Today is my fifth day of not meeting my daily FitBit goals and so I decided it's time for me to start pushing myself physically by committing to run a 5k. I didn't train for any of the events I did this year and consequently I walked more than I ran. I'm ready to start training to run an entire 5k. It's time for me to step up!

My 5k & 10k events from 2011 to 2014

After a race is not one's best moment for a photo, but I'm glad I had these photos taken. These photos represent more than just a moment in time. They provide a visual of my weight loss journey and they serve as visual reminder of how I felt during and after each event: I felt incredible!

There was a time when a five to ten minute walk was too much for me. So the fact that I did those last three events with no training is amazing. Just the same, I wonder if I had trained, what would my time have been and how much better I would have felt had I had pushed myself to the max. Mind you, at the time I was pushing myself as hard as I could, but if I had trained...

I'm not beating myself up here. My average time to finish a 5k has been around 45 minutes, which is far greater than the mere few minutes I used to be able walk. I want to find out what my peak performance is by running an entire 5k.

I'll go online next week and find an event that is far enough out to give me time to run through the full 9 week Couch to 5k program and I'll find a friend to run the 5k with me. I know myself well enough to know I do better when I run with a friend. My biggest reason for not getting in my daily FitBit goal is because my walking buddy is out of town. This is not a good reason, but I'm just telling it like it is.

The good news is that my walking buddy is back next week, so no more excuses. The other good news is that I plan to do my four mile morning walk with my friend (five days a week) and run three days a week. This is stepping up!

What about you? Are you ready to step up your fitness program? You don't have to run a 5k, but you do need to exercise to help your weight loss progress and to allow yourself to be as healthy as you can!

So come on - step up!

August 08, 2014

I've asked myself this question many times since I started this weight loss program: what's your rush? The simple truth is: I'm not a fast loser. I've set weight loss goals for myself, but I've come to realize a timeline that I create does not work on this program. Besides, this isn't a race, so what's the rush?

What's your rush - this isn't a race!

I want to be at my goal size, but I'm not there yet. I accept where I am today, a size 14/16, which is far from the size 30/32 that I was three and a half years ago. What slows down my weight loss? Plateaus. Plateaus are part of the weight loss journey, as this is the body's way of healing.

When I experience a plateau, I take time to pause and review the foods I'm eating, to check in with myself and see if there are foods I need to eliminate. I may have "gotten away" with eating high fat foods or  too much cheese when I was a size 30/32, but I didn't really get away with anything. Instead, I slowed down my weight loss and often put myself on a plateau. When I eliminate foods that I was eating too much of or too often, or OMG foods are inappropriate, my weight starts dropping again. Yes, there have been a few times that I discovered I was eating foods that are not on program. For example, I was eating dried green beans for a whole summer only to be reminded "no dried foods."

What about you? Is it possible you're eating foods that are not on program? I encourage you to take an honest look at what you're eating. Two easy targets: cheese and fats, but there are a few other areas to review.

Are you treating cheese like a condiment? If not, your body will hold onto the weight no matter what else you do. Many of us take time off from eating cheese. Consider not having cheese for a month. Does this idea freak you out? All the more reason to do this. If someone said, don't use parsley for a month, would you freak out? It's a condiment. We can live without condiments, including cheese.

Are you mindful of how much fat you eat? Here's what's important to understand about fat:

• If you take in too much fat, the body stores it, which is something you do not want to happen.
• When you eat protein, it takes an equal amount of fat from the body (yeah). 
• If you aren't consuming much fat, the body takes the fat from fat it previous stored, which will result in weight loss (yeah). 
• Consume too much fat and you quickly deplete the protein deposits you made and the new fat will then be stored as fat on the body (oh no).

Think about giving up or cutting back on cheese and fat as preparation for maintenance - when we will add new foods and then take them away as we learn to cycle in and out of the weight loss mode and into maintenance, weight loss, maintenance, repeat, repeat, repeat, until our bodies gets that this is our new size.

Yogurt is a food that I found problematic. For some reason I deemed yogurt a food I could break rules with and I ate yogurt more frequently in a week than allowed. I ate it alone. I made desserts with yogurt too. No overeating yogurt. Only eat yogurt with protein. No snacking. No deserts. Follow these rules and avoid causing a plateau. Break them and you hit a plateau. It's that simple.

08/09/15 update on yogurt
Julie has always said to go by only what you heard from her, however at the refresher I went to a few weeks ago she made an exception: the yogurt brand she recommended has changed and now includes ingredients that triggers food cravings. She no longer recommends that brand. She says we can buy any brand of plain yogurt - no vanilla or any flavor at all.

It's essential to balance your meat-to-veggie ratio. Do you recall the metaphor about army men or piranhas? Regardless of which analogy you relate to, or if you don't relate or remember either, know this:

• It's all about about balancing your insulin. 
• All carbs, including veggies, spark insulin production. 
• The only thing that balances insulin, is protein. 

The foods I mention here were my trouble areas, but you may have others. What are they? Stop eating them now!

The other thing is we must do is move. Are you walking or doing some form of exercise on a regular basis? If you aren't exercising, this may be a big reason for a plateau. Without enough physical activity, the fat will not leave your body. Find a form of exercise that you can do and start today.

You can do this! You can reach your goal size. Figure out your trouble areas and eliminate them. Many of us call this "eating clean." No grey areas, besides this program doesn't have grey areas. You're either on program or you're off. There is no third option.

August 07, 2014

This statement is so true for all of us on this journey: Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching your goal.

Be proud today! - Photo by Theresa

Be proud of every single step and every single choice you make to stay on this program.

Be proud every time you look in the mirror.

Be proud every day, every week, every month, and every year that you stay in the river (on program).

