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Dotti's Newsletter |
May 21, 2007 |
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Issue #024 |
WelcomeHi, this is Al... Dotti has asked me to help out with this newsletter, because she is with Tammy, her "bestest friend" during a time of great loss, lending support when a friend seems most precious. I am sitting in a motel room typing this while they are out shopping for a dress for Tammy's Mom to be laid to rest in, and frankly, my heart is with them, and so I apologize if I do not do as well as you might be hoping for. However, I will give it my best effort, and you be the judge of how it turns out. I will not dwell today on the aspect of the weight control journey while coping with crisis, because we are living with that right now, and I cannot put sufficient space between my emotions and the topic to do it justice. (If you care to read some thoughts on that you will find a few of them on my journal for this week: click here.) Instead I would like to talk about motivation and anniversaries. This month is loaded with anniversaries for Dotti and me. Here are a few of them:
Weight loss is 99% motivation and 1% technique. I will bet that every one of you knows everything you need to know right now about how to lose weight, with one exception: how you can make yourself do it. You know you merely have to eat fewer calories than you burn in order to lose weight. But it is like the student who knows that he only has to study more, and do his assignments promptly to get A's. Knowing is far easier than doing...or else there were be a lot more A students. In my essay on Motivation I discuss some ways to get, and to stay, motivated. But today let's look at what an anniversary can do for you. When you reach an anniversary, you have something tangible to show that not only did you start something, but you have completed something as well. Good intentions are all well and good, but by themselves they do nothing. It is the applying of those good intentions that makes good things happen. How many times did I quit smoking only to start up again? I honestly don't know, because it was too depressing to keep track of how dismal of a failure I was. It is not pleasant to hold your shattered dreams up under the microscope to inspect them, especially when you know that it is your weakness that broke them into pieces. We are so cruel to ourselves, and so unforgiving: far more unforgiving than we would ever be to one of our friends that we love. If that were not enough to depress me, I could start listing all of the times that I have tried to lose weight. I even graphed over 5 years of my struggles, and it showed one thing clearly: I am weak, and have no will power. At least that is what it said to me. But guess what? I was wrong, and the graph didn't say that at all. It only said that I was doing the wrong things, and that I needed to keep looking. I did keep looking on the smoking side of things, and I found the answer so that I could finally quit. But it took Dotti to find the answer to my eating problem. Still, the two problems were very much connected. Think about the task of learning the multiplication table in school. At first it looked impossible. You couldn't possibly memorize all of those numbers. And if you tried to do it, the way I tried to quit smoking and to lose weight, you would have failed just like I did. However, your teacher didn't just throw you into the water and tell you to sink or swim on your own. Your teacher took you by the hand and first taught you the "ones." "Hey," you said to yourself, "The Ones are easy!" In fact this is what your teacher had already told you and you were just finally buying it. The "Twos" were a little harder but they didn't take long to learn. Later on, you found there was some real work involved in learning the larger numbers, but you did it, a piece at a time. Today you do it without even thinking about it. Learning the multiplication table was a process, not an event. A process flows through steps, a bit at a time. It doesn't just happen. You don't just lose weight, and you don't just maintain a weight loss. You do the steps, one at a time and that is what moves you from where you are to where you want to be. And anniversaries are one measure of how far you have come on your journey. When I look at the wedding anniversary coming up for Dotti and me, I think of how easy it has seemed for us to reach it. And yet, marriage is a process as well. It is by steps that we built a relationship, based upon putting the other one first. By making Dotti happy, it has made me happier still. By Dotti making me happy, it has made her happier still. Each year it grows, and today if I were given a chance to choose, whether or not to marry Dotti all over again; I wouldn't even have to take the time for you to blink your eye to know that I would do it—and I would fight for that chance with all of might. Over more than 30 years of living it, this process has built the grandest structure that I can imagine; and I have the good fortune to be living in it. Did the anniversaries make it happen? No, but they helped mark the progress that we were making along the way towards our goal. The really important things in life are almost all similar to this. The process moves from day to day, step by step, creating something you could never do all at once. But you can do it one day at a time. If you stumble and fall, that merely shows you are trying something that is more advanced than what you were doing before. Even Mozart hit some sour notes when he was learning to play, and every champion you can name in any sport you can think of, had to begin by tripping over his own feet in a clumsy start. It is daily application of effort that builds success, even when the results are not yet good. If you never fall, you are not attempting anything