There is a supplement store in our area called Nutrishop. They've been open for 4 years (I asked). I don't know if they started doing their challenges when they opened or if they have just taken off more recently. I've been seeing social media about them for about a year.
Let me sum it up. They do 7-8 week weightloss challenges. They give out a pretty great prize package for the top 5 winners. There is no cost to join the challenge, but they will do their best to upsell their supplements. There *is* a minimum amount to spend in order to win some of the prizes.
They have a fancy scale. A person stands on it with bare feet and grabs some handles and it measures weight (of course), as well as the amount of water, fat, and muscle. They hand over a print out with those details and more.
I'm not a supplement person. I'm a skeptic about that stuff. I know there is a place for most of those things, but I don't know if the place is to help people lose weight. I suspect that it's to make the supplement companies richer. I do think there is a place for protein shakes and BCAA's, but the other things seem like a "magic pill" for weightloss and I haven't seen evidence they work.
They have a nutritionist who has put together some prepackaged meal plans for the challenge. There seems to be different plans for different goals. For instance if your priority goal is to gain muscle you would have a different plan that the person who wants to lose fat. They sell the plan for $25 (which, coincidentally is the minimum for getting in the raffle), or you can buy a $99 supplement package.
So, while I don't think that supplements are great, I do think a nutritionists help for my meal planning could be helpful. I could use that kind of help. I paid the $25 for the meal plan. I was disappointed that it was basically one sheet of paper and had a LOT of supplements that were suggested at different times of the day. But they are in the business to sell that stuff, so I guess it makes sense to add it in. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was more than a glossy sheet of paper with ads.
I'm following the meal plan. I put it all in MFP to calculate how many calories and what the macros are, because it doesn't seem like enough food. The calories are less than 1500 per day, I added a 3 ounce protein before working out which added a few calories.
The macros are really close to what my goal is. I am showing that I was at 41% Carbs, 34% fat, and 25% protein (before I added 3 more ounces of protein). My target is 40%, 30%, and 30%. So, it's a little light on protein for my goal, but I can adjust that a little without adding a lot of calories.
So there is plenty of food on the plan, which tells me that I eat WAY too much. I need that sort of wake up call occasionally, I guess. $25 was too much to spend to learn this though.
I put new batteries in my food scale and started this shindig off. Unfortunately, I started in the middle of the week with no time for meal prep. So this week is going to be tough. Wednesdays are crammed. My usual schedule is to come home from work, switch a load of laundry, get ready for the gym, address anything the kids need, go to Weightlifting, grab Subway sandwiches, rush home to drop them off, go to tap class, head home by 8:30, last minute chores, then head to bed (hopefully around 9:00). Notice that I don't have EAT scheduled in there for myself? I do have time for a shake between weightlifting and tap, but not to cook something. I have been having a protein rich snack before heading to bed. I know I need to do better on Wednesdays. The rest of the week is a little more relaxed, instead of tap I have "study" on the schedule, and I do that at home after I cook.
This shop has created a gold mine. I just have to say. I know that it's good to help people lose weight and I'm already thankful for the eye opener in my own menu, but holy cow! In the first 3 days that sign ups started for this years first challenge, they had ~250 people come in. There is a 6 day period to sign up so I'd expect double that by the end. These are just challenge people and do not include the regulars who come in for supplements. The challenge is free, and I don't expect that everyone paid for the meal plan, but I'll bet that most of us did. Otherwise, what's the point? Just come in to get weighed? Not only that, I saw several people buying kegs of protein powder (they gave a free sample and shaker). There were bottles, jars, and tubs of stuff changing hands there in the half hour I was there. I know they do this challenge several times a year. I'll bet once a quarter. And I know lots of people who have done it more than once. It seems everyone is successful in this endeavor.
In any case, I'm on another challenge. I'd like to get the scale to shift a little in the downward direction and make me feel like I'm making some progress. You know that I will let you know how it goes.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Happy New Year!
Happy happy happy New Year to you all! I soooo love this time of year! I always have a renewed sense of commitment and determination and so far this year I have to say that I am feeling on fire! Some people don't believe in New Year's Resolutions and I have to say I don't really either. What I do believe in though, is setting goals!! I am very very passionate about this and before I talk more about my process, I want to tell you why.
