Tuesday, April 30, 2019

April 30th, 2019 It Happens

April 30th, 2019 It Happens

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

My plan for today didn't go as planned! I had a good window of time for writing this edition and it was taken by weather coverage at the station. It happens!

Today was my girlfriend, Kristin's birthday. We enjoyed dinner out and the Avengers movie this evening! She's a Marvel fan, for sure. It was my first Marvel movie.

I planned on writing much more on this edition--but I must wait until next time. The 4:30am alarm comes quickly!





Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Monday, April 29, 2019

April 29th, 2019 That's Good

April 29th, 2019 That's Good

Yesterday was a 6-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, I enjoyed a good 5k walk, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

I'm really enjoying the 5K walks in the park. It gives me an opportunity to combine exercise with some therapeutic "me time." 

Last night marked the return of the familiar sinus pressure brought on by allergies. Perhaps linked to the park 5k? I'm not sure. All I know is, the resulting pain radiating through my mouth kept me awake until almost 3am. By the time it was time to wake and start the day, I was a wreck. I do not like taking sick days, but it was the best option for me this morning. The pressure has decreased some throughout today and with it, the pain has stopped-- so that's good. I'm taking some OTC allergy medicine and if that doesn't work, I'll get another Zpack prescription.

I made it to my TV host commitment for the local school system today at noon, checked in with the studio where my colleague, Gayle, had handled everything that needed handling today. I made it to the drug store and back home. I'm feeling relatively decent this evening, so I'm not ruling out some exercise after dinner.

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Sunday, April 28, 2019

April 28th, 2019 Day Off

April 28th, 2019 Day Off

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

I recapped yesterday last night and now I'm at the end of the weekend. One of my goals this week is to turn this clock/blogging schedule back to a more reasonable time!

I've taken it very easy today. Friday and Saturday wore me out. I did get my 5K walk this evening! I'm thrilled about that--and I'll be feeling it in my legs in the morning. It's a good sore!

Mom and I had a good visit for our weekly outing. Often, after dinner, we drive around and listen to the radio while we talk. Mainly we're talking--until a song comes on she really likes--then we pause and turn it up!

I guess you could call this a day off. Keeping it short and getting some rest.


Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Saturday, April 27, 2019

April 27th, 2019 Good Plan

April 27th, 2019 Good Plan

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal by 64oz, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

I've reached the point in this weekend where the challenging parts are behind me! Thank goodness! The wedding turned out wonderful. I am plum exhausted!! I will be sleeping in tomorrow morning, for sure.

I made sure to have a backup plan for food in case the available food didn't work. That was a good plan! I enjoyed my almonds, cheese, and banana--plus some tortilla chips, guacamole, and some grapes. It was enough to hold me throughout the afternoon and evening. The spread was pretty impressive. I did well. The initial setup had one of the buffet line tables right in front of my setup on the stage. As the evening progressed and the dance floor was needed more than the food, they moved it on out.






























It's been a while since I did a wedding, my goodness it's a lot of exercise! Especially this particular venue--and how the ceremony was on an upper level of the mansion--and the reception was on the lower level...lots of equipment moving! I feel like I've had a workout!

Tomorrow we celebrate my grandson Oliver's 2nd birthday! Full weekend!

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Friday, April 26, 2019

April 26th, 2019 Rowdy One

April 26th, 2019 Rowdy One

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

What an exceptionally long day! My goodness, keeping today's edition short.

A workday, a wedding rehearsal, and a rowdy comedy show that was a lot of work--and I'm spent, 100%. Rowdy one, yes--that's a good way to put it! I still enjoyed the experience.

With all the activity, I drank much more water than normal. Exceeding my goal by 64oz!




Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Thursday, April 25, 2019

April 25th, 2019 Life-Changing Connections

April 25th, 2019 Life-Changing Connections

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

Last night on the week 1 support group call, a new member mentioned the AOL story that featured me from July 2010--and how it was that article that introduced her to me and this blog. Then another member said the same thing. I also know it was that same article from almost nine years ago that connected me with Life Coach Gerri Helms. There are many others who have become regular readers of this blog and followers of what I do because of AOL's feature. I would venture to guess that out of all the media happenings over the last decade, including the Today Show, the headline "Man Loses 258 Pounds and Never Eats A Salad" from the AOL article has blessed me in the most profound ways. I'm immensely grateful for the connections it helped create. In many cases, life-changing connections!

