Lisa's Point Of View

I would imagine that all of us have been called names, or labeled by someone else, at sometime in our lives.  I'm sure we all probably think back to this happening to us during childhood.  Kids are mean!  They also have no concept of how the things they say, make others feel.  It may not have just been kids. It may have not been only during childhood.  It could be teachers, brothers, sisters, other family members.  It could be anyone.  It could still be happening to some of us.  Most people may not verbally label others, but, the fact is, subconsciously, they are probably viewing others in terms of these labels.  I am sure that we have all also been guilty of that, at one time or another.  Unfortunately, labeling is a learned behavior, and it is difficult, and maybe virtually impossible, to unlearn. Fat.  Ugly.  Stupid.  Worthless.  Crazy.  These aren't just names.  These are negative labels.  Labels can harmful, sometimes robbing us of our self-esteem.  Sometimes, w

This is a journey in which we have to work hard to achieve our goals.  For most of us, it doesn't come easy.  We change our lifestyle.  We change the way we eat.  Many of us begin to exercise, when we have been totally sedentary. Without having fun along the way, and constant hard work, many will suffer burn-out.  This is just a reminder that even though hard work is work, we can also make some of this work, fun.  Compete in step challenges with others.  Take a walk through the park.  Ride a bicycle.  Get outside occasionally, instead of only getting exercise in the gym!  Think of how much more you will get done when your workout is fun!  Get your exercise doing something that you enjoy! Don't forget - just because it is hard work, doesn't mean it can’t be fun.  Now, get out there and get it done! Always remember – YOU ARE AMAZING!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  I

 Body Image.  This is a very controversial topic.  It's about how others see us.  It's about how we see ourselves.  It's about what people believe is "socially acceptable."  It's about the stereotypes that come with the body shapes and sizes.  It's about biases.   I know that I am guilty of this.  I can't think of much that bothers me more than when a skinny person (Size 3 or below), complains to me about their weight.  Seriously???  You are talking to an overweight person, and you are complaining about how fat you are?  Maybe that person does actually see themselves that way, but I can't imagine that they don't know that they are not fat.  I do know that they are definitely not thinking of how bad they are making an overweight person feel.  Sometimes, my thoughts are just not nice, but I don't say what I'm thinking.  (I'm never mean to anyone.)  I do not think this way of all skinny people, but when a skinny person co

This post is to serve as a reminder that today is more than just the third day of a three-day weekend.  It's more than the "unofficial" beginning of summer. Take time today to remember those who have served our country.  Take time to remember those who gave their lives, so unselfishly, so that we can live the lives that we are living today.  Take a moment to thank someone, who has served, or is currently serving, in the military.  It is important that we always remember all of these people. Please take a minute to listen to this song, sung by Billy Ray Cyrus, appropriately called "Some Gave All."  It's very moving and puts this day into perspective. https://youtu.be/ydWhRObVxrM Have a great Memorial Day!  Always remember – YOU ARE AWESOME!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire others!  I welcome

How do you express yourself?  I'm not speaking of emotions.  Most of us smile when we are happy, cry when we are sad, and possibly scream when we are mad.   What I am asking, is how do you express who you really are?  Me?  I love to write, and I write this blog.  I love to paint, color,  and draw.  I love photography.  All of these are expressions of who I am.  If you read my writing, if you see my art, if you see my photography, you get a glimpse, or better, of who I really am.   It's good to reach deep into ourselves and express ourselves.  It's good to show others the "real us," and not something that we want others to believe that we are.   I challenge you to do something today that truly expresses who you are.  You don't have to share it, unless it is something that you choose to do.  Post something in the comments about what you are going to do today, as an exercise in self-expression.  Be proud of who you are!  When you are ready, let

It's the weekend!  Most of us have a three-day weekend for the Memorial Day holiday.   Get outside.  Have fun.  Enjoy friends and family!  Relax!  Forget about work for a little bit!  Take this time to recharge your batteries!   It's a holiday weekend, so some of us may find it hard to stay on track!  Remember, that we have each other!  We have tools to help us!  We have Connect.  We have our Facebook pages!  We have accountability partners.  And, if you don't stay on track, jump right back on track at the next meal!  We can do this.  We can enjoy the weekend, and work on reaching our goals!   Have a terrific weekend! Always remember – YOU ARE AMAZING!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire others!  I welcome comments!  I welcome suggestions!  If you wish to contact me privately, email me at lisaspointofview@gmail.com