that will make you grow. Start from this one point of reference: You can succeed! No, don't let any negativity from your inner voice move you from your resolve to accept this fact. You can succeed! Now that you have accepted this fact, you will never be dissuaded from seeking the correct path for you to walk to your unavoidable success. You will succeed, and you will find the path to your success. These are the "Ones" of the multiplication table. These ideas are what the rest is built upon. From here, you can go anywhere you want to go. And don't forget to let your anniversaries help you celebrate your progress towards your success. In the next newsletter, Dotti will be back. I know I could never take her place, but I thank you for spending this time with me anyway. Dotti told me to pass this along, even though she couldn't be here this time: Until we meet again, have a great couple of weeks and keep smiling ☺ Motivation
"You can learn all you ever need to know about success by watching a baby learn to walk." ~~~Al "If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got." ~~~Anonymous
Come Join the Fun! Do you want some extra support during your Journey? Would you like to have a place you can call "home," where you can be yourself? Our Message Board is just the place. It's home to all our Zonie friends who share their Journey experiences and are always willing and ready to offer support, laughs, friendship and Dotti's Journey Back to Goal Dotti may never let me at this newsletter again after this ☺ but here is what is going on with Dotti's Journey back to Goal today: When you look at Dotti's graph you can see that for the year of 2007, Dotti has lost about 1 pound per month. Since she is 32.5 pounds from goal, at that rate she will reach goal around January of 2010. If she returns to her half-pound per week rate of loss, she will reach goal in August of 2008. But these things are not what tell the story of Dotti's journey today. The real story is the fact that Dotti has been consistently losing for 87 weeks in a row. While the week of Thanksgiving of 2006 caused her to temporarily move up, she was all the way back down in 3 weeks, and she even showed a one pound loss, when compared with the week before Thanksgiving. She has not shown a gain on any two consecutive weeks, and the net result has been a constant motion downward towards her goal. Dotti really struggled with her weight, from May of 2002 when she quit smoking, all the way up until she started her comeback in September of 2005. But then, Dotti set an entirely new course. From that point on, even when she was at her worst, it did no harm on the scale. She no longer had those nasty upward runaway excursions that had destroyed her earlier progress. When she loses a half pound now, it is a new half pound—not one that she just lost a month ago, regained, and then had to lose again. Dotti ran a 10-week streak from mid-February to the end of April, where she only lost a total of one-half pound. This was a stretch of time where Dotti was running on autopilot and she drifted along. She wasn't journaling, and she was just trying to make good choices where she could. And through all of that, she didn't gain an ounce! Instead she actually lost half a pound. In 2005, she went from very close to 200 pounds up to 223 pounds in just a few months, during a streak that was no more challenging than the one she just completed. To anyone who has struggled with his weight like I have, the difference between putting on 23 pounds and losing a half pound is incredible. Even when she relaxes her vigil today, it doesn't destroy her momentum. Another important point is that Dotti took a serious fall where she banged her knee, and she also broke her wrist. If she were looking for an excuse, this was a golden opportunity to go off program. She could have felt sorry for herself and started eating, and she could have easily given up on exercise, because she was injured. Instead she started listening to her Enjoying Weight Loss Hypnosis CDs nearly every day and dropped a pound in the first two weeks after getting hurt. I can't begin to tell you how different Dotti's journey has been since she started her comeback in September of 2005: either she loses, or she maintains every week now. Dotti is looking much thinner too. Remember she was 245 pounds in 1997 before starting her journey, and today she is 67.5 pounds down from that! (Right now she has lost more weight than I did when I was at my lightest during my journey.) That is over two-thirds of the way from her 1997 weight of 245 down to 145, her goal weight. And there is the little matter of a 3-pack-a-day smoking habit that has now been gone for 5 years! When Dotti speaks of her journey today, she always says that it is "slower than the first time." But for me, that is not the important point. What is so critical this time is that her progress is as sure as it was the first time. She consistently has done well, week after week: for 87 weeks in a row. Now that is impressive! When someone goes from not being able to do it for one week in a row, to being able to do it for 87 weeks in a row, we have a very significant change in behavior. Dotti is a great woman in my opinion, and I think that any open minded person would have to agree that she is a great example of determination and of reaching for the possibility of success. Dotti will be at goal again, I am firmly convinced of that. It may happen next year, or it may happen in 2 or 3 years, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that she is in control of her journey, and that is a beautiful thing to watch. Here is what Dotti wrote last newsletter about the way the CDs helped when she was hurt, and remember she showed another loss the week right after she wrote this:
Food Finds ♦ Dole Pineapple Orange Banana 100% Juice, 8 fl oz Software You Can Use!
The Weight Commander is an awesome program for your Journey. I highly recommend it to everyone who is on a Journey of their own. It is a wonderful program to track your progress on any weight loss program you are using. You can read My Review of the Weight Commander or go straight to the source and check out this great software by following this link to Weight Commander. He has many tips and ideas throughout his program which will help you be successful on your Journey. Comic Relief Weights Somewhat skeptical of his son's newfound determination to become the next Charles Atlas, the father nevertheless followed the teenager over to the weightlifting department. "Please, Dad," whined the boy, "I promise I'll use them every day." "I don't know, Michael. It's really a big commitment on your part," the father pointed out. "Please, Dad?" "They're not cheap either." "I'll use them Dad, I promise. You'll see." Finally won over, the father paid for the equipment and headed for the door. From the corner of the store he heard his son yell, "What! You mean I have to carry them to the car?"
~~~Thank You Marguerite! Our Alaska Cruise Have you ever thought about taking a cruise? Or have you already been on one or more of them? We have something special for you in case you have! Al has worked hard on creating a way to share our memories from the Alaska Cruise that we took with our best friends in September, 2006, to celebrate our 30th anniversary.
If you have ever wondered what a cruise is like, or if you would like to relive what it was like when you took your cruise, we think you are going to love our Alaska Cruise Page!
Come and see: Click Here.
Penny's Low Fat Desserts
Are you looking to control your portions as suggested in Dotti's last newsletter? Penny's offers low fat individually wrapped cookies and muffins that are healthy and fit right into the plan—up to 2 points on the muffins and 2 points for all cookie flavors. There are no artificial ingredients or sweeteners! It is wonderful to have so many choices for dessert! Cookie assortments have 10 flavors including: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, mint chip, macaroon, snickerdoodle, lemon, maple walnut, peanut butter, mocha chip, and pumpkin raisin. Our 10 flavors of muffins are perfect as part of a healthy breakfast. How about an apple-cinnamon or cherry oat bran muffin with a bit of fresh fruit? An orange-cranberry or zucchini muffin with 1/2 cup of yogurt is a great way to get the day started! Because Penny's desserts are in the right portions and individually wrapped, they work for a snack on the run or something to look forward to after dinner. Our cookies and muffins are generously sized and help you feel full—muffins have between 4-5 grams of fiber and cookies have 8 grams of fiber. Have dessert—it's okay because these work on the plan! Penny's is offering 10% off your product when you order 2 boxes of desserts. The special code to enter when in the cart is: 10for2 TO ORDER: http://www.PennysLowFatDesserts.com/ NEWSLETTER: http://www.PennysLowFatDesserts.com/newsletter for specials, announcements, and discussion on the food trades we make as we change our eating habits and food choices to control our weight and eat healthier. TESTIMONIALS: http://www.PennysLowFatDesserts.com/testimonials.asp EMAIL PENNY: Penny@PennysLowFatDesserts.com or call (866) 221-5109 Al's Essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance Al has written many in depth essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance and they are now available on the website! Al has also added links on his Essays Page to his other articles on DWLZ, so you can find all of them easier.
You can find Al's Essays on Weight Loss and Maintenance at: Pizza Fit'n Free
At Pizza Fit'n Free we believe in making a great tasting pizza that is fat free and nutritionally complete. That has been our goal since starting the company back in 1991. We know that it is hard to diet and eat your favorite foods. Since pizza is one of America's favorite foods we are here to help. For over 15 years we have been helping America's lose weight and keep it off. If you Compare Us to other "low fat" pizzas you will agree that Pizza Fit'n Free is in a class of its own. FREE PIZZA!! Order Online at Pizzafree.com Makes 6 servings Saute onion in oil in a large pot, until soft. Add tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, basil, bay leaves, red kidney beans and sugar (if desired). Simmer 30 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions or al dente. When it's ready, add the pasta and some of the water it was cooked in (make it the soup consistency you like) to the sauce. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. ~~~Recipe Adapted from Muscle & Fitness Hers, Digest Series PurFoods Fitness Fresh, Healthy Food Delivered To You How would you like a personal chef and nutritionist to do all your food shopping and cooking? You would never again worry about eating healthy and you’ll save so much time. PurFoods Fitness makes it happen. Their food is absolutely delicious! I loved how it was delivered fresh to my door, ready to eat for whenever I wanted. Click Here to read our review of PurFoods Fitness ~ we have tried these meals and they are absolutely delicious! If you prefer you can Click Here to go directly to the PurFoods Fitness website to find out more about this wonderful program. When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down It's a moment of truth, It's an attitude change; To stumble and fall is not a disgrace Life-style change can be awkward and slow ~~~Author Unknown - Adapted by R.W. Brown DWLZ Cookbooks One and Two Have you ordered your DWLZ Cookbooks yet? These cookbooks are filled with recipes that are Zonies' favorites, dishes that are delicious but on program, with nutritional information listed. This is two books in one package: DWLZ Cookbooks Volumes One and Two. The recipes are easy to make and don't use hard-to-find items. They are together in one PDF file, viewable in your free Acrobat Reader (Version 5 and higher). These make wonderful gifts. Gardening - Is it really "exercise"? Believe it or not gardening is a great way to get out in the fresh air away from the kitchen and get in some exercise while having fun. You also get to work off a lot of calories and help tone your legs, stomach, arms and shoulders. Spending 30 minutes doing the following activities in the garden burns quite a few calories. Take a look at some of the activities listed below. ~~~the little book of dirty diet tricks by Carole Bodger A - A1C or Blood Glucose - Experts rely on target levels set by the American Diabetes Association or the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. B - Blood Pressure* C - Cholesterol* *Standard of Medical Care in Diabetes, American Diabetes Association, 2006 Receive a 1 day shopping pass to Sam’s Club Now that the sun is shining and the weather is warming up, it's a great time to stock up on some great tasting Philly Swirl's Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Swirl Pops! They are delicious and only 10 calories. Don't forget to get your FREE 1 day pass to Sam's Club from Philly Swirl. All you have to do is go to http://www.phillyswirl.com/aboutus/1day.cfm to get your Free 1 day pass to Sam’s Club. Shop as if you were a member all day and don't forget to stock up on Philly Swirl’s Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Swirl Pops Keep your freezer stocked with these great 10 calorie pops which can be enjoyed anytime throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more about the Philly Swirl products please visit them at http://www.phillyswirl.com/ and drop them a line. They would love to hear from you. Psst...don’t forget to pass the word! We want to see these awesome Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Swirl Pops remain available to all of us on our Journey. Let's take the power we have to make a difference by passing the word about these awesome pops and keeping them available to us in the future. Makes 4 servings Line baking sheet or tray with plastic wrap. Arrange the peaches and strawberries in single layer on baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm (I usually have mine frozen beforehand for smoothies). If you wish you can set aside four peach slices for garnish. In blender, combine cranberry juice, sugar, remaining peaches and the strawberries. Cover and blend until smooth. Garnish with peach slice, if desired. ~~~Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Smoothies & Healthy Snacks Did you know...? Our Journey is not just about weight loss; it's about constantly learning new things... One of the highest-priced single purchases ever charged to an American Express card was $2.5 million - for a painting by Roy Lichtenstein. The first piece of Tupperware was a bathroom tumbler and was sold only in department stores. James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, stood only five feet four inches tall and weighed less than one hundred pounds. ~~~Who Knew? by David Hoffman Food Terms - What do they mean? Here are the FDA definitions: ♦ Fat free means less than half a gram of fat per serving. Who doesn't want more energy? I know I can use all I can get. When you increase your fiber you increase your energy because fiber helps you avoid the low-blood-sugar energy crash that happens when you eat a lot of carbohydrates that don't contain fiber. Protein, like fiber, also slows down digestion. If you combine fiber and protein at every meal you will give your body long-term energy. Your blood sugars will stay stable, neither spiking nor crashing, which in turn will give you a well-balanced energy level throughout the day. Sounds like a plan! ~~~Ladies' Home Journal, January 2007 DWLZ Website Updates All my updates can be found on the Message Board in the DWLZ Website News & Updates forum at:
US restaurant updates can be found at our Restaurants
TOC page at: Canadian restaurant updates can be found at our Canadian Restaurants TOC page at: "Pay attention to the words and thoughts you say to yourself. Make sure this self-talk is positive."
(See The Enemy Within for more on this topic.)
Goodbye Before I say goodbye I'd like to send extra-big Until our next visit, always keep in mind you are never alone on this Journey. We are all here with you, right beside you, rooting you on. Take care until next time...
"I cannot relive yesterday and tomorrow isn’t here yet, so I will just deal with today." ~Dotti Newsletter Sign Up If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for it yourself at: Dotti's Newsletter Subscription Page - http://www.dwlz.com/eletter.html Dotti's Weight Loss Zone
And please don't forget to come and visit DWLZ! If you are not already a regular visitor, it is time for you to come and make yourself at home at my web page, where you will find lots of tips on losing weight, and help in picking out good things to eat at your favorite restaurants, while still remaining on program. We have motivation, success stories, and much more. It is a lot like Disneyland: you'll have lots of fun, and you could never see it all in just one day! However, unlike Disneyland, Dotti's [ http://www.dwlz.com ] is open 24 hours a day, every day. Copyright and disclaimer Copyright © DWLZ, Inc. - 2007, all rights reserved. This document may be reproduced freely as long as it is always reproduced in its entirety, including this copyright message, and the disclaimer below, and as long as it is always distributed free of charge. Disclaimer - This newsletter is not meant to be a substitute for any professional advice, guidance, or counseling. We are not doctors. Any information contained in this email reflects our own opinions and experiences. It is not intended in any way to serve as or take the place of medical advice from a physician. |
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Weight Commander 
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