I want to thank Kyle for a wonderful comment and a good book recommendation on Tuesday's edition. Also, congrats Kyle on your own positive progress!! Kyle writes:

To me, your blog is the first one with this kind of approach to obesity. Even doctors and dieticians not always are saying that it's like an addiction and that you're an addict. All specialist that I encountered were saying that I have to change everything now, I have to drop the majority of food that I'm eating. Being addicted and doing this without any support is impossible! For Christmas I got a book by Jennifer Morris "The Just Cut IT Method", from the title I thought that this is another crazy diet, but my friend told me that I should read it. That was the first time when I saw that losing weight is not about eating less and starving, it's all about taking your time and slowly, with very little steps changing your lifestyle. I consulted this approach with another doctor, who also recommended me joining the therapy. 4 months later I'm slowly losing my weight, so far without any relapse and not feeling hungry. Thanks to therapy I constantly getting more strength to sustain in those changes. Thanks to your blog I know that everything is possible :) You are doing really great work here!  

Since I often share food pics and social media food posts, it can sometimes seem like I'm making it all about the food. And it isn't! What's interesting about this is, if you ask anyone who has worked one on one or in my support groups with me, they'll tell you--my approach is centered on the non-food elements. The biggest determining factors, in my opinion, are the perspectives we bring to the approach, in other words, the mental/emotional/spiritual side of things. That's the real work. Those things along with strong accountability measures plus surrounding ourselves with people "in the same lifeboat," help make the kind of life-changing differences I've experienced over the last decade-plus.

The food pictures and social media posts come from the same spirit of that AOL headline from way back when: If this is going to be something I can sustain long-term, it must be something I can enjoy and embrace. Developing a personal trigger list, identifying certain food substances (refined sugar for me) that once I start it's almost impossible to stop eating, creating a list of foods you can and do enjoy, and giving that food plan the time, attention, and space it needs to evolve naturally, is paramount. The point is, even with the boundaries needed for me to remain well, I can still enjoy the food. If I can enjoy it then I can embrace it on a daily basis. If I'm not constantly resisting the food plan that helps keep me well, then I'm able to give the time and attention to the bigger things mentioned above. 

The biggest barrier to this approach, in my experience, is that old tape that was recorded over a lifetime that says, these are the things you should eat if you want to lose weight. The bottom line is this: Whatever the food plan boundaries you create--the litmus test is this: Are you using food as a drug? If the answer is no, then your food plan is likely a good fit for you! Also, are you creating a food plan you can evolve and enjoy the rest of your life? Or is it more of a temporary means to an end? 

Of course, not using food like a drug has much more to do with how we deal with emotions, stress, and if you're like me, the powerful addiction dynamic. Seeking out ways to effectively sort out and work through those kinds of triggers is essential. Connecting with people who "get it" and getting into a recovery mindset and practice is a game changer.

Honestly, this blog post barely scratches the surface. So much of what we do is determined by how we feel about ourselves. If we have a lifetime tape creating negative head chatter that constantly tells us we're not good enough, we're not worthy of good things, we can't do this, and we'll never "get" this, then we've got major work to do in changing the inner dialogue. Why do you think I'm making therapy an important thing for me right now? I need it!!! I am because I often struggle with the mental/emotional/spiritual side of things-- and as mentioned above, those are the most critically important things along this road. It's always about progress, not perfection.

The great news is, there's tremendous hope. Never, ever, ever give up.
----------------
I took a vacation day from the studio. I'm working on music for a wedding I'm doing this weekend and preparing a setlist for a standup comedy performance I'm doing tomorrow night. I needed a day!




Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

April 24th, 2019 Not Missing The Tostadas

April 24th, 2019 Not Missing The Tostadas

Yesterday was a 5-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, I enjoyed another 5K walk last evening, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support. It was an exceptional day!

Today started very well with a solid morning routine. Some days it's rushed and abbreviated--and I can tell the difference throughout the day. I'm not missing the tostadas yet. My strategy of preparing extra at dinner time for the next day's lunch is working well. I'll need to do lunch prep on days where that won't work, like a previous night's restaurant visit or some other special occasion where I'm not the one preparing the meal.
Today's lunch












Enjoying the process and finding new perspectives and practices to keep it interesting is always helpful. That seems to be what I've been doing lately. So far it's going well. One day at a time, right? Yes!

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

April 23rd, 2019 Just Enough

April 23rd, 2019 Just Enough

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

Making the time to be mindful and aware requires a large measure of humility. Remaining mindful and aware each day must start with the acknowledgment that I don't automatically "got it." Getting another good day in the books requires me to slow down just enough, allowing a mindful awareness of my vulnerabilities to precede intentional actions designed to help keep me well.

