Making Waves - Radio Waves that is!!!

I was contacted this evening by a radio talk show in Springfield Illinois. The host had read the article and wants to speak with me on a live radio interview tomorrow morning (6/4) at 10:10AM Central time (11:10 eastern, 8:10 Pacific and 9:10 mountain). I am so excited about this opportunity. The Lord is so good to me! I would love to have all my fellow Low Carb fans join me and listen in! The interview will be broadcast live over streaming audio so log on to hear it!!!!

The website is: www.wmay.com and just click on the listen live link at the top!!!

Wish me luck!!!!

I'M ON THE COVER OF A NATIONAL MAGAZINE!!!!!

I know that in my post a month or so ago I said that the entire process was sureal... but man oh man....

I received my pre-copy of Woman's World today and there grinning back at me with the biggest smile was.... ME!!!!

I still can't believe that I am on the cover of a NATIONAL magazine! Here is a preview of the cover (and yeah... you'll have to buy it to read the whole article). But thanks again to everyone that made this a reality. I never knew such a thing was even ever a possibility for me.

I give you.... Woman's World:




Editor's Note: Please note that the Kimkins Diet has been proven to be a dangerous Very Low Calorie Diet. Please see my article HERE for further information regarding new developments about this program and my decision to step away.

Book Review - The Thin Commandments (PART 1)

I've been saying for quite some time that I was going to begin writing about the book I've been reading "The Thin Commandments" by Dr Stephen Gullo. So here we go. This book is one of the most powerful that I have read regarding the psychology behind permanent weight loss. As I've been reading I have had the reaction over and over and over... "well duh!! NO WONDER I HAD TROUBLE!" In reading this book I have come to learn so much about myself, my eating habits, my ups and downs, and how to conquer the self-defeating habits that have plagued me for almost 30 years!!! Paring what I have learned throught my weight loss program and this book, I know that I will have success in my maintenance.

In the book Dr Gullo goes over 10 steps he says are key to overcoming the battle of the bulge. I will cover one commandement a post and insert my own experiences and thoughts as I learn.

The First Thin Commandment: Strategy Is Stronger Than Willpower

I cannot tell you how many times this has been my downfall. The old adage, those who fail to plan, plan to fail really is true. What I never realized is that it wasn't a lack of willpower like I'd accused myself of so many times, but a lack of strategy! WOW!!! I'm not a weak person afterall! Just an unprepared one! ;) LOL How often have you been sitting at home in the evening, watching TV or doing your evening routine and gotten the dreaded "munchies." For me, this was (is) a common occurance! The reason that we have such a hard time when those episodes hit is that we have failed to plan exactly what we are going to do when they come. It will inevitably arrive. You will get hungry, you will be tempted and you will get the cravings. But the key is what you do when those moments arrive.

By developing a planned out strategy for those times you can know exactly what to do and where to go with those cravings without stressing about caving or giving in to the craving! What a load off! "The realm of food is not a big world, but a small village." It is finite. We know what those foods that we crave taste like, we also know that it just doesn't work for us. The same scenarios will continue to come up over and over, but what the difference is THIS TIME is you know better, and have developed a strategy to overcome! "...successful weight control is not about doing what is 'normal' - it's about doing what works for you. You should not be concerned about the norm - that's the preoccupation of the insecure - but about what brings you the success you deserve."

There are a few points that Dr Gullo goes over that are key to developing your strategy (I will expound on these points in later installments.... stay tuned!!):

Food History - You have your own personal patterns that you have developed over your lifetime in regards to your own trigger foods. By recognizing what your triggers are and honoring your past food history, you can develop your own personalized plan in how to deal with those foods when the temptation arises.

Food Desensitizing - Techniques that defuse cravings are a powerful tool in order to develop and maintain a strategy.

Breaking through food "baby talk" - whooo boy. I could take an entire post to talk about this one. In childhood we learned unknowingly already how to talk down to ourselves and self-defeat when it comes to food. "I've been so good... I deserve it... But it's not fair... It's my treat..." Yadda, yadda, yadda.... can you hear the whining??? I love this quote from the book "Where food is concerned, even the most mature adults often act like children - like children who want their way no matter what, blocking out the negative consequences of their eating." Come to think of it... I will dedicate an entire post to this because this is so vital in my mind and one of the key reasons that people fail to keep the weight off once they reach goal.

Containment- There is a fantastic technique that I'll talk about later that will help us turn mess ups into learning experiences so we never again have to face the "I blew it" guilt.