Be proud when you realize another non-scale victory, such as no longer needing a seat belt extension on airplanes, crossing your legs for the first time in eons...

Be proud when you see victory: your goal size.

Be proud as you play the game of maintenance--learning how to cycle in and out of the river.

Be proud.

July 27, 2014

One year ago today, I began a journey that  changed my life in ways I couldn't even have dreamed of. I walked into Key Hypnosis and met Julie Ann Kibe. Get rid of all your preconceived notions of hypnosis, because this was nothing like that. She just talked and talked, and while my ears heard normal conversation, somehow my mind and body heard more--they heard how to heal. Somehow, in a room full of people, she dismantled the giant roadblock in my mind, that had made me morbidly obese for over 20 years.

July 2013 vs July 2014

I don't know exactly how much I've lost so far, as no scales are allowed... over a hundred pounds would be my guess...but I don't care what I've lost. I care what I've gained. I've gained my life back. I now love my body, flaws and all. I don't care if parts sag, or are too big or too small. I take pride in the strength I'm discovering in it. I giggle that I'm now able to cross my legs. I smile when I carry four bags of groceries up a flight of stairs, and I'm not out of breath at the top. I still hate long walks, and I may have grumbled all the way through last week's 5k walk/run, but I entered it, and I completed it.

My husband, family, and friends all tell me that the biggest change is not my outside, but my inside. One year later, I now try new things. I dare to excel. I've gotten a promotion. I've bought a house. I've traveled on a plane. My anxiety attacks have subsided from a freight train roaring through my body five evenings a week, to an occasional anxious twinge. My size has gone from 32 jeans that I couldn't zip, to a tight but zip-able 18 jean.

A few months back, I had the opportunity to thank Julie in person. I'm paraphrasing, but this is the gist of what she said. She humbly equated it to her being the person running behind us, holding on to our bike seat, while we learn how to steer and pedal. She said that once we have our balance, she lets go, and off we race on our own. That may be how she looks at it, but in my mind, this woman saved my life. I've heard people say $600 is too much money to spend on a "weight loss" program. For what I've gained from this, $6,000 would be a bargain. Thank you, Julie. You gave me my life back.

July 20, 2014

All my life, my weight has kept me from doing stuff.

I have a friend who has followed me on my journey and is one of my cheerleaders. She is one who keeps encouraging me, and tries to help me see the new me.

She has been trying to get me to go kayaking.

NO WAY!!! I won't fit in the kayak, I will sink it, I am afraid I can't get in and out of the thing, and so on.

Joann persisted and on Tuesday I gave in and went.

The whole way to the lake I had a stomach ache, and all those negative thoughts kept running through my mind.

I met Joann at the lake and she knew right away what I was thinking.

I didn't want to disappoint her so I was brave while voicing my concerns.

I stared that ole kayak down and decided that those old thoughts were not going to get the best of me.

Cautiously, I got in. I am sure if anyone besides Joann had been there, they would have laughed at my un-gracefulness, but I got in!

I realized I did fit, PLUS I had room to spare!!! Imagine that!

I took it slow, getting used to the feeling. Once I was comfortable off we went around Crystal Lake. Slow and steady, talking and enjoying the wonderful day!

I can not believe I did it!!! When I think back to all the things my weight kept me from doing as my children were growing up, I could just cry. My weight held me back from so much...

Julie, I am forever grateful to you for giving me my life!!

I may not go skydiving, or bungee jumping or even ride a rollercoaster. I am not that brave, but the wonderful thing to me is, that if I wanted to, I could. I would fit! I wouldn't sink anything! I wouldn't get stuck in anything!! I wouldn't break anything!!!

That is BIG!!!! REally BIG for me!!!!

I did it!!! I did it!!!!

July 16, 2014

We make a lot of decisions about food on this program. How many times have you stopped for a moment to ask yourself: Should I eat this? Or: Can I eat this? Or contemplated over: Just this once? The choices we make in those moments accumulate and ultimately make a large contribution to our success. There are other decisions that factor into this equation, such as how we see and think about ourselves and our bodies.

My choices took me from here to here.

My success on this journey is a directly correlation of the decisions I've made at key moments.

There were many moments when I paused to consider my decision.

Moments when I was involved in an activity and I paused and said to myself "I can't do this," and then I pushed past my fear and just did it.

Moments when I jumped into an activity without a moments hesitation.

Moments when I jumped into an activity without hesitation only to discover "oh, I really can't do this!"

The further along I am this path, the less time I spend thinking about my food choices. Eating this way is embedded in my life. None of these decisions are hard. Sometimes a food calls out to me and I may pause for a moment, but the moment passes and my journey continues.

Sometimes choosing to do a physically challenging activity is hard for me. I had a three-week-moment of debating about going with a group on a difficult hike. After changing my mind several times, I chose not to go. It's good to know your limitations. Mine include a 10 hour hike with no bathrooms. (It's a funny story and I promise to post it sometime.)

My weight loss journey is about more than losing weight. It's also about challenging myself to push beyond my old boundaries, beyond my old ways of thinking, and to stop thinking of myself as an obese woman: I am not an obese woman anymore.

It's about choosing to stay on program when those moments of temptation arise. The accumulation of my choices, what to eat and what activities to participate in, are what helped transform me from a size 30/32 to where I am today.

A moments decision can make or break you on this journey. Choose wisely. Stay the course.

Red Dress Run/Walk in Hartford 07/12/14

Before publishing this post, I toggled over to my email and saw this message from Linda:

In 20 minutes I am about to do something I have never done in my life!! I wouldn't have fit, number 1, I would have sunk it, number 2. I am going kayaking. I am scared, as the mean girl is still telling me that stuff. BUT, I am going to do it. 

