Fitness Tip: A Rule to Live By

Have you ever tried to go a whole day without expressing a single negative thought? The effort makes us aware of how many of our thoughts are on the dark side of life. To keep on the sunny side, try a simple rule: "Don't complain and don't explain." By that I mean, don't complain about difficulties and don't make excuses. Once you remove these options, you'll find yourself getting more done and more out of life.

Featured Member: A Poet in Residence, Jack Schmidt

When we feel strong and committed, it's easy to believe that we will follow through on our good intentions to get fit. Other times, we can feel our resolve slipping away. Our actions follow the lead of our feelings and perceptions; hence, it's important to keep a positive perspective.

Jack Schmidt, a member who's lost 81 pounds, wrote the poem below from his experience. Last week, I posted it in the topic area, and several members commented on how valuable they found it. Some even shared the poem at the office or with family and friends. For those of you who missed it, I've posted it in its entirety here. Be sure to read to the end.

I will always be fat
And I refuse to believe that
I can lose this weight
I do
I realize that isn't the way most people think but
"Eating to live instead of living to eat?"
That's just not working out, and I truly believe
Eating what I want will make me happier in the end
It's just a big fat lie, thinking
Being fit is the most important thing in my life
Now I understand that
Making myself happy with food
Is more important than
Making myself healthy with food
And this much is true:
People are succeeding at losing weight every day
But I know in my heart this will not be the case for me
This could wind up killing me
Doctors tell me
I will shorten my life and steal time away from my family
Right now it doesn't seem possible that
I can change my ways and be fit for the rest of my life
This is what I believe:
This journey is just too tough for me
I don't want to even consider the fact that
I can control the causes of my shortcomings and my failings
It's just a fact of life that
People like me are weak-willed and lazy
And it's ridiculous to believe that
I will lose weight and be healthy

Jack says: "That's how I used to think; then I chose to reverse it (read from the bottom up)."

To acknowledge Jack's contribution to our community, I am sending him an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. Do we have any more poets? Want to you try your hand at writing reverse poetry?

Where Are the Holiday Try-Athletes?

Thanksgiving is next week. How much will you eat? Given our goal of fitness, it's tough to get through a day dedicated to overeating. And as soon as Thanksgiving is over, it's time for another six weeks of holiday treats. If you're like me, you'll find yourself in situations that encourage excess and challenge your efforts to eat carefully.

You can keep your focus on fitness, though, by joining the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. Instead of regrets, you can begin the new year feeling good about yourself.

You don't have to be an athlete. You only have to be willing to try three new "sports."

Sport One--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.

Sport Two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.

Sport Three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the try-athlon topic area of the forum. By posting our results each week in one topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete.

The Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon ends Monday, January 4. Each week, I have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements. This week's winner is Lady Phoenix, who will receive a Fat 2 Fit coffee mug. Congratulations, Lady Phoenix!

About Our Community

More new members joined us last week, so the Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,963 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? Just for the fun of it, I've set our goal at 4,000 want-to-be-fitter members.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Messages: Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member: Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip: Defining Success in Achieving Fitness

How do you define success when it comes to achieving fitness? First, success can be defined only by you, not your spouse, your parents or anyone else. Second, success is a process of attaining, not the finished state of attainment. You define success by the choices you make on a day-to-day basis. Third, success occurs in steps and can be learned. Fourth, if you set your fitness goals too high, you can become discouraged; if you set them too low, you underestimate yourself. Ultimately, success in fitness is being honest about where you are right now and where you want to go.

Featured Member: Nameless

Some of the regular contributors to our site have become like neighbors. We recognize their names and look forward to their comments. But we also have members who observe our conversations but are reluctant to join in. One such member is Nameless. She represents all of those members who are absorbing the information and enthusiasm we share and are quietly getting fit. A person of few words, Nameless writes:

"I just joined, but have been following your group since August 21. In this time, I have lost 20 pounds."

I love hearing from and corresponding with nameless members, like Nameless who are systematically reducing their weight and getting fit. (That's why I encourage you to check your messages.) To acknowledge Nameless's contribution to our community, I am sending her an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. Now that she's written once, we look forward to more of her progress reports.

