Revisiting Weight Loss Goals for Adventurers

I was looking back at some of my previous entries and stumbled upon this entry regarding what were some of my weight loss goals. And now I get to say, whether I have achieved them or not! (see below) I am so pleased to see that I have!

This also goes to show how quickly we can forget our achievements or how much we undervalue them. I do feel that lately I have been going backwards in terms of progress yet others say I look smaller and that makes me feel good but I know I must do my best to maintain what I have lost. My clarinet teacher even said to me, "It would be a pity if you didn't maintain all the hard work you have put after all this time."

So it's back to, what are you out there to achieve? Massive weight loss in terms of numbers (which can make you miserable if you're obsessed) or will you choose to also look beyond the weighing scale taking note there are other measurements of success?

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! - CHECK!

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

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

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

5. I can live without processed food. - CHECK!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

The Power of Words

I have used my weight loss success as speech material for a few contests now. It all began in 2010 when I did a speech entitled Crystal Ball [http://rozanayunos.multiply.com/journal/item/82/Crystal_Ball] for the International Speech Contest. For 2011, I also decided to do a speech in relation to my weight loss entitled The Brick Wall. [I will post it soon] My giant pair of size 20 wide leg pants which I purchased from the Petaluma Factory Outlet in California made a reappearance for this speech.

For the International Speech Contest, this was the furthest I had gone from Club, Area, Division and finally making it to the District Level to compete with my fellow Toastmasters from Sarawak and Indonesia. Apart from going through the ups and downs of preparing for the contest, there was one thing I was dead set on. Even if I didn't emerge as Champion and make my way to be in the semi-finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking; if I could inspire even at least 1 member of the audience to break through their brick walls, that would already make me a winner. It would be a gratifying experience to know that I was a part of their process to spark that change in their lives!

Not too long ago, I added Jocelyn as a Facebook friend whom I had only met at the Kuching Convention where I had competed. I recall in the car on the way to the airport, she had asked me about weight loss and I shared with her some snippets. Her Facebook posting on my wall (see attachment) just made me so grateful I had the opportunity to share my story and my message to the audience that day.

Never underestimate the power of words.
And never underestimate that you could be a source of inspiration.

Attachment: Toastmasters - The Power of Words.docx

"Am I Fat?" - by Dayna Macy

I really enjoyed reading this article.

It provides a perspective and an awareness. Now what choice will we make?

[http://www.healyourlife.com/author-dayna-macy/2011/06/lifeshelp/get-healthy/am-i-fat&utm_id=HYLFB]

Am I Fat?

Confessions of a food lover.

Published: June 10, 2011

By Dayna Macy

My ravenous relationship with food.

“Am I fat?”

I’ve never actually asked this question of another human being—until now.

I’m sitting in the office of Dr. Linda Bacon, a nutrition professor in the Biology Department at City College of San Francisco and author of Health at Every Size. I’m here because I embrace the message of her book: don’t wait to live your life, the perfect one you imagine you’ll live one day in your perfect body. Live it now.

“Yes.”

I want to make sure I’ve heard correctly. “You just said I’m fat, right?”

She nods and says again, “Yes.”

I’m silent. My hitherto unspoken weight hierarchy always began with thin, moved on to average, then on to chunky, then on to fat, and then finally obese. I have always put myself in the chunky category, or its kinder, gentler cousin—curvy. But never fat. Fat is another country, far away from where I live.

After a pause she asks, “What does that mean to you?”

“Well, what the f**k does that mean to you?” I counter.

She remains calm. “Fat, you know,” and here she grabs her nonexistent belly fat, “adipose tissue. Fat.”

That’s it? “All you mean by fat is ‘adipose tissue’?”

“Yes,” she says, “that’s all I mean. But I know it’s a loaded term,” she adds.

You might say that.

Dr. Bacon tells me that even though she’s using the word fat in the most clinical sense, the truth is, labels are always arbitrary. One person’s average is another person’s fat is another person’s curvy. So don’t get hung up on the labels.

