For the last few months I have been watching The Biggest Loser. I watched all of Season 8 in a day on demand, and then the premiere of Season 9 was on a few days later. I had seen the show before, and I am always impressed with
the transformations.
I was inspired by the show and I knew I wanted to lose the weight. I would tell myself day after day.. tomorrow I am going to go down and get on that treadmill and I am going to stay on there until I wreck myself like they do on the show. I know I am afraid of exercising, as I am afraid of getting injured - but I just gotta go down there and PUSH myself past that fear and I am sure I will be impressed with how much I really can do.
Each day would go by and I wouldn't go down there. Not enough time, don't feel like it, haven't eaten all day - whatever excuse it was, they were just that - excuses. I had set myself up for failure by expecting that I could go down there (even if I did have 6 hours) and do what they do on the show. It wasn't gonna work.
Ok.. then how do I make it work? How do they make it work when they go home, what are they learning on the ranch that they are taking home and applying to their personal lives? How can I learn from this information and apply it to my life?
I sat down with pen and paper and took a really analytical look and deconstructed the show as to why I think it so successful for the contestants when they start out to find out how I could apply my findings to my life.
First: Mental, Emotional & Physical
I felt the mental and the emotional in the show is completely individualized - although they share behaviors that overlap with other contestants, this part of the process is unique for each person because it is people's own baggage. However, the physical - intake and exercise - are all mathematical and apply to everyone equally. Just as Jillian shouted it in Melissa's face.. it is Science!
When they first get to the ranch they don't sit down and have a quiet therapy session and talk about how they got to where they are - they go to the Bob & Jillian Intervention Clinic where the only therapy available is Sweat Therapy. They don't have famous therapists on there - they have trainers!
Only in that sweat therapy do they start to chip away at the walls that they have built up about their weight that they didn't even know they were holding up. Instead of analyzing all of the foods they used to eat before they start, they simply don't give them the opportunity to eat those foods on a day to day basis. Instead of talking about all of the things that have played a part in keeping them fat, they have them focus on the food and exercise and becoming healthy.
We all know that the ROOT issues of their obesity come out usually after a physical butt kicking when the contestants are so tired they can't hold up those emotional barriers anymore. However, the root issues can't be solved until Bob and Jillian have dealt with the hardest challenge for each contestant.. their Pride.
We watch with glee as their pride is broken down (Jillian is the best at that) and as they learn new information they realize that they were misinformed on.. almost everything. This is where they start to trust the process, it comes little
by little each week as they see their successes. Eventually, we are in total awe when each one in their own time submits.. they submit to their trainers, they submit to the food, they submit to the process. Then they find a new pride.. one that comes from within, not the one that they kept around them that barred any new information from coming in or the ability to look at themselves to create and apply the fixes that lead to success in all areas of their lives.
That's when the real magic happens, in that new pride they want to drive for more, they want more success.. and what do they find as they move through the process.. those pesky barriers. One by one they reveal themselves. Only in this new open mind that is full of internal pride and the ability to really look at themselves and their habits, to talk about their feelings openly and honestly with support that they trust and to be able to change any component in their life instantly knowing that it is all for the greater good of their life. We see breakthroughs that would have taken months in therapy talking about it come out under physical and mental exhaustion. In most cases, a solution is discussed immediately and applied all in the same episode. No drama, resolution and back to focusing on the goal of moving forward towards the ultimate goal - a healthy, fit, happy life.
So I:
- Stopped obsessing about figuring it out mentally or having to understand it before I could try or implement it.
- Stopped looking for all of the reasons why I am this fat and focused on all of the things that I can do each day to not be fat anymore.
- Opened my mind and understood that I didn't have all the answers and that there is so much information that can help me.
The second important phase was creating my own Biggest Loser Campus in my home.
Second: Campus Circumstances
I broke down just some of the contestants circumstances at the Biggest Loser ranch that lead to their successes:
- No work
- No life responsibilities
- Healthy Food
- Trainers, Nutritionists, Doctors
- Support - Each other
- Journal - food log, fitness log
- Confessional
- 6+ Hours Exercise
- Fitness Equipment
- Taking care of their bodies - icing, massage, stretching
I took the time to implement as many of these circumstances (even if in modified versions) for myself as possible to ensure the best chances of success. Here is where I am currently at:
No work - I got efficient.
I still have work, but I take a break every hour to get up and go do something. It clears my mind and actually makes me more productive knowing I am working in hour buckets. I also don't work after 6p. I read that you are only half as productive after 6p due to mental fatigue - so I would be literally wasting time trying to get stuff done. Better use of time to go in early than it is to stay late.
No life responsibilities - I got selfish.
I realized that I use my husband as an excuse to not exercise (we should spend time together, he wants to watch that movie) and to not make healthy food choices (he is 140lbs and has poor eating habits). So, I told my husband we would have date night once a week for the next few months, other than that he is on his own in terms of entertainment, meals, and clean up. He was thrilled and found his own project that he could immerse himself into while I am focusing on me. =)
Healthy Food - I shop just for me and I plan ahead.
