar feel high and the drop low?  Do you feel like exercising?

We need to think of our eating and activity choices beyond the moment.  Make choices that make you feel good in the present and the future.  Easier said than done, but so worth it.  I never "feel" like running, but I love being outside, the air feels great, my mind gets clear, my stress level decreases and when I am done, I feel amazing and it is easier to eat healthy foods.  Knowing this still does not make me "feel" like running, I have to choose to every day and I never regret it.  

So, what is it going to be?  Life or death?

Weight is a Battlefield

If you struggle with weight management like I do, you know how much of a psychological battlefield it is.  It is the definition of an emotional roller coaster. It can make you feel proud, excited, happy, sad, frustrated, encouraged, discouraged, angry...you get the idea.  How do we get through life like a "normal person" with all of these conflicting emotions running through us.  My poor husband!!

The important thing to remember, and this is key, is to break down your weight loss/management goals into smaller, achievable segments.  Have you ever set out in the morning determined to eat healthily, exercise, not eat junk food, only to forget about all of these things by lunch?  I certainly have!  So, how do we stay focused?  

We have to constantly remind ourselves to be working towards our healthy lifestyle or we absolutely will be making choices that will be working against it.  It can be a viscous cycle and discouraging beyond belief.  What can you do today, this hour, this minute to support a healthier life?  Step by step, choice by choice, minute by minute is how we win this war.  Remember, your weight is the byproduct of your life style - so focus on your life style choices; not the number on the scale.  Start now and start again as many times as it takes.  Be diligent and forgiving.  I'm rooting for you; root for me too!