Now that's what I'm talking about! You go Linda! Go push your limits and go have an incredible time!

July 15, 2014

Meet Donna. Donna reminded me what it was like when I was too a newbie. As I read her story, I filled with excitement for her, for me, and for you. She tells your story and mine. The wait list. The wondering if this will really work. The undeniable changes in our bodies. The startling new ways we start to see and think about food. The uncharted road ahead.

Uncharted road. Photo by Theresa

Donna posted this comment on Plateau Strategy and I instantly knew her story had to be brought to the surface so none of you would miss it.

I am a relative newbie ... having begun my journey to a new me on June 10th. I have completed my three sessions and I am so totally blown away by how my life has changed in four short weeks.

First of all, I will acknowledge that I do realize that everyone's experience is different. I can only comment on mine. I am astounded by how this whole thing works. I am an adult, life-long dieter. Gain weight ... go on a diet, lose weight ... gain it back with a little more, repeat. Tried every diet out there and was just about ready to admit I was going to be overweight FOREVER.

A very overweight friend told me about Julie's program, and I was intrigued. Could this work for me? All it took me was overnight to decide, why not give it a try. So I checked out Julie's website, was shocked and horrified to learn I would be on a waiting list for up to six months. OMG, I am so ready NOW! Please!

But, I used that time to read this blog, and pray that this would work for me too! As I said I have tried every diet program and, as with most diets (as Julie explains), you should find success, but when you plateau and then begin to gain again all hope is lost. So you try another, and then another and so on.

So here is my experience after four weeks, and I will continue to post as I go through the next weeks and months and maybe even years!

In answer to two of the four questions that Julie asks, I would like to lose 70 pounds and be a size 8.

Well, after my first session, until this very moment as I write this, I have had no cravings for anything that I should not eat. I have had no trouble controlling what I eat and the quantity that I eat. And I keep repeating the mantra "eat when you're hungry, not when you're not" to myself. Can't get it out of my head. Pretty cool, eh?

That being said, I wish I could say that I have dropped a size or two. But, in pants anyway that is not the case. I have lost significant inches in my midriff area though, and consequently feel as though I am making progress. Have dropped a size in tops ... YEAH! I do feel trimmer, does that makes sense? Very encouraged.

We had a huge family 4th of July party that I did worry about. What would I eat, how could I not have alcohol? Well, I survived! I had a burger, steak tips and corn on the cob and was as happy as a clam. Stayed away from desserts, not even tempted to try them. Not tempted to try anything I know I should not be putting in my mouth.

Speaking of burgers ... I will share a burger suggestion that I tried recently that was so darn good, I could eat them every day. I sauteed baby spinach and mushrooms with garlic and a little olive oil. I made two very thin hamburger patties, put the spinach/mushroom mixture in the center; patted the edges to seal it and grill. OMG, so good. Really try it, yummy.

Well, that is it for now. I am so very grateful for this blog. It is so nice to see how everyone else is doing and get recipes and incentive.

-- Donna

Congratulations Donna - your life is about to change in ways you can't even imagine. The fact that you're only four weeks in and you can see and feel changes is worth celebrating.

As you drop weight, you may find it doesn't come off the way you expected. Weight comes off in it's own way and in funny places - like your feet. Who knew your shoe size could get smaller? And the hips, oh the hips! They seem to be the last to go, but stay the course and they will.

One morning you put your ring on your finger and it slides right off.

Another morning you look in the mirror and the face looking back at you will be transformed. Perhaps you remember that face, perhaps it's new to you.

You won't always be able to see the changes, but know they are happening. Take photos on a regular basis to help you see changes you won't see in a mirror.

Sometimes the weight loss slows down and you plateau for a while. This is part of the journey for many of us, as our body pauses to heal. The plateau will pass and your weight will drop once again.

I look forward to hearing more from you on your journey. Thanks for the recipe too!

July 11, 2014

I made this delicious perfectly grilled corn on the cob recipe for dinner tonight. My only regret is that I didn't photograph it before we ate it! You can eat as much corn as you want as long as you eat an equal amount of meat. Keep your meat/veggie balance intact, as too many vegetables will slow down or stop your weight loss.

Recipe by Bobby Flay

Total prep and cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Directions

1. Heat the grill to medium.
2. Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. 
3. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. 
4. Fold husks back into place, and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
5. Remove corn from water and shake off excess. 
6. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. 
7. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels. 
8. Optional: spread butter over the corn while hot. 

Source: Food Network

July 06, 2014

Having a body that is capable of optimal performance is priceless. I'm learning that being the right size for my body can do far more for me than just looking good. I may not be at my goal size yet, but my body is definitely working for me these days.

Transitions are a natural state of being. Look how beautiful this one is!
Photo by Theresa

I'm in transition. Things have changed in my life and I'm not ready to write about the details yet, as it's all so new. The details don't matter. What matters is how I'm handling the transition. I'm handling this as best as I can. As I navigate through new territory, I stay connected to my incredible support system and to my spiritual side. 

I'm proud to say that during this transition there has not been one time that I told myself I deserve to treat myself to X, Y, or Z foods. I deserve to be healthy. Treats do not solve anything. They never have and they never will. I know what my life would be like today if I turned to sugar and it would not be pretty. I would shut down in a comma-like state-of-mind. No thank you.

My key program is deeply rooted. When my transition began, I automatically continued my exercise goals and I automatically continued to choose healthy foods. Sometimes autopilot is a good thing. 

My energy and focus wane throughout the day, but my overall state of being is good. I often feel as if I’m having an out of body experience. Perhaps I am. While I have moments when focusing is a challenge, I also have moments of clarity and feeling well grounded. 

One of moment of clarity is realizing how much my weight loss plays into all this. I can’t imagine how I would deal with this transition if I had not taken off so much weight. Today, at size 14/16, I’m in a good place physically, mentally and spiritually. At size 30/32, this transition would have been far more difficult.

This is another non-scale victory.

Stay the course and allow your body to work for you instead of against you.

July 03, 2014

It's funny how a memory just pops up in your mind. Not funny in a laughing out loud kind of way, but in a strange way. One moment you're peeling a hard-boiled egg and the next moment you're mind is a million miles away, remembering something that happened years ago--as if it was happening in the present moment.

That's what happened to me this morning while making deviled eggs. I picked up the first hard-boiled egg, tapped it lightly on the counter top, and then gave it a roll. Right then a memory of peeling hard-boiled eggs with my Uncle Bill popped into my head.

As I peeled the shell from the egg in my own kitchen, I was transported to my twelve or thirteen year old self in the kitchen standing next to Uncle Bill.

"Give it a light tap on the counter" Uncle Bill instructed me, "and then roll it. That's right! Now peel it. See how easily the shell comes off?"

I've peeled a million hard-boiled eggs since I was a teenager. I'm not sure why this memory surfaced this morning, but it was as if Uncle Bill was standing right next to me, instruction me how to peel an egg.

Standing in my own kitchen, I grabbed my iPhone to take photos of today's egg-peeling event. I didn't realize until that moment that I had peeled four eggs and the last egg was in my hand partially peeled.

I had the idea that I could capture my memory and make it into a short video. I was silent as I set up my iPhone camera and recorded a closeup of the fork in my hands breaking up the cooked egg yokes, adding a spoon of mayo and then mustard. I cracked black pepper over the dish and then sprinkled salt on top.

As the camera continued to roll, I stuffed the eggs. That's when I imagined my mother's critical voice.

"They're messy looking--some have more filling than others. And what about the paprika? Where's the paprika?" Mom's deviled eggs always looked perfect. Mine? No paprika. No perfection.

I picked up my iPhone, zoomed in on my finished product and snapped a few stills before popping a deviled eggs into my mouth. 

Messy looking and void of paprika, these deviled eggs were delicious.

Mom and Uncle Bill are brother and sister and, like their father and two of my brothers, they had diabetes. My grandfather and my Uncle Bill were thin men their whole lives. Neither of them ever had weight issues, unlike my mom and my diabetic brothers. Diabetes was just one of several health issues my mother, her father, her brother, and her oldest son (my brother) had going on when they passed away.

Four years ago my nurse practitioner told me, with an authoritative certainty, despite the negative results from my annual diabetes test, "you are going to become a diabetic."

"No!" I told her with my own authoritative certainty.

I always knew I would never become a diabetic, despite my mother's family history of diabetes, because decades ago I decided to claim my father's genes, as there was no diabetes or Alzheimer on his side of the family. As if one can really make such a claim.

When my memory of Uncle Bill and Mom surfaced this morning, I thought of their struggle with diabetes and how neither one of them was willing to give up sugar. 

I remember Uncle Bill checking his blood sugar level, taking his medicine, eating lunch, and then eagerly waiting to bite into a piece of pie. I'm not sure of the exact order of those events, but as I sat beside Uncle Bill at his kitchen table, I would silently stake claim to having my father's family genes.

I don't remember if my mom took medicine for her diabetes, but I vividly recall my grandfather injecting himself daily with a needle. I also remember him using a lot of Saccharin.

I was excited about making this memory into a video this morning, but it seems deviled eggs aren't the only thing in my life that lack perfection. Technology got the better of me. My new iPhone won't speak to my desktop computer, so I can't get edit my video or record my story. Well I know I can figure this out, but I don't have all day to do this, so here I am writing my memory instead.

As I finish writing this piece, I think about my life today and I can't help but ponder a few what if questions. What if I hadn't changed the way I eat? What if I hadn't loss all this weight? What if I was still a size 30/32 instead of a 14/16? Would I have become diabetic? Or do I really have my dad's gene's?

Lucky for me, and it really isn't about luck, I won't ever know if I had stayed on the path I was on before this program, the path where I communed with Ben & Jerry daily, if I would have become diabetic. Family history and statistics have a strong case against my claim.

What I do know is that eating the way I learned on this program, I will never become diabetic. Paprika is still an option, but perfection is debatable.

Mom and Uncle Bill

June 28, 2014

Friday night I took my measurements and went online to look at a size chart. OMG. Have you ever done this? When I looked at the chart it says I'm supposed to be...I'm none of the sizes listed! My measurements are not on the chart! According to the charts (and I looked at several), I am three different sizes (my bust, hips, and waist are not in the same size and the size between each is wide; no pun intended). No wonder I'm not finding clothes that fit me.

Then and now

I feel like wearing girly-girl clothes. I'm SO over wearing black and white--I want vibrant colors!  I have a handful of summer dresses and a ton of blouses, but I want some short skirts. I recently dropped another size, so I just need to find the place where my size exists. Size doesn't matter, but where oh where are clothes my size?

Last summer I discovered Dress Barn, but everything I liked was a size 8. My trip there yesterday lasted 2 hours and I left empty-handed. I can see things there fit better, but nothing in the styles I want.

To boost my morale, which was low after not having any success at Dress Barn, I went into my photos and pulled a photo from my days of being a size 30/32 to post here next to my current size. I'm telling you, a photo is worth a thousand words.

I know I've said this a million times on this blog, but it's worth repeating: take photos and take them often!

Looking at myself in the size 30/32 photo next to a photo taken last month, there is no denying my transformation. Wooohoo! As big as I may some days feel--I am not the size I used to be. I have come a long way. Sure, I wish it was faster, but it is what it is and I'm so far from a size 30/32.

