21 Days, 21 Days at a Time Rightly Applied

It is a new Dawn!  The small and simple things that I have learned over the past have led me to this new experiment of Trial and error, observing what I've learned and then recording how I will apply what I've learned and then following up on it thru this blog. Establishing Accountability and trust of self. All in the cause of the self discipline, being Healthy and not caving in to the addiction of self misery, self doubt, slothfulness, over eating and other assorted "Kelly Issues"!  I know it's public, it's out there... and if it's too self oriented, way too much information - well then STOP READING!  This is for me to be converted to my own new self established new program - 21 days, 21 days at a time to be a more healthy self, wife, empty nester, grandmother, friend, relative, church going woman!

The compare issue...

The one thing Positive that I look back on from my Youth was that I was always so proud to have a "Flat Stomach"!  My girl friends and I (and yes I did used to have friends I know that my children will not believe that!) used to stand in front of the mirror and inspect our bodies looking for imperfections. For example; I remember Debbie saying she was so much cooler than me cuz my thighs touched all the way down! Hers did not.  But on the other hand I had the flat stomach she had a pooch!  I'll stop there the rest really might be too much information and she isn't here any more to defend this conversation.  I miss you Deb.  When I graduated from High School I weighed in at 107 pounds and was 5'3".  I liked being considered short, sassy and lovable! a force not to be reckoned with lightly!

Life's consequences...

I lost my flat stomach after my first baby and continued from there to loose self esteem for the body, because that was the only "flattering" characteristic I believed that I had.  Well, I liked my freckles!  And now they have even turned on me and can all be considered perspective sources of cancer I have learned. Karma, life, trials all pretty much suck.  Then I go into self misery and doubt.  Hide in my house, don't answer my phone make excuses for going out and or Doing just about any thing.  Except when it comes to my husband, my kids or my seminary class and for them I would go and Do just about anything.  Which leads me to today, to this new Dawn in my life's journey.  No kids, No Seminary.  I've been this way for 4 months.  What is "This Way" I ask myself.  No life, No purpose, Nothing to do, No one to care for, again with the self misery, the self doubt and the wa! wa!  For the past 2 weeks I keep hearing that Wilson kid from the SEAHAWKS quote his Dad "Why Not You", if I was going to quote my Dad it would sound more like its time to "Shit or get off the Pot".  I am striving to do that today Daddy, wish me luck!

Change and Depression cause weight gain for me...

I can remember exactly the first time I bought (because I had to) size 13 pants! we lived in Vancouver Washington I had just quit my job to stay home and be a Mom. Making that change was a very hard "Choice" for me, but one I have never regretted any day of my life since wether we had money or not.  I can also remember exactly the first time I bought size 18 pants we were going to see Reba at the Tacoma Dome with some friends, I had gained so much weight I had only sweats to wear, we lived in Elma Washington Dec. 1995.  I have been on a roller coaster since that size 13 just trying to get back to a size 7 where I remember liking myself and being comfortable in my own flat stomach skin!  The following is me recording that roller coaster of trying, which in Richards words - "Trying is for Losers" has become my own downfall, creating walls with no windows some might call it - hermit status.  Then there was the day I had to buy size 20 - I was chasing 3 kids at home had a daughter in college and taking care of 2 older women living with us, not taking care of myself at all.  Roswell New Mexico 3 hours from anywhere!!   All I can say here is thank the good Lord for a church that requires a person to give by doing a "calling" which allowed me to give service and to study, pray, and learn all at the same time; it was in those days,  my only saving grace.

The Roller Coaster -

The Soup Diet, The Grapefruit Diet, Slim Fast, Metabolife, Eat and Be Lean, Weight Watchers, Take Shape For Life (Medifast), HCG, Solutions4 and Cleansing Detox all programs I have "tried" and both won and lost at!  In this dawn of a new season of my life I am going to apply the quote "Doctrine understood changes BEHAVIOR" by Boyd K. Packer from each of these programs I did in fact learn at least ONE thing that FOR ME is applicable and Best, something that will indeed create a lifestyle change using the knowledge that it takes 21 days to create a habit.   I want strong GOOD BETTER BEST habits in my lifestyle, I want to believe that they CAN BE to STRONG to be BROKEN.  That GOOD does WIN over BAD.