Once upon a time, I used to be very very very overweight. When I was very overweight, I wasn't very happy deep down inside and although I did want to do something about that, subconsciously I had some issues going on that caused me to self sabotage every time I attempted to. For a period of time my life was what I would consider a complete mess with no direction. I just kept on keeping on, doing everything I needed to do and not much else. My life was a constant merry go round of doing everything that I could for others and nothing for myself. I spent so much time doing the urgent stuff, that I didn't have time to do the important stuff. Why? There were many reasons, but one of the biggest ones was because it meant I didn't have time to focus on myself and everything I didn't like about myself and my life. Long story short - we could be here for a very long time otherwise - one day I realised that if I didn't do something about my weight, then if I was lucky enough to still be here, I would end up being alone on the couch with no life. My daughter was growing up and would be going off overseas for an undetermined length of time and I was a single mum. In that moment I decided that that wasn't the life that I wanted. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to have someone to share my life with and I was in no shape to be sharing my life with anyone in the state I was in. I was a walking heart attack waiting to happen AND I didn't love myself, so how could I possibly love anyone else?
So what does this have to do with New Year's resolutions or goals? Well up until this point, of course every New Year I know that I "told" myself that this would be the year that I would start to release my weight, but it was only in my head. No one else knew that that was my goal. The New Year after I had decided that I needed to change my story was no different. I started the year making a silent promise to myself that this would be the year. It did feel different this time though. I went back to weight watchers and tried to follow their plan. I joined a local curves and tried to exercise there the recommended 3 sessions per week. I got to the end of that year and I had managed to lose 10kgs - which was great - however with over 100kg to lose, I knew that I needed to try to do better the next year otherwise it was going to take me 10 years or more to lose the weight and I wasn't getting any younger! So the next New Year's Day I took some time out by myself and reflected on the year gone past. What I had done. What I had achieved. What I did well and what I could improve on. Then I wrote down a list of goals for the next year. I had never actually written a list before and I thought that maybe physically writing a list might help in some way. I figured it couldn't hurt! I wrote a list of 10 things, with releasing weight at the top of the list and then I made sure that they were all SMART goals. That year I didn't get everything achieved on my list, but I DID get a LOT more achieved than I would have if I didn't go through that process. The biggest achievement of that year, was that I released 50kg. My goal for the year was 60kg, but I was definitely ok with 50!
Each and every year now I have the same process on New Year's Day, although I go a bit further these days. Now as well as making them SMART goals, on New Year's Day I pick 2-3 of the ones that are most important to me that I want to work on for the first quarter of the year, and then I write a list of actions that I need to take to achieve them. At the end of each quarter I sit down and evaluate where I am at, pick my 2-3 to work on for the next quarter, write down my action steps and off I go again. I also write down WHY I want to achieve those goals. You need to have a really powerful WHY. Your WHY - and also your why nots - are the key to everything. I'm not perfect. Things don't always happen when I plan for it to happen, but I ALWAYS get there in the end. One of the biggest lessons I have learned, is that the ONLY time we fail, is if we give up, and I NEVER give up if I really really want something. Sometimes it just takes me a lot longer to achieve it than I planned. I always learn along the way though, and I truly know that everything happens when it is meant to!
One of my biggest goals for this year is to publish my book. I finally finished it in November after starting it 3 years ago! See what I mean? I didn't plan for it to take me 3 years - I planned for it to take me 1 month initially - but I never gave up on it and I DID finally finish it! It WILL be published in the very near future. I am currently in the process of sourcing a professional editor and I also took massive action on New Year's Day and actually submitted it to 3 publishers. Whether it is picked up by one of them or whether I go down the self publishing road makes no difference to me really. I set myself the goal to write it and now I have set myself the goal of publishing it and publish it I WILL.
I don't know if you have a New Year's Resolution or goal setting process, but if you don't, I would highly recommend it! I wish for you a wildly successful and exciting 2018. My years since I released my weight have all been wonderful and this year will be no exception. I do however, absolutely know that it will be one of my best to date! I am so excited for all that it will bring and I truly wish the same for you!!
