Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
A few of my "non-key" friends, who want to lose weight, tell me they can't give up X, Y, or Z foods that are not on this program. They insist "it's not healthy" to give up those foods (fruit or whatever foods they say they can't give up). To which I reply "Do I look unhealthy to you?"
What are you focused on today?
I've been following this program for four years now. I have more energy than I did ten years ago and probably more than I had twenty years ago. My doctor is happy with all my numbers and I'm not on any medication. Before I started on this program I was not diabetic, but it runs in my family and, according to my doctor, I would most likely be a diabetic by now if I hadn't dropped all this weight.
I have more energy today than I did when this photo was taken in 1998
After conversations with non-key friends about the foods we eat, or more specifically: the foods we don't eat, I think about the sustainability of this way of eating. This way of eating is sustainable. Why? Because we aren't supposed to be "in the river" for the rest of our lives.

Being in the river refers to the part of our journey when we eat certain foods and we stay away from others - this is our weight loss phase. While in this phase, we stay focused on reaching our goal size.

Once we reach our goal size, we begin to cycle in and out of the river, as we add specific foods back into our diet. This cycling teaches us to maintain our goal size and we only return to the river when our clothes are tight.

But you know all this because you've been through the program.*

All this leads me to one question: What are you focused on today?

If you're focused on non-key foods--it's time to let those thoughts go. Push them back. Tap them away. Do whatever it takes to stay on course.

Keep your eye on the prize folks: stay focused on reaching your goal size.

Meanwhile, stop worrying about maintenance or how long it will take to reach your goal. Your time will come - you will reach your goal. And once you're there, you'll be just as successful at maintaining your weight as you were losing your weight.

But first - you have to reach your goal size.



 *If you haven't been through the program: wait until you've finished your  first three sessions before you read this blog or any other blogs related to this program. Why? Because the less you know before you start on this journey the better. Come back after you've been through all your sessions.
February 09, 2015
This weight loss journey is a lot like a marathon: there are no shortcuts and no skipping steps. You must be prepared. You must be focused. You must stay the course and go the full run. This means planning ahead and doing what's necessary to reach the finish line.

These photos are from 5k and 10k races I've done since starting this program. The July 1998 photo was taken in a garden where I walked less than ten minutes. Back then, that was all the walking I could do. My heart was broken that I couldn't do more, but that was my life in a size 30/32. My weight loss journey has been a long one, but I am happy with where I am today: my goal size is in sight and my resolve to stay the course is stronger than ever.

Last night I ran the Bright Nights 5k at Forest Park with key friends Megan and Lou. Support is great to have when running a 5k and it's equally true on our weight loss journey. I experienced a fun non-scale victory moment with Megan before the race when a photographer looked at us and said "This is a great photo opp!" That never happened to either of us before!

Looking at this photo taken before the race with Megan and Lou, I ask myself: who is this woman? It's me - antlers, blinking lights around my neck, and all! I never would have worn those antlers when I was a size 30/32! It was great to let myself have fun like this!
Before the race with Megan and Lou
Five months ago I started training for last night's 5k. This gave me plenty of time to complete my eight week c25k app, but for no particular reason I stopped training after week four day two (6 weeks ago). I continued walking an average of 13,000 steps daily and I stayed committed to this run. Last night I stayed in the moment and let go of what I could have or should have done. I pushed myself as best as I could and in the end, my race time was my usual 5k race average: 44:57.
Finish time: 44:57 for this 5k (3.1 miles)
Sometimes when I'm walking or running I want to take a shortcut. There's a course I take just outside my neighborhood where the road dead ends and sometimes I REALLY want to turn around before the end of the road, but I don't. I push away those thoughts, just like I push away food cravings. 

One day while training for this 5k, I started an inner dialogue to encourage me to keep running. I realized my words of encouragement to stay the course while running were also applicable to my weight loss journey. As I alternated running and walking along with my c25k app, I used another app to record my thoughts on how training for a 5k is similar to my weight loss journey...
Stop hesitating.
Get focused. Stay focused. 
At some point you have to stop thinking about it and just do it.
Don't let anything get between you and that finish line.
It's not just about the finish line - it's about today and what I do now. Right now is about putting one foot in front of the other and seeing my commitment through.
Go for it. Define what "it" is that you want and stay the course. In this moment "it" is about finishing my training today. With my weight loss, "it" is about staying on program today.
I paused for a moment and asked myself: who is this woman?
At some point while recording my thoughts, I realized multitasking was not a good idea, as it took my focus away from running. I must stay focused, so I can reach the finish line as fast as possible.

This weight loss journey isn't a marathon, as weight loss isn't about getting to our goal size as quickly as possible. It's about changing our way of eating so we can lose weight and keep it off. Perhaps we should act as if it is a marathon:
  • Make a plan and stay the course
  • Keep your eyes on the finish line
  • Reach and maintain your goal size
Whether you're training for a race or just starting this weight loss program, you need plan. The program gives you the plan and it's up to you to embrace this new way of eating and to stay the course. Once this new way of eating becomes an instinctive part of your lifestyle, your focus shifts away from "all things food" to other aspects of your life. Once we "get it" (how to eat on the key program), we can incorporate more into our life and spend less energy focusing on how to stay on program, as that becomes automatic.

The timing of this "shift" varies for each of us, just as how long it takes us to reach our goal size varies. You and I may start at the same size, but you may reach your goal size in a year and it has taken me nearly four years. There are many different factors behind why this is different for each of us, but it takes as long as it takes.

It's about finishing what you started.

You don't have to become a runner if you don't want to, but do what it takes to stay the course and reach your goal size!

Are you ready to finish what you started? Yes, you are!


December 02, 2014
Have you ever given someone a compliment, say for example about the blouse they’re were wearing, and they immediately retorted with “This old thing? Look at the stain on it…” Moments earlier you thought it was a beautiful blouse and now all you can see is an old blouse with a stain. The blouse didn’t change—your perspective changed. When you look in the mirror or see photos of yourself, do you see the incredible transformation you’ve gone through or do you only see flaws? If the later is the case, it’s time to change your perspective. It’s time to see the new you.
Have I forgotten I used to be a size 30/32?
It’s time for me to change my perspective too. I had a fabulous dinner with a wonderful key friends last week and the next day I realized I had been harsh about how I looked in photos.

Before dinner, I took selfies with two friends and then I leaned over to share the photos. That’s when my little mean girl (my internal self critic) first came out.

“I don’t like this photo.” I told Karen.

The next morning I started thinking about my little mean girl and I started writing…

Have I forgotten what my life was like three years ago when I was a size 30/32? Why would I ask others to look at my flaws? Do I really want validation that I’m flawed?

And who invited my mean little girl to dinner?

That’s when I realized—it was me—I invited my little mean girl. I’m the one who started the negative conversation. It’s moments like this that I remember why I took so many photos of myself along my weight loss journey and why I encourage you to do the same. It’s moments like this that we can look back and see how much we have changed. Look back and be in awe of who we are today.

I searched my computer for a photo of me when I was bigger to put next to the one I told Karen I didn’t like. Looking at these photos side-by-side (the photo above), I reflected that there have been many times during my weight loss journey that I looked at photos of my larger self and thought, “I don’t know that woman.” I’ve also looked at current photos of me and thought, “I don’t know that woman.”

At what point do we let go of the larger self that we once were and embrace the self we are right now?

This exact moment is as good as any.

Choose to change your perspective: to live in the present moment.

Stop looking back—see the wonder of who you are today.

You are far more than a number on a scale or the size of your clothes.

It doesn’t matter if you’re just beginning your weight loss journey, still losing weight, or at you goal: stop being mean this moment.

Negative self-talk goes beyond ourselves—it projects onto others what we see in ourselves and encourages them to judge us as well.

What are we asking of others when we speak this way of ourselves? Are we asking them to join in being mean to us?

Join me in embracing who you are today, in focusing on how great you feel right now, and in silencing your little mean girl.