The mirror.  It can be our friend, or our worst enemy! I don't know about you, but my bathroom mirror likes me, or at least, I think it does.  Maybe it's a magic mirror that hides flaws!  Maybe, just maybe, it's an evil mirror, that likes to play practical jokes on me!  You decide. I get dressed in the morning, and I look in the mirror, and I think to myself that I look pretty good today.  Usually, I think that I look thinner.  I leave the house feeling good, and I get to work, and then, it happens.  The elevator doors are mirrored.  The insides of the elevators are lined with mirrors, and there is a huge, full-length mirror in our restroom.  "Holy Crap!  I can't believe that I left the house   looking like this!  What was I thinking?  My clothes are too tight.  You can see every single bulge that I have.  How did I think I look thin?  I sure don't look like I thought I did, when I left home this morning!"  All of those thoughts race through my

  I always try to make my blog posts, positive.  I try to pick topics that can be helpful, and inspirational to others.  Many of my topics deal with change, and changing our way of thinking.  I am, by no means, an expert on anything that I choose to write about.  I try to live by the words that I write, and try to not be a "Do as I say, and not as I do" person.  However, I do struggle with the positivity aspect at times.  Retraining my brain, is a work in progress. It is a requirement of this journey to retrain our brains.  If we don't, then we probably will not be successful.  We are having to change the way we eat, the way we plan, the way we think about food, the way we exercise, etc.  We all have our ups and downs, and sometimes it is difficult to keep going.  We have moments that we feel hopeful, and moments that we feel discouraged.  Sometimes it is hard to stay on track, and remain positive. When I start having negative thoughts, I have to try t

 I had this blog post totally written, and I deleted it.  I wanted to take this topic in a completely different direction than I had originally planned. Since my Weigh-In last Saturday, my mind has been racing with thoughts about many different things, and coming to so many different conclusions.  Again, for the third time this week, this will be a sharing post, about my journey.  It may be something that you can relate to, and if so, I hope this helps you! First, on Saturday, I missed my 30 pound, and "half-way to goal" milestone by a mere .2 pounds.  I was discouraged, disappointed, and defeated, to say the least.  I sat in the parking lot and cried, and I couldn't stop the tears for a long time.  It was at this time, that I realized that I am super-hard on myself.  It was brought to my attention that I don't talk to myself the way that I talk to others.  I encourage everyone else.  I support everyone else, but I beat myself up!  I realized that I am onl

I have figured out that I have succeeded on my weight loss journey thus far, because of guilt.  Yes, there has been discipline, and very strong focus, but guilt has been a major factor in my success.  A lot of people I know, including myself, were raised with guilt hanging over our heads.  If we did something "bad", we were told to go to confession.  (I'm not criticizing my religion, or any religion with that comment.  This is just what we were told.)  If someone corrected us, they always asked if we felt "bad" for what we said or did.  If we didn't feel bad enough, we were made to feel bad enough!  Basically, I have experienced enough guilt in my life, that it comes naturally to me. Maybe I'm an overall good person because of guilt.  I can't be mean to anyone.  I don't try to get revenge for those who have done something to hurt me.  I'm not saying that thoughts never cross my mind, but I just do not like to feel guilty.  Guilt sits

 Perfection.  I, for one, believe that if there is such a thing as perfection, very few people experience it.  Yes, we strive for perfection.  We may score perfectly on a test, but that doesn't make us perfect people.  We may excel in a sport, but that doesn't make us perfect people.  Everyone would like to be perfect.  However, we can't let ourselves be discouraged, if we don't achieve that perfection. We don't have to be perfect to be amazing.  We are already amazing.  We may weigh more than we like.  We may not like our hair, or anything about our looks.  We may not be good at math.  We may not be good at sports.  We may not be able to draw.  But, take a look at our hearts and at our spirit!  Think about how we never fail to encourage each other.  Think of how we give of ourselves!  Those things are more important than a perfect score on a test, or being able to play a sport, or draw, or anything else that we might want to excel in. We are AMAZIN