I also booked a refresher, because I want to reach maintenance and I need a boost to help me get there. Yes, I'm having success dropping weight again, but I want to push through to the finish line. I called today and have an appointment for next month.

To those of you reading this: do whatever it takes to stay the course to make it to your finish line. However long it takes - you are worth it.

June 23, 2014

I have been on Julie's program for well over 2 years. Still have not strayed, fallen off the wagon, or cheated. Still going strong, and just have a peace inside of me that I WILL get to my goal.

I have noticed in the past few months I have begun an unusual habit. Certainly not a normal one in my book or in my husband's.

I have begun smelling food. Yup, you heard me right!

If my dear husband goes to eat something unusual, or that looks really yummy, I have to smell it. Poor Greg, he can't have a dessert without my sticking my nose in it first.

We were on vacation at an all inclusive the end of winter, and my dear hubby enjoyed a few desserts. Well, he enjoyed them AFTER my nose was in them!

Why do I smell food? Who knows! BUT I must say, some of the fragrances are absolutely delightful. They do not provoke a craving, I just enjoy the smell.

I was telling Theresa about this habit one day, and she likened it to smelling beautiful flowers. We love to smell a fragrant flower but it doesn't mean we are going to eat it. At least I am not going to!! Even though before Julie, I could have eaten everything in sight!!!

I work in a bakery now, have since before my trip to Italy in the fall. I love to bake and seeing no one eats it at home, it is the perfect job for me.

I guess I can pinpoint my strange new behavior as starting in Italy. My father ate the pastries and desserts. He kept telling me they were not sweet even though they sure looked sweet to me. Thus began my smelling food habit.

On an average day at the bakery, while stuff is baking I can not smell it. I figure Julie must have something to do with that. But once in a while I just have to stick my nose into something and smell it. My co-workers find it funny that it doesn't make me want to eat it, but I just enjoy the fragrance.

These are just some of the beautiful flowers in my garden.

Hopefully my food smelling habit doesn't get to out of control!! One of my friends, laughingly said to me, "I sure hope you can contain yourself in a restaurant and not start smelling everyones food! I can see you at therapy now for food smelling!"

LOL! Gotta love your friends!!!

I am going for a refresher this week and plan to ask Julie about this food smelling thing. Will keep you posted!

June 09, 2014

Two months ago, I spent a few hours with three of my key friends / blog contributors and we had a blast. We had a nice lunch together and then walked for an hour or more   something none of us could have endured before this program.

Selfie: Linda, Jennifer, Alaina, Theresa

We met at Johnny's Bar & Grille for lunch. All of us ordered the same thing: bone-in salt and pepper chicken wings, fried Brussels sprouts, seltzer with lots of lemons, and an extra large order of laughing and talking. The staff were fabulous and they were so kind to take our photo again and again until they had one with just the right light.

Alaina, Jennifer,  Theresa, Linda

After lunch, we walked across the street to Mount Holyoke College to tour the beautiful library and to see the Dale Chihuly sculpture Clear and Gold Tower. After the our self-tour of the library, we headed outside toward lower lake.

As we walked across campus, the laughter continued. We were all so relaxed and it was a beautiful day, so I pulled my camera. I had to seize the moment and do a photo shoot of everyone. It was an honor to capture the fun spirit of each of these women.

Usually I would insert a "before" photo next to these photos, but this time, I want to let the photos speak for themselves.

Alaina

Jennifer

Linda

Theresa

When my photo was taken, we didn't realize the video button was selected and consequently we recorded a rather funny moment, but some moments are not to be shared beyond close friends. This was one of those moments.

June 06, 2014

One of the great things about this weight loss program is that I don't think about food all the time. Yes, I plan what I'm going to eat, but only when I'm going to buy groceries. This doesn't mean I don't have a strategy, it just means I don't need to obsess about food.

Finnian asked:

Hi I have a question about some of the strategies or "tricks" as you refer to them...In the sessions I attended she never said anything about "tapping away hunger" or "don't wanna want it" can you explain to me what these things mean?

Tap, tap, tap, is not a phrase Julie uses. During one of my initial sessions Julie described a technique to use when we have sugar cravings. As she spoke about sugar cravings getting stronger and stronger, one of her hands moved closer to her body and then she gave us the suggestion to push away the sugar cravings. Over the years that I've been following this program, I turned that concept into the phrase tap, tap, tap, which I use as a reminder to push away cravings. 

I don't know about you, but I like having energy to do other things in my life instead of thinking about my next fix, I mean meal. In order for this to happen, having a strategy helps.

What's My Strategy?

My strategy is similar to Nike's famous brand statement, I just do it. I follow the plan as Julie taught me and after three years of just doing in, I don't have to think what I'm doing - I just do what I've trained myself to do. Sure, there are days I wonder about what to cook, plenty days in fact, but this program is a way of life for me.

To get to this zen-like place, I did a lot of thinking along the way. I was full of questions that only I could answer. The question that kept coming up again and again was Why am I on a plateau?

I asked my key friends for their sage wisdom about plateaus and what they do when they're on one. In response, they asked two questions: 1) what are you eating? and 2) when are you eating? Let's take a closer look at what they had to say...

What are You Eating?

We tend to get in a rut and eat the same foods...change is good. Think about what you're eating and change up the foods. Breakfast for example, should not be the same every day. When we repeat the same meals, our bodies think "oh no, another diet" and it starts storing fat because it thinks we're going to starve it.

• Army men - if you're eating anything that will bring out the army men, stop now!
• Too much milk - try two weeks of cutting your milk and see if this makes any difference.
• Cut back on the vodka - the caution here is if you drink to much, you may end up eating things that you will regret in the morning.
• Big coffee drinker - scale back.
• Are you only having breakfast foods for breakfast? Mix it up and have chicken for breakfast.
• Are you eating the same foods - it's essential to eat a variety of foods or your body thinks it's on a diet and holds onto your weight.
• Cheese - it's a condiment and the sooner you accept this and treat it as such, the better for you. 
• Cook simpler.  We don't need to make complicated meals three times a day. Keep it simple. Simple doesn't have to be boring, it's just less work. Less work means more time for fun. Fun is good! Go have some fun.

When are You Eating?

• Eat only when you are hungry.
• Stop eating when you're full.
• Milk - while we are not limited to how much milk we drink, we were warned NOT to drink milk by the gallon. 
• Pepperoni - now that I’ve become a meat lover, I've given up pepperoni as a regular item on my menu. When I started this program I didn’t like meat AT ALL and I asked about pepperoni and was told it was allowed. A few months ago I decided I want to drop another size more than I want pepperoni. It's all about free-will.
• Condiments - a wise key friend recently said: Julie gave us meat and veggies, not meat, veggies, and condiments. We are allowed condiments to enhance our foods, not have the whole bottle. Also essential: “nothing sweet to the lips” means if a condiment (or any food) tastes sweet, we shouldn’t eat it. I no longer using Marie’s salad dressing and I’m looking for new ways to enjoy tuna and chicken — am I really going to say it aloud, omg, yes — without mayo!
• Eating the same food daily - variety in our foods is essential. I make smaller dishes instead of large batches that I ate over the next few days.

What to Do if You're on a Plateau?

1. Accept that plateaus are a natural part of the weight loss process. 
2. Have patience. Your body plateaus so it has time to heal.
3. Look at your fat intake. Are you eating a lot of bacon, hot dogs, butter, mayo? Cut way back on fatty foods. 
4. Get moving - find a form of exercise that you can do and start moving. Set goals for yourself and keep to your commitment.
5. Be gentle with yourself. This is a learning process. Along the way, you may discover things you are eating that are not on program. Realize your mistake and move on - today. There are no tomorrows - we only have today. Seize the moment.

Image source: Fitness Health Wellness Professional Fitness Institute

June 05, 2014

My brother and his wife were invited to celebrate the birthdays of a couple we've known for over thirty years. Both the husband and wife turned 80 in May and to celebrate our friends invited four couples to join them on a cruise. My brother was not able to go and I was invited in his place. All I had to do was pay for my ticket to Florida and back, and to bring along at least two formal dresses. Who am I to say no to such an incredible invitation? What's a girl to do? Start looking for formal dresses of course!

View from my balcony on the Oasis of the Seas.

A few weeks after I accepted this fabulous gift, something incredible happened: one of our key friends posted a notice she had 8 bags of clothes ranging from size 12-18 to give away to the first person who contacted her. I responded right away and we arranged to meet at her house.

I spent about an hour on her front steps, listening to her inspiring weight loss story. After our visit, she brought the bags out to the steps and I loaded them into my trunk. As I walked toward my car with the last bag, I heard her call out from inside the house.

"Hold on! I have some more."

I looked up and saw her coming out the front door with her hands full of beautiful dresses. I'm so grateful and fortunate to have made this connection.

Back home I sorted through the clothes and put the items that were too small into a bin, I wrote a note and placed it on top before closing the lid. The note read: beautiful clothes that will fit me soon.

The dresses she handed to me were size 12's and 14's and too small for me last summer, but I was optimistic they would fit me by the time I went on the cruise.  I hung the dresses in the left side of my closet, next to other clothes waiting for me to fit into them.
As summer turned to fall, I kept pulling the beautiful dresses out of my closet and holding them up to me in front of my full length mirror. I could see they did not to fit yet; my body was wider than the dresses.

January, February, and then March passed, and each time I stepped in front of the mirror, the results were the same: the dresses were still beautiful and still too small.

The first of April, after having lunch with some of my key friends in South Hadley, I invited Jennifer and Linda to my house to get their opinion on a formal dress I had bought for the cruise that I was unsure of how it looked. I felt it clung to my backside too much and in the end I returned it. While they were at my house, I put on a black dress from my key friend for them to help me determine if it was too tight.

They agreed with me, it was too tight. I showed them the other dresses and said how sad that they too were to small. Jennifer suggested I try them on, but I said no; I was positive they would not fit. After they left, I decided to try them on and I was shocked--I could get into all but two of the dresses. I would not go outside my house in any of them, as they were way too tight, but I could fit into them.

What shocked me so much was that these dresses looked so small. I was in awe. Am I really that small? Despite the fact that they were skin tight - the fact that I could get into them was incredible.

Tick tock. Time was running out and I still had to get my formal dresses lined up.

A friend in New York sent me a dress that she was confident would fit me and that it would look incredible. When it arrived, I tried it on and she was right. The floor length red dress was a beautiful color on me, but it needed to be shortened and altered to fit me better. I asked around for a good tailor.

One dress down, one more to go.

Two summers ago I bought a few beautiful dresses and they're too big under the arms. I decided to take them to the tailor as well. I was lucky again, as prom season was closing in and the tailor would have just enough time to finish my dresses on time.

Meanwhile, I kept trying on those size 12 and 14 dresses right up until a few days before I left. They fit much better, but they were still too tight. In the end, those beautiful dresses did not go in my suitcase. It turns out that I had exactly the right number of pretty dresses to bring with me.

This cruise wasn't only about dresses, although I have a ton of photos of me wearing all my beautiful dresses. There were a couple physical challenges I gave myself while on the cruise that I could not have done prior to losing this weight. I'll share those stories and more in the weeks ahead.

Meanwhile, here are some photos in my beautiful dresses. This first photo was taken outside of the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, FL, where the first of many birthday celebrations took place. I felt like a celebrity when we arrived. Getting out of a stretch limo in a short dress while others are watching, was interesting!

Did you ever get into a stretch limo in a short dress?

This is the beautiful red dress my friend gave me.

This is one of the dresses I had the tailor make smaller.

Same dress in 2012 and 2013, which I had altered before the cruise.

I couldn't resist showing this same dress that I had altered to wear last Halloween.

Buying a dress off a street vendor in Jamaica was not possible when I was a size 30/32. And, at the insistence of our host, I bought the hat the same day from another vendor. There was a time, when the hat would have been the only thing on the street that would fit me.

The big birthday celebration was in Cozumel, Mexico.

This is is the other formal dress, which I had in my closet.

Ten of us traveled on the Oasis of the Seas to Haiti, Jamaica, and Mexico

June 01, 2014

One of the key concepts is to eat local veggies and to eat them when they are in season. Here in the Pioneer Valley asparagus season is underway (May through June). Now is the time for us to indulge in asparagus and to get you started, here's a delicious recipe for oven-roasted asparagus.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds green asparagus
• olive oil
• sea salt (optional)
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs (which you will hard-boil)
• chopped flat-leaf parsley or chives, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oven to 425ºF

Prepare the asparagus:

1. Asparagus need to be cleaned very well, as dirt gets trapped under the tips and is unpleasant to eat. Grasp each spear at both ends and bend it, it will snap in half; the top half is edible and tender. Save the bottoms to add to a stock.
2. Fill a bowl with cold water and submerge the asparagus spear tips and swirl them around a few times, loosening up and removing any grit. If necessary, repeat in a few changes of water to ensure that all grit is removed. 
3. Wash and towel-dry the asparagus and then peel the tough skin off the stalks with a vegetable peeler.

After preparing the asparagus:

1. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of olive oil on a baking sheet and sprinkle with (optional) salt and pepper. 
2. Toss the asparagus in the oil and roast in the oven, turning the spears a few times during roasting, for 18 to 20 minutes or until the asparagus is tender when you poke a knife into the stems. Don’t overcook them.
3. While the asparagus are cooking, hard-boil the eggs, drain the water from the pot, add ice and cold water, and then let the eggs sit in the water until they are cool.
4. Option: instead the eggs, use shavings of Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, crumbled feta, or crispy bits of bacon.
5. Place the asparagus on a serving platter. 
6. Peel the eggs and then use a cheese grater with large holes to grate the eggs over the asparagus.
7. Sprinkle chopped parsley or chives over the asparagus and serve. 
8. This dish may be served hot or at room temperature. 

Photo source and original recipe

May 31, 2014

If you are on a plateau, I encourage you to go and try on clothes in stores. Not crazy all over the place-just a few stores that you have tried in the past-Touch base with yourself! I learned A LOT earlier this week when I went shopping.

Talbots May 2014 (left) and Coldwater Creek February 2013 (right)

When I look in the mirror, I don't see ONE change. But, trying on clothes? Big change! In October 2013, I didn't buy these pants-they fit awful. I wanted them to fit so badly! But, tenacity paid off-I kept to my exercise routine and clean eating (meat/veggies/hardly any condiments) and 6 months later I found a prettier pair of pants in a smaller size!

Going to stores and trying on clothes helps you gauge a lot. Yes, using your own clothes is helpful, but sometimes can be frustrating. I am a very curvy person, so I do most of my shopping in women's stores: Chicos, Coldwater Creek (I will miss them as they are closing maybe by July-even the salesclerks don't know!) and Talbots, to name a few. I only grab a few articles-mainly pants as this is my toughest body part. I grab a couple of different sizes as well. But NEVER a larger size than what I want to fit into as I do NOT want my body to think that size is OK!

May 2014 (left) November 2013 (right) Not a huge change, but noticeable! Yippee!

This a pair of shorts (above photo on the right right) I have used since last October when I went to a refresher and decided I no longer wanted to be a 6-8, but a 4-6 (long story!!!!)  I have been trying them on and taking pictures. For the longest time, no change! Took more pictures today: BIG change in how they fit (above photo on the right left)!

The odd thing: When I just look in the mirror, I don't see the change! Only in the pictures! Wild. I am not whining. I am being truthful about not seeing a difference. Moral of this story? Go shopping. Be realistic. And go WALK! lol. I can't believe I am posting these.....but, I guess it's proving what tenacity and believing can do. Your plateau will take as long as it takes! It is up to you to work through them! Move more, be consistent. Be careful with condiments! (This includes cheese! I hardly ever eat it anymore!)

Did I say move? I mean it! Most of you know I have a Fitbit, and I have logged over 480 MILES since March 13!!!! That commitment moved me from my plateau, I know it!!! And go try on some clothes!

May 26, 2014

Meet Jennifer M, who started at a size 14 and is now a size 2-4. Jennifer is asking for help with a problem many of us have experienced. Despite the fact that all her clothes have literally fallen off her body, she's having trouble seeing the changes in her mirror, and she's nervous about starting maintenance.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

Here's Jennifer's story and questions:

I follow your blog and I love reading the posts. I first went to Julie in September of 2013 and I have had amazing success, but I think I need a little bit of advice and I really do not know where to turn. Since your blog has been such a great resource for me the last several months, I thought maybe you could give me some advice/insight as to what I am feeling.

First, I should tell you that I was always thin, often considered underweight. I started gaining weight in college. The pounds came on rapidly and I just figured it was the "freshman 15." Each year, I gained more and more and was finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), after several years of searching for answers to several health mysteries.

