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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Walking the Plank




Friends, family, spouse, coworkers, anybody you see often or hang out with can be a great asset in your health journey. I know from personal experience; my wife is also on the track with me, can you get a better ally? Sometime she is the locomotive, sometimes she is the caboose. Together our train is moving forward!

What we really have to be on the lookout for are Saboteurs.

It can be anyone; they are the ones who, while they know you are trying to lose weight, will bring you your favorite cookies, or who will tell you: “let’s go eat a quick meal at McDonald, they have salad!” or: “why don’t you take a day off from training, we’ll go (insert your own outing here)” or “Would you like a glass of wine?”, “have more, you only had a small plate.”, “You were funnier before!”

They are not mean spirited; they just haven’t accepted you the way you are yet. Because you are working on getting healthier doesn’t mean people will be ready to accept or change how they see you.

I think some of those saboteurs also unconsciously want to keep you where you were because it suits them. They might feel threatened by your changes.

Be on the lookout, that’s all I’m saying.

There is one more saboteur out there. He/she is the worse one. He/she will often be working against your goal, sometimes daily sometimes more. He/she is the one who you have to work the most at, to not listen too. He/she knows which button to push and when. He/she is Yourself!

For the longest time, in my moving away from lean city, I have been telling myself: “I would rather be bigger and happier than smaller and miserable.” Let me just spell it out: S-A-B-O-T-E-U-R

Why wouldn’t I be happier and leaner? I am a genuinely happy person, there is absolutely no reason for who I am to be insecure about my very own change, is there? How happy would I be if, because of my weight I have a stroke and get paralyzed and lose my autonomy. Would that make me happier to have my family or friends help me do my business in the bathroom? NO. There is no guaranty of this ever happening but I would rather be on the safe side.

The saboteur in you is also that loud voice that is the bottom-less well of wanting junk food, or wanting to watch one more TV show or wanting one more glass of wine.

Let the saboteurs walk the plank, that’s all I’m saying.

20 comments:

  1. I'm very lucky that I don't really have saboteurs in my life - except for myself of course! At least I don't get pressure from the outside.

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  2. Oh my gosh...my entire social circle in Montreal is made up of saboteurs! Most of them are Greeks and descendants of Greeks. And you know what brings everyone together? Food. And what they do together? Eat. And how they express love? By feeding you!

    Okay, enough joking...

    Health...HEALTH is the number one reason you should take care of your body. Be good to it. Pamper it. Feed it properly. And your body will reward you for the efforts. Yes, there are no guarantees that by doing everything right you'll avoid problems, but the odds are in your favour if you give it your best shot. You will also have a greater chance of aging better and enjoying those years in a healthier manner. I'm so happy to see that you are taking a step in the right direction!

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    1. Ha ha ha you should remove Montreal from your maps!

      Thanks Martha, it took me 55 years to put health as number one in the 'to do' list but I'm there. My father died when he was 55 in 1977... from a heart attack. He was an alcoholic, smoker and never exercise. But still in the back of my mind, there is that thing call: hereditary.

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    2. No heart attacks until you're 105 please! And even then, just a minor heart attack because you are so impressed that I've become the first dictator of Canada!

      - WWE

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    3. You are already on your way to become dictator... dictating your father when to have a heart attack sheesh.

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  3. Talking about heart, today I will pass a "tapis roulant" to see if my heart is in good shape. Last week, I felt a sudden pain in my breast - outch..what a pain. The pain was there for about 2 min. not more than that, but what a pain that I will never forget.

    I saw my doctor 2-3 days after and he prescribed a "tapis roulant", blood test and a lung ex-ray. It's happening this afternoon.

    Maybe this is the wake-up call that I needed to get back on the right track. In a couple of months I will have my annual breast mammographie. Every year I am afraid of the results, so far so good.

    Your father died at such a young age. Thanks for sharing with us. My dad will be 90 in May, he as Alzeimer and since my mother died he lives in a small residence (6 residents) and they take good care of him. He still recognizes us, so far he as a mild form of Alzeimer.

    Have a great day Richard !

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    1. Good luck with your treadmill test!

      Yes this is a big flashing wake-up sign, this is a seriously wake-up sign. Time for action Choco!

      I'm so sorry to learn about your father, I think the worst health condition in life is Alzeimer... A good thing that he got support in a residence, this is something that most family can afford and that it take a toll on all.

