Attention!

I was in Manila last weekend and I was feeling flummoxed because I received so much attention from men! It was in a way a validation that I am on the right track. But I really don't need the attention of other men to make me feel good about myself and more importantly to love and accept myself for who I am. All I know is, after Manila, I have more resolve to keep on going and lose another 20kg!

A special moment with Anton!

Weight Loss Goals for Adventurers

 I got this from the Notes posted by Joseph on Facebook and I thought I would do one for weight loss.

TEACHING GOALS FOR MY STUDENTS - 
Quoted from Antonia M Rogers, Music Teacher (Flute) from Texas USA

Every teacher emphasizes different aspects of learning. After many years of teaching, I have identified the skills I believe are the most important in developing students who are technically proficient, love playing the flute, and embrace music in their lives. Some of these skills are measurable, others are not. I have achieved my goals when students: 

• Are successful musicians, not just flute players. 
• Play using proper technique with a beautiful tone. 
• Play musically and know how to phrase, where to breathe, and how to express the composer’s intentions and their own emotions through their playing. 
• Play a wide variety of solo and ensemble repertoire. 
• Become their own teacher by applying the basics of music theory and technique, solving their own technique problems, and learning to make choices. Students will not only perform certain pieces well, they will understand them and know how to practice the steps needed to perfect them. 
• Set personal, technical, and performance goals, and work toward becoming the best musician they can possibly be. 
• Enjoy their lessons and the benefits of personal relationships forged through music.
• Include music as a joyful part of their lives. They incorporate music into their lives by listening to classical music on the radio and on CDs, attending concerts, becoming passionate about their favorite pieces, sharing music with friends, playing in ensembles, and being eager to perform. My greatest wish is that their joy for music will infuse the rest of their lives. 
• Apply music skills such as goal setting and perseverance to other aspects of their lives, leading them to be more confident, happier people with a greater ability to succeed in other areas of their lives. True self-confidence is achieved through attempting important goals, overcoming challenges, and achieving goals. 

WEIGHT LOSS GOALS FOR ADVENTURERS -

Created by Rozana Yunos, Weight Loss Adventurer since September 2009

Every person has their reasons for embarking on a weight loss programme. Even though the ultimate goal suggest that weight loss is the most important aspect, there are other areas in which we know we have achieved our goal. Some are measurable and some are not. The most important thing is you accept the success and be proud of  yourself for the steps you are taking to create a healthier you!

 

I have achieved my goals when:

1. The clothes that I owned 10 years ago can now fit me!

2. I look in the mirror, I like and appreciate what I see.

3. My body measurements are reducing each week even though the weighing scale has not moved.

4. I enjoy simple food with fresh flavours and it doesn't have to be complicated in its preparation.

5. I can live without processed food.

6. I don't overeat and don't feel the need to eat more than what my body can take.

7. I can wear the dresses sold in shops and don't have to look for size XXL.

8. I can say NO to chocolate, ice cream and other sweet treats!

9. I look at food I used to eat and say "I can't believe I used to eat that!"

10. I feel light on my feet and dancing is so much easier!

11. I feel I have more energy, don't huff and puff when I go upstairs and can walk really fast.

12. I say, "I'm so glad I started this adventure!"

 

There's more...! How do you know when YOU have achieved your goals?

Accepting Imperfection

I bought this book - The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie and reading the entry for 25 February it says:

" "Why do I always do this to myself?" asked a women who wanted to lose weight. "I went to my support group feeling so guilty and ashamed because I ate half a cookie that wasn't on the diet. I found out that everyone cheats a little, and some people cheat a lot. I felt so ashamed before I come to the group, as though I were the only one not doing my diet perfectly. Now I know that I'm dieting as well as most, and better than some."

Why do we do this to ourselves? I'm not talking strictly about dieting; I'm talking about life. Why do we punish ourselves by thinking that we're inferior while believing that others are perfect - whether in relationships, recovery or a specific task?

Whether we are judging ourselves or others, it's two sides of the same coin: perfection. Neither expectation is valid. 

It is far more accurate and beneficial to tell ourselves that who we are is okay and we are doing is good enough. That doesn't mean we won't make mistakes that need correcting; doesn't mean we won't get off track from time to time; doesn't mean we can't improve. It means with all our mistakes and wandering, we're basically on course. Encouraging and approving of ourselves is how we help ourselves stay on track.

Today I will love and encourage myself. I will tell myself that what I'm doing is good enough, and I'll let myself enjoy that feeling. "

Key Lessons for this Adventure:

1. It's ok that sometimes you slip from your food plan - just pick it up again and be proud of yourself for choosing to stay on track

2. Don't compare yourself to others of the results they are making versus your's. You can use other adventurers as sources of inspiration but never allow yourself to feel less than anyone. We are all different and responding to our individual food plans differently.

3. Surround yourself with people who believe in you more than you believe in yourself. They will give you the encouragement you need and help you boost your spirits to keep on going!

4. Accept what IS and accept and appreciate yourself for being the great being of light that you are. At the end of the day, it's up to you to make it happen. Your presence makes a difference to people's lives and you will be an inspiration to others!

5. You will reap the rewards... just be patient!

The Blurred Line

I have completed 6 months into this adventure! I have never stuck to something for so long in my entire life and I put that in the context of things related to my health. Apart from the weight loss, this too is something to be proud of!

And the line between "adventure" and "way of life" is starting to blur. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Either way, it's all a matter of perspective. All I know is, after conversations with Adib who is on his own adventure following a programme which works for him, we are not always perpetually on a "weight loss" programme. At the end of the day, it's all a HEALTH GAIN! And living the healthy life I'm living makes me feel good about myself! 

