How I CRAVEd My Ideal Weight

At the end of this summer, I made a decision. I decided to begin the New Year at my ideal weight. Several things prompted this realization. A good friend had slimmed down recently and inspired me to follow her. At my annual checkup, my bad cholesterol was a dangerous 131 (under 100 is healthy) and I was prescribed medication to get it under control. I also just didn’t like the way I looked or felt. If I was to be an inspiration for others to live their best life, my extra weight was not in alignment with that message.

So, I chose a weight loss program and began the journey. Knowing I would need all the help I could get to remain focused and diligent, I relied on my CRAVE formula. Here’s what I did.

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  Clean Out the Clutter. I cleared the pantry and refrigerator of tempting, fattening foods, replacing it with healthy alternatives. As I dropped a size, I removed the old, larger clothes from my closet and bagged them up for Good Will. In anticipation of more weight loss, I bought my favorite black jeans in the next two smaller sizes.
• Raise Your Vibrations. When you’re on a diet, it’s easy to focus on what you can’t have and that can bring you down. Instead, I planned activities that brought me joy, like spending a long weekend at the beach in October with my Mom.
• Affirm Success. My positive self talk includes: “I love to exercise!” and “I feel great when I eat healthy.” A sign in my bathroom states: “Thank you, God, for my healthy, fit body. I honor it today.”
• Visualize. Passing up decadent desserts when dining out with girlfriends was especially difficult. However, it was much easier when I pictured their chocolate cake covered in dirt and crawling bugs. Of course, I kept that visualization to myself as they marveled at my self control. Another visual that worked for me was a story I read about Renaissance master sculptor Michelangelo. When he was asked how he created his statue David, he reportedly replied, “It is easy. You just chip away the stone that doesn’t look like David.” I was just chipping away what didn’t look like me to reveal the real Tricia.
• Express Thanks. Last but not least, I cultivated an attitude of gratitude about my healthier lifestyle and body. I journaled about all the gifts that come from my wise decisions. And, I expressed thanks to my family and friends who supported me.

In the last three months, I’ve lost 27 pounds and have just a few more pounds to go. My cholesterol plummeted from 131 to 52. The best thing is that I know for sure that this is the last time I will ever lose weight. With tools like the CRAVE formula, I will joyfully maintain my ideal weight. And so it is.

If you’d like information on the weight loss program I chose, check out the website of my coach, Rob Scales.

What are your goals for the New Year and how will you use these CRAVE tools to get there?