I'm changing up lunch options in my daily practice. I think it's time for a change of pace. I'm not saying I'll never eat another tostada for lunch again, I'm just saying it's time for a change. The strategy is to prepare extra at dinner the night before and use it for lunch the next day.

I had a good therapy session today. I'm grateful for an insurance plan that makes that possible for me. Pursuing a deeper understanding of the how, what, and why of things is something I crave.

I enjoyed my second 5K walk of the week this evening. It was a good thing. I started a new thing too, I call it the "Live Walk & Talk" via Periscope live audio streamed to my Twitter page. It's only during the first quarter of the 5K, a very informal top-of-mind rambling of sorts. It was fun and super easy.

I took my time preparing dinner tonight. I found an amazing "reduced for quick sale" deal on some top sirloin, so kabob it was!

One of the many symptoms of the food behaviors that kept me near, at, or above 500 pounds for almost twenty years was a super-impatience. I not only wanted the food now, without delay, but I'd also eat really fast--at the worst, almost inhaling the food. I'm grateful for never choking to death. This rushed routine clearly demonstrated how I was almost always eating in service of my addiction--stuffing down the emotions as quickly as possible, voiding any possible joy or healthy purpose in the process. When I make the time to plan, prepare, weigh, measure, log the ingredients in MFP, cook, and finally eat a meal, I'm as connected as I can be with my food plan and the purpose/intent of the meal.     

Some Tweets:


Instagram:
Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Monday, April 22, 2019

April 22nd, 2019 One More Time

April 22nd, 2019 One More Time

Yesterday was a 5-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, I completed a great 5K walk in the park, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

I took to the walking trail last night determined to make it a 5K walk. I completed the 5K and it felt great. I was trying to rationalize stopping at 2.7 miles, but I just couldn't find a good enough reason to stop short of my goal. About that time, a really good song came on and it helped propel me around the trail one more time.

The trail has changed quite a lot since I started on the night of September 15th, 2008. None of the original pavement exists, all replaced with new, wider concrete pathways. I still have a chunk of the old walking trail. I plan on displaying it in my living room at some point. That trail is so symbolic for me. I worked through so much out there. It's a very special place for me.















It's been all about grandkids the past two days. I just got back from a family get-together where two of my four grandkids hunted Easter Eggs. Following the hunt, we all made our way over to the ball fields to cheer Noah on at his T-ball game. There was a mixup about the start time because we were all convinced the game started at 6pm. Instead, it was a 7:15pm start. I'm home much later than I planned but it was certainly worth every minute.



















One of my earliest positive visualizations was being able to actively be a part of my future grandchildren's lives. If I had stayed the same at 500 pounds, who's to say I'd even be alive right now. I'm grateful for the opportunities I have today. The opportunity to live and experience joy.



















This big "before" picture was after I'd lost a hundred pounds back in 2004. We were on a tour of Royals stadium. I remember that day being very difficult to maneuver, even at 400 pounds. Places that required lots of walking and stair climbing were typically places I tried to avoid back in those days.

I used this particular before picture just so I could puntastically say: If you're ready to get off the bench and back into the game of life, join my small and exclusive private support group! Okay, I know puntastically isn't really a word. But I like it. Anyway-- one space remains for the session starting this Wednesday. If you're interested in details, check out yesterday's blog post. You can certainly email your questions directly to me: transformation.road@gmail.com


Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Sunday, April 21, 2019

April 21st, 2019 I Assure You

April 21st, 2019 I Assure You

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, I took a short walk last night--didn't even log it--planning a longer one this evening (4/21), and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

Happy Easter! I picked up mom early today and we joined Irene, Allen, and Noah for lunch before the big Easter Egg Hunt at the lake. A few delays on the way to the hunt resulted in Noah missing the start--and once it starts, it's over in about sixty seconds. Next year, Noah will be joined by the other three grandkids. My goodness, those times are coming soon! Noah's consolation activity was a trip to the carnival. Irene and Allen took him and mom and I made our way over there to watch Noah ride some rides. He's a thrill ride kind of kid. He didn't get that from me, I assure you.

I'm about to head over to the walking trail for a nice evening 5K walk. I'm hoping the wind has died down a little. It's the same trail where it all started for me more than ten years ago. Lots of memories on that trail! I'm looking forward to reconnecting with that place.

Another 8-week session for the private support group I facilitate starts this Wednesday. We have two open spots on the team! (I received an email earlier from an interested person--so we may be down to one open spot). The fee is $120.00. Are you ready to add a powerful accountability and support tool to your daily practice? For questions, email me right away: transformation.road@gmail.com Some testimonials:

From M.F. In Vegