What's it gonna take?

Today's PN lesson was listening to several clips from JB (CEO of PN). I must go back and re listen to these often. download them and put them on my phone, so I can listen anytime I need to.

Think about what it takes to get and stay lean, and to create your new identity.Important 'Truths' that I need to learn and apply.

MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH: It will be hard work, it wont be easy, but it will be worth it.

1. One of the most important parts of getting and staying lean is achieving the right exercise and food balance.

2. Ever been on a road trip? Well, getting lean is a lot like that. You have to be single-minded, undistracted, might be hungry, might not sleep well, might have to work hard to stay focused and get there. But that’s the trade-off for an awesome destination.

3. Getting lean and staying lean are two very different things.

4. What’s holding you back — and how can you overcome it?
How often, you only need to change one or two things — not everything at once
How easy change can be if you just find and eliminate the right limiting factor for you
How most limiting factors come back to identity — who you define yourself as
How can you “be” the “fit exercise person”?

5. Some people believe that all it takes is that initial push — all they have to do is diet once, then they can go back to their old habits. But while anyone can get lean, very few people can actually stay lean.

6. “I don’t have time to exercise or eat well.” Sound familiar?
How making “fit person” your identity magically creates time
Why you should keep a time journal
Common time wasters and inefficiencies
How to streamline your life and make healthy living happen
Why it’s OK if things aren’t always easy

7. Many folks worry about making mistakes or getting behind in PN Coaching. But unless you have an accident where you lose your mouth, you’re in PN Coaching for good.

We’ve designed PN Coaching so that you can make things up
Aside from driving your car into a tree, there are almost no decisions in life that are irreversible
PN Coaching is a slow and steady lifelong journey, not a “weight loss sprint”
It’s never going to be the “right time”… but that’s OK
You can stop and smell the roses, have fun — and still meet your goals

what is progress?

What is "progress"?

If you’re going somewhere, how will you know when you get there? And how will you know that you’re on your way in the first place?
While it’s pretty difficult to get anywhere specific without some semblance of a map, a lot of us never even see the road signs and mile markers that line our journey.


It’s hard to see “progress” in daily life because you see yourself every day.
That said, you can easily measure other types of progress that will let you know you’re getting closer to your goal of being fit and healthy:

• Can you lift 10 pounds more today than you could last month?
• Can you run 5 minutes longer than you could last week?
• Have you been virus-free this year — after getting 6 colds last year?
• Has your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol gone down from your last blood test?

While these are “hard facts”, other types of progress are intangible. And some can really surprise you.

Track what's important to YOU

PN Coaching is YOUR journey. So track what's important and meaningful to YOU.
Ask yourself:

• What will tell me that I am getting better at doing what I want to do?

• How do I know I'm on track to my Destination Postcard?

• If I get what I want, how will I know?

Look for progress everywhere

You never know where progress may lurk. Keep an open mind, and hunt for it.
You'll find that it's easier to let yourself go slowly if you can find small signs of everyday progress.
Today, see if you can notice and name what's different since you started PN Coaching.

Assignment

List three results that will indicate you are getting closer to your goal.

 1. Farting less / Less bloated
2. feeling like being more intimate with my husband / being more intimate with my husband
3. Doing More and analyzing less, in other words, Acting and Doing instead of wishing. If I can see that I am doing things each and every day toward my goal... I will be succeeding
4. Wedding rings fitting


What other forms of progress have you already noticed in the last month
I already feel successful, especially in the making progress toward my goals... I feel like I am acting and doing things that are directly going to make a dent in my weight.
Exercising more, moving more, getting more fresh air. Hitting my daily goals and targets.

So far my favourite habit is definitely the action habit.
I am very consistent now about getting outside everyday for a walk. This i am happy about, and hope to keep up

the slow eating habit, is also really cool... I just need to keep it up and remember to do it consistently

SLOWLY

PNers do it SLOWLY.

(this is awesome)


This week, we've been talking about why it's important to slow down, relax, and pay attention — and how this apparently simple change can eventually have big results.
Today, we're going to give you a slightly wacky suggestion:

If you over-eat, do it slowly.

(Trust us. This sounds crazy, but it works.)



Whatever you eat, whenever you eat, no matter how crazy or epic the eating episode becomes... just do it slowly.

