Day 64 (methinks) of Phase 5: Lil progress, Stronger Pilates Workout, Unleashing my Warrior Within and a Book to Help You Unleash Yours!

 Tanita-san: 211.8

Likey! Several days of consistent losses. Makes me happy. Noticeably smaller belly.

I was able to do an advanced Pilates move today, which cheered me a lot. Progress makes me grin. The roll ups are getting easier with less belly. Breathing is not 100%, but improved enough we didn't have to slow the pace unduly.

I started reading a book I bought for hubby: UNLEASH THE WARRIOR WITHIN. He's been wanting to ratchet up the career mode, and I want to ratchet up all sorts of goal-oriented modes. :) So, I figured it would help us both. It's written by a former Navy SEAL.Right on the first page of the introduction, he says:

If you want something bad enough, you have the power to make it happen--no matter what other people have to say, no matter how tough the odds at first appear to be. I'm not telling you this to make you feel good, I'm not telling you this because it sounds nice. I'm telling you this because I know it's true. I've lived it. And you can too.

I have a lot of goals and not a whole lot of time, even if I have the average US life span. So, I choose to believe that if I focus, I can do things I didn't believe I could do before. Getting to goal weight and raising fitness levels. That's Target Number One and Number Two.

He goes on to say in the first chapter:

Targets dictate weapons, weapons dictate movement is the fundamental principle behind succeeding in anything...

...once you pick a target, that target will lead you to the next steps if you let it...You can't afford to abandon a target in the process of knocking it down...

If you're shifting from one target to another target, there's no way to successfully deploy your weapons and movement with purpose.

Basically, the target is inflexible. You focus on that. The movement is flexible.

I'm reading now about the special target analysis given to SEALs to figure out which is the most vital target. And questions that every person embarking on serious weight loss to get to the target (goal weight) needs to, NO, must ask themselves--and I jump around the chapter, so these are various excerpts, not how the text is itself:

Are you willing to make a choice?
Do you have the courage to start?
Can you make the commitment to finish?

A lot of people make the choice. Few people have the courage to start. Rarely do people have the commitment to finish. The people who do are those who have the guts to get through the losses along the way in order to reach the victory at the end.
...Knocking down the big target is nothing more than knocking down a bunch of smaller targets.

You want to be the person who takes responsibility for picking targets that will significantly improve the quality of your life...

Most of what makes this hard takes place in your own mind. That means you have the power to make it a whole lot easier.

I find losing weight pretty easy this time. I've never lost anything like this amount of weight before. I've never stuck to exercising like this before (almost 3 years now, but 4 months of nearly daily exercise).

It's the ONLY time in my life it's been easy (by comparison to the struggles, regains, struggle, regains, hungers, bingeing, good in day and bad at night, more bingeing, etc of the past).

I believe it's cause I made a firm commitment, particularly when I began this blog last September. I started the new blog because I said, I have  a big goal, and I have short term goals, and I'm gonna get it done within two years. End of story. Goal weight by September 2012.

I had more than one frightened and vulnerable moment after making the commitment and deciding to be accountable with photos and weigh-ins. I had many times when my faith in myself wavered. It was often seeing other bloggers succeed that kept me going. It was sometimes the right word of encouragement from a fellow fatfighter that helped me try something HARDER. But there really was no turning back.

I committed.

Being committed means, well, let's say I used to eat pizza 2 to 3 times a week. I haven't had a slice since, um, back in January. I calculated that move. My sister wanted to eat pizza with us, so I went. With a strategy. At least 2 glasses of water and a salad before a bite of pizza. At least 2 cups of decaf on top of the water as I ate the pizza to fill up.  I had 1.333 slices of a personal size (ie 10 inch) with no meat toppings. Just cheese, sauce, basil, oregano. I lost weight that week. :) No binge.

When I want pizza, I ask myself what do I want more? To keep my appetite calm, eat well, get to goal weight, or do I want to trigger appetite and maybe risk a binge? And if the answer is, "I can handle it fine. I'll go with someone and have my plan," then I'll have it. But I choose to NOT have it more often these days. I won't let it have power over me or slow me down. When my sis wants it again, I'll join her. With my strategy. With my weapons. With agile, flexible movement as needed.

I choose NO pizza now...and why?  I choose THE TARGET.

I choose no lasagna now. I choose no cheese enchiladas now. (These have all been trigger, bingey foods for me). Why? I choose the TARGET. 

I'd rather have THE TARGET and I'd rather win the war then have lasagna or enchiladas or pizza every week.

Winning battles means this: I know I can handle this stuff better now. I can really, really enjoy ONE SMALL SLICE and savor it. BUT...I know I can't order a pizza when home alone. That leaves me with too few weapons and too little flexibility. It puts me in harm's way.

No solo pizza eating. Ever.

I had a birthday. I chose the TARGET, meaning no traditional cake, no ice cream, no high-calorie foods. I chose a healthful menu and was surprised by my sister's sugar-free cake and fruit offering (I had maybe 150 cals total, including sugar-free whipped cream).

I chose the TARGET. Not the momentary ease of just having whatever.

I go out to dinner regularly. I only go to restaurants that offer something I CHOOSE TO EAT, not stuff I just wanna eat. I keep the TARGET in mind--goal weight target, caloric level target, nutritional makeup of macronutrient target, fluid target, pleasure target (cause you should enjoy what you eat, even if it's not a lot)--and I move accordingly. I move to THAT restaurant with THIS WEAPON.

I don't go unarmed. I don't go without a battle strategy. I don't go without preparation. I don't go in BLIND. I have the enemy in mind. I have the target in mind. My goal is to kick ass.

I'm more than halfway to goal weight from my highest weight. I have 52 lbs to go. 87 lost so far. If I lose 87, I can lose 52. And the fact that I've lost pretty steadily and consistently since last June (with some bobbles as I established new patterns), tells me being TARGET focused has improved my WEAPONS and kept my momentum.

I have adjusted my eating. I saw an R.D. when I needed counsel. I keep paying a trainer we can barely afford because it's part of fighting the fat war. I walk. I buy workout clothes that make me feel cute so I am cheered and keep the motivation going. I blog to stay focused. I joined challenges to keep my eyes on the target and refine my weapons. I read blogs for insight and advice. I read books. I try to learn and get MORE WEAPONS and become MORE FLEXIBLE when I get hit by enemies (temptations,  hormonal swings, insomnia).

I am the warrior in the fat fight. I'm doing what it takes. The target will be acquired. The fricken enemy is gonna die. I'm blasting my inner overeating butthead to smithereens.


I think this book rocks. :D I like SEALs mojo. :D

Go, fatfighting warriors. No excuses. No slacking. It's war. You wanna win? Or you wanna be taken down by that cookie, M&M, pizza, burger and fries, fried mozzarella sticks? The mission is on! If you win or lose...if I win or lose...it's up to you and me.


I'm gonna win.

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