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One of the themes in my life is definitely balance. As you know, this past week I’ve begun the process to release some extra weight. I’m not a patient person and I want it gone now. Don’t you just love arguing with reality? I don’t usually get great results when I do that.

Anyway, I followed a very strict program for the last week and it’s not fun. I know, it’s not “supposed” to be fun, but I guess I look at it this way. In my mind, there are three main indicators that what I’m doing is working-
1) my jeans fit! (or I’m getting closer, meaning inches are dropping)
2) the number on the scale is dropping each day
3) I feel GREAT!

With my previous way of eating, I didn’t have #1 or #2, but I did have #3. Something must be wrong about what I’m currently doing, for this past week, I haven’t had any of these! I don’t mind feeling “deprived” or really working at this, but to add more exercise and cut down the food dramatically and still have no result in a week is frustrating!

There are so many diet fads out there but it’s really important to me to do this smart and healthy. I’m looking to improve my overall good health- not just lose a few pounds. But, in order to stay motivated I need to see some results!

Are you as impatient as I am? Maybe if I jumped on the scale only one time per week that would be better. Maybe if I just fasted one day a week- just one day, that alone would knock off a pound or two, and then I’m not so crazy the rest of the week. What if all this fruit is just sugar and carbs and is actually keeping weight on? All kinds of ideas and questions!

Frustrated and confused, I talked with my good friend Karen today who is a naturopathic physician specializing in weight loss and fitness. She has this radiant glow about her always and is one of the most healthy-looking people I’ve ever met. Karen is a big believer that just as we are all different human beings, we need different things to be healthy. What may work for one person may not work for everyone.

She attributes a great deal of her success to cleansing two times a year. I’ve done the Master Cleanse several times and I’ve always felt great when I’ve done it. So, I think Karen and I are going to add a cleanse to my existing program to supplement and support my body changes. Right now I’m tired and grumpy- both things that I just don’t do!

I’m was eating just fruits and veggies, but added a piece of fish this evening. It tasted so very good! I feel satisfied and happy with my choice, and not nearly as tired either.

Don’t worry, I’m still being cautious and watching what I eat, but I’m also respecting the balance that I want in my life, not only during this transition phase, but long-term as well.

It’s such a learning process, no? Again, I’ll keep you posted!

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Gail Lynne Goodwin is the founder of InspireMeToday.com, bringing the best inspiration to the world. InspireMeToday.com provides free inspiration, each day from a new Inspirational Luminary, to a global community of folks from over 150 countries. Gail has interviewed many well-known names including Sir Richard Branson, Guy Laliberte, Seth Godin, Tony Hseih, Gary Vaynerchuk, Michael Gerber, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and hundreds more. According to Mashable, Gail was one of 2009's Top 25 Most Inspirational People on Twitter.

Prior to InspireMeToday.com, Gail spent several years as manager for her recording artist daughter, Carly. As a result of the success of their co-penned song, "Baby Come Back Home", Gail accompanied her daughter to bases in the US and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where Carly performed for our troops. Gail and Carly created the 'World's Longest Letter' of love and support and delivered the 18-mile long scroll on a month-long tour of Iraq and the Persian Gulf in 2006.

Gail is excited to present her latest course, Love in 21 Days, a step-by-step guide to finding love online. Love in 21 Days is founded on a logical process that has been tested - and proven! - by not only Gail, but also by students around the world who too have found love.

Gail is a published author and a regular writer for the Huffington Post. She offers mentoring and mastermind services to clients worldwide from her home in Whitefish, Montana. Follow Gail on Twitter or Google+.

This Post Has 10 Comments

    1. Hi Cat,

      If you read my blog 6 days ago (day one) it’s all explained there. Stay posted…. we might be making a few changes….

      Hugs,

      Gail

  1. Just curious why, in both your original article and your blog, it’s all about looks first. Distant second is feeling good and keeping healthy. I’d have hoped that in the 21st century we’d stop reinforcing the old paradigm of women as decorative objects. Maybe it’s me, but I’d rather feel good and know I’m healthy. Looks will follow from that. No wonder you’re so frustrated!

    1. MB,

      My apologies for the misunderstanding. Image is important to me, but the primary reason I’m doing this is so I can feel better! Carrying extra weight isn’t good for me. Interestingly enough, when we lost weight we improve our health. And, when we improve our health, we lose weight.

      I have my reasons and my priorities where they need to be- for me. We’re all different and we’re all individual. Regardless of the reason we do things, I will get even healthier and will lose weight and improve image both as a bi-product. Pretty cool how that works!

      Thanks for your comment.

  2. Hang in there! I think you have made a good choice about thinking on the long run. You don’t want to drop all these pounds and then go back to your “new” regular eating habits and gain all the weight back. So good for you and keep up the good work.

    I totally understand how you want results now, I am like that too. But always remember that patience pays!

    Jessica

  3. Hi Gail,
    Scott Stringe here – are you pulling my leg? You must know of David Wolfe’s LongevityNow program, I mean no offense – perhaps I do get around and see lots of things. one is this program, it currently is not affordable for me, so I cannot review it for you, though these are really good folks and I believe that David is expert in his passion.

    1. Hi Scott- Thanks for the information, but I’m working with a great doctor and I’ll blog more about that soon. There are a lot of paths to the top of the mountain, so perhaps David’s is right for you. Good luck to you on your journey!

  4. Hey Gail,
    just checked in and saw your posts, and honestly, it brought tears to my eyes. I DO totally understand the move to lose weight because we feel so much better and healthier without extra pounds– and also there is huge pressure on men and women–and especially women– to look a certain way. This pressure increases–fiercely– as you move up the socio-economic ladder. I know so few women who are truly, genuinely pleased with themselves and how they look–and this includes any number of women whom i consider healthy, fit, and beautiful–and you’re on that list of healthy, fit, and beautiful, BTW! Anyway, thank you for being so open with this–that in itself contradicts some of the cultural patterns about needing to do our work in isolation and only presenting a “polished product” to the world.

    I don’t know if you have any tendency at all to be hard on yourself for any reason, but i would invite you, warmly, to be very gentle and compassionate with yourself as you do this.

    with love,
    liza

  5. Take less food that is fried, do more exercises-more than 45minutes and keep doing exercises not less than four times per week. That will help you to stay fit.

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