Showing posts with label the scale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the scale. Show all posts
Do you remember the metaphor Julie uses about the dog and the broom? Last week I had an experience that helped me understand what Julie's analogy means, only my experience was with my cat Ginger instead of a dog. For those who don't remember the dog and the broom story, I'll refresh your memory.
The Kitty and the Broom. Photo by Theresa
The Dog and the Broom

A man has a dog and the dog does whatever the man commands him to do, because if the dog doesn’t obey the man he is beaten with a broom. The dog often cowers and this makes the man angrier, so he beats the dog with the broom even more. The dog doesn’t trust the man, but the dog is chained and he cannot escape.

One day the dog sees an opportunity to escape and he takes it and runs away. After running as far and as fast as he can, the dog is found by a kind and loving man who adopts him. There’s an instant bond of love and respect between the dog and this new guy. The guy takes the dog on long walks twice a day and this makes the dog willing to do anything for the guy.

One day the guy knocks over a plant in his living room and he grabs a broom from a closet to clean up the dirt. The dog sees the broom and, full of fear and shame, he immediately cowers.

The broom in this story represents the scale. Our bodies react to the scale in the same way the dog responds to the broom: our body becomes full of fear and shame and no longer trusts us.

The Kitty and the Broom

Last week, I had my kitty Ginger on my shoulder and I quickly stepped into the kitchen to grab my phone. I should have known better, as she gets skittish if I carry her near the basement door. My instinct to hold her even tighter only made things worse. After getting badly scratched, I finally put her down.

It was in that moment that I understood the broom and the dog story in a way I had not before. I always suspected Ginger had a trauma before I took her home from an animal rescue. I'll never know what happened, but her body has never forgotten it, because she gets skittish if she feels vulnerable.

Ginger's body won't forget her pain, just as the dog won't forget his. Our bodies will not forget the pain we've inflicted all those years by overeating.

A big part of our weight loss journey is teaching our bodies to trust us again and that we will no longer harm it. This is where Julie comes in. Julie negotiates with our bodies to trust us. Each time we go off program, our body stops trusting us. Every time we follow the program rules, even if they don't make logical sense to us, our bodies learn we can be trusted.

Why is it so important that our bodies trust us? If our bodies don't trust us, it feels fear and it holds onto our weight. Trust is essential. Here's an example of something I did a few days earlier, which broke the trust with my body...

I overate. This was something I hadn't done for a long time. Everything I ate was on program, but one of our agreements with Julie is to stop eating when we're full. I ate an entire pot of beef chili. I was full after the first bowl, but I kept eating until the pot was empty. I had forgotten what it felt like to overeat. It felt horrible and my stomach still hurt three hours later. Getting to sleep that night with a belly ache was difficult.

The next morning I wondered what caused me to overeat like that. I didn't have any vodka, so it wasn't because I drank too much. Did I overeat because of stress? Did I let myself get too hungry? I still don't know the reason, but what I do know is that I have some work to do to prove to my body I can be trusted again.

What kind of "work" do I have to do? Eat clean. Follow the rules. Exercise.

You know what to do if this happens to you: stay the course. Forgive yourself and move on.
September 01, 2014
Losing weight has helped me overcome a number of fears. But what about looking ahead? What fears arise when I look ahead in my life and all I can see is empty space? I've been working on this piece for a few months. Over time I added and deleted stories about how losing weight has helped me overcome fears, but the piece didn't feel finished. A recent life transition has given me the final piece to this story.
Photo by Theresa
The one thing about empty spaces--their very existence seems to send a message that you are ready for something new to arrive. - Martha Johnson Why Not Do What You Love
The Ice

Last winter I was walking on ice when suddenly I realized I was walking really fast--on ice. Walking on ice was a big challenge for me when I was a size 30/32. One freezing cold January day, more than a decade ago, I stood frozen in the middle of a hill on a side road. I was literally frozen. I could not move. The road was solid ice and I was afraid to move. No--I wasn't afraid to move--I was afraid of falling. I was afraid I would fall and not be able to get up. I couldn't budge an inch. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere, offered me his arm, and escorted me to the other side of the road where the ground was flatter and the snow was softer. He disappeared as quickly as he appeared and I never saw him again.