21 Days 21 Days at a Time

• Program
• Doctrine that I learned from doing it that helped me individually
• How will I apply this knowledge and change my Behavior   

1. The SOUP diet; it's highly good for you. It might be one meal of the day by the second day the soup is old and who wants to eat 8 bananas on wednesday!!??? Often we are willing to do the Great Big Thing, but not the small and simple things. Whatever, It makes since to me!  I'm gonna stop eating and just do this and then go back to what I was doing.  That doesn't work, not matter what the topic!  That isn't changin behavior.
2. The grapefruit diet;  grapefruit is a great meal for breakfast and who doesn't like bacon!
3. Slimfast; drink liquid don't eat food makes you loose weight.  Taste buds were never satisfied, I like food seems unnatural to ONLY drink.  Their is a need for protein, nutritional nutrients and must drink healthy!  Drink Water.
4. Metabolife; pills can boost your energy. Zane would ask "Why the hell do you need a pill when you wake up to get moving you just had 8 hours of sleep?".  Well my metabolism was screwed up.  Because I was running faster than I was physically able and thus turning to a quick fix.  Diet pills are not the answer.  Sometimes they aren't in the budget! Most times they affect the body in unnatural ways and can hurt your body even kill you.   Avoid chemicals and stimulants.
5. Eat and Be Lean; counting fat grams is a great skill. Replacing oil with applesauce also useful.  But on this program I was eating tons of muffins with converted recipes because she counted fat grams.  I am a carb addict.  I can eat a whole bag of chips, a complete bowl of popcorn WITH Butter, a foot long etc etc etc any time of day or night.  Along with the carbs comes the sugar.  If you know something isn't good for you avoid it.  At the time, I didn't really understand what works for her might be bad for me.  For instance; I taught my kids to never take a drink of alcohol. My reason was just this and I won't put my Father and my brothers, and my husbands Grandmother on the "A.A." list for them, I guess only they could have done that.  But it's in the blood and alcoholism has it's own consequences, is a problem for addicts and definitely runs in the blood stream of their heritage. Lets just say I got out lucky. My Mother, and both of her siblings had "The Sugar!".  My Sister died as a consequence of Sugar Diabetes.  I have the suffered and become aware of the toxins and consequences of Candidia.  Carbs make this condition worse and out of control for me. I "want" to say; absolutely No White Flour and White Sugar.   My Name is Kelly I am a "carbaholic", and a "caffeine alcoholic".  BEWARE and avoid.  This program did have a great record keeping format; journaling is a skill.  While eating, use this rule; in this order fill up on ... Water, Protein, Veggies, fruits, grain (carbs)! - for me anyway thats not the order she taught it!!!
6. Weight Watchers; Amric liked counting points, I did not. It has it's benefits. I will count carbs and calories.  I learned that I must keep track of what I eat.  I must weekly weigh in. I must take care of myself to enable me to take care of others.  Use a fork for dressing and condensed fruit is deceiving and a big waste of points/calories!
7. TSFL; small meals *3 hours apart, (they call it the 5 and 1 plan) with one meal of more substance. For me it is workable and achievable.  I lost 63 pounds in 6 months.  I had the best time wearing smaller clothes and mostly I remember the energy I had to keep up with Sammymantha, it was a Great summer!! I also started walking.  I liked walking, my kids bought me shoes that talked to my ipod and I loved that time for me. Be careful of your music choices it's really a time to feed your mind positive uplifting impressions. It's expensive, I don't always have the money to buy the bars, I didn't like the food in the cups nor the liquid drinks.  I really don't like ANY of anybody's drinks - I want FOOD! If I'm gonna drink-- well we covered that.  Because I ran out of money and my Mother died and I went into depression I gained this lost weight back plus 20 pounds.  I will continue to eat like clockwork every 3 hours allowing 100 calories at each meal and it doesn't need to be a bar it can be a hand full of veggies, a boiled egg, or a bowl of soup.  My substantial meal needs to not be over 600 calories.  Eat Slow.
8. HCG; 500 calories a day and drops of something that helps you not be hungry is wrong! But a great jump start to clean you out and get you started. But it's not over and it's not long lasting it's only a jump start - ask yourself whats next before even starting.
9. Solutions4; I learned so much, I will be continually learning from this program.  It's the applying I'm having a hard time with because it's such a lifestyle change.  I grew up on red meat and potatoes, milkshakes and cheese crisps!  Herbs are good for you (also super expensive), and come in all sorts of grades. Again no white flour or sugar, use Brown Rice - watch the carbs, fruit grows the candida. A Partner helps a GREAT deal - Richard did this one with me.  Must plan ahead and be prepared with your mind made up about choices, again keep a journal, budget money, calories, carbs and exercise is a must.  It's a mind thing, your mind has to be in it.  This program used We both lost 50ish pounds on this journey over the 5 months - 84 day set up for change in lifestyle program.  We also went down 3 sizes in clothes.  Also, again, SUPER EXPENSIVE.  When Stress happens or Vacations occurs don't say "it's ok to eat what I want for now".  If you have a office worker or family or friend making the effort to change behavior be a helper, a good healthy supporter not that person your mom never wanted you to hang out with. Don't be a tease, a tempter, a bully! Be positive, cheerful, uplifting.   Remember in the end though ONLY YOU CAN CONTROL YOU, sometimes you are all you've got.  Prepare yourself for battle everyday, Be prepared with the choice made ahead of time.  Even it's only I can do this 21 days 21 days at a time -ONE Day at a Time. Decide this - I will apply knowledge.  Experience is Knowledge. Wisdom is Knowledge rightly applied. 
10. The Cleansing Detox; I have felt toxic at times that is for sure.  I don't think it hurts to do some sort of detox twice a year maybe even quarterly.  Why not do a 24 hour fast Once a Month!
11. Isagenix so far I have not learned anything.  I have been buying the vitamins and "food" for a year now. I just can't committ I guess to  never eating real food again. The vitamins do seem to be a value and the protein shake is the best one I've tried. What do I need to motivate me to really DO this???