Through the PCOS diagnosis, I ended up receiving fertility treatments (more weight gain!) which resulted in a pregnancy. Being pregnant was the only time I was able to lose weight and I lost 30 pounds. Once my daughter was born, the weight came back on and  15 extra pounds. I never have eaten terribly, and I am extremely active, but no matter what I ate or how much time I spent at the gym, the weight wouldn't budge. After researching PCOS and talking to my family, I learned that Hashimoto's disease is closely related and it runs in my family.

It was around the time I was diagnosed with this that I went to my first session with Julie. I was an extremely tight size 14. I listened to what she said and I followed all of her instructions. I did not have the same triggers as you and others on the blog have mentioned. I just ate my meat and veggies because I felt good not eating the other junk. I wasn't totally convinced that the hypnosis worked on me because of this, but I firmly believed that the principles of the program make sense, especially for my health.

Now I'm between a size 2 and 4. I have not strayed from the program. I had to purchase an entirely new wardrobe because my old clothes literally fell off my body. I get complements every day.

My problem is that I don't see any change when I look in the mirror. I'm scared that this could become a serious problem... forcing me to never go into maintenance because I'm scared to eat anything else, or worse--trigger an eating disorder.

My goal when I saw Julie was to get into a size 6. I have surpassed that, but I'm still not pleased because I don't see a change. Also, Julie had said that maintenance should start after a year on the program. I am not there yet. (Note from Theresa: I believe this was a misunderstanding in something Julie said, as there is not set time when one should begin maintenance.)

Do you have any thoughts or similar experiences? I am not sure what to do at this point. I am scheduled to see my doctor next month and I plan to bring my concerns to him, but I would love some insight from someone who has been through it all.

Jennifer, congratulations on your incredible success in reaching your goal size! This is no small feat, as we all know. I'll do my best to answer your questions and concerns from my own experience and I hope others will respond with their experiences too.

As far as seeing your body changes in the mirror goes, just about everyone I know has expressed they too had problems seeing their weight loss at one time or another. I often hear others refer to poochy belly, their arms as bat wings, or thunder thighs, the list goes on and on.

After a week of being with 5 other women during my vacation, I noticed that this list is something all women seem to have and not just women who have lost weight. Every time I showed a photograph to one of my traveling friends, they always criticized themselves, despite the fact that they looked beautiful in the photo. If they didn't point out something about their body, then it was something about what they were wearing. I was keenly aware of this every time I showed them a photo, even the woman in her 70's who was very petite! So, it isn't just because we've lost weight, it seems to be common for women to speak negatively about their bodies.

Seeing our new bodies and adjusting to them in our heads is not easy. This is something each of us has to work through for ourselves. This is all about self-acceptance. It's essential for each of us to make this transition to see our bodies as they really are, to see the positive, and to stop focusing on our flaws. Look at those photos of you in your tight 14's - you are not that same woman! Do this often.

I don't want my life to be a constant battle with myself over my size when I'm at goal; I refuse to live this way. When I was a 30-32 and never saw myself that size either. I'm determined to work through this issue. I want to live life to the fullest and not be so self-obsessed with my body. I am determined to start this process now and if I'm still seeing myself the size I really am when I reach my goal, I'm go to therapy.

This is all part of the journey, as is going on maintenance. What you're describing about being fearful of maintenance is normal. Julie tells us we must be willing to play the game (of maintenance) in order to take this weight off and keep it off. Maintenance is about bringing foods back in slowly and intentionally. Along the way, we will gain some weight and we will take it off by going back into the river. We repeat this process, adding new foods as we feel ready, going up and down within our goal size (not up in size, up to a tight goal size) until we get it and our body realizes this is our new pattern.

You can do this, just as you've done the rest of the program. Julie taught you maintenance in your classes and you have all the knowledge within you to achieve this goal too. Trust the process. Trust yourself. This will take time. How much time varies from person to person, but trust you to will get there!

Thanks for sharing your story.

May 21, 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.

feel normal obesity stay off the scale success story the scale weight loss weight loss journey

May 19, 2014

Recently a friend touched on a topic that a lot of us have had personal experience with: "My beautiful husband's Aunt struggles with her weight. She is not interested in seeing Julie, but has recently been reducing her carbs and is starting to lose."

Yesterday my husband took her out to lunch to celebrate Mother's Day and she was so excited because she had bread and ice cream after not having either for 2 months. She said, "I'm going to eat what I want today because it's Mother's Day." It just struck me how many 'Because it's (insert any occasion, holiday, event or excuse here) I'm going to eat what I want' days I used to have. I was truly the queen of rationalization.

Living through 2 years of events and having the strength to not eat off program "because it's..." is really amazing to me. I'll always want those foods as they are like old friends to me. I've just decided I don't want to party with them anymore. I don't want another Monday where I have to feel defeated and know I have to start dieting again because I blew it.

I'm grateful that my life is full of events that deserve celebrations. I just don't want to ever use those happy times to hurt myself with food."

How many of us have thought like that? Isn't it a relief to be free from these feelings?

Another friend talked about her personal situation with Mother's Day too:

"I was thinking this will be my first Mother's Day without kid-made French toast. Boo boo, poor me. But instead they made a beautiful omelet with ham and a side of bacon. They cared enough to cook, and to sit and eat with me. The focus, for me, has changed. Mother's Day was never about French toast.  :)"

People that have seen Julie are learning to adapt to holidays! And their families care enough to allow the "old" tradition to be replaced with a "new" tradition. That is true support! Do you have people helping you meet your goals? If so, how?? Are you worried about the next holiday, or are you prepared??? Has your focus changed??

May 15, 2014