[CyberTOPS] reFOCUS - Issue 6 - 2009 (The Thin-ker)

Wed Apr 1 22:46:41 CDT 2009

Apparently the T.O.P.S. chart didn't come through well on cyberTOPS - if
anyone would like a copy of it in the proper format, please let me know!  It
really loses a lot without the formatting!

Marji

In a message dated 04/01/09 16:46:49 Eastern Daylight Time,
mclarkbiz at cox.net writes:

I apologize for the delay between reFOCUSes this year.my emotional energies 
have been elsewhere.with the death of my brother in January (reFOCUS Issue 
4) and my dear Grandmother (Gram) on March 11 at the age of 105 (please note

she always worried about her weight and kept it down, exercised and took 
care of her health.could be a clue in there somewhere.hello!).that 
said.moving on. 

Visualize the famous statue The Thinker by Rodin (sitting there in the 
buff).  If I was sitting in the buff I'd be thinking alright - I'd be 
thinking of ways to cover up!!!   

The Thinker depicts a man in sober 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation> meditation battling with a 
powerful internal struggle.  Isn't that what we face with weight issues?  A 
powerful internal struggle?  When we fix the internal, we fix the external. 

So when we think about and identify what is holding us from reaching our 
goals let's be The Thinker with a twist.The Thin-ker. 

A Thin-ker thinks and by thin-king solves the issues.  The chart below shows

how to think through the steps to remove whatever is blocking your goals.   

1st - Thin-k what are your Issues? 

2ND - Obstacle identification 

3rd - Problem - what purpose does your problem serve in your life?   

4th - Strategize - plan; put a plan in place to get rid of the obstacle 

Thin-ker's Obstacle Problem Strategy (T.O.P.S.) 

T 

Thin-ker's Issue #1 

Obstacle Identification and Removal 

O 

Obstacle:         

Night eating 

P 

Problem: 

Habit, boredom, hunger, avoidance - the things I know I should do, 
physiology, poor me - I need a treat, daily circadian rhythms, sun goes down

- mouth goes open, need a little somethin' somethin' etc., etc. 

S 

Strategy: 

Duct tape - pink - nope not kidding, distraction, set the timer, leave the 
area, something that brings pleasure (other than food), brush teeth, floss, 
read a book 

T 

Thin-ker's Issue #2 

Obstacle Identification and Removal 

O 

Obstacle: 

Don't want to exercise 

P 

Problem: 

Lazy, don't have the time, have other things I want to do (actually I can't 
think of a valid reason that I don't exercise daily), have others things I 
need to do, Jackson's using the TV with the VCR.never mind that we have 
other TVs - see I'm still trying to find reasons 

S 

Strategy: 

Just do it; get up off of your butt and walk around the room 5 times or up 
and down the stairs 5 times - see you have exercised some 

T 

Thin-ker's Issue #3 

Obstacle Identification and Removal 

O 

Obstacle: 

Sweets (candy, cookies, cake) - when I go to the store I always go down the 
"forbidden" aisles because I think I can handle it!  NO I CAN'T - it is my 
drug of choice and the world is my supplier. 

P 

Problem: 

Treat self, pity-party, I deserve, no delayed gratification here, 
satisfying, soothing 

S 

Strategy: 

Cannot go down the candy/cookie/cake aisle - shop the perimeter of the 
store, have Peapod deliver groceries - no more excuses!!  Never, ever go to 
a 7-11!  Not an option!   

What is holding you back?  Do a lot of Thin-king about it and see if you 
can't start Thin-king your way/weigh Thin! 

HABITS - Thoughts about habits - I was talking with friends at TOPS #VA 364,

Herndon about how I have a 40 year old habit (night eating) and Mary pointed

out that it doesn't matter what started the habit in the first place 
(probably long gone, no longer valid or important), but the habit remained. 
The easiest way to get rid of a habit is to replace it with another one. 
Night eating (if I was single I'd replace with going to happy movies every 
night) can be replaced with a good book and a cup of tea in my bedroom, but 
only if I actually do it.  It takes 21 or 28 days to make a habit.(so how 
come it only takes one bite of chocolate to break a habit?).  So I am off to

create a new habit.  You could create a rabbit habit - eating veggies as you

get your exercise and HOP on down the bunny trail! 

Fun - April 1st funny 

Back in January (Issue 4) talked about how I designed a cardboard outhouse 
to put over my neighbors toilet that sat outside during their bathroom 
renovations.well Hill and George returned volley today - the toilet appeared

on my front lawn with flowers in the tank and bowl parts and a sign that 
said "Happy April 1st from your Shi _ _ y neighbors."  As Bob put it they 
have raised the stakes once again - it is now a Defcon 4 alert!  How will we

retaliate?  I'd tell you what I am thinking, but Hillary reads reFOCUS. 
This "war" has been going on for years and what fun we have had it with it! 

www.giantfood.com <http://www.giantfood.com/>  - has a section under Living 
Well tab "Healthy Living" recipes called "simple swaps" - "family favorite 
recipes where a few small changes make a big difference the nutritional 
value without compromising taste." 

Fortune Cookie Chronicles - A mile walked with a friend contains only a 
hundred steps. 

Closing thought - The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.  I would

hate to think that my life's purpose was just to overeat and struggle with 
my weight.  I am going to strive to live a life of purpose.How about you? 

Challenge: try to exercise more than you normally do.  Forbidden food: chips

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"! 

www.sparkpeople.com 

www.delmonte.com/solutions (has some good ideas and articles) 

<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) 
_______________________________________________ 
CyberTOPS -- Where Friends Meet for a 'Net Loss' 
http://www.cybertops.net/index.htm 