Here's to an amazing 2018!!
Shari
xoxo
Once upon a time, I used to be very very very overweight. When I was very overweight, I wasn't very happy deep down inside and although I did want to do something about that, subconsciously I had some issues going on that caused me to self sabotage every time I attempted to. For a period of time my life was what I would consider a complete mess with no direction. I just kept on keeping on, doing everything I needed to do and not much else. My life was a constant merry go round of doing everything that I could for others and nothing for myself. I spent so much time doing the urgent stuff, that I didn't have time to do the important stuff. Why? There were many reasons, but one of the biggest ones was because it meant I didn't have time to focus on myself and everything I didn't like about myself and my life. Long story short - we could be here for a very long time otherwise - one day I realised that if I didn't do something about my weight, then if I was lucky enough to still be here, I would end up being alone on the couch with no life. My daughter was growing up and would be going off overseas for an undetermined length of time and I was a single mum. In that moment I decided that that wasn't the life that I wanted. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to have someone to share my life with and I was in no shape to be sharing my life with anyone in the state I was in. I was a walking heart attack waiting to happen AND I didn't love myself, so how could I possibly love anyone else?
So what does this have to do with New Year's resolutions or goals? Well up until this point, of course every New Year I know that I "told" myself that this would be the year that I would start to release my weight, but it was only in my head. No one else knew that that was my goal. The New Year after I had decided that I needed to change my story was no different. I started the year making a silent promise to myself that this would be the year. It did feel different this time though. I went back to weight watchers and tried to follow their plan. I joined a local curves and tried to exercise there the recommended 3 sessions per week. I got to the end of that year and I had managed to lose 10kgs - which was great - however with over 100kg to lose, I knew that I needed to try to do better the next year otherwise it was going to take me 10 years or more to lose the weight and I wasn't getting any younger! So the next New Year's Day I took some time out by myself and reflected on the year gone past. What I had done. What I had achieved. What I did well and what I could improve on. Then I wrote down a list of goals for the next year. I had never actually written a list before and I thought that maybe physically writing a list might help in some way. I figured it couldn't hurt! I wrote a list of 10 things, with releasing weight at the top of the list and then I made sure that they were all SMART goals. That year I didn't get everything achieved on my list, but I DID get a LOT more achieved than I would have if I didn't go through that process. The biggest achievement of that year, was that I released 50kg. My goal for the year was 60kg, but I was definitely ok with 50!
Each and every year now I have the same process on New Year's Day, although I go a bit further these days. Now as well as making them SMART goals, on New Year's Day I pick 2-3 of the ones that are most important to me that I want to work on for the first quarter of the year, and then I write a list of actions that I need to take to achieve them. At the end of each quarter I sit down and evaluate where I am at, pick my 2-3 to work on for the next quarter, write down my action steps and off I go again. I also write down WHY I want to achieve those goals. You need to have a really powerful WHY. Your WHY - and also your why nots - are the key to everything. I'm not perfect. Things don't always happen when I plan for it to happen, but I ALWAYS get there in the end. One of the biggest lessons I have learned, is that the ONLY time we fail, is if we give up, and I NEVER give up if I really really want something. Sometimes it just takes me a lot longer to achieve it than I planned. I always learn along the way though, and I truly know that everything happens when it is meant to!
One of my biggest goals for this year is to publish my book. I finally finished it in November after starting it 3 years ago! See what I mean? I didn't plan for it to take me 3 years - I planned for it to take me 1 month initially - but I never gave up on it and I DID finally finish it! It WILL be published in the very near future. I am currently in the process of sourcing a professional editor and I also took massive action on New Year's Day and actually submitted it to 3 publishers. Whether it is picked up by one of them or whether I go down the self publishing road makes no difference to me really. I set myself the goal to write it and now I have set myself the goal of publishing it and publish it I WILL.
I don't know if you have a New Year's Resolution or goal setting process, but if you don't, I would highly recommend it! I wish for you a wildly successful and exciting 2018. My years since I released my weight have all been wonderful and this year will be no exception. I do however, absolutely know that it will be one of my best to date! I am so excited for all that it will bring and I truly wish the same for you!!
Here's to an amazing 2018!!
Shari
xoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)