Health

Check with your health professional prior to beginning this
weight loss program. Remain under the care of a health
professional throughout the program.

Begin each day with prayer. God's grace and guidance will assist
you as you embark on this holy mission of creating a healthy, strong
vessel through which to do His work. A prayer you might use...

Heavenly Father, thank you for your abundant blessings
in my life. Be with me today as I walk in your Love.
Give me strength and peace as I endeavor to become a
strong, lithe and vibrant vessel from which to do your
work. I know that Christ lives within me and walks
beside me, assisting me as I embark on the sacred
mission of recreating my body to better serve. In Christ's
most Holy Name, Amen.

Step 1
Face reality...
Be gentle with yourself. You are a splendid child of God. Your goal is
to recreate your body into the body you know it can be. (And likely
once was!) Make this a game you want to win. Be lighthearted with
it. You may want to find a friend to buddy up with you. Support and
accountability are wonderful motivators. God is with you. Christ
lives within you and walks beside you...

Breathe deeply...

Weigh yourself and take your measurements.

Write them down in your journal.

Choose a goal weight. If you have a good amount of weight to
lose, divide your goal into manageable chunks and celebrate
those chunks! For instance, if you have 50 pounds to lose,
celebrate with every 5 pounds lost! Your celebrations might
include a night out to the movies, dinner out with a loved one,
a trip to the mall to buy that sweet outfit or new shoes you've
been eyeing. Make a big deal out of it! Acknowledge the work
and sacrifice that went into those simple 5 pounds, then
continue with the next 5...

Now visualize what you want your body to look like.

Cut pictures out of magazines of how you want your body to
look. Put these pictures up around the house so that you are
continually reminded of your goal. Imagine what it would feel
like to have that body. Do you feel light and strong? Lithe and
limber? Youthful and energetic? Gently powerful?

Tell a trusted friend of your intentions. Ask for positive
support. Request that he or she buddy up with you on your
journey!

Remember to pray...

If you wish to use weight loss aids such as shakes and
supplements, now is the time to begin. They are useful for faster
results. We use and distribute Shaklee products because they are of
the highest quality, all natural ingredients, and we trust the integrity
of the company. Check with your health professional before
beginning the use of any kind of weight loss aids.

Thank God for the wonderful body you have and for the
opportunity you have to perfect it.

Step 2
Commit...
It is time to commit to your weight loss. You know how you want to
look. You can see it, feel it. That body lives within you. It is up to
you to be an artist and sculpt the body you dream of. Find someone
to be accountable to. If it helps to join a support group like Weight
Watchers, then do so. If you want to email me and stay in touch
that way, we can do that as well. It is very important to be
accountable to someone other than just yourself.

Begin a food journal. Write down everything you eat in a day.
This helps you see where you may be able to cut back, and trim
down. It helps your accountability to yourself. Get laser
focused on your goal.

Remember to pray...

Step 3
Plan your daily food intake and
Eat Healthier...
Planning for the food you will be eating is imperative to staying on
track with your plan.

Remove white foods and unhealthy fats from your refrigerator
and pantry.
Replace them with wholesome foods. Foods such as colorful
fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and
low fat dairy.
Eat less food more often. Enjoy unlimited low starch
vegetables, 3 ounces of protein, ½ cup of carbs and water 3
times a day. Add low calorie snacks with water 3 times a day.
Eating approximately every 3 hours keeps your metabolism
high, burning calories and giving you energy. Your body
becomes a furnace fueled by good food. Speak to your health
professional regarding recommended calorie intake.
Drink 8 glasses of water each day. One glass upon rising and
one with each of your snacks and meals. Sneak the other one
in wherever you can!

Remember to pray...

Step 4
Move...
Consult with your health professional on recommended movement
for your personal circumstances.

Work up to moving 30 minutes per day. If you are quite
overweight, you may need to begin simply by walking down to
the end of your driveway and back. The point is, move more.
You need to increase this movement as appropriate for your
body. For those who are ready to take on more intense
movement immediately, Power Walking is an excellent way to
tone muscles and increase cardio activity.. Stretch well before
you begin your walk. Listen to an uplifting tape. Bring along a
bottle of water. Swing your arms and pull in your tummy.
Stand up straight. Walking with intention makes a difference.
See your target body as you walk. Power Walking is
invigorating and helps your back, legs, abs and cardio. A
current recommendation is to work up to, then maintain,
10,000 steps per day. This can be accomplished by using an
inexpensive pedometer. Every step is recorded, including trips
from the parking lot, around your workplace, grocery store,
home, etc. It is a great motivator to look down and see that
you are at 7500 steps and you only need 2500 more to reach
your goal for the day. Start slow and work your way up.

Remember to pray...

Step 5
Immerse yourself in the positive!

Expose yourself to positive people, music, and books. Read
inspirational messages daily. Limit your television exposure.
When you want to sit down and watch television, take a walk,
play with your kids, go swimming at the gym, listen to a
positive tape, read a good book, clean out a drawer, look
through a magazine, call a friend. Replace television watching
with another activity. Not only are most shows based on
negativity, eating snacks often accompanies this leisure. Enjoy
your life! Engage with something other than the tube. Pray,
pray, pray! Thank God for the abundant blessings in your life!

Remember to pray...

Step 6
Move More!

Increase your level of exercise. At this point, you may want to
walk further and/or faster.
Add weights to your exercise routine. If you are walking, you
might buy weights to use while walking. Sports store
professionals can recommend appropriate usage guidelines.

Remember to pray...

Step 7
Stay Connected...

Maintain
Continue all the steps until you have reached your goal weight.
Begin to weigh yourself weekly.

Remember to pray...