Message for Today

I was on my way somewhere one Saturday morning and at the Kiulap roundabout, while waiting in the queue to turn left, the van in front of me had a message which I thought was a good reminder for me and anyone else who is on their own adventure in weight loss. 

A message brought to you today by Vitagen!

It says: "Eat All Foods in Moderation."

Crystal Ball

I won the Brunei Speakers' Club International Speech Contest with my speech entitled "Crystal Ball" and it shared a little story about my weight loss. The next level is the Area Contest on 7 March where I will be competing against the members from the other Toastmasters Clubs in Brunei and normally the speakers would do the same speech but I think I'll be changing mine just to spice things up a bit.

Enjoy!

CRYSTAL BALL

When I was a child, I stumbled across this beautiful crystal ball. And believing in fairy tales and magic I asked this crystal ball, “Crystal ball, show me my future!”

Magically, the crystal ball showed me my life. One, I was slim and gorgeous. Two, I was filthy rich, living life like those in Hollywood! And the best part, I was married to the most handsome, most loving husband, any woman could ask for. I was the envy of all in the land of… my dreams!

Good evening contest chair, honourable judges, fellow Toastmasters and friends.

The crystal ball has absolutely been spot on. Only 1 out of the 3 things mentioned came true! Not bad. Where we now live in a time of economic recession and good men are becoming as scarce as oil, I would say I still did quite well.

Over the past few years, I have reflected what makes our life the way it is? Do we really need to seek the help of a crystal ball to see into our future? The truth is, you already know the answer. The magic is inside of you. You cannot and you do not rely on your crystal ball to tell you everything there is you need to know.

There are too many people who go through life waiting for things to happen. Or they wonder, what happened? Or those who actually make things happen. And that is you and I. We make things happen… when we choose to.

Growing up, my crystal ball began to predict a glum outlook of my life. It was telling me that I will always be fat and overweight. I began to find comfort in acknowledging this future predicted by my crystal ball. I over enjoyed and I overindulged in my eating habits. All social events were used for good company and an excuse to “celebrate” life! The adage of I live to eat, was somehow the only truth I knew. And exercise existed although it was limited to walking up the stairs from the car park to the office. I was truly living the life predicted by my crystal ball. I was meant to be overweight.

Then it came to a point in time where wake up calls happen and shattered the crystal ball into tiny pieces. Mine came at a point where I felt unwell and feverish. I visited the doctor and he took my blood pressure. His eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw the reading. I at the age of 30 years old was on the brink of being diagnosed with high blood pressure. In simple terms, I am in BIG trouble if I didn’t do anything especially someone of my size. Being overweight was already a problem. But being overweight and having high blood pressure can be life threatening. I did not expect this at all. My crystal ball didn’t warn me beforehand.

It was time to take action and mean it! I recreated a new crystal ball that projected an image of me slimmer, healthier and happier. I held this thought in my mind’s eye as I begun the process. It was not an easy journey and we must not get deceived that everything that we do will be challenge-free.

Throughout this weight loss program, I met many people who just don’t seem to understand or they make like they are weight loss experts even though they have not lost any weight themselves. Cutting back on my food intake was not a problem. And re-educating myself about healthy food was not the issue either. I can be pretty disciplined when I choose to. The little comments that people make frustrate me. Just the other day, at a dinner party, I had fruit instead of cake and ice cream and one of my friends said to me upfront, “Is that all you’re having? So boring.” When he was well aware I was on an eating plan.

And another time, a friend I was having dinner with, said to me, “Go on have some it won’t hurt.” When it fact it would.

Another friend one time said to me, “Rozana, are you sure that’s your portion. No more for you!” And he took the food away from me! When in fact I didn’t have enough to eat.

At each moment, I wanted to cry because I had been doing my best to follow my eating plan and it was a choice that I had made for myself and they think they knew better than me. I didn’t take it personally. What doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger.

Whatever we choose to do, there will always be ups and downs. Fortunately for me, there were many downs. I saw the numbers on the weighing scale go down, down, down. And in 5 months, from 119kg, I became 89kg. That’s 30kg in 5 months along with a loss in total body measurement of over 50cm, it was unimaginable!

The walking result stands before you today. I made my own future. I created the life I was looking to lead. I took action. In the end, it was up to me to make it happen. I didn’t need a crystal ball to tell me what I can be, do or have in life. All I needed was a strong intention that was driven purely from the heart.

What about you? Will you be the one who will go through life waiting for things to happen or even wonder what happened? Or will you be the one who chooses to make things happen? You don’t need a crystal ball. The magic comes from within you. It comes from following your heart to manifest your dreams and desires. As Helen Keller said, "Beautiful things are not only seen by the eyes, but is also felt by the heart." So long as we carry our hearts with us and take action, we will never ever need a crystal ball.

Slim = Serious?

I paid a visit to my old office yesterday afternoon to attend a meeting and I met some of my colleagues who were amazed with how much weight I had lost. One good friend of mine asked me how I did it so I elaborated that carbohydrates especially rice, noodles and pasta were a NO-NO. And I got the same response from her as everyone else. "I can't live without rice!" 

I had a chat with her about life in general and she says I was not my usual cheerful self. Not like who I used to be when we worked together. I started thinking is it because:

a. I had grown up?

b. My environment now is different?

c. I am slimmer and I feel like I don't have to make up for my physical appearances by standing out by being cheerful and happy?

I know I feel I don't have to "try so hard" in order to be noticed. I somehow attract attention. I do feel that I am just being myself more and more now. And in the mirror, I still see the same girl I've been seeing all these years.

I stepped on the weighing scale today. Still making progress!