WHAT TO DO TODAY

1	Eat slowly. At every meal, try to take a few extra minutes. Put your utensils down. Take a breath or two between bites. Notice tastes and textures. Enjoy and savor your food.
2	Over-eat slowly. If you need to over-eat or binge to feel better right now, no problem. You have our permission to eat whatever you want, as much as you want. The only catch is that you must do it as slowly as possible.
3	Hang in there. If you're struggling with over-eating, it may seem like there's no end in sight. Be patient and persistent. We've helped thousands of people change their behaviors for good. It just takes time and practice. If you're here, it means that at least part of you wants to change. All you have to do is keep showing up.

Notice and Name exercise

What's going on?

What are you doing... right now?
What are you thinking... right now?
What's around you... right now?

Notice and name

Noticing just means pausing to pay attention.

What's going on right now? What am I doing?

Naming just means you take an extra moment to describe the situation to yourself. Call it out.

Oh, right, I'm feeling rushed, and that means I'm more likely to grab junk.

How does that help me?

When we slow down, pause, and pay attention, we put our conscious, thinky brain in charge instead of our unconscious, automatic brain.
We're able to make more informed choices. Like picking healthy food.

Assignment

Use your "5-Minute Action" to check in during one meal today. Add your observations to your "Owner's Manual".

What did you notice about that meal? (e.g. Were you able to eat slowly? Did you feel good about your food choices? Where did you eat? etc.)

Answer:

I was able to eat my 'snack' slowly.
I ate at my desk, but not in front of my computer. I was reading an article that I had printed out.
I started reading the document, about one page in, I got bored... then decided to eat my snack.

Interesting ... I was bored... so I wanted food

I was restricted in what I could eat, since I brought my lunch with me, but I did eat the 'All Bran' bar first of all my food. This happens to be the 'treat' in my lunchbox.
also interesting, I get the reward food first :)

I feel like taking time to eat lunch at work is a luxury that I cant always afford. I want to use my lunch break to get outside and go for a walk and get some fresh air.
This is why I feel rushed when eating my lunch.

I'd like to do this again at a different type of meal, eg dinner at home alone or dinner out at a restaurant, or a Sunday breakfast with the family where I am 'served' the meal by Ben.
Notice what I am doing, how I am feeling and assign a 'name' to it. for example (as in the above) I was bored... then I wanted to eat.

Outcomes vs. Behaviours

what you do right now — and in the near future — contributes to the outcome you seek.
Ask myself how confident am I that I can do what I am asking myself to do?
Can I see myself doing this next week, next month, next year?
Growth zone - is area just outside of comfort zone... make sure what I am asking myself to do is achievable and that I will actually do it.


Today's exercise was to draw 4 circles, and write what I will DO to get to the outcome 

My outcome = To be successful at PN coaching, to be at or working towards 145 Lbs

This month I will = Practice the PN Habits and WO as prescribed, consistently. I will keep "showing up" and doing the habits and lessons, even if I fall off the wagon for a day or two.
This week I will = Eat slowly, walk outside at lunch, get my WOs in on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Today I will = Eat Slowly, Walk outside at Lunch, Do my PN measurements (from Saturday), Do workout #2 (x2) at 7:30pm. If I have time i will also do the Raisin Experiment?


from the PN site:

"notice that:

• behavior goals are things you do consistently and regularly;

• behavior goals are small, manageable tasks that are within your control; and

• behavior goals are often things that you can do right now, today or in the near future. (5 Minute Action anyone?)

Again: You can’t control the outcome.
But you can control the behaviors that, when done consistently, will move you in the right direction."

Mindful eating

This week was all about being mindful of what and how we eat. This is VERY difficult. I need to continue practicing this.

EAT SLOWLY

slow eating turtle

Wow, last night (and all my meals yesterday) I really slowed it down.

Habit #2 = Eat slowly

I am doing this, it is really hard, when you are used to shoveling it in, as I have done for the past 20 years.  Last night at dinner, my husband had already almost finished his meal, when he realized that I wasn't also gobbling up my food. He then started to slow it down and dinner lasted 20 minutes! I probably could have made it last longer, but It was bed time :) I think he is going to try this habit with me. I also want to have Bridget try it as well... it will be good for all of us.

Stick to the program. Be consistent, patient, and persistent. Keep showing up. Day after day. One step at a time.

today:
1 = do workout
2 = do habit
3 = do lesson

easy

Slow down

This week started a new habit, the habit of "Eat Slowly".

The main idea is to slow down your eating, and be present and aware of your eating and how the food tastes and how your body feels.

This is HARD.
 From the PN Site:


1. Eating slowly is one of the two most important habits in this entire program.
2. No matter what else comes at you in PN Coaching, you can always go back to simply eating slowly.
3. Eating slowly and mindfully is more important than:

• what you eat
• when you eat
• where you eat
• who you eat with
• getting anything else "perfect"

To lose weight, try an Opposite Day: Eat slowly and deliberately without distractions.

