[CyberTOPS] reFOCUS - Issue 26 - 2008 (Stinkin' Thinkin' vs Superior Thinking')

[Marji Clark]

ADVICE FOR THE SLIPPING SEASON

My friend Al F. gave me fantastic advice for not overeating over the
Holidays.Remember it all tastes the same after the first bite.  I tried it
and it works!  Okay I had a couple of bites, but far less than I would have
normally had!

STINKIN' THINKIN' TO SUPERIOR THINKING - THE LIGHTSWITCH GAME

My friend Jane K. and I often discuss Stinkin' Thinkin' - you know that
thinking that keeps you stuck and not succeeding, the defeatist attitude
that is self-fulfilling.  

 

Examples of really STINKIN' THINKIN': 

1. I overeat, because I always have and that gives me a reason to have
another piece of cake!  

2. I am fat, I have always been fat, I will always be fat and will never
lose weight and if I lose weight I'll just gain it right back.  

 

Examples of SUPERIOR THINKING: 

1. I overate because I was dealing with my feelings inappropriately, I think
I'll go for a walk, get some exercise and get some endorphins running around
my body like little happy pills and think about what is really bugging me
(my nickname is Froggy - because I try to eat what bugs me).  

2. I am fat, I can do something about it - I can increase my exercise, watch
my portions, drink my water, go to TOPS, think positive thoughts, build-up
my self-esteem and work towards goal and being the best I can be.

 

I call it a light switch - FLIP IT.  When something bad happens - look for
the good (to paraphrase the movie Pollyanna - "The Glad Game" - when you
look for the bad you find it, but when you look for the good it is there).
For our purposes we will call it the "Looking for the Good Game or The
Lightswitch Game."  Jane renamed Stinkin' Thinkin' to be Superior Thinking
or ST for short.  So now it is a game to find the good or positive out of
situations.

 

Thanksgiving was really lousy for me.  Started out with a tooth that had
been bothering me for a month but definitely began to scream (very loudly)
for a root canal - a route I hadn't planned on taking.  Then I ate something
that I made (I only fed myself.suspected it was on the edge) and gave myself
a good case of food poisoning that I am still recovering from.  Okay that
could really cause some Stinkin' Thinkin' but instead my Superior Thinking
kicked in and I said "cool if I am careful this week then I should have a
good weight loss and see a number on the scale that I haven't seen in
awhile."  More good - on Thanksgiving Day the dentist kindly returned my
call, called in medicine that helped my tooth, a pharmacy was open, thankful
to be able to see a dentist soon, a husband who was there to help me,
appreciate expiration dates (which I will pay more attention too), loosen up
on my "not wasteful" attitude, have not focused on eating for the last 4
days (and usually it is my total focus.what am I going to eat, when I am
going to eat, who am I going to eat with, how many calories have I eaten,
did I write it down, etc.) and last by not least - note to self - don't
cook!   

 

So turn that ST from Stinkin' Thinkin' to Superior Thinking!  Or as my son
says to me when I am furious with him "Mom, turn that frown upside down!"
He gets me every time!

 

T-UGS AND K-UGS

Another thing that Jane and I accidentally came up with when she wrote Kugs
instead of Hugs one time.T-ugs is a TOPS Hug and K-ugs is a KOPS Hug!  So
get ready to T-ug or K-ug!  Do you know someone who is a good hugger?  There
are a lot of good huggers in TOPS!  T-ugs and K-ugs to all!

 

31 DAYS LEFT TILL 2009

Reminder - there are 31 days to succeed left in 2008!  How will you end the
year?  The choice is YOURS!

 

Have a great week!!

 

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

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

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