Start 2014 off by getting organized!!

Happy New Year!! With a new year comes new opportunities to make choices to improve our lives.  Many people will be making weight, financial, relationship, or other changes in their lives. This past year I have cleaned out many areas of my home, organized and given away or thrown out many items.  I was worried that I would get rid of something and then find I really needed it but to my surprise what I have found is that a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I feel much lighter!!  It is so much easier to clean my home and takes much LESS time.  I find it VERY beneficial to go through the house and pick up each evening for 15 minutes.  I wake up in the morning to a clean house and it makes my day so much better.  Today I would like to share an awesome resource for those of us who want to get organized and make our daily lives run smoother.  Copy and paste this link into your browser for a wonderful resource for a cleaning and organizing schedule.  <center><a href="http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2010/09/home-maintenance-schedule.html"><img border="0" or click on the link http://timewarpwife.com/?p=808
I pray all of you will have a wonderful 2014.
God Bless,
Nena

Where were you last Christmas?

Ever think about what a difference a year can make?  Where were you last year at this time?  Were you happy?  Were you miserable?  Maybe dreading the holiday... Wishing things would change?  How are you feeling this year?  Have things gotten better?  I find that during the holidays many people struggle for a few reasons:

1) Stress- Many of us try to do too much or have too many expectations about what we should be doing or buying.  This tends to make us crazy and blow our budgets.  How many of you can ask your children, spouse, friends, or relatives what you gave them for Christmas last year and they would be able to tell you?  Last year my husband and I decided we were not going to give each other any presents because money was tight and let's face it we didn't need anything.  My husband had been wanting a new laptop because his wasn't working correctly and he had been looking for a great deal but we had decided to wait until after the holidays to make the purchase.  My daughter called while out black Friday shopping and said mom I found the exact computer dad wants and it's less than half the price; if you'll go in half with me we can get it for him for Christmas.  I told her that would be fine and she bought it, wrapped it and put it under the tree.  Christmas morning he unwrapped it and said I thought we weren't going to get each other presents this year.  I told him it was fine I didn't need anything and this was too good of a deal to pass up.  I never thought a thing about it.  Just a couple of weeks ago I told him please let's not exchange presents this year because we don't need anything and were trying to get rid of "stuff" because our last child recently moved out.  He said are we really not going to exchange presents?  I didn't even know what he was referring to.  I said of course and then he reminded me of last year.  He had felt bad this entire time and I didn't even remember it!  I told him I hope you haven't been worrying or feeling bad about this all year because I didn't even remember that you didn't get me a present.  I was just happy to give you something you needed and save money.  Truly I didn't even think of it as a present because it was something that he needed and was going to have to buy anyway.  Most of the time what has us stressed isn't even something that bothers anyone else. 

2) expectations- Many of us either have expectations about what Christmas should look like or what we THINK others expect it to look like.  I have had a big ah ha moment this year!  My husband and I have shared some very stressful holidays because we have different expectations.  Why I didn't realize this years ago I cannot tell you except that I was running around trying to meet everyone's expectations of me and didn't have time to stop and think about anything!! For some reason my husband likes to be VERY involved in every aspect of the holiday (except clean up; he does it but would be okay if I didn't need him to! LOL) I finally after 26 + years of marriage asked my husband what he would like to do for specific holidays and what a great holiday would include.  I ask him prior to purchasing food and inviting everyone.  We discussed what made it stressful for me and what made him frustrated.  Then we planned what would make it successful for both of us and made a plan for what each of us would be in charge of and how we would work together to make it good for both of us.  What we found was that we had the best Thanksgiving we had ever shared.  Neither of us was stressed and we didn't want to kill each other at the end of the day.  That is success for us!!  If you can communicate with others that you will be spending the holiday with and ask what each person would like to have happen then you can plan so that all expectations are met and no one is unhappy or disappointed.

3) maturity- This is a big issue and I am guilty myself.  A sign of real maturity is when you can think of the other person and not your own selfish attitude.  Every family has the person that the entire holiday (and most days of the year) has to revolve around.  Many times those closest to you like to display your "dirt" and family knows each others hot buttons to really get the ball rolling down hill.  I challenge you this year to ignore the negativity and walk away or redirect the topic to something positive.  Maybe play a game...lets see who can genuinely find the good in situations today or go around the table and say something nice about someone (the same person can't be picked twice) or draw names from a hat or bowl and that's the person you have to say something nice about so everyone hears one positive!  Many times our habit in families is to find fault but when we start looking for the good our entire attitude changes and the climate in the room changes too!  Try to be the bigger person this year and see how good it makes you feel.

Where were you last year at this time emotionally?  How are your choices effecting your holiday?  What can you do to make a difference this year?  One thing I am learning with age is that I can't change anyone else or control someone else.  The ONLY person I have control over is me!  I can buy in to the drama and negativity or I can ignore it, walk away, or try to turn it into a positive.  The choice is mine. 
I pray your holiday is everything you want it to be. 

God Bless,
Nena

Losing weight over 50

Many times I have heard "Women can't lose weight after they turn 50" or It's very hard and slow going.  I am here to tell you that it is possible and it isn't hard if you have the correct system in place.  I lost 100 pounds in 8 months after I turned 50 AND I continued to lose 134 pounds in 13 months.  I am now the smallest I have been in my adult life.  I went from a size 22/24 to a size 2.  I have so much amazing energy!  I truly love and enjoy my life now and feel like I am living instead of just existing.  I am so energetic and positive and definitely don't feel 50!  Many people tell me I don't look that old either but I am!! LOL  So if you're telling yourself you can't do it because your menopausal or your too old or your time has passed...STOP because I am living proof it can be done and it can be done in a relatively short period of time.  I'm not special or different in that respect.  If I can do it YOU CAN DO IT!! If you have any questions of would like any free coaching or support please contact me or leave a comment on this blog and I will be glad to share my experience with you or help you in any way I can.  One thing I did do before I began was to pray to God and surrender to Him and now I want to praise HIM and let my journey and my life by a Blessing to others.
God Bless,
Nena

Is 2014 Going to be YOUR year?

Are you tired? Unhealthy? overweight? stressed? ????
What have you been putting off?  Now is the time to start planning to make a change in your life.  I know the New Year means a new beginning and many people make New Year's Resolutions.  Making them and sticking to them are two very different stories.  I would like to ask you a question...food for thought.  Where are you going to be in one year if you don't make any changes in your life?  Where do you want to be in one year from now?  One thing is certain (if you're lucky) YOU WILL BE ONE YEAR OLDER!  That will not change.  Now do you want to be one year older and in your current position or are there some things you would love to change? A little over a year ago I was 134 pounds heavier, very tired, stressed to the max, unhealthy and miserable.  I made some small changes in the beginning and then as I learned and had small successes I made more changes until I was very successful.  It is my desire to help others too!  I NEVER thought I would be successful...I thought that only happens to other people.  My metabolism is too slow, I'm at that age where you can't lose weight, my life is just too busy, I have family issues, and on and on.  But I found with the proper system in place and great FREE coaching I was able to overcome every excuse I could think of and be successful!! 

Think about what you want!  Know it is possible and you can be SUCCESSFUL! I would love to help you.  We are starting a Rock Your Resolution on January 6th and the coaching, support, videos, conference calls are all FREE!  Yes that is correct FREE.  Go to this link www.RockYourResolution.com  Click on Register then Click on my name Nena Holt and register for free.  There are many amazing success stories for you to view.  You will be given all the support and help you need to be successful this time.  You can also leave me a comment on this blog and I will contact you to help in any way I can.  Remember YOU ARE WORTH IT!

God Bless,
Nena

www.getoffthescale.com
You may read my story and see my before and after pictures too!

Are you already in Christmas stress mode?

This week I was ill which always sets me back and leaves me feeling a little anxious.  I have planned, shopped, and been working on getting things ready for Christmas for a while now because I wanted to avoid the last minute rush of getting things done.  I really want to enjoy my family and friends and not be the stressed out, ticking time bomb I have been in years past.  You know the one that eventually snaps at the first person that says something innocent to me that questions my ability to do something correctly; probably my poor unsuspecting husband! Something awful like "Do you think the gravy needs more salt?" And I snap back "Well if you don't like the way I cook perhaps you should do it yourself, you know I was up all night while you slept getting this meal ready, perhaps if you would have stayed up and helped everything would be perfect!" As he stands there dumbfounded for asking a simple question.
I also have found in my weight loss journey that the more prepared I am ahead of time the less stress I feel and the less I am tempted to "grab" the first thing in sight to eat; which is usually something that isn't good for me.  So I started thinking about how to reduce all the stress during the holidays and what I needed to do to enjoy the holidays and I think the secret, for me at least, is less IS more! Yes that's right. Slow down, don't say yes to everything.
1.  PLAN first.  Decide what you want to do...what's most important?  If this didn't happen it would
     have a lasting effect on your holiday.  Put everything on a list and prioritize by importance.
2.  Prepare ahead as much as possible.  I wrap my present as I purchase them (no not at the store!).
     As soon as I get home I wrap what I have purchased and put a name tag on it.  I can go back later
     and put bows, ribbons, etc. on if I don't have time but at least it's wrapped and I know who it's for.
3.  If you're preparing the meal at your home make your shopping list ahead of time and purchase
     things a little at a time a few weeks in advance so you don't have a huge shopping trip or a huge
     bill all at once.  Also consider letting others contribute to the meal by bringing something.  I used
     to do everything and it was very expensive and a lot of work.  Yes I could control what we had
     and make sure it was to my taste but it put a lot of pressure on me and didn't allow others to feel
     needed and appreciated or allow them to provide dishes that perhaps were important to them and
     their holiday traditions. 
4.  Ask others for ideas and help along the way.  NO it won't make you look inept; it will make you
     look like you care about others and their ideas.  It will relieve a lot of stress and make them feel
     like you value them.
5.  Ask yourself...what on my list can I do today?  Do one or two things each day and check them off
     the list.  It makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and you have so much done that there aren't
     that many last minute items left to do and you can enjoy your time with family and friends.

I'm sure there are many of you saying "DUH" right about now but you are not the stressed out messes I usually am!! LOL  Some of us are slow learners because we are so busy stressing that we didn't think about planning ahead.  So PLEASE if anyone has any great advice about what works for them PLEASE SHARE.  Comment on the post and help the rest of us!  Merry Christmas to all of you and remember this is suppose to be a celebration of Jesus' birth not a commercialization our advertising industry and retailers would want you to believe!!  Jesus would be very happy if we just got together with family and friends and shared a meal and loved one another!
God Bless,
Nena

Slow to anger, slow to speak, quick to listen

Wow, Thanksgiving came and went very quickly and I cannot believe there are only 22 more days until Christmas!!  My daughter talked me into going Black Friday shopping on Thursday evening...yes that's right our great retailers have moved black Friday up to Thursday but that's another story.  We were at Wal-Mart for the iPad mini deal and I was standing in line and a lady got mad at me for standing there, where Wal-Mart had stationed the line and she kept knocking into me with her cart.  I turned around and said ma'am I'm in line here and cannot move.  She became irate and started taking her anger out on me because she couldn't move as quickly as she would have liked.  I turned to her and said "Merry Christmas and God Bless You".  Then I turned back around while she fumed and finally got away from me.  The people who were around me in line could not believe it nor could I.  I don't think you need to be mean to people ever but I especially think that shopping on Black Friday requires a lot of patience.  This time of year should be joyful and a celebration of our Savior; that is the reason for Christmas and if we have to fight each other to get what we want then there is something terribly wrong!!  I found the verse James 1:19-20 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires (NIV).  I have been trying to work on the listening part.  I am finding that being a good listener requires much concentration and work.  I am also finding that it is the key to good communication.  I hope as we draw closer to Christmas you will think about this verse and how it can help with the people you encounter.  Even if they are angry we have a choice to not escalate the situation and perhaps even turn it around to something positive.
God Bless,
Nena

Silence in preparation for...

