Totally, Consciously In Charge

When 14-month old Trey heard the garage door open late yesterday afternoon, I wondered if he would be disappointed to learn it was Poppy instead of Daddy and Mommy, who have been away at a convention for three days - and not due back until late tomorrow night.

Au contraire! Squealing with delight, Trey jumped up and found comfort in his grandfather's arms for as long as he wanted. I'm not sure who was more content!

Learning to be content in new or unfamiliar environments is important for us who are developing new lifestyles. Exchanging self-defeating behavior with self-affirming habits makes dramatic changes in our weight, our health, our relationships and our lives.

To achieve permanent weight loss, however, Dr. Phil says we have to be totally, consciously in charge of ourselves and everything we do, think and feel. That's a pretty tall order for those of us who have lived unconsciously long enough and consistently enough to gain back the weight we once lost.

Caring for Trey while his parents are gone has been a good reminder how to care for myself: stay present, be in "the now," engineer the environment for desired outcomes, choose healthy foods and get enough exercise to make sleep come easy.

Quotes from The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom