Week Ten

The holidays are over. Now what?

The Ten Pounds of Christmas was a blog designed to help myself and others like me get through the holidays without gaining weight—or at least only gaining a pound or two. With your help, I managed to stay focused on that goal and only gain one pound! Blogging about it kept the goal alive for me. Since most of us have a goal to lose weight in 2012, I thought looking ahead to accomplishing that goal would be an excellent way to wrap up this ten-week blog.

            Whenever I set a weight-loss goal, I tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the pot at the end of the rainbow. There I am, wearing skinny jeans, looking svelte and happy. Life is good at the end of the rainbow.           

But an accomplished goal does not happen by throwing a coin into a fountain and making a wish. One of the best ways to achieve a goal is to use creative visualization. Athletes use it to get in the zone by picturing a winning season. And you’ve all heard of biofeedback, used by the medical community for dealing with pain and disease. So that picture of myself in those skinny jeans? Not so ridiculous.

What you focus on becomes more and more real to you. If you tuck those goals you wrote on New Year’s Day into the pile of detritus on the top of your desk, that’s most likely where they‘ll stay—buried.

Whatever your goal, keep it in sight and take a first step toward its completion. If you want to lose weight, join a support group, begin an exercise plan, start a food diary–anything that will get you started toward your goal. Make a list of the steps involved in reaching your goal. If I’ve learned one thing about losing weight, it’s this—no one method works for everyone. Part of realizing your goal will be to find a plan that works for you.

Using visualization:

1.                    Twice a day, assume a relaxed position and picture what you and your life will look like when you’ve accomplished your goal.

2.                    Make sure part of this process is a mental picture of you making the steps necessary for success.

3.                    Visualize yourself overcoming the obstacles that are sure to fall into the path to achieving your goal.

4.                    Incorporate as much sensual data into the picture as possible.

5.                    Remember awareness is half the battle. Again, what you focus on becomes more and more real to you. Rerun those snapshots of your goal in your mind throughout the day.

Dear readers,

Thank you for following me for the ten weeks of The Ten Pounds of Christmas. This tenth week concludes the series.

I am an author of suspense novels, and a woman who has battled with my weight since I was a child. This blog will continue to reach out to others like me who struggle to keep food from making their lives uncontrollable.

            I think those of us that love to read and write books have an even more difficult time, as our favorite pastime does not burn calories! Next week I’ll talk about affirmations and positive self-talk as an aid to accomplishing goals.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and successful new year,

Marla