Become a Holiday Try-Athlete

Thanksgiving is approaching. Estimates on how many calories the average person will consume on Thanksgiving range from 3,000 to 6,000. How much will you eat? And as soon as Thanksgiving is over, it's time for the holiday parties and treats. All of these situations encourage excess and challenge our efforts to eat carefully.

That's why we introduced the first holiday Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. The Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon keeps us focused on our fitness goals. Instead of regrets, we can begin the new year feeling good about ourselves.

Anyone can participate because the nature of the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon is unique. Each of our three sports involves trying something new:

Sport One--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.

Sport Two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.

Sport Three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the try-athlon topic area of the forum. By posting our results each week in one topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete. (Incidentally, you can define your seven-day week as Monday through Sunday or any other combination you like. Just be sure to work in your three try-athlon sports during the seven-day period and report your weekly results in the forum.)

The Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon began Monday, October 19 and ends Monday, January 4. We have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements.

About Our Community

Several people joined us last week, so the Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,955 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? Just for the fun of it, I've set our goal at 4,000 want-to-be-fitter members.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Messages--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member--Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip

Dr. Wayne Dyer tells us that to change our conscious behavior, we need to alter our subconscious thoughts. His advice is "Treat the part of you that encourages the behavior that you would like to change as if it were a separate entity. Imagine that it has a physical form. Have conversations with it. Explain to it that you know it's accustomed to being in control but now you have taken charge." For example, if the little creature who craves sugar insists on a treat, tell it that you are now in charge and you have decided to reduce your sugar intake.

Featured Member: rgdm

"All roads lead to Rome" is an expression I like to use when I promote fitness through regular exercise and healthful eating. Research reports confirm that health risks and medical conditions--from heart disease to diabetes, from Alzheimer's disease to stroke--can be reduced through engaging in regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. For example, research published last week asserts that diet and exercise are more effective in preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes than prescription drugs. And the best part about diet and exercise is that they are available to everyone, independent of one's medical insurer. Each of us controls what and how much we eat and how much we exercise.

When it comes to reducing medical risks through healthful eating and exercise, one member, rgdm, demonstrates what's possible. She writes:

I went to my doctor for a check up today and had great news. I have officially lost about 68 pounds and my blood pressure is normal again. In July of this year, my blood pressure was 140/93 and my blood sugars were 185. Today my blood pressure is 120/80 and blood sugars are 91. I feel the same as I did at age 30.

In May of this year, I started eating the foods from my ethnic ancestors. I went back to the continent of Africa and started eating foods from Beirut and Lebanon, the beans and rice from Ivory Coast, the buffalo from the plains of America, etc. Like magic, I started dropping pounds. For exercise, I walk daily or go to the gym at school for weights.

Since sending her original message, rgdm has lost 3 more pounds, and perhaps even more by the time this message reaches you. She has done an amazing job of reducing her risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by lowering her blood pressure and reducing her risk of diabetes by reducing her blood sugar level. She's provided us an example we can follow.

To acknowledge rgdm's contribution to our community, I am sending her an autographed copy of "From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction." We look forward to more of her enthusiastic progress reports.

Become a Holiday Try-Athlete

Halloween is over and Christmas decorations are already up in many of the retail stores. We can anticipate that the pace of holiday activities will increase, thereby creating demands on our time that can easily interfere with our exercise routine. And tempting treats at home and parties can sabotage our efforts to eat carefully.

That's why we introduced the first holiday Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. The Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon keeps us focused on our fitness goals. Instead of regrets, we can begin the new year feeling good about ourselves.

Anyone can participate because the nature of the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon is unique. Each of our three sports involves trying something new:

Sport One--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.
Sport Two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.
Sport Three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the try-athlon topic area of the forum. By posting our results each week in one topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete. (Incidentally, you can define your seven-day week as Monday through Sunday or any other combination you like. Just be sure to work in your three try-athlon sports during the seven-day period and report your weekly results in the forum.)

The Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon began Monday, October 19 and ends Monday, January 4. We have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements.