Until last month I had my groceries delivered to the house. I could order in excess and someone would bring it all here for me - no one had to see the double stuff Oreos in my cart - my cart is ONLINE. Now, I shop about once a
week. Debbie Meyer Green Bags are awesome for keeping fruits and veggies fresh. I get rotisserie chicken and strip it down into white and dark meat. Dark meat gets added to the dogs food, and I put the white meat in one cup
servings in zip lock bags. One in the fridge, rest in the freezer. They thaw quickly and can be used as is, or added to any meal. We hear them say on the show all the time - they have to plan ahead for meals.
I have made my kitchen success friendly. I have all of my fruits and vegetables on a shelf in the fridge - not in the drawer where I can't see them. All of my hubby's crap food is down in that drawer now. I keep fruits out on the counter so when I come into the kitchen I don't see tempting junk food and instead see healthy food choices in my kitchen all the time.
I allow myself to be creative with my meals. Thomas' Double Fiber Honey Wheat English Muffin toasted with 2TBSP Greek Yogurt holding down a bed of craisins with a turkey burger with onion on top. Bowl of raspberries with a few chow mien noodles for crunch on top.
Food is the one part we have all dreaded from past "diet's" - this meal plan can be as exciting as you make it. =)
Trainers - Doing what the site tells me to do, plus more when/if I can. I also enlisted the help of my cousin Stephanie who used to be heavy when we were younger. She made her health a priority for her and now she has a competition weight of 108 and an "every day" weight of 118 - 121. She has been a personal trainer and has credentials of other healthy medical terms I don't really understand. Most recently she joined the Army Reserves (I think she is 38) so she could have the physical challenge of going through boot camp. Plus she gets paid while she is doing it, and the benefits will help her with continuing her education and home loans.
She is giving me weekly projects to work on. This week it is to journal about how I feel when I am exercising. This is to have a documented gauge later to compare for improvements, and also it is about listening to my body and how it FEELS. Also, she had me measure myself at my belly button. She said that is the bad fat at your belly button is what gives us the heart disease, diabetes, etc. So that will be the big number to change.
Nutritionists - Internet baby! Recipes, tips, nutritional breakdown, available fruits/vegetables and how to cook or prepare them with ingredients I like. What foods do for you, how they benefit your body's natural processes, etc. Internet is amazing!
Doctors - Had a physical not too long ago, all levels checked, all good.
Support - The BLC site! My niece. My husband. My Mom.
Confessional - This blog. =)
6+ Hours Exercise - I have made moving my NUMBER ONE priority!
I do the site exercises most days. Some days I just don't want to - and so I don't, but I made it a rule that I can only skip one day at a time. So that means the next day I have to do something - not to make up for the day before, just have to be physical that day. Some days a girl just doesn't feel like going to the party. =) I also am adding in ways to be physical all day long that I think had a big impact on my success this week.
- I park way far away from doors.
- I stop working every hour and go for a little walk around - just to get up, get blood moving, stay active. Additionally on the work topic, I am done working by 6p. I read that after 6p you are only half as productive as you are during the business day. So you are literally wasting your time trying to get stuff done. Better to start early the next day then try to push it at night.
- I take the dogs in the yard with plush toys and walk around the yard picking up and throwing dog toys over and over again - even if they aren't chasing them. I climb the little hills in my yard over and over again to build stamina and get over my fear of slipping and falling. =)
- I completely gutted and cleaned out all of my closets. I am overhauling other areas of my house with my goal of success in mind.
- In that vein, I have seized half of our basement for my workout area - pulling together all of the work out equipment I have obtained over the years and has been stored in different places throughout the house. I have music, I can see a TV if I want to watch a movie instead, I have a fan that I can run on me at all times to stay cool, I got some foam flooring pieces that go together like a puzzle from Sam's Club (33 sq ft for $21.97!) for under all of the equipment and gave me an area on the floor to stretch and do floor exercises.
- I spent 5 hours steam cleaning almost everything in my basement. Including all of the exercise equipment since the dust on it was a little crazy.
- I turn on Pandora.com and dance for a few songs. It brightens my mood and it is a great physical activity.
Equipment
From my previous weight loss attempts I have collected: a treadmill, a bowflex, bowflex free weights, small 3lb hand weights, exercise ball, bicycle with bike trainer for indoor riding. I am not an outdoor exercise girl yet - I prefer air conditioning and instant access to bathrooms. I am sure that will change. =)
Taking care of their bodies - icing, massage, stretching
I am stretching all the time. In the line at the bank I will push my shoulders down and count to 10. Before I head up the stairs I hold onto the railing and I put my leg out behind me and stretch, or stretch my hamstrings, or whatever.
I have a great icing pack that freezes in 20 minutes that I got at a dog show. I also have made some back up packs with the wash cloth method here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4901398_make-ice-pack-towel-ziplock.html
I may try these: http://www.ehow.com/how_4718980_make-homemade-ice-packs.html
I joined Massage Envy. For $49/month you get a massage. They roll over so if you don't use them in one month, you will have two the next month. You have to sign up for a year, but they waive the membership fee if you sign up after your first massage. They have locations everywhere. Some locations do facials too (sign up at one of those if you plan - otherwise there is a "small fee" to use another Massage Envy to get that service. www.massageenvy.com
This has significantly helped me become more aware of my body, the knots, and how I can improve on my range of motion.
All of these, along with many others can only help to achieve my goals and create a more fit and healthy environment for myself for the long term.
Have I mentioned.. I am SO losing this weight!