It's a great feeling no longer fearing that I will fall. I don't know when this change happened, but it was a great discovery to realize I have one less fear in my life.
Long Pond, Richmond, RI.
The Hike

At the end of May a couple of friends invited me to join them on an 8 hour 7 1/2 mile hike. My only hesitation was a project deadline a few days before the hike. Not wanting to make a promise I wasn't sure I could keep, I told them that I couldn't commit until the week of the hike. Meanwhile, I asked for more details about the hike and that's when fear hit me. There was a long list of details, but the first two freaked me out:
  • Waterproof hiking boots or trail shoes REQUIRED!
  • You will need to be reasonably fit to enjoy this hike. That said, if you engage in a normal level of activity, you should be fine. The first mile is very strenuous however.
I'm confident that I'm in the "reasonably fit" category, but I didn't have hiking boots. I told myself, There's no need for me to freak out, I can buy waterproof hiking boots, but what do they mean by strenuous? Slippery trails? Muddy trails? Rocks? I can do this! I told myself. I am not afraid! 

It was not feat that kept me from going to this event. After learning there were no bathrooms on this all day hike, I decided this hike wasn't for me. After seeing this photo a friend took along the hike, I was even happier with my decision.
This snake is a fear I have that I can live with.
The Hill

It was a gorgeous Sunday morning. My friend and I hiked walked about a half mile from the lake house through the neighborhood to the Mohegan Quarry. At the beginning of the trail lots of tails were wagging at the dog park. A few minutes later, the trail took us over a half dozen rocks, where skunk cabbage announced we were crossing through a wetland. We never saw another person after that until we crossed back over the wetland. It was incredible walking the sunlight dappled trails all by ourselves.

I looked up at steep hill we were about to climb and I realized I was hesitating for a moment and then remembered: Oh, I can do this! Sometimes it isn't until I reflect back and realize I just did something that I used to be afraid of doing, but I'm not anymore. This was one of those times. I had to remind myself that I no longer needed to be afraid of going up a hill and that I would be just fine when the time came for me to go back down the hill.

Two hours later, at the foot of that same hill, I turned and looked back up the hill and smiled. I hadn't hesitated for one second about going down that hill. It was only when I reached the bottom that I remembered my earlier hesitation.

It was the memory my body has of such hills that made me hesitate. My body remembers how physically challenging hills used to be for me. Today I look at this photo and ask myself what hill?
The hill. Photo by Theresa
Empty Spaces

My big transition that I mentioned a few weeks ago: I was laid off from my job. I see the empty space (the transition) as an opportunity to dream big and to change my life yet again. I'm not afraid of the empty space. Yes, there are moments when this feels scary, but I tap those fears away the same way I tap (push) away urges for foods that are not on program. Successful methods that work in one area of our lives can be applies to other areas. Tap, tap, tap!

My weight loss journey has prepared me for this transition. I've changed my life in so many ways since starting this program. All those non-scale victories built a strong foundation and not having to deal with all that extra weight is a big bonus.

After more than three years on this program, my autopilot is to set to healthy eating and exercising and that's exactly what I've done through this transition. Not once did I think about meeting up with my old buddies Ben and Jerry or going on an eating binge. Instead I spend my time networking and envisioning my new life.
Seize the moment to step into the unknown and be not afraid.
Photo and quote by Theresa.
What about you? What challenges are going on in your life that your weight loss journey has helped motivated and inspire you to take on? Tap away (push away) your fears, whatever they are, and keep moving forward. You can do this - you can do this program and when your life gets interrupted, you can stay the course because you have this.

All those times that you felt it was "hard" and you pushed through the tough time and stayed the course - those moments can help you push through other challenges you have in life. Tap, tap, tap!
August 12, 2014
Today's Key Hypnosis success story comes from Erin. Thank you Erin for sharing your story and your photos with us. You inspire all of us to continue on our weight loss journeys. 

I have been following your blog right along with Julie's program from the end of August 2013. I love both! On Easter of 2013 my dad hosted a beautiful Easter egg hunt for all his grandchildren and a few extended relatives. It was that day that changed my life forever.

The Easter egg hunt required quite a bit of walking and at approximately 280 lbs and wearing a size 24 I had difficultly keeping up with my 4 much faster kids. After we got back to the house my dad was excited the share that he had heard about Julie's program and gave me the phone number. At first I felt that it was a great idea.. for someone else. I knew that I needed to loose weight but wasn't eager jump into something like hypnosis.

After most the guests had gone home, my Dad offered me what I now know is the greatest gift of my life: he said if I was serious about trying it--he would pay for the program.

The next morning I called Julie's office and was put on the wait list. That day I decided I would start a low carb "diet" and while I waited to see Julie I had some success on my own: I lost 25 lbs.

My 3 sessions started at the end of August and ran into September. I was really nervous when I arrived and even for the first 2 months I was on the program. I thought I might not be able to be hypnotized or maybe I would be one of the very few just not to have success.

I was wrong!

