I Came Into This Program Wanting ____; What I Got Out of the Program is ___.

I came into this program for assistance in weight loss and for a better understanding of where my then current lifestyle and eating habits were taking me.

What I got out of this program was very different from what I expected to get out of it.  Although I didn't lose as much weight as I had hoped, this program helped me to realize that there is more to a healthy lifestyle than just my weight; changing my way of thinking and how I treat myself can, and have, had a greater impact me overall.  With changing those few things, I've seen positive results in my weight and my overall well-being.  As long as I continue to improve on and incorporate the positive thoughts, my weight and lifestyle will continue to improve.

My Biggest Successes During This Program:

As a result of my initial lab tests, I now eat healthier at least 5-6 days a week.   I try to eat more protein for breakfast; I prepare and bring my lunch from home to work; I eat lighter at dinner and, most of all, I broke my habit of wanting chocolate every day!  My lab tests have also improved as a result of changing my eating habits and increasing my exercise from zero exercise to two-three times a week. 

My success as it relates to the program overall, is that I feel I am kinder and gentler to myself when I do slip up.  I found that when I stop to think about what it is I am truly wanting, it really isn’t necessarily what I was going after.  An example would my old daily fix of having chocolate;  I realized this was just a need to get my energy back up – I’ve replaced chocolate with just getting up and walking for the same energy boost. 

Another success I am still working on is that when I think about a future situation, I tend to project what I think will happen and then talk myself right out of taking any kind action or dreading the event.  When I realize I’m in that thought process, I am now able to put a stop to it as a result of the things I’ve learned.

My Biggest Challenges During This Program:

My biggest challenge during this program was the actual intrinsic thinking process.  I wasn’t really sure how to make this work for me, so it took the majority of the program and a lot of encouragement from Rosie for me to figure it out.

My Biggest Insights/Realizations (“A-Ha” Moments):

My biggest insight/realization during this program is realizing just how hard I have been on myself.

The Most Significant Change I Made During This Program:

The most significant change I made was my way of thinking on several levels.  This change is on-going and, at times, is a real struggle for me.  However, now that I have learned more on how to reap the positives out of a difficult situation, going into a difficult situation isn't as daunting to me.  It's alright for me to be angry or scared if that's what I need at the moment - as long as it doesn't poison my thoughts or what it is that I am looking to gain at that moment.  I’ve also learned to accept that the situation may not always be what I had hoped for but is the best that "I can make of it".

The Most Significant Thing(s) I’ve Learned About Myself:

The most significant thing that I learned about myself is just how hard I am on myself and that my train of thought can have a great impact on the outcome of what it is I am dealing with at the moment.

How This Experience Has Changed Me:

This experience has taught me to be less critical of myself and to give myself a break every now and then.  Trying to be perfect in all that I do was actually causing me more harm than good.  When I wasn’t perfect, I would belittle myself in my thoughts and then, in order to feel good, I’d do or eat things that weren’t good for me emotionally or physically.

I’ve learned that I need to take each moment one step at a time – not to project – and to really think about what it is I really need or want at the moment.  I’ve also learned  to enter difficult situations by being “curiously dumb” so I can get clear about what is most important to me.