About Our Community

We had over 50 new members join last week so the Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,944 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? Our goal is 4,000 want-to-be-fitter members.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Messages--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member--Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip

Contrary to popular wisdom, people gain on average only 1 pound during the period from Halloween through New Year's Day. The problem is that this pound never leaves. We add another pound the following year, and then another and so on. To avoid gaining weight, plan celebrations around activities (rather than food), spend less time in the kitchen and rethink the gifts you give. And be sure to get adequate sleep and continue your exercise routine.

These practical recommendations are based on the premise that we need to focus our attention on the meaning of the holidays and the joy of being in the company of friends and family rather than on how best to indulge ourselves.


Featured Member: SeniorPower

In the course of counseling individuals on weight loss, I am frequently pressed to provide the perfect diet. I avoid recommending a specific diet because so many factors have to be considered. Each person's body is unique and reacts to food differently. One person can enjoy a cold glass of milk, while a person who is lactose intolerant must avoid milk. Food preferences, medical conditions, availability of different foods, body size, activity level, food interactions with medicines, allergies, budget and religious views are a few of the aspects to consider.

Consequently, I encourage each of you to become a student again--to become an expert on your nutritional needs through learning about nutrition, analyzing your body's reaction to different foods and experimenting with different ways of cooking. One member, SeniorPower, demonstrates this principle. He has done a careful job of analyzing his needs based on his medical condition and also based on his research on nutrition. He writes:

"Since the age of 14 (I'm now 62), I would eat a package of egg noodles a week (the whole package) and not think anything of it. When I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, I found out that my body was insulin resistant and the culprit was carbs (white flour carbs). It didn't take much for me to drop the white carbs in favor of stone ground dark bread (not whole wheat). I also stopped drinking regular soda containing processed white sugar and started eating fruit containing natural sugar. My blood sugar returned to normal.

I also switched from cow's milk to soy milk. I do occasionally drink a diet soda and occasionally eat a donut. But I have found that by eating grapes and fruit with eggs and lots of poultry, tuna, tomatoes plus a half gallon of soy milk, I am satisfied and I have energy for multiple visits at the gym. And with 6 good hours of sleep I can go for 18 hours.

Due to my new diet and gym work, my chest/shoulders have gone from 38 to 42 plus, and the things that I can now accomplish from last year are fantastic."

SeniorPower's example is important because he proactively addressed his pre-diabetes condition through changes in his eating. He did not ask his doctor for a pill to solve the problem. Instead, he adjusted his eating based on his own research. He figured out what he needed to change and followed through until his blood sugar tested in the normal range. Most importantly, he reaffirms the principle that we need to work in partnership with our doctors by taking personal responsibility for our health and well-being."

To acknowledge SeniorPower's contribution to our community, I am sending him an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. We look forward to more of his enthusiastic progress reports.

New Contest: Are You Willing to Become a Holiday Try-Athlete?

During the holiday season, it's easy to forget our fitness goals. Holiday activities place demands on our time that can easily interfere with our exercise routine. And tempting treats at home and parties can sabotage our efforts to eat carefully.

That's why we introduced the first holiday Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. The Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon keeps us focused on our fitness goals. Instead of regrets, we can begin the new year feeling good about ourselves.

Anyone can participate because the nature of the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon is unique. Each of our three sports involves trying something new:

Sport One--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.

Sport Two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.

Sport Three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the try-athlon topic area of the forum on Monday, October 26. By posting our results each week in one topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete. (Incidentally, you can define your seven-day week as Monday through Sunday or any other combination you like. Just be sure to work in your three try-athlon sports during the seven-day period and report your weekly results in the forum.)

The Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon began Monday, October 19 and ends Monday, January 4. We have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements.

About Our Community

The Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,905 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? Our goal is 4,000 want-to-be-fitter members.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Messages--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member--Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip

How are you feeling today? Enjoying a good night's sleep helps manage stress, improves mental skills, lifts mood and, perhaps best of all, helps keep appetites in check. Yet sleep is underrated as a critical element in fitness. For optimum health, a sense of well-being and overall fitness, make sure you provide your body with adequate rest.