OK, lets Git 'er dun!!!
Note: I did it yesterday, and yes it was hard, but I can do this... I just have to remember to do it ;)

I have put post it notes all over my cubicle. Now I have to do the same at home :)

Summary of information that is super relevant to me (so far):

• Progress, not perfection: you don't have to be perfect, just try and do better than yesterday.
• Taking a small action today, and every day, consistently, will add up to big results.
• If you fall into the hole, get out immediately
• ACTION is more important than information
• My "Why": To be Successful
• Make slow eating your "anchor" 

slow eating strategies

What's your strategy for eating slowly today?
My strategy for eating slowly includes:

chewing my food, and ensuring all little bits and pieces are no longer in my mouth before I eat the next bite,
e.g. all bran bar, break into small pieces (x8) chew and get all crumbs out of teeth etc... prior to taking next bite

Put down food, or fork between each bite. Do not pick up food or fork until all the food in your mouth is finished.

Week in review

How can I plan and prepare for my week ahead to give myself the best chance of succeeding with my lessons, habits, and workouts?

In other words, take a few minutes today to think about how you can act proactively this week.

It is a short week this week, since Monday is a holiday.

1. Lessons:
- I can go  back and complete the lessons I missed, due to the weekend.
- I can complete my lessons as they come in,
- Tonight (Tuesday) I can get my photos done and posted.

2. Habits:
- I can continue to complete my habit from last week, get outside for a walk.
MORE SPECIFICALLY - when at work, get away from my desk and get outside and move.

- new habit - Eat slowly.
Create 'reminder' popups on phone, in outlook, post it notes - Eat Slowly
Be mindful of how each bite tastes. actually smell and taste food, be aware of eating and chewing.
put food down, fork down, spoon down between each bite
take sip of water between each bite.

3. Workouts:

I can pre-plan all my workouts and ensure I am getting the correct number and types of workouts.

Week of Aug 4th - Aug 10th

Day	PN Original	Altered
Monday	WO 1	Active Recovery
Tuesday	Active Recovery	WO 1
Wednesday	WO 2	PT with Tracey
Thursday	Active Recovery	PT with Tracey
Friday	WO 1	Active Recovery
Saturday	Intervals x2 (practice)	Intervals x2 (practice)
Sunday	REST	Helping Alex Move

The rest of this week should be pretty normal: wakeup, make lunch, drive to work, work, drive home, pick up B, evening activities, sleep, repeat.

Dealing with life as it happens

Yesterday we learned that you don’t have to be perfect to have an amazing transformation with PN Coaching — you simply have to do a little better than the day before. 

Taking a small action today, and every day, consistently, will add up to big results.

This is pretty powerful stuff, no?

I have to remember if I do slip up, miss a workout, miss my habit etc... I can start again at any time, right now, I dont have to wait till monday. I just start :

PN Mantra:

START WHEREVER YOU ARE.

USE WHATEVER YOU HAVE.

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN.

______________________________________________________________

So here is today's assignment

You know your own habits, tendencies, and patterns. What might challenge you today or this weekend?

I think my biggest challenge will be trying to move the workouts around to fit my schedule. 

This is challenging for a couple of reasons, It means I am not fully following the PN schedule of workouts, active recovery and rest days... BUT I will still be able to be very active, especially at the cottage. This presents several challenges and several opportunities to do things differently and mix it up. The cottage is where I can run down to the lake to go swimming, and climb the hill to get back to the cottage, I can walk to the beach (5K), I can do the park workout, I can pack my foam roller... all is good.

I dont have my gym with me at the cottage. 

But I can print out one of the 'park' workouts (lunges, squats, pushups) and do that instead
Also I can do intervals up the hill...
so even though I might not be able to do my prescribed workout, I can do something
like swim across the lake, go for a hike, walk to the beach

Also, i will be in the car today for 5 hours and then again on Monday for 5 hours...

Also, I wont be able to submit my before and after shots, or my measurements until next week.
I want to do my photos this evening when I get home, so I will have them done.

What small action could you do today in order to manage that challenge?

I can do my farther walk (3k) at lunch today, to get my activity checked off... in lieu of my strength training workout

then on saturday, when I am supposed to be Active recovery... I can go for a 5 K walk to the beach AND do the 'park workout' where I do walking lunges, squats, pushups etc... to replace the workout that I missed on Friday. 

And then on sunday when i am supposed to have a rest day, instead do the active recovery, then on Monday have my rest day.

next week I am seeing Tracey on Wednesday and Thursday.