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    2. Just back from my tapis roulant. Bad news. After 3 min. on it, they noticed irregularities. Maybe this is why I am so out of breath all the time. The Dr. that did the test prescribed me a pill for my heart and I need to pass another test soon : it's called "scintigraphie myocardique", nuclear medecine. The hospital will call me to set up a date.

      My mom passed away last October and one thing good about Alzeimer is that most of the time he as no memory about it, but sometimes it pups-up in his mind and then he says : Did my wife died ? And we say yes Dad, she was very sick and she died, and then he says : I hope I went to her funerals because I don't remember and we answer : of course you were there with us, and then I can see tears in his eyes. Poor dad.

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    3. This is scary Choco. My wife and I know exactly where the nuclear medecine is in Gatineau. She had several test done in the past year to see if her heart was being damage from the chemo... Is there any family history of heart decease?

      It's really sad for your dad, 90 years old and losing slowly all the important event in his life. My thoughts are with you.



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    4. Oh I know the nuclear departement also, been there done that, 13 years ago due to the breast cancer. Yes it is scary, can't wait to go for the other test.

      My Dad has 3 brothers that died at very yong age from a massive stroke. Just one stroke for each of them and they died.

      My Dad must have a good heart. In 1989 he had an anevrysm to his heart, it was removed and he as been ok since. It's the only thing that happened to his heart until now.

      My brother as an anevrysm to at the same place has my father. He needs to go for a check-up every 6 months to see if it's growing or not. If it comes to big it will be remove.

      That's about it. *smile*

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  4. I have a saboteur. She's my mother in law. I love the woman TO DEATH. However, she brought over cookies and a cake the first week I told her I was doing Weight Watchers. She thought it was very funny. Do you know what she said? "Dear, you need to learn how to deal with temptation."

    Both of those desserts ended up in the trash. Sad, but true. Can't do it. My husband had to talk to her about it and let her know how serious I was. Sometimes they mean well---but they show it in the WORST way.

    WALK. THE. PLANK. :)

    So glad you found me! Looking forward to reading all about you guys!

    Sarah
    www.thinfluenced.com

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    1. I think your mother in law is right, you have to learn to deal with temptation... the temptation of pushing her off the plank next time! LOL

      A great place for junk is the trash, what a great choice, but it's sooooo difficult to do, isn't it!

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  5. "I think some of those saboteurs also unconsciously want to keep you where you were because it suits them. They might feel threatened by your changes" That is so very true and I lost some people in my life during my quest for health...I won't say I lost friends though. Great post!

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    1. I think that often they don't want to change them self and you are a reminder of their failure and they are jealous of your success.

      Sound like I have been watching too many Dr. Phil LOL

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  6. "Together our train is moving forward!" Love those words Richard.

    Keep clear of saboteurs.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thank you Jan, we have been married for 36 years, so our train has been on track for a long time :)

      Out with the saboteurs!

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  7. I was wondering if you said us to us, because that's the biggest one and only one that counts, to me. Because someone can say, go here with me and eat this or that, but I have to agree to it.

    And yes, having a spouse that works with the other spouse, nothing better than that. Best ever.

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    1. Yes when I am saying you I mean all of you (and me too). You do have to agree to eat what ever someone is pushing in your plate, no force feeding here... however, the ones with a weight problem didn't get there with a strong will to get healthy, for what ever reason they (and I) ate too much.

      It's like if someone is an alcoholic, it will be inhuman to just bring him/her to a bar where everyone is drinking and it smell like booze. That person can't control himself around booze, I agree, he/she will be the one deciding to have a drink but if he/she is beginning the journey to soberness, he/she might not have built-up the self control to refuse to drink.

      It's the same thing for someone that had years of food over-eating addiction, we need to built-up our self control.

      I know I have a weakness, but, when I'm doing grocery and I'm at the bakery section of the store, I speed up my steps to get away as fast as I can, if I would spend anytime there, I don't trust I could resist. This is not self control, this is escaping. Maybe in a few years, when I have condition myself more, I'll have the control to go to the bakery and just enjoy the aroma. It's worst if it's someone that is close to me and bring my favorite dessert, how can I escape it when it's in my face? Before, I would take what ever just to not hurt THEIR feeling... no more!

      Look at that I almost wrote a post in a comment, I must feel strongly about this :)

      Thanks for your comment, I see there is things I didn't say in the post but was in the back on my weak mind!

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    2. Thanks for taking the time to answer me back. It was almost a post but what's wrong with that? Not a darn thing. Keep up the great work.

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