     I haven't posted in a few days because I have been thinking...Yes thinking...what message do I want to send?  What is everyone doing to prepare for the upcoming holidays?  Some people are so excited and love the entire season and others dread it because of loss, family issues, stress, etc.  I love the holiday season and have always enjoyed decorating and getting together.  Then I had children and everyone started coming to my home for the holidays and I have to admit stress starting seeping in and I didn't enjoy the holidays as much as I would like.  Don't get me wrong I still LOVE the holiday just not having to rush and stress out about all the preparations.  So this year I have taken time to meditate and ask God for help and I have been making lists and getting things done earlier.  First thing in the morning I read my Bible, pray, and find that ideas come to my mind that help me (yes I know it's HIM) plan what I want to do.  I have had ideas pop into my head for years; the difference now is that I keep a paper and pencil handy and when the idea comes to mind I jot it down.  Then I put it on my list and I remember the awesome idea!!  I have already organized what is going to happen Thursday for Thanksgiving and what I need to do each day to make sure everything is ready.  It has already relieved much of my stress because I have a plan.  I also did holiday shopping with my husband and when I came home instead of putting presents in the closet I wrapped them right away so I will not have to wrap presents Christmas Eve while everyone else is having fun!  I spoke to my husband about expectations so that both of ours are met and we can both have an enjoyable holiday with family and friends. 
     Another thing I have done is told everyone what I am making; the turkey, steamed broccoli, and two pumpkin pies and then let each family bring what they would like so that everyone has their holiday traditions and I don't have to cook as much so I can enjoy the holiday with them. 
     My wonderful husband has arranged for one of his clients, who owns a cleaning service, to clean our home on Tuesday so that I don't have to stress about cleaning Wednesday after work while I'm baking and getting the food ready.  I know he is awesome and that's probably why we've been married 26 years!! LOL 
     I know many of you have family issues that make the holiday challenging, as do I, but I will let you know that I have learned a VERY valuable lesson this year (yes I may be a little slow).  I have learned that I only have control over myself and just because someone tries to start something I don't have to participate.  I can ignore rude behavior, walk away, smile, or ??? but I don't have to get sucked into their issues or any drama.  That choice is mine.  I am choosing to be myself and let them deal with their own issues.  I choose to be happy!
     I am wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and pray everyone has a pleasant holiday. I would love to have you comment about any ideas you have, any traditions your family enjoys, or anything else you would like to share.
God Bless!
Nena

How are you preparing mentally for the Holidays?

We've all had a few days to think about the holidays and how we can prepare to make the experience a positive one even if others in our family are not so positive.  I have been planning the meal and thinking about everything I need to do to get ready.  Since I work, more than full time, like most of you; I realize one of the things that puts pressure on me during the holidays is always having to rush and do things last minute because I don't have time to plan and prepare.  The last few days I have been thinking, searching and asking my husband what his vision for Thanksgiving is this year.  I have started preparing a shopping list and recipes that fit into everyone's meal plans.  I also have decided to do a little activity this year when everyone comes in and then share the responses to hopefully change the climate of the holiday.  I want to avoid the frustration I often feel while trying to prepare everything, get all the dishes to the table and still have them be hot, and serve everything on time because it seems I have relatives that like to get there just in time to eat and then leave shortly after.  While I am hoping everyone will notice a change and be happy this year I know realistically I cannot make everyone happy when dealing with so many people, personalities, and expectations.  What will be different this year is MY attitude which is the ONLY thing I HAVE CONTROL over.  I would love to hear any ideas, traditions, or activities that you have found to be successful. 
God Bless,
Nena

Do you find the holidays a stressful time?

This month we are all stopping to think about what we are thankful for and we all have many things to be thankful for.  I am very thankful for my relationship with God, my family, friends, my job, home, great weather, and the list goes on and on.  But I have been thinking about the Holidays and how stressful they become and how we all have different expectations during the Holidays.  Some family members think the celebration would look perfect one way while others think it would be better a different way.  There is no right or wrong way just different ways.  I think we all would agree that we would like to enjoy the fellowship and experience of sharing it with those we love and care about. 
Having said that I got to wondering what would happen if everyday we looked at what we like about each other?  What are the things that drew us together in the first place? What does your spouse, children, grandchildren, relatives, friends do that you like or admire?  And then in a sincere way we expressed that?  How would that change you?  Yes you!  When we start looking for the good or positive in each other it brings out the best in us!  Yes people will say things and quite frankly hurt us but we don't have to buy into the negativity.  That's them...I can respond positively and look for the good in them and that makes me feel better.  It makes my experiences better.  Most people say mean things and lash out at others because of their own hurt, shame, guilt, or life experiences...many times it has nothing to do with the person being lashed out against.  Everyone has pain in their life and we often think we are the only ones experiencing the pain but in reality that's just not true.
I dare you to look for only the positive in every situation today and everyday the rest of the month.  Then I want you to look back and reflect on what you see?  How do you feel?  What changes do you see in yourself?  Then I dare you to continue this positive journey with me.  I think you will be amazed.  Please leave me comments of what experiences you have.  I'm looking forward to hearing all the great transformations that happen. 
God Bless,
Nena

What did I do to lose the weight?

Yesterday I was asked what I did in the beginning of my journey to get motivated to lose weight…I had to think because really I hadn’t thought too much about it.  I remember being very scared that once again I wouldn’t succeed.  I also remember thinking I cannot do this by myself.  I prayed to God that He would help me find something that would work, keep my food cravings away, and that He would reveal what I need to work on to not only have successful weight loss but to keep the weight off for the rest of my life. 

     In the beginning, I truly believed that I just loved food.  I didn’t have any issues with food except that it all tasted so good I couldn’t avoid it.  I LOVED pasta, bread, cheese (melted on anything), Mexican food, Italian food, and of course CHOCOLATE!! 

     I asked my husband to please join me and to clear EVERYTHING that wasn’t healthy out of the house.  I also asked him to please not bring anything into the house that might be a temptation; if he had to have something then eat it at work or on the way home and don’t bring it in the house.  

     I started writing down what I was feeling and what I was doing when I was hungry (or thought I needed food).  I had a little nagging voice inside my head that would whisper doubts to me about my ability to be successful…you’ve been overweight your entire life,  you’re never going to be thin, you aren’t strong enough to succeed with weight loss, why bother you’ll just gain it back…  What I did do was to start telling that little voice it was wrong. 

     I stopped watching television too because many things, including commercials, had food that would make me hungry. 

     I started reading A LOT so that I could keep my mind occupied and not think about food.  I was not a reader before but I have become one now.  I read anytime I didn’t have anything else to do.

     I also started writing down what I was feeling when I wanted to eat.  What I found was that I wasn’t hungry…I was bored, frustrated, unhappy, or mad.  I didn’t see it right away but only after going back and reading over what I had written.  With a few days between writing it down and reading what I had written I could see what was happening and gradually began to notice that when I wanted to eat or found myself at the refrigerator or pantry door there was an emotional reason!  This was huge for me because I truly thought I just loved food!! 

     I also planned my eating the day before and thought about where I would be and what I would need to fuel my body so I was prepared.  I went on trips, attended seminars for work, meetings, went out to eat with friends; but I ALWAYS planned ahead so I could be successful.  I even packed a little cooler with water bottles, fruit, etc. if I wasn’t near a refrigerator.  I learned that almost EVERY restaurant has a nutritional guide menu if you ask.  I also have found that many items that we think are good for us when you look at the nutritional guide menu really aren’t good for us at all.  For example,  my husband and I went to a very popular Italian food restaurant after church one Sunday with friends and they decided to get salmon because it was healthy.  As I was looking over the nutritional guide menu I found that the salmon meal was over 1100 calories and 97 carbs!!  I looked at the lasagna, which is my absolute favorite and of course knew I couldn’t get it but just for fun wanted to see how it compared to the salmon…guess what? The lasagna was only 640 calories and 27 carbs!!! Guess what I had?  Yes, that’s correct and if I hadn’t read the nutritional guide menu I would have blown my meal plan without even knowing it!! 

     I was very determined to succeed this time and so I took the steps to do what needed to be done.  I DIDN’T beat myself up.  I accepted where I was and then took daily steps to change what needed to be changed.  I don’t like to hear people say “I cheated today” because that is negative.  You didn’t cheat you made a choice.  At your next meal you will make another choice.  If you make more choices to eat healthy than not, you will move forward in a positive direction.  DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP!! That is not productive and you will not have the results you desire.  Be kind to yourself, tell yourself you can do it, post sticky notes around the house where you can see them and quotes or words of encouragement for your journey.  If you want something eat it but try to make it healthier than the old version you would have eaten.  If you are going to completely get off your plan try to do it all in one day and then eat healthy for the rest of the week.  There are many ways to be successful but the most important thing is to take it one day, one meal at a time and keep making healthier choices…you will accomplish your goals one positive step at a time.

     Please leave comments to help others on their journey and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  www.getoffthescale.com

 

Nena

Secrets

How are secrets effecting your life?  What are you carrying with you that you don't want people to find out about?  How are those secrets keeping you from being all that you can be?
I have been studying these questions with a group of ladies and am surprised how easily and quickly we answer "I don't have any secrets."  But upon further consideration we all found that we had many secrets that we have carried with us, in some cases, since childhood.  Maybe it's something that happened in the family, things we did when we were younger that were not so proud of now, things we've been involved in, the list goes on and on.  What I would like for you to think about is: What secrets do I have that I wouldn't want ______________ to find out about?  Write them down (and yes you can keep them in a safe place).  Then think about the impact keeping these secrets is having on your life; your relationships, your health, your weight loss journey, etc.  Write that down too.  Then think about what is the worst thing that would happen if this secret were revealed or discovered?  Write it down.  How would you feel if your secrets were not secret anymore?  And last, how is keeping the secret negatively impacting your life and how would revealing the secret positively impact your life?  Write it down. I want to challenge you to do this activity and really think about the secrets (we all have them) and answering each question and writing down your thoughts on paper.  Then I dare you to go back and read over everything after a few days and see what insight you may deem from your own words.  Please leave a comment to let me know what thoughts you have, I would love to hear from you.

Follow Your Dreams

Hopefully you have written down your dreams, thought about the choices you are making today that affect those dreams and now are ready to do something fun!  Have you heard of a vision board?  A vision board is just that, a board that has pictures of your dreams.  A poster board works well.  You cut out pictures that fit your dream.  Want a new Mercedes, then cut out a picture of a Mercedes and glue it to your board.  Want to feed starving children then find a picture of starving children and glue it on. Do you want to have more time to yourself? Spend with your spouse? Your children?  You get the idea; whatever your dream is find a visual representation and glue it to your board.  When you are finished you need to hang it somewhere that you will see it daily!  Then look at your goal sheet from our 10/22/2013 blog.  Get it out and look at your 90, 60, 30 day plan.  What are you going to do TODAY that is going to get you closer to obtaining your goal.  Then write it down and check it off as you complete each action step.  Remember to make your goals measurable; meaning they have a verb stating what you will be doing so you can check them off as they are accomplished.  This will make you feel successful and powerful and keep you moving in a positive direction.  As you check each one off you are one step closer to realizing your dream.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.  I know some of you are thinking but what if I don’t get everything on the list done today, then I’m a failure…NO YOU ARE NOT!! You move it to tomorrow and start fresh with tomorrow.  This isn’t a beat myself up game.  Life is a marathon not a sprint and you will stumble and things will happen.  The difference is you don’t give up you start fresh daily and focus on what you CAN do not what you can’t or didn’t do.  NEGATIVE thinking will keep you from obtaining your goals and living your dream.  You must focus on the positive and keep moving forward.  That is not to say that negative things won’t happen but you can chose to be positive today about whatever happens and not let it get you down. 

You are making positive steps toward living your dream!  Keep moving forward and you will be amazed at your success.  Dare to dream outside the box!! You deserve a wonderful life.

Follow your dreams, believe in yourself and don't give up.
Rachel Corrie

Nena

How will the choices you make today affect you tomorrow?

Did you write down your dream?  Make your plan?  How are the choices you make today affecting you in obtaining your dream life?  Which areas of your life need to be changed so that your dreams can come true?  These are not small questions.  Sometimes I find that I need quiet time to ponder the answers to these questions and quiet time is not always easy to find.  Every day we have to make choices regarding our time, money, family, friends, etc.  Each choice we make whether large or small affects many aspects of our life.  Choosing not to plan is planning for failure.  Try to find 5-10 minutes each evening to think about what you will be doing tomorrow and where you will be.  Then plan your day accordingly.  Do you stop to get coffee (or soda) in the morning because you don’t have time or energy to make it at home?  Even if you only spend $1 a day (that doesn’t sound like a lot does it?) that’s about $25 a month and $300 a year or $1500 over your 5 year plan.  What could you do with an extra $1500?  Do you buy lunch out because you don’t have time to make a lunch?  A very modest amount for lunch would be $4 a day (and I bet you spend more). That would be $20 a week, which is at least $80 a month, $960 a year, and $4800 over 5 years. Just coffee or soda and lunches over your five year goal period could have saved you over $6,000. See how the little choices we make daily and don’t really give any thought to could make an impact on our achieving our goals?

Maybe you don’t like spending an entire weekend day cleaning or maybe your house doesn’t get cleaned because you’re too busy…what if you set aside 15 minutes every day before bed and played a game with your family?  What I don’t have time to clean, how can I have time to play a game every day? Give me a second…this is how the game works- set the timer on the stove, everyone goes around the house and picks up anything that is out of place and puts it away.  The person that picks up the most and gets it put away correctly WINS!! If you want you can reward them at the end of the week with spending some quality time with you; reading a story, watching a show, playing a game, or whatever is enjoyable in your family.  Everyone really wins because the house is picked up all week and makes it much easier to clean on the weekend.  Maybe more needs to be cleaned to get started…if that’s the case take one drawer a day in the kitchen (or every other day) and clean out that one drawer or cupboard or area; whatever is manageable. The idea is to break it down into manageable pieces so it isn’t so overwhelming.  Over time you save a lot of time and usually money because you can find things and don’t have to buy new! In addition, you have a clean house and you feel better.    

Just making these two changes could add money to your pocketbook and give you a little extra time which could be what you need to plan your time more wisely and make some of the changes you want to make to help you in planning to make your dreams come true.