I have a confession.  I am human.  At first, I thought I was a hypocrite.  That is a strong word, but, when it comes to talking to myself, maybe, somewhat, I am.   My boyfriend and I have an agreement.  For every 10 pounds that I lose, he will order me a new band for my Apple Watch (because I'm a colorful person and want one of each color.)  I got on the scale earlier this week, and I proclaimed to him that he should go ahead and order one, because I was going to hit 30 pounds at weigh-in on Saturday.  Not only was that a significant 10 pound loss, but 30 pounds would mean that I was halfway to goal.   Well, it's Saturday.  It's weigh-in day.  I got on the scale first thing this morning, and I was doubtful that I would hit the goal.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  The disappointment was there.  Well, the disappointment got worse.  I got to weigh-in.  I needed the scale to say 160.4 or below.  I looked and the scale had 160.4, and quickly jumped to 160.6.  I had m

There are some days that all we need is a smile from someone else, to make a bad day, better.  You never know what someone else is going through.  A smile could make a difference in someone's day. Smiling is contagious.  If you smile at me, then I would smile back at you.  Then, I would smile at someone else, and they would do the same.  This could start a long chain reaction. I challenge you all, and I will do the same - take the time to smile at someone today, and start a chain reaction.  You will make someone else feel better, and I would venture to guess, that it will make you feel better, too! Always remember – YOU ARE AWESOME!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire others!  I welcome comments!  I welcome suggestions!  If you wish to contact me privately, email me at lisaspointofview@gmail.com . Thank you for your

We each have goals.  We need to be able to see the big picture of what these goals are.  We need to imagine the finish line.  The finish line may be a long way off, so, how do we get there, without being discouraged?  How do we keep going, when the finish line seems so far away? We keep our eye on the finish line, but we divert our focus to today!  What can I do today that will help me get to this goal?  What can I accomplish in the next 24 hours to help get me to where I want to be?  Sometimes we struggle to get through a day.  When that happens, it can be discouraging.  We have to remember, that even baby steps, are steps, and will get us to that finish line, if we just keep going. Start small.  Don't try to totally change your life in one day!  That's impossible.  It may also lead to burn-out, which can make us give up.  Eat one more healthier food.  Say "No" to a dessert.  Walk a few more steps than you usually do.  These things, as small as they may s

 Positivity.  We need to be positive to succeed on this journey.  We not only need to be positive for ourselves, but we need to be positive for others.  Negative thoughts can easily derail us on this journey.  To believe in ourselves, to encourage others, we need to remove negative words from our vocabulary. Words like "can't" and "won't" need to be replaced.  "I can."  "You can."  "I will."  "You will." Think about it.  Negativity breeds negativity.  Positivity breeds positivity.  Change your perspective.  Encourage someone else, and change their perspective.  Your positivity will send out positive vibes to others, and they will pass that positivity along! Live each day with a positive outlook.  The days will turn into weeks.  The weeks will turn into months.  The months will turn into years.  Live a positive life.  Pass on your positive vibes.  Not only will you encourage others, but your example, w

"We are better together." I hear those words, and I see these words very often.  How true it is!  Many of us probably felt alone when starting this journey.  That feeling can be devastating.  How quickly we learn, that by using the tools given to us, Connect and our group Facebook pages, and the Whys Wingmen Facebook page, that this is not a solo journey.  No one is alone. People share their stories, and although they are different, most people can relate to some part of the story.  When we share our stories, or thoughts, we find out that others have felt the same way, or have gone through the same things.  We celebrate each others' successes.  We comfort those in need!  Someone is always there, ready to give words of encouragement.  We make sure that no one feels alone. For a group of people, from all over, we become friends.  There is strength in numbers.  We are a community.    Everyone wants success on this journey, and with each other, we can a