There is more to this group selfie than just me. When I step back and look beyond myself in the photo, I see that there aren't any mean little girls here, only a group of vibrant women having fun.
Key-friends enjoying a night out.
That group selfie was just one moment in time. There were eleven of us gathered for dinner and it was a lovely evening with a group of key friends who all have incredible stories of weight loss and transformation through the key program.
Nine key-friends and our waiter.
You can read the weight loss stories of these nine women (and many others) on this blog. It is my hope that in sharing our stories, you too can join us in your own transformation to a healthier body and mind.

Ask any one of us and we'll all tell you:
If I can do this—so can you! You have to want to want it. You can do this!
October 23, 2014
Exercise helps you to lose weight. Exercise is good for your health. Blah, blah, blah. We know all this, but many of us struggle to start exercising or to continue with our exercise goals. What if you didn't need to decide every day should I exercise, but instead you just do it because you made the commitment? What if you no longer had to debate with yourself every day about doing it or not doing it? End the debate. It's exhausting and doesn't make you feel good, especially if you decide not to exercise. Make the decision once and then do it every day (or at whatever frequency you chose).
I could not walk this reservoir in a size 30/32. Today I walk here 4-5 days a week.
I took this photo on my morning walk, which I get to do weekdays, yes at 6am, with my friend. When I was a size 30/32, this walk, that I loved, was something I had to give up because I couldn't walk the 4 miles around the reservoir. I couldn't even do part of this trail because of the steep hills at the entrances, because I was afraid of falling down, and because I could hardly breathe going uphill. When I added exercise to my life again, this was the first place I went to walk/run. At first, I couldn't cover the whole circle, but I kept at it and eventually I could. This was a big non-scale victory.

Robin had questions about exercise and how to get motivated to exercise:
It seems every one here is walking or working out. How do you do Zumba? I can't seem to get the steps to fast! How do you all do it? How do you get yourself moving? Motivated? Please help me!
You ask great questions and I'll respond to them, but first there are a couple observations I want to make and I have a couple of questions for you...

It sounds like you're in a panic about your weight loss journey, so I encourage you to:
  • Stop right now and take a deep breath.
  • Take a long breath in and slowly exhale. 
  • Repeat three more times.
Are you measuring your success with the success of others? I've been guilty of this from time to time and I know I'm not alone in thinking this way. This kind of thinking brings on self-doubt, which is not a good place to be, but here we are just the same.

The choice is ours: stay in self-doubt and allow those feelings to bring our weight loss journey to a halt or push past those feelings and continue our journey. We get to choose: move forward or move backwards, reach our goal and live our lives to the fullest or quit and live our lives wishing we could do this.

Part of the journey for many of us is to experience this self-doubt, to question why others are losing faster than we are, and to ask ourselves why we aren't losing as fast as others. When we're in this questioning stage, we're at a turning point on our journey, one which we may encounter many times along the way, when we stop and ask ourselves the question "why aren't I losing as fast as others?"

Behind the curtain, the real question we may be asking is "can I continue to do this?" or "should I continue?" or "is this sustainable?" Perhaps what's really going on inside is that we are having doubts about reaching our goal size. At this point, we're often close to another drop in size and if we can get beyond this point we will feel incredible when it passes and we're no longer questioning ourselves.

This is the point where we need to stay the course the most, to push away those feelings of self-doubt. This is the moment to reflect back on this same kind of moment when we didn't stay the course and how we regretted it later.

This is also the moment to also reflect on the moments like this that we pushed ourselves through the moment and how great it felt when we did.

Don't make this one of those moments of regret. Make this one of the many moments you can look back on with pride at how you pushed yourself through this moment. All these moments are what add up to your success and the propel you to goal size. Stay the course.

Weight loss is not the same for all of us, as there are many variables in each of our lives. Some start heavier than others. Some are older. Some have carried their extra weight for a longer time than others. The bottom line is that time doesn't matter. Do you best every day to stay the course and you will reach your goal. If someone told me it would take more than three years for me to reach my goal size, I don't know that I could have done this program. What I do know today, is that it doesn't matter how long it takes and that I feel good every day I choose to stay the course.

Motivation to exercise comes when you decide it's time for you to get moving. I remember at a refresher Julie told the woman sitting next to me "if you don't exercise, it's going to take you a really long time to get to your goal size." It was nine months later before I would take those words seriously and started to exercise.