“So tell me again what you mean by calling me fat?” I ask.

“What I’m saying is you have adipose tissue I might not see on a thinner person.” She pauses, and then adds, “And regardless of any of these labels, you radiate health and vibrancy. I think you’re gorgeous,” she concludes.

I have to hand it to her; in our culture, fat and gorgeous are seldom used together in the same sentence.

Maybe she’s using the word fat clinically, but it still stings. What’s more, she’s right. And I know it.

Couldn’t I just accept this? Be fat and be fine with it? It’s not that I yearn to look like a model. I’m heading toward 50 and I’ve had two children. I just know that at this point, for me, being fat doesn’t feel good. My fat shows up in lots of ways: when I walk up hills and have to take frequent rests, when I need to buy the next size pants because my current ones don’t close.

If I’m going to change, I need to see clearly. Dr. Bacon’s words may cut, but they’re helping me do that.

Excerpted from Ravenous: A Food Lover's Journey from Obsession to Freedom by Dayna Macy. Copyright © 2011 (Hay House).

Dayna Macy’s essays have appeared in Self, Salon, Yoga Journal, and other publications; and in several anthologies. Website DaynaMacy.com

Scale Disclaimer

Today, I met an old colleague while I was withdrawing money from the ATM. After we exchanged our "Helloes" the usual (I am used to hearing this now) statement came - "You have lost weight, what did you do?!" To which I replied, "I just went on a diet." And oddly enough, this was a response I was not expecting, "Why did you do that? I liked you before this!" *Raise one eyebrow moment* I proceeded to explain that I was once 120kg and it was getting a little bit tiring carrying that much weight. She didn't believe me. But that didn't matter. I was just surprised with her response.

I have lately come to not rely on my weighing scale. I have not stepped on it for I think more than 3 weeks, or even possibly a month now. I had realized that looking down at the numbers on the weighing scale didn't make me happy. I used to be happy to see my progress but lately, progress does not come as easily as it used to. Instead it would send me to mad panic of "What did I eat last night that made me put on 2kg?" And then I throw myself back into the food plan in hopes of losing it the next day.

As much as I love the food plan and this sexy body, there had to be another mechanism in which I am not constrained by numbers and that is of course, through subjective feelings! I must say that as long as I feel good and I can accept what I see of myself in the mirror then I would have already succeeded because in the past, I could never accept myself thinking I was not even good enough to step outside the door. I still continue to be conscious of what I eat because there are still so many of my lovely clothes which I would like to continue looking good in but I will tell you that feeling of guilt of eating an "illegal item" has dissipated for now. I feel the need to live a little!

I am just glad for now, I am not obsessed with those numbers on the weighing scale. And I am grateful that I can now accept myself even more for who I am. What a wonderful realization!

Thank you Julia for the wonderful pictures - such great reminders!

Run Kath Run!

"It does not matter how slowly you go so as long as you do not stop." These were the wise words of Confucious which caught Kath's eye while she was one day in the MRT station in Singapore mentally preparing herself for her first run in the Kota Kinabalu marathon.

[Photo Insert: Kel, Kath's sister holding the poster as motivation for the marathon]

Kath openly admitted she did not train as much as she could for her first upcoming marathon in which she decided to attempt 21km! And even with not as much training, Kath still completed her 21km in 3 hours 50+ minutes! Kath had said that she missed the qualifying time of 3 hours and 30 minutes but the point really is, she completed 21km! Would you be able to complete 21km right now?

There are several lessons to learn from Kath as she pursues her career as a marathon runner:

1. You do not need a slim body to run a marathon. All you need is the right mental attitude and the belief and the determination that you CAN!

2. This is not a race against others. This is a test to see your OWN CAPABILITY!

3. Even if you finish last or find difficulty in finishing, the point is you DID NOT GIVE UP and you still FINISHED what you started!

