How do you want to be described?

(Originally an email to my Fat Loss contestants)

Good afternoon, hard workers!
Or at least I hope you've been working hard...

Here's my thought for this week -
The mind is a powerful thing. It determines how you respond to any and every situation that you're presented with. It decides how you choose to perceive the world, your life, and even yourself.

I'm sure you have descriptive words that you can assign to yourself. Words for your personality, your demeanor, your appearance, your state of health, and your day-to-day existence. You've adopted these words - these personal "labels" - over the course of your lifetime. They describe who you are. They describe what you look like. They describe your weaknesses and your strengths.

But did you know that these "labels" are NOT set in stone?

You can change yourself any time you want! And maybe there are things that you enjoy about you - that you don't want to change. But, obviously, there are things that you DO want to change. That's why you've entered into this contest. And maybe it's not just your appearance or your body composition. Maybe it's your self-confidence, your relationship with food, or your ability to control yourself.

But whatever it is, it CAN be changed. It simply starts with a shift in your mindset...

Can't see yourself as a lean, strong, healthy person? Start convincing yourself that you can be. Start talking yourself out of those defeatest thoughts and begin visualizing what it will be like to be lean and strong and healthy. Let go of your fear - let go of your excuses. Stop blaming yourself, your parents, your slow metabolism, your genes, your inability to work hard. Simply acknowledge the person that you've been - and change to a newer, better, more improved person.

Change your labels. Stop calling yourself fat. Stop uttering the phrase, "I don't know what's wrong with me..." Stop being the victim. Stop cutting yourself down.

Take a deep breath and slowly begin stepping toward some new labels. How do you want to be described?

And while you're brainstorming some new descriptive words for the new and improved you - ones that you can consistently strive for over the next 3.5 months - I've found a blog that might interest you.
If you like to find support in the ramblings of others that are going through, or have gone through the same issues that you are, you'll enjoy a blog called "Billy's lean body quest"
http://leanbodyquest.blogspot.com/

Billy has lost 85 pounds of body fat over the past year, and he's still struggling with those old labels and issues with food. You can completely sympathize with his daily struggles - yet it seems to provide comfort that you're not the only one struggling. There's also a section in his blog called the F.A.T. Coalition, that provides links to 25 other bloggers and their quest for better health.

So, check out Billy's blog. Check out some of the other brave bloggers as well. And maybe you'll get some ideas for your new "re-labeling" project!!
http://leanbodyquest.blogspot.com/