So for the first set of 21 days I  set the goal to exercise and keep a record/journaling.  I DID IT! I used the term the "4C's" -Carbs, calories, calisthenics,Cash. Over the years I am learning all of these things need to be budgeted for and reported on establishing accountability and trust.  For me it has to be done DAILY.  The next 21 days I will eat small meals every 3 hours - *5 and 1 - (as explained in number 7 previously) with continued calisthenics (the habit already established now) and adding get Up and Read!  When Amric left on his mission I wanted to sacrifice something too, as he was (is) my choice was to **keep the missionary hours (WOW I suck at this one) and not adding any "new" TV ! With all the changes in the last 6 months I am not teaching any more so I'm **not studying, I still read daily, but I'm not studying, the goal to make the habit "get Up and Read" will help with **both these issues!  My 21 day habit will then be choosing because I "thirst and hunger" (get it? it's about food) after good better best choices for myself, and not just because tomorrow I have to teach.  I want to Choose to be committed not be compelled to. It's just not in my nature, when compelled I will always make the wrong unhealthy choice.  With the help of my Heavenly Father I will be WISE!

note; 

• I didn't plan for this to be so long. I talk way more than needed to get my point across but you know that by now!
• I still don't know how to link this post with another post in this blog... so I'm using the labels to do that for pictures and posts about eating habits diet (see labels posted at bottom of this blog) soooo.... as they say -"use your words" in the "Labels" gadget also on the side tabs in the web version of this blog