Featured Member: Reader100

Injuries or medical problems sometimes sidetrack us. But we can also use medical problems, including an anticipated surgery, as an incentive to get in shape. Reader100 is scheduled for a knee replacement due to severe arthritis. But instead of passively waiting for surgery, Reader100 is taking proactive measures. She writes:

"I joined Curves a couple of months ago to get some exercise, and the doctor is encouraging me to continue. I'm still trying even though it's hard to work through the pain sometimes.

"At Curves, I have won two months in a row for losing the most fat. I might not be losing pounds on the scale, but I am building muscle and I can truly feel it in my clothing and the way they fit."

Some health problems are unavoidable, but we do have a choice in how we respond. Reader100 is responding the way physicians wish all of us would. She is getting into the best possible shape so she can recover from the knee replacement surgery as quickly as possible.

To acknowledge her willingness to work on fitness pending surgery, I am sending her an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. We wish her success on the knee replacement and look forward to more progress reports.

New Contest: Are You Willing to Become a Holiday Try-Athlete?

During the holiday season, it's easy to forget our fitness goals. Holiday activities place demands on our time that can easily interfere with our exercise routine. And tempting treats at home and parties can sabotage our efforts to eat carefully.

That's why we are introducing the first holiday Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. The Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon will help keep us focused on our fitness goals during the next critical 11 weeks. Instead of regrets, we can begin the new year feeling good about ourselves.

Every member of our Fat 2 Fit group can participate because the nature of the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon is unique. Each of our three sports involves trying something new:

Sport one--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.

Sport two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.

Sport three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the try-athlon topic area of the forum. I'll call for results every Monday. By posting our results each week in one topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete. (Incidentally, you can define your seven-day week as Monday through Sunday or any other combination you like. Just be sure to work in your three try-athlon sports during the seven-day period and report your weekly results in the forum.)

The Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon starts today, October 19 and ends Monday, January 4. I'll call for the first report on try-athlon efforts on October 26. We'll have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements.

Ready? Get on your mark! The try-athlon begins today Monday, October 19.

About Our Community

The Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3.901 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? If you are receiving value from this group, tell someone about it. Our goal is 4,000 want-to-be-fitter members.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Message--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member--Each week, I pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Have you always admired triathletes? Have you wondered how these athletes have the stamina to engage in three demanding sports? I have. I also admire their willingness to push themselves to improve their performance and achieve their goals.

Speaking of goals, during the holiday season, it's easy to forget our fitness goals. Holiday activities place demands on our time that can easily interfere with our exercise routine. And tempting treats at home and parties can sabotage our efforts to eat carefully.

That's why I created the first holiday Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon. The Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon will help keep us focused on our fitness goals during the next critical 12 weeks. Instead of regrets, we can begin the new year feeling good about ourselves.

Every member of our Fat 2 Fit group can participate because the nature of the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon is unique. Each of our three sports involves trying something new:

• Sport One--Eating: Try a new food each week, try a new recipe, try a different eating pattern, etc.
• Sport Two--Exercising: Try a new exercise activity each week, try a different routine, try to extend your routine, etc.
• Sport Three--Contributing: Try a new way to support others' fitness efforts, try a new way to share your commitment, try to create a social event that doesn't focus on eating, etc.

Report the results of your weekly participation in the Fat 2 Fit Try-athlon topic area of the forum. You can post (and brag about) your achievements anytime. Be sure to include pictures if you have them. I'll make an official call for results every Tuesday. By posting our results in the topic area, we can see what each other is doing and get ideas for additional ways to compete. (Incidentally, you can define your seven-day week as Monday through Sunday or any other combination you like. Just be sure to work in your three try-athlon sports during the seven-day period and report your weekly results in the forum.)

And if you'd like to volunteer to be a judge for the weekly event, please send me a message and I'll add you to the judges' roster.

The Holiday Fat 2 Fit Holiday Try-athlon starts Monday, October 19 and ends Monday, January 4. I'll call for the first report on try-athlon efforts on October 26. We'll have a surprise weekly prize for the member who is most creative in his or her try-achievements.

Ready? Get on your mark! The try-athlon begins Monday, October 19.