4. Now that you have had your first experience, you will take steps to make each opportunity an EVEN BETTER experience than the one before. For Kath, now that she has had her first taste of the half-marathon, she is out to do MORE! She has signed up for the Penang Bridge marathon and is anxiously waiting for the registration of the SCB marathon to open. And on top of that, Kath has embarked on a more serious training programme that the effect will be to help her pursue her goal of improving her time as she runs her next marathon.

I am really proud of Kath - her positive attitude and willingness is what makes her succeed in not just marathon running but in all aspects of her life. And I can so relate that to weight loss. It all starts from what's up there in our heads - if we believe that we CAN, we truly CAN DO IT!

Run Kath Run!

You are an inspiration to me and I know you will be an inspiration to others.

I love you my dear friend. You are the BEST!

 

 

Why?

Photo Insert: The entrance to the gym at JPMC.

Sometimes I wonder why do I pay someone to torture me?

I decided to go back to work out at the gym but since it has been awhile and I wondered about my level of motivation, I contacted the personal trainer whom I had trained with back in 2003 but I stopped because I fell down half a flight of stairs and the recovery took quite a while that I had lost my motivation to return to the gym.

It was still the same gym but the gym has improved tremendously with all the equipment available, the flooring, the new ladies section etc. And it's still reasonably priced!

I have only had 3 sessions so far. Only being able to fit gym in on Sunday mornings since my evenings during the week is filled with dancing.

The first session I was in so much pain because a few days before I had attended cross fit and my muscles were only beginning to wake up. We did lunges, squats with weights and focused on my back and triceps. Wearing the fitted T-shirt gave Tony the idea what to work on. It hurt like hell.

The second session, we focused on my upper body - chest, shoulders and biceps. I quickly came to realize, all the upper body strength I had has quickly dissolved. I struggled with the push ups, the chest press and the bicep curls. I thought to myself that once I regain my upper body strength, I will not take it for granted!

The third session we went back to legs, back and triceps. It was not as bad but my back muscles need a lot of work as I once again struggled.

In all of the sessions we fit in cardio of at least 30 minutes and tummy exercises.

I have renewed my gym membership with JPMC now and I will do my best to fit in some lunch time work outs. I still dream of a bikini body and I am taking one step at a time! This time, I will not take for granted how my body shapes up and just appreciate that I did it and that I can do it! All my 3 sessions would have been even more challenging if I was at my original weight of 120kg! I am truly blessed that I can do much more now!

With Honours!

I am still actively dancing. I kind of went over the top last year and part of early this year trying to fit in four teachers! Now I have settled with 3 teachers and quite content in learning from each of them.

On 8th March 2011, I sat for the United Kingdom Alliance Dance Exams for Latin and Standard. I find it amusing how the many hours of classes translates to 1 minute and 30 seconds in front of Mr. Examiner. It just goes to show there is no limit to the achievement of perfection.

For both Latin and Standard I took Bronze. There are a few levels of which Bronze is the lowest. With bronze, I had to learn 2 dances according to the syllabus stated. There is a minimum required of the basic figures/steps to show during the exam. With Latin, my teacher developed a routine for Rumba and Cha Cha Cha. For Standard, my other teacher developed a routine for Waltz and Tango.

It was quite stressful in some sense to "study" for this exam. I not only had to worry about my feet, there was my hands, my posture, my expression and so on and so forth. On the day of the exam, I was slightly nervous but since I was not dancing by myself, it was not so bad. My teachers were my dance partners and I placed my total trust in them to lead me without me becoming dependent on them.

The results came out on 1st May 2011. At one point I had a dream I scored distinctions! But alas, it was not meant to be. I received Honours which I will translate it to next best to a distinction! Mr. Examiner gave some really good comments which I am sure my teachers and I will be taking away with. In fact, one of my teachers is already starting to prepare me for next year's exam.

Will I be taking next year's exam for Silver? That's 3 dances and extra steps to learn from the syllabus. The decision will come eventually but in the mean time, I will carry on dancing!

A BIG THANK YOU to my teachers for being patient with me!

With Jun for Latin

With Alain for Standard

Graduated with Honours for Bronze and Mummy supporting me all the way!