For me, exercise first took shape when I downloaded the couch-2-5k app. I was going to a conference and I decided ahead of time I would use the treadmill each morning of the conference. In fact, I was on my way to the airport and I had driven about a mile away from my house when I realized I had not packed my exercise clothes and I turned around to go get them. At the airport, I told my co-worker I would be joining her in the gym each morning. I made the decision and then took steps to see my commitment through. The first morning of the conference, I went to the gym at 5am, I stepped on the treadmill next to my co-worker, and I turned on the c25k app and did my first workout.

I quickly realized I needed a goal to keep me inspired, so after returning home I registered for a 5k. There was just enough time for me to finish my c25k training before the race day. What helped me was that I solicited a friend to train and to run the race with me, but there were many times that I had to run by myself.

You asked about Zumba - Zumba is a blast! However, every time I went I felt that everyone else was doing so much better. I couldn't bend or move like they did. In other words, I was judging myself and I was in my own way. Once I got out of my own way, once I stopped comparing myself to everyone else in the room, I was able to enjoy myself. I haven't been back to Zumba, but it's not off the list of possibilities, it just doesn't fit into my priorities at the moment.

Right now my focus is walking 10,000-15,000 steps a day and to train for a 5k race in Dec. I made the decision to do this race once and now I'm following through by taking the steps (training) to reach my goal. There is no debate on "should I" because I'm committed.

In the end, it is only you who can motivate yourself to see your exercise goals through. Apps are helpful tools and having a walking or running buddy is wonderful, but it is on each of us to do this for ourselves, with our without friends or apps.

Make the decision what you want to do for exercise. Make the decision once and then take action each day to stay the course. If you take on too much, adjust the plan. This isn't failing, this is learning what's possible for you right now. Adjust your plan as you need, but don't get into the debate about exercising or not exercising. Choose once and then stay the course.

Hmm, this is sort of like what we do with this program right? We choose to follow this program and there's no further debate. Take the debate out the equation for staying the course on this program and with your exercise plan.
September 18, 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
Anyone who has ever worn pantyhose will know what I am talking about! Now, try being 100 pounds over weight and put pantyhose on. Sorry guys, but this post will make more sense to women!
Photo source: deviantart.com
You start at your feet, pull them tight, pull them up to your calves, then come the thighs, this is hard, you lift one leg like giving it strength, then lift the other, you twist and turn and pull the pantyhose to get them up and over the thighs. Then comes the hips and belly, at this point you become a contortionist!

You bend at the waist to gather more of the pantyhose. You pull, tug, twist, bend, groan, jump, jiggle and whatever else you have to do to get those dumb things on.

I was so out of breath getting those dumb things on. And I certainly didn’t want my dear husband to witness my pantyhose jiggle!

So I started wearing knee highs. Oh dear! To me that is such an old lady thing to do, but I could not deal with the pantyhose dance.

Instead, here's what I would do: I would buy control top pantyhose, cut the legs off and wear the pantie part with the knee highs. Not a pretty picture at all!

Last week, I realized my new church skirt needed pantyhose and not knee highs, as there was a small slit on the side that would look hideous with knee highs under them.

I bit the bullet and went to buy pantyhose.

Immediately I wondered What size do I get? I had no clue. The size charts all go by your weight and I don’t know how much I weighed! So, I did the best I could and some old habits do not die quickly, I got control top.

I got home and pulled them out of the package.

WOW--they look so small!

Oh dear, will I get them on? 

I didn’t want to do the secret dance, but I had to wear them with my skirt! So I started...
Feet OK.
Calves OK.
Thighs OK.
OK? Wow!
Hips and belly, oh my--they went on without too much dancing.
The next thing I knew, I had them up and on--and I wasn’t out of breath!

I didn’t have to dance to get my pantyhose on! This time I didn't have to be a contortionist!

Wow, oh wow--this program is really working for me in more ways than I knew!

Pantyhose, who in the world invented them?

Well at least now I know: I can wear these dumb things and they fit me right!

Another non-scale victory for me! LOL!
April 23, 2013