Competively yours,

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip

Can you train your brain to choose wisely? One way is to make healthy choices the default setting in daily activities. Two examples of healthy default settings are stocking your kitchen with healthy food only and scheduling a regular exercise date, preferably with a friend who won't let you off the hook. By regularly repeating healthy choices, you teach your brain to make the right decisions.

Featured Member: Leah

Timing is everything, and this is Leah's time. Leah joined the Fat 2 Fit online community early on, but she didn't take any action immediately. Her previous efforts to get fit had failed, and she was unwilling to disappoint herself again. Yet events conspired in her life to launch her on her fitness path. Here is her story:

"I'm happy to say that I'm over with the negative self talk and I'm on my way to a slimmer and healthier me! Here is how I got started.

I'm an employee of AARP and on September 11, I participated in our annual Day of Service, volunteering at the Orange County Food Bank. It was a lot of work (manual labor!) for three hours and although I was so exhausted, I felt great not only for the opportunity to serve but the fact that I worked every part of my body.

Somehow this day inspired me. The following day, even though I still had some aches and pains, I began walking. My sister and brother-in-law joined me, and I'm proud to say that we are now walking four miles a day, four times a week. It used to take us two hours to complete the four mile walk but this week, it only took us 1 hour and 45 minutes, so we are definitely making progress.

On September 27, I got myself an iPod and loaded it with lots of exercise/dance music to enjoy as I walk. I also loaded the application called 'Lose it' where I am able to log my goal weight, the food I eat and calorie intake as well as measure my progress. As a result, I began paying attention to what I'm eating, and I am now eating more fruit and vegetables, reading labels and counting calories/nutrients, ensuring that I don't go over my limit. And if I do, I forgive myself and get back on track right away.

This is important because I have a history of failed attempts. I would get discouraged and always say 'I'll start again on Monday!' And if Monday turned out to be a rough day, it became the next Monday. Then months later, all I accomplished was gaining more weight.

In August I reached 250 pounds, the heaviest I've ever been. I didn't weigh myself when I started walking, but when I got 'Lose it,' I had to record my starting weight. So I finally got the courage to step on the scale again. It registered 240 lbs. 'Yeah!' Today, the scale says 235 pounds. It's working!

My goal is to reach 140 pounds (doctor's orders) and I want to lose 2 pounds a week. I know that it will take me a year to get there but it's okay because this is it for me. This is the last time I battle with being overweight, and I want to do it right. No quick fix, only eating right and exercising, and, yes, drinking lots of water--truly a lifestyle change for me!"

A philosopher, Hesiod, living 800 years B.C., advised us to "Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor." His advice is relevant nearly 3,000 years later, and especially relevant for Leah.

Leah is improving her odds for success by adopting a lifelong strategy (rather than seeking a quick fix), by surrounding herself with like-minded fitness friends (her walking partners) and by publicly declaring her commitment to get fit. To acknowledge her courage in making these changes, I am sending her an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. We look forward to Leah's continued success.

New Contest to Be Announced This Week: Become a Try-athlete

Watch for an announcement about our new contest?one designed to help you stay on track throughout the holidays and into the new year.

About Our Community

The Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,862 members. Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us? If you've received value from your participation, share the opportunity with others. Help create an expanding community of members who support each other in their quest for fitness.

A Few Reminders

Collect Your Messages--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Featured Member--Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Fitness Tip

Do you know what emotions trigger overindulging? Be careful of three emotions: sad, mad and glad. When we’re sad, we can fall into the trap of consoling ourselves with food. When we’re mad, we may reach for food to distract ourselves from the unpleasantness. And when we’re glad (for example, happily on vacation or celebrating with family at Thanksgiving), we can easily eat too much. Take a look at your breakdowns and notice which emotions sabotage your efforts to get fit. With self-awareness, you’ll more effectively manage your way through them.

Featured Member: Christyswimmer49

When Christyswimmer49 first wrote to me, she reported why she hadn’t been focused on getting fit and also that she was disinterested in joining a gym. She explained:

It’s very humid weather here in Maine, my daughter is ready to have her first baby any day now, and I'm searching for a new house . . . and I don't seem to fit in going to the gym.

