It's all about attitude...

I've come to the realization that successful weight loss is not the result of changes in diet or levels of exercise alone. Rather, it is really all about attitude!
Over the years, I have participated in countless diet and exercise programs and with each, I had some level of success, but there was always something that seemed to stand between me and the goal I had set for myself. I've be thinking a lot about the various "plans" I have tried...
In high school, it was Weight Watchers with Mum. We would carefully weigh and measure each morsel of food and religiously attend the meetings in the local church hall. But for all our efforts, I never remember either of us losing very much. Mum would cook lots of stir fry (in about an inch of vegetable oil) or we'd have salad (Caesar was her favorite!) and every Sunday we would "treat" ourselves, which meant we would either go out to a buffet style brunch or she would make a traditional Sunday breakfast at home: bacon, eggs poached in butter, fried potatoes, stacks of toast or english muffins, and fried tomatoes (cooked in bacon fat). Then she would usually invite the family for Sunday dinner: roast beef or pork, potatoes, veggies and of course, dessert. So all the work we did all week was undone in a single day, week after week.
After she died, I joined Good Life, one of Canada's largest fitness centers. I would work hard on a variety of fancy machines surrounded by the fashionably toned and felt less motivated with every visit. I was ready to quit when I met Kendra. Kendra was a personal trainer and I was impressed with her energy and enthusiasm. She was promoting a new program called fat loss, a 12-week diet and exercise program designed to help trim fat while teaching the participant how to eat smaller portions. You also worked out with a personal trainer several times a week. It was grueling but I stayed committed, even though it required me to drive across the city for my sessions, and left me virtually unable to walk back to my car! Kendra really made me move. She challenged me in ways that I never had been previously and I LOST weight. The problem was that after 12 weeks I was just getting the rhythm of the program and I couldn't afford to do it again.
Some time later, I joined Truestar for Women, a program that combined circuit training, diet and vitamin supplements. It also was successful for a time, but security was lacking (especially in the locker room/shower area) and I ONLY lost weight when I took handfuls of mysterious pills that varied in shape and size and came in neat little packages already organized for you. The advisers were not trained in the health care profession at all. Instead, they used a computer formula to determine which bottles to sell you and before I knew it, I was taking 45 or so magic beans. When my expressed concerns for personal safety were ignored, I asked for my money back. Soon after, the company seemed to mysteriously disappear. Perhaps back to never, never land!
When I left Truestar, I joined The Athletic Club which was right on my way home from work and open 24 hours a day! I liked it there...there were TONS of cool machines and the staff were helpful if you had a question. But when I was downsized, I could no longer afford my membership so I quit. Sadly, in addition to losing my confidence in finding a job, I found myself gaining weight again...it was a vicious cycle.
So what is different this time? What has changed? I have. I no longer look to elaborate programs or magic potions, hoping that I'll find success. Instead, I eat small, balanced meals 5 times a day and I try to move for at least 30 minutes. Some days that means eating Jenny Craig (to limit my calorie intake while I can't workout); other days, means small meals that I have prepared ahead. It means PLANNING so that I can make wise choices. It requires me to re-evaluate my priorities and organize my schedule so that workouts are a daily activity. I CAN DO THIS and I AM WORTH EVERY EFFORT.