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams." - Oprah Living the life of your dreams.  This means something different to every one who is reading this.  So, what does it mean to you?  Reflect on this for a moment. We are all on the same adventure, but the adventure, the journey, takes us all to different places.  This adventure is our journey into losing weight,.  Losing the weight to help us live the lives of our dreams, is totally different for everyone, because we all want different things out of life. Some of us want to regain our health, or keep our health from taking a turn in the wrong direction.  Some of us want to be able to enjoy life, and no longer be on the sidelines, because our weight is holding us back, and it is too difficult, or maybe impossible, to do the things we want to do.  Some of us want to be able to keep up with our children, and grandchildren (and we all know how hard that can be.)  Some of us want to set go

A problem that many of us have, is that we have a hard time saying "No."  It's just a simple, two-letter word.  Why is it so difficult? Some of us have always said "Yes," even to things we don't want to do.  It's easier than thinking that we have let others down.  It's easier than harboring the guilt if we don't say "Yes."  We have always said "Yes."  People expect that of us!  Sometimes, by saying "Yes," it can be like saying "No" to ourselves.  Some of us always put others first, and, sometimes that means that we take care of everyone else, but ourselves!  Most of the time, it is easier to take care of everyone else, than it is to take care of ourselves, because that is what we are used to doing.  We feel guilty putting ourselves first!  We think it is selfish to put ourselves first. Yes, we are supposed to do for others, and I'm definitely not saying that there is anything wrong with th

  "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; we must not only plan, but also believe." - Anatole France These are perfect words for our journey!  After all, what are we doing?  We are accomplishing great things!  Every positive thought; every ounce lost; every step we take; every positive choice we make - these are all great accomplishments!  In the end, these accomplishments will take us to our greatest accomplishment!  We will reach our goal! Yes, we have to act!  We have to work.  We have to do whatever it takes to get there!  All of us dream, but a dream alone, will not get us where we want to be.  It takes more than a dream.  It takes action on our part! In this journey, we do have to plan.  We have to plan our meals.  We have to have a plan for our points through the day - through the week.  We have to plan our exercise routines.  We have to plan to make the best choices. We have to plan for saying "No" if the time comes. 

So, you had a bad day.  You didn't do as well as you had originally planned.  Life happened.  Someone threw you a curve ball that you weren't expecting.  So much for your plans for the day! So, how do you handle this?  Do you give up?  Do you continue to try to do your best?  Some days are hard.  Sometimes our best doesn't feel good enough.  Some days it might even feel like we are fighting a losing battle.  We may feel like we are swimming against the stream.   When this happens, we have two options.  We can quit, or we can keep swimming.  If we quit, we never reach our goal.  If we keep swimming, even if it is upstream for a while, we will reach our goal! When that bad day happens, remember these two things.  Never give up!  Keep swimming! Always remember – YOU ARE AWESOME!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire other

 From time to time, we all compete against others.  An example of a popular competition are  step competitions, for the day, the week, etc.  Although competition can be fun, and can be motivating, there are also some negative aspects.  I, for one, hate to lose!  I have to remember that we are probably not all equal in every competition.  It may not be a level playing field.  Some people may not work, and have all day to get their steps in.  Some may be athletes that run miles every day.  Basically, if you win, is it a fair win?  If you lose, should you really be upset?  Everyone is different.  Everyone is capable of different things. I like the idea of competing with myself.  I feel like it is a great thing for us all to do.  It's great to push ourselves to do better.  However, we don't have to go crazy with it.  We can challenge ourselves to walk a couple  more minutes during the day.  We can challenge ourselves to take a few more steps than we usually do.  We can

 "I used to hate not fitting in, until I realized I was born to stand out."  I came across this quote today, and it brought me back in time.  You see, I was the one that never fit in.  I always had friends, but I was never popular.  I wasn't asked to parties.  I wasn't asked to dances, and until after high school, I didn't have many dates.  I never fit in with the popular crowd.  I was a victim of the popular crowd being mean to me, and humiliating me.  People always say that they wish they could go back to high school.  Not me.  Those were traumatic years for me.  We had the cheerleaders, the jocks, the brains, the "pretty-girl" club,  the mean girls, the druggies, and the nobodies.  Me and my friends were included with the nobodies.  Not fitting in bothered me most of my life.  Now, I realize that it's ok not to fit in, and honestly, it's not something that I think about much any more. I did not like being different.  Now, I wou