In response, I commented that sixty minutes of daily concentrated exercise at a gym was good, but that routinely moving throughout the course of our day was even better. Even if she could make herself go to the gym, she still had 23 hours during which she needed to incorporate exercise.

After a week or so, Christyswimmer49 wrote back:

I have incorporated some of the changes you told me about such as infusing my day with more activity. My car has never looked so good! I now vacuum it and wash it once a week, hike with my grandchildren around Machworth Island and with my son in the White Mountains. Needless to say, the weight is coming off. The key is portion control, of course, which was totally missing in my eating habits before. Thank you for opening my eyes and helping me to get on track.

She and I have continued to correspond and she has since created her own unique fitness program. She writes:

I am giving myself until March 18 to lose 66 pounds. Using your example, for the first time I have a structured program to go by, and I am not just exercising when I feel like it. I created my "Progress Reports" this afternoon. I try to get some form of exercise each day. And before I eat anything I ask myself, "Am I hungry?" Makes perfect sense to me!

Today Christyswimmer49 sends me a weekly report and is making steady progress. In her report today, she said:

I'm beginning to look less and less like Humpty Dumpty! Myclothes are starting to feel a bit looser too.

From these excerpts, you can see her advance from passive—even reluctant—participant to a member fully in charge of her fitness. This is exactly what the Fat 2 Fit online community seeks to accomplish for each member. Christyswimmer49 already has and is using my book, From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction, to guide her makeover. So her prize will be a Fat 2 Fit Winner coffee mug. We’ll look forward to hearing more good news from her.

Winners Will Be Announced This Week

I am still calculating the pounds lost and exercise hours that members reported for the October 1 competition. I’ll announce the winners midweek.

Prize categories are:

Weight: Most pounds lost--male

Weight: Most pounds lost--female

Exercise: Most exercise hours reported

Support: Member who provided the most support to others

The grand prizes are a T-shirt with the message “Fitness: It’s Every Body’s Business” along with an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. Newcomers who joined for the last three weeks of the challenge will be competing for a Fat 2 Fit Winner coffee mug.

The coffee mugs and T-shirts are symbolic (and fun) prizes because the real reward is a healthier, more fit and trim body. And this makes each of us a winner.

About Our Community

The Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,864 members (our goal is 4,000). Do you have a friend, neighbor or relative you could invite to join us?

A Few Reminders

Wanted: “Before” and “Work in Progress” Pictures —If you have some before pictures and current pictures that you are willing to share with others, please send me a message. I’ll send you my personal e-mail address so you can send me the pictures. They will be included in my presentation at the AARP Member Event in Las Vegas on October 24, so I need them as soon as possible.

Collect Your Messages —Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don’t miss any comments.

Next Week’s Featured Member— Next week, I’ll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole

Just joining today September 14th 2009.  I weigh about 199 1bs. I have a medical condition with my heart that has at the age of 47 required me to have a pacemaker inplanted in my chest. That was to keep me alive then,back in 2001,   but now, at age 54,  I am watching my weight continue to skyrocket after many attempts to lose weight by joining weight watchers, LA Weight loss, and others. At the moment I belong to 24 hr. Fitness, and plan to use that as my excercise outlet when i am not busy enjoying the outdoors., So I am ready to get busy to really get this off and keep it off. I am glad I found this site through AARP. I look forward to checking in and maybe even win the last prize for this contest!!

Fitness Tip

Snacking may be good for you if the snacks are limited in calories, nourishing (such as an apple rather than a candy bar) and eaten (rather than sipped). Snacking also helps manage hunger so that you can resist the impulse to overeat or binge later.

Featured Member: KIMI041

In the perfect world, we would live in a "surround sound" environment where all the messages that reached us encouraged fitness and moderation. For the most part, however, we receive the opposite message. Whether we are shopping for groceries, watching television or driving our cars, we are bombarded with promotions and advertisements that encourage us to indulge in our favorite treats.

Consequently, creating a supportive environment becomes our personal responsibility. That is why I continue to encourage you to invite friends and family members to join us here or to form support groups in your community. Your success depends in large part upon surrounding yourself with like-minded family, coworkers and friends.