I've found following this program to be just a part of who I am. I have not gone off program and I don't have any worries that I won't reach my goal without straying.
Erin 2 years ago at her brother's high school graduation; size 22-24.
Erin 2 weeks ago at her sister's college graduation; size 12-14 dress which she was in high school.
I am not yet at my goal but I'm very happy to come as far as I have. I have not weighed myself, but I have so many non-scale victories. Here are a few:
  1. I rode 6 hours in a plane fitting comfortably in my own seat.
  2. I went shopping with my average size friend and I felt normal.
  3. I enjoyed keeping up with all my kids at this years Easter egg hunt.
  4. I never walk in a room and worry about being the largest person there.
I was obese for the last 13 years. I know that with the tools Julie has given me I will never get that way again.
May 19, 2014
I  went with a friend to a Boston hair salon in March 2010 and I spent a lot of time and money with poor results: a horrible new hairstyle. What I realize now is that I was focusing my energy in the wrong place. A new hair style would never lead to the real change I wanted in my life. The real change I was seeking, came to me while following Julie's program.
Left: January 2013
Right: March 2010
These changes came from the program, but I had a big part in this change too. There were promises I needed to keep, rules I needed to follow, and I had to keep out of my own way to let the process work. Recent comments on this blog inspired me to write about this important aspect of this program: rely on yourself - you have the answers to your food questions.

Julie teaches us everything we need to know and how to train ourselves to stay on program. If you don't know the answer about a specific food, go quiet for a few moments and think about what you heard in class. I often ask myself "what would Julie say?" Using questions from those two comments, my though process would be to think along these lines:
Can I have hummus? Hmm, what is hummus? Beans. Beans are dried. Oh yeah, we can't have dried foods. Okay, no hummus. What else can I have?
What about coconut creamer? What is it? Half-and-half isn't allowed, so this probably isn't either. Also, since I don't read labels, I'm not able to really answer this one. Better skip this item. Milk (in any form) is a freebie, so I'll stick with milk. 
I'm still having the urge for sugar. Do I blow my progress if I eat one lil chocolate. Will I stop losing? Oh yeah, I agreed not to eat sugar. Julie says that when I have sugar, my body wants more sugar. A trick she taught is to push the thought of eating sugar back each time it comes to me. [Remember the visuals she did when she talked about this.] The more I push back on the thought, the weaker it gets. Focus on protein for a few days and this craving will go away.
Kefir is loaded with probiotics it's like liquid yogurt. It's a healthy choice and I keep it to a minimum. Oh, yeah, we're not allowed things that are "like" yogurt, we're only allowed (two per week and only with a protein) the brands Julie told us about. I really want the probiotics, so I'll look for them in another form.  [See recommendation by Nutrition Now PB8 Probiotic Acidophilus.]
If you find there are too many things that you don't know if they're on program or not, you may consider going for a refresh. You don't have to wait until you are completely off program to go in to see Julie again. I went to see Julie to continue learning the program and sometimes to get an extra boost to help me before I went on vacation. At a refresh, you can learn, once again, what's on program, what's not on program, and why certain foods are not good for us to eat.

There are times when I want to know how much weight I've lost. What is wrong with weighing yourself? A few things come to mind:
  1. We promised Julie we would not weigh ourselves. 
  2. Our body wants to know how much weight we've lost so it knows how much to gain back. If we don't know how much we weigh, then we're less likely to gain back that weight. 
  3. Like sugar, when you push back on urges to get on the scale, they will go away and most often a weight drop follows. Visualize the motions that Julie does when she talks about pushing back thoughts of sugar or going on the scale.
  4. Isn't reason number three enough to keep you off the scale?
I too have been caught up in the idea to weigh myself on the one year anniversary date. As the date of my second year on program approaches (1/29/13), those thoughts surfaced once again. I shared my well thought out thesis, of why I should get on the scale, with one of my friends. She reminded me of how fatal knowing that number can be and I came to my senses before getting on the scale.

I don't post a list of program foods on this blog for many reasons. One reason is that Julie encourages us not us to think so much about the program. The thinking process I described above is about retraining our brains rather than getting caught in our heads. We need to re-program our brains to this new way of eating and we can find the answers within ourselves. We learned all we need to know if the first classes we took from Julie. Another reason I don't post a list of foods: I don't work for Julie and such a list may cause legal (copyright) issues.

This way of eating is expensive. When I talk to my healthy friends, I find that their foods, which of late are quite similar to what I'm eating, are expensive too. Healthy food costs a lot more than package and fast food, but not eating healthy foods puts a big price our bodies. The high cost of eating well is more about government food pyramids and marketing than anything this program sells. Our economy drives the cost of food. It is wrong that healthy foods cost more, but if you do some research, you'll see why many of the "pyramid" foods are not good for our body.
 
January 22, 2013