[CyberTOPS] reFOCUS - Issue 25 - 2008 (The Slipping Season)

[Marji Clark]

I have been retreating or cocooning or filling my glass  which is why there
has been no reFOCUS.  Huh?  What do I mean?  My life has been on hyperspeed
since August and I had to take it backwhich meant cutting back on
commitments.  By the way - you need to do that too.  If you are empty (not
taking time for yourself) chances are your weight-loss program is stalled or
going backwards and additionally you are unable to function at your best for
your family, your job, your church, your TOPS group, etc.  Not only take
back the night but TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE (cut back on commitments and ask for
help)!



THE SLIPPING SEASON

Rick at his Fall Rally referred to the period from October 31 through
December 31 as the slipping season and cautioned people not to undo all
their good work over the last year by succumbing to the slipping season.
What a fantastic way to reference the struggle that we all go through during
this time period (just ask the Halloween candy that performed a vanishing
act in my house, but reappeared on my hips  now that is a really scary
magic trick).



So how to prevent slipping in the slipping seasonwell start by going back
to basics, such as the Exchange program, exercising, drinking water, plan
your exercise and your meals, attending TOPS, stopping eating at a
reasonable hour (and no 24 hours a day is not reasonable), doing positive
thinking, doing whatever it takes to take care of you.  Example: if I eat a
cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mustard and have a glass of V8 it is a
signal to me that I am ON.  These are our building blocks and bricks  we
need to build up our resolve which in turn builds up our self-esteem. JUST
SAY NO!  JUST DO IT!



Make it your goal, starting right this very minute, to stop slipping (pick
up the banana peel, eat the banana) and to maintain at the least, lose
weight and do what it takes to end the year in the black (or if you have had
a large gain this year, get closer to what you started the year at).  YOU
CAN DO IT!



I promise you that if you drink your water, exercise, eat properly (try the
Exchange System  youll feel amazing), go to TOPS (at the very least to
weigh in and since you are already there you may as well stay for the
meeting), ask for help from your friends when you need it, the only slipping
you will be doing is SLIPPING into a smaller size and a new you!



I know that this is a tough time of year on all of us, but you will handle
everything better if you are ON program.  When you are not doing well with
controlling your eating, everything else spirals out of control so much
easier.  As written on page 18 in The TOPS Way to Weight Loss  when
motivation is low, you need to fake it til you make it.  Acting the
part-by making healthy choices and exercising-will generate motivation.
You can find the motivation!



Life is infinitely better when it fits.

(Off-topic about fitting  I work in a bakery and my motto is when the
pants dont fit I quit  well those pants were miserably tight and I really
didnt want to quit and I refused to get a bigger sizeI got a reprieve  we
switched to black pants and I had a pair that fit better  I can actually
breath in them and not have the painful cutting into my abdomen with the
ensuing red mark.  Well do you know how much better I felt in those black
pants?  And you know I felt better about myself after work  not a fat
slobby ready to burst out of my pants, someone who had to do the
wiggly-suck-in-to-snap dance to get them back up after a trip to the little
girls room  my self-esteem had not suffered.  So if it means that losing a
few pounds to make your clothes fit better just imagine how much better
you will feel!  Moral: if the clothes fit, wear it!  If not, lose weight,
exercise and when all else failsfind a pair that fits better!)



Have a super day!  Have a super Turkey Day  fill up on veggies/fruit first
(pumpkin pie does not count)!



Filling recipe hint: Banana shake

= to 1 banana

1 cup skim milk

Extract Flavoring (such as coconut, vanilla)

Spice (such as cinnamon)

Ice (optional  if I use a whole banana I dont use ice)

Blend in blender!  Tastes like a milkshake!!



Food for Thought (really think about this): If you manage to get through the
slipping season weighing less, think about how unbelievably fantastic you
will feel!  Imagine January 1, 2009!  Imagine how in-control, pumped up
youll be.  Working towards goal  its my time  2009!



You are not alone,



CULitr, CU at Goal, CU at KOPS, Marji



Not a TOPS sponsored or sanctioned newsletter.



Books and resources that have helped me:

Body Clutter and Sink Reflections (2 different books  Marla Cilley 
www.flylady.net)  my clutter is related to my weight struggle

The Solution by Laurel Mellin (first read in 1999)

Life is Hard, Food is Easy by Linda Spangle

100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle

Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink, Ph.D

Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell by Debra Waterhouse

www.pelizza.com <http://www.pelizza.com/>



Past issues of reFOCUS can be accessed on:   <http://www.topscares.com/>
www.topscares.com and  <http://www.tops123.com/StdTOPS/InspiredFocus.html>
http://www.tops123.com/StdTOPS/InspiredFocus.html



Visit the Florida TOPS website at:

 <http://mysite.verizon.net/res1vhv6/floridatops/>
http://mysite.verizon.net/res1vhv6/floridatops/



Visit the NC TOPS website at:
<http://www.topsbouquet.org/NorthCarolina/index2.htm>
http://www.topsbouquet.org/NorthCarolina/index2.htm (Coach Laura)



Other Websites

 <http://www.topscares.com/> www.topsCARES.com  TOPS site for Delaware,
Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland/DC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania  all are
welcome to visit

 <http://www.tops123.com/> www.tops123.com  TOPS site for Illinois,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa - all are welcome to
visit

 <http://www.tops.org/> www.tops.org  Official TOPS website

 <http://www.cybertops.net/> www.cybertops.net - CyberTOPS -- Where Friends
Meet for a "Net Loss"!

 <http://www.5aday.gov/> www.5aday.gov

www.smallsteps.gov <http://www.smallsteps.gov/>

 <http://www.ediets.com/magazine/html/lifestyle>
www.ediets.com/magazine/html/lifestyle

 <http://www.dietbites.com/> www.dietbites.com

 <http://www.eatright.org/> www.eatright.org

 <http://www.hungrygirl.com/> www.hungrygirl.com

 <http://www.walgreens.com/> www.walgreens.com (look under healthy library,
under care guides)