There are so many other good points in this one chapter - my book is turning colors from all the highlighting that I'm doing!

I'll be going over so many other points that I don't have time to go into today, but I believe this is going to be a fascinating topic to continue ongoing discussion about. I'd like to leave with this last thought.... Thin is a lifestyle, not some arbitrary number on a scale. We must remember that even though we lose the weight, we never lose the vulnerability to those foods. Sooooo work on your strategy to overcome! Remember, you don't lack willpower, just planning!

I Start My Diet Over Every Day - I'M SUCH A LOSER!

Special thanks to my dear friend Regandy for the following post. She really hit the nail on the head this time!

"I start over every day.

Every day is a NEW opportunity. Every day is another clean slate. Every day! I have NOT been perfect with this way of eating... HEY I HAVEN'T BEEN PERFECT AT LIFE EITHER!! But I'm still living.. and I'm still trying.

I have binged. I have stalled. I have whined. I have pushed. I have cheered. I have cried. I have jumped for joy.

I have had some awesome perfect days. I have had some "squeaky" days. I've had some REBELLIOUS days! hahaha

I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I HAVE STARTED OVER MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT ON BOTH HANDS. That is the key. I REFUSE to give up. I REFUSE to think about what I did yesterday or last weekend. I try very hard to keep looking forward.

AND....

The weaker days are getting fewer and fewer... farther and farther between them. Would you beat your child for not walking perfectly within the first months of learning? Would you use as strong a language with a beginner "reader" as you would for yourself for not doing it perfectly? Would you toss out your child for not brushing their teeth because you have told them at least a dozen times what to do? I THINK NOT! Give yourself a break!!!

If you struggle with "perfection" -- determine to be ONE OF "THOSE" PEOPLE ....... start over every morning. I love a new day!



New day = new chance to get it right."

Weight Loss Journey = Pregnancy???

I was sharing my story with someone earlier this evening and I started thinking about this analogy... sorry guys...you won't get it. But ladies, this really hit home to me. I used my personal journey as an example, but please insert your diet program whatever that may be. :)

This journey kinda reminds me of being pregnant and expecting that first baby.... When you first find out, it's all exciting and there's the anticipation and the congratulations and on and on... I liken this to the first day of your diet. You're pumped and excited... raring to go. Then comes the first trimester when no-one knows that you're expecting and you feel like dog doo doo. This is the first weeks/month of your weight loss program No one but you can really tell that you're losing depending on how much you need to lose. You feel are just downright irritated.

Then the second trimester gives you hope... you're starting to show and you feel a lot better and can actually enjoy the pregnancy. This is those fast moving (for the most part) middle stages of the loss journey. People are starting to notice. You're still seeing good results on the scale and you can start really feeling good about yourself.

And then the third trimester..... you're done. You're ready for it to be over. The time seems to drag and drag..... this is the very end.... those last 10 pounds that you never thought you'd get to see.... this time the loss slows down. The goal is so close and yet so far.... BUT THEN!!! The reward for sticking it out in the PG is a beautiful new life... a baby..... Good news is... the reward for making it through the program.... A BEAUTIFUL NEW LIFE!!! You learn with that first baby how to love, nurture, protect, care for it as best as humanly possible.... You learn in maintenance... how to love, nurture, protect and care for your new body.... your new life.... cherish it.... Praise the ONE who gave it to you!!!

During the journey, time drags, even stands still sometimes. We think that it is taking forever, the end will never come. But then you turn around and all of a sudden, there it is. That thing that you have worked so hard for, that you have longed for and waited so patiently for is finally here. Now it's up to you as to where you go from here. We know that nervousness coming home from the hospital for the first time w/ the new baby. You're not sure how to take care of it. Wonder how on earth you'll ever be able to be all that you need to be for this precious child, this gift from the Lord. Same with your body.... you're finally here, and now, it's up to you to keep it up. You're nervous about adding in those first few foods. Wonder how it will effect you, do you know everything you need to to make it work.

We learn to raise our children by trial and error. Just the same, you learn by trial and error. Learn but never give up. Where would we be, where would our children be if one thing we tried didn't work and we just gave up the training??? It is a daily, sometimes even hourly battle/struggle. But the end result is so worth it. Always fight the good fight. Never doubt that you have done a good thing, and learn to listen to your body. It just like our children have ways of letting you know if you're doing a good job...