New member Kimi041 describes the approach she is taking on her profile page:

I am an LPN at a long-term care facility, also known as a nursing home. I work the night shift on the Alzheimer's/dementia unit. It is very challenging to say the least, yet at the same time very rewarding. And working nights has its own set of problems (especially if you have diet/weight issues), including problems relating to sleep schedules and general health and overall well-being. Night people are a breed all their own!

Anyway, like most everyone else, the main topic of discussion as always is weight. One of my coworkers has put together a Weight Loss Challenge. It involves weekly dues (money is always a good motivator!), weekly weigh-in with a buddy in the group, and monetary penalties for any weight gain. I do not know yet how long the challenge lasts, but the official weigh-in was last night. I need to lose 21 pounds for my short-term goal and another 6 pounds for my long-term goal for a total of 27 pounds.

I am just going to keep this journal for a little extra personal boost. It will be interesting to see how/if I progress! I will also write a blurb to keep all posted on my exercise/diet plans. I am a part-time runner. I do about 3 races a year--just for fun. My goal is never to win, just to finish! I have a 5.7 mile run coming up on Oct. 24th on Mackinac Island, MI. I have not been training as I should: I have a cold right now and really need the rest more, but within the next couple days I will be starting and will post my progress on that also. Seeing my progress in writing certainly will help!

Until my next post, best to all of you!

Kimi041 is improving her chance for success by surrounding herself with a community that both encourages her to follow through on her commitment to get fit and lose weight and also holds her accountable. She also has a specific fitness goal. These elements are essential.

Thanks, Kimi041, for demonstrating how to create your own challenge whether at work, at home or in social groups. To acknowledge Kimi041's contribution, I am sending her an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction. Thanks, Kimi041, for remind us about the power of community.

New Game Continues

In case you missed it in an earlier topic discussion, here is the weight-loss game that one of our members suggested. I hope you will join in the good-natured effort and compete for one of the prizes.

Start Date: August 21 or when you read this and begin
End Date: October 1

Timing of Prizes: Prizes were awarded at the midpoint and will be awarded again at the end (October 1).

Prize Categories:

Weight: Most pounds lost--male
Weight: Most pounds lost--female
Exercise: Most exercise hours reported
Support: Member who provided the most support to others

Reporting System: Send me a message every Saturday beginning August 22. Include in your report:

1. Cumulative pounds lost--male or female
2. Cumulative hours exercised

Prizes:

Midpoint: A Fat 2 Fit coffee mug
Final: A T-shirt with the message "Fitness: It's Every Body's Business" along with an autographed copy of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction.

Note: New Members Can Still Join the October 1 Challenge

For those of you who just joined the Fat 2 Fit group, there's still a chance to compete. Although you won't be eligible for the grand prize, you can still compete in this remaining mini-competition for a Fat 2 Fit Winner coffee mug. The categories will be the same (most weight lost, male; most weight lost, female; most exercise and most supportive). Your start date will be September 9 or whenever you read this, and the finish date will be October 1.

Whether you're one of the ongoing competitors racing for the finish line on October 1 or a newcomer who's just beginning, please send me your weekly results (pounds lost and hours exercised).

And those of you who are reading this and sitting on the sidelines are enthusiastically encouraged to join our good-natured competition. The coffee mugs and T-shirts are symbolic (and fun) prizes because the real reward is a healthier, more fit and trim body. And this makes each of us a winner.

About Our Community

The Fat 2 Fit Online Community group has 3,870 members (our goal remains 4,000). To date, we've reported a loss of 2,129 pounds. Send me a message with your weight loss and I'll add it to the group total.

A Few Reminders

October 1 Challenge--When you send me your cumulative weight loss and your cumulative hours exercised, please designate your category: male or female. (I can't always tell from screen names whether members are male or female, so you have to let me know.)

Collect Your Messages--Next time you take a break, click on your Message Center to get your messages. Some of you have reported problems with notifications, so log on to make sure you don't miss any comments.

Next Week's Inspirational Member--Next week, I'll pick another member to lift up to our community. Who will it be? Maybe you?

Have a great week.

Coach Carole