A friend of mine from church and her husband authored a book: Declutter Now!: Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life by Sherry and Lindon Gareis.

It is a great tool for looking at the areas of your life that might need work.  Slowing down, saying no, and spending quiet time with yourself are excellent ways to figure out what you want from life and be able to plan so you can make your dreams come true.  What you do today and the choices you make are the most important steps in making your dreams come true.

You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.
Suze Orman

Nena

What would you do if you WON THE LOTTERY and money was no object?

What would you do if you won the lottery and money was no object?  What is your dream?  My husband and I were speaking about this and we had a few ideas of things we would like to do if we won the lottery and money were no object.  My dream is to speak to women who think that without money, time, or a lot of help they cannot accomplish their goals in life.  I would like to inspire them with my journey to let them see that you can do anything you set your mind too.  Then I started thinking what’s holding me back from doing that now?  Yes, money because I have to work to pay the bills but upon further examination I found that while I might not be able to quit my job at this time and travel around to speak to women I CAN speak to women locally, I can blog, and I can share my story through my website.  So I made a website, created a blog, and contacted a friend who works with recovery and battered women’s shelters to find speaking opportunities.  While I am still in the infancy stage I am starting to see opportunities arise and that is exciting to me.  I will be able to practice my speaking and become more proficient so when I do win the lottery I will be more prepared to present to larger groups.  And if I never win the lottery I will still be able to live the dream I have for myself to inspire others with my story.  WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?  What obstacles are in the way of you living your dream?  What can you do today to help bring you closer to your goals? 

Write down where you would like to be in 5 years. These should be long term goals that will take time to achieve.

Write down where you would like to be in 1 year.  Still long term goals but where you would need to be in 1 year to be on track to meet your five year goals.

Then write down your 90, 60, and 30 day goals to get you focused in to what you need to do in this time frame to be able to meet your 1 year goals.

Start thinking about what you need and CAN do today to get to where you need to be in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 1 year to meet your five year goals.

Really think about breaking down your goals into steps…tomorrow I will focus on ways you can start taking small steps toward your bigger goals.

You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.
Mark Victor Hansen

Nena

Learning to Say No

Many of us find it difficult to say no.  We feel guilty, or like we will be letting someone down, and that if we are strong we should be able to handle it.  What I am finding is that by saying no to some things it allows me to say YES to the things I care about.  The things that can build me up and make me a better wife, mom, grandmother, and even a better ME.  We all need some quiet, reflective time to be still and listen to our inner thoughts that give us great guidance and help us work through what we need and want to be doing with our lives.  If we are busy all the time we cannot hear that voice that can lead us down the path of success, freedom, fulfillment and even our life's passion.  Taking a few minutes everyday to gain this insight will definitely be worth it in the long run.  When someone asks you to do something take a few seconds to think...is this something that will cause me stress? something that we take away from what I need/want to be doing? Will I or my family suffer if I say yes? and last but not least...Is this something I feel passionate about?  If the answer to the first three is YES then say NO thank you; if the answer to the last question is NO then say a resounding NO.  By being more selective about what you say no to, you will discover that you have a lot more time to do the things you have been wanting to do and your life will be less stressful and more rewarding because you will be saying YES to the things you are passionate about and therefore fulfilling your life's true purpose. 

Just for today think before you say YES automatically!
Nena

Domestic Violence Event

Tonight I had a booth with two other friends at a Domestic Violence Event to help raise money for women suffering from domestic violence.  There was a fashion show where the ladies were able to dress up, have their hair and make up done, and then model the clothes.  All of the women had a personal experience with domestic violence whether they were married to someone who was abusive, the daughter of someone who was abused or the child of someone who abused them.  There were some very moving testimonials and it really had me thinking how everyone has a story.  Many people suffer in silence everyday because they are afraid of what might happen if they come forward and tell.  Many children are afraid to trust adults because of the abuse and because the only adult they thought they could trust has betrayed them.  Imagine being young and fearing what would happen if you told and then you were returned to the abuser.  I hope if you get the chance to support this very worthy cause you will.  I pray that when you see someone that is quiet, withdrawn, angry, sad, etc. instead of judging them for what you perceive is happening that you will stop and ask yourself, "I wonder what their story is?" and "I wonder what kindness I can show them that might give them one bright spot in their day?"  We can all use a little understanding and kindness.  Let's treat each other the way we would like to be treated and see if we can't make a difference in someone's story today. 
Nena

That little voice

You know the little voice in your head that tells you you're not good enough or you can't do it?  Well that was the number one thing I struggled with while trying to lose weight.  That doubt would creep in and say you can't do this, you know you always gain it back, why bother when you know you love food, you're not that good, etc.  You know all the things we tell ourselves...well I have found a few things that help with this little problem and I would like to share them with you because my prayer is that I will write one thing that will resonate with you and help you be successful in your journey.  I pray to God to put the thoughts and words in my head that will be a blessing to someone else that will keep them from struggling as long as I have.  The first thing I want you to know is that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH and YOU CAN DO IT!!  Everytime you have a doubt or that little voice starts creeping in and trying to undermine you try one or more of these suggestions:

1) put post it notes up around your home, car, and office where they are visible to you, that have words of encouragement. For example: I CAN DO THIS!  I am in control of my life.  I am worth it.  I CAN _______ (you fill in the blank).

2) When you start feeling like you want to eat something tempting...STOP...think about what is happening; are you stressed? do you feel upset with someone or something? Are you tired? bored? write down what you are feeling and what is happening to you at that moment.  You may not see anything at that time but when you read back after a few days you will start to see patterns and what is triggering you to want to eat or to sabbotage your weight loss.

3) When I started this new lifestyle in June 2012 at 267 pounds, I decided to stop watching television; yes cold turkey! I watched TV all the time but what I found was that when I watched TV even when I wasn't hungry, I would get hungry from all the food!  It was a trigger for me.  I started reading and I will tell you I have become addicted to reading.  If TV is a big portion of your life you should try this because I can tell you not only do I read amazing books but I have cleaned out and organized more than any other time in my life.  It is amazing how much time I have for other things.

4) Take a walk.  When I walk it is so peaceful; I am able to think and sort out issues that I usually don't have the time for.  It also releases endorfins in your brain that are natural pain and stress fighters so you feel wonderful.  The first step is the toughest...once you get started it becomes addicting!

5) Journal.  Take time to write your thoughts and feelings get everything down on paper.  Don't worry about if it makes sense or if you are doing it correctly just write whatever comes into your head.  Do it daily over time and then go back and reread at least once a week.  It is amazing what patterns you will see come to life over time.  It can be very helpful when trying to figure out why we are sabbatoging ourselves.

6)  The number one thing that helped me was planning ahead for where I would be at meal time and what I was going to eat.  When I went to the grocery store I would come home and immediately cut up all vegetables and put them in containers or ziplock baggies.  I had fruits and vegetables washed, cut up and ready to go at all times.  I wrote down what I was going to eat and at what times I was going to eat and I checked it off as I went.  Two reasons, first I didn't have to think about it, and second it was a feeling of accomplishment knowing I had completed a task.  I even bought a small igloo cooler to use when I had to be out for work and needed to keep my water bottles cold and food cold.  The more prepared you are the less likely temptation will occur.

7) This IS THE MOST IMPORTANT part.  CLEAN EVERYTHING out of your house that doesn't fit into your plan.  Get it out of your pantry, refrigerator, etc.  Many people say yes but my family eats it...WHY would you have something for your family to eat that wouldn't be healthy for them?  If it isn't good for you it isn't good for them either.  Get rid of it.


YOU CAN DO THIS!! If you would like any support, help, advice, someone to listen please feel free to contact me at www.getoffthescale.com and I would be happy to support you in your journey.

These are two quotes that I like and thought you might enjoy!

"Your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions."
"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."
Have a great day! God Bless!
Nena

Maintenance

After months of weight loss I am now on my third month of maintenance.  This is exciting because I can buy clothes and know that I will be able to wear them more than a few weeks!  This means I can spend a little more and not feel like I am wasting my money.  It also means I feel amazing.  So much energy and desire to do things with my family and friends.  It also means I am a little nervous because usually this is when I go back to eating and start gaining weight.  However with this program maintenance has been a breeze.  I haven't had any weight fluctuations, cravings, or emotional problems.  I feel amazing and energized and like I can continue on with this lifestyle and maintain my weight loss.  This gives me a lot of confidence which I have never felt before.  This also marks the sixth month that I have been prescription free after 14 years of taking three prescription medications!  That is a very freeing feeling and all my blood work and blood pressure are great!  The doctor is so happy every time I go in.  I am going to continue and really hope to be able to use my story to help others.  I want my story to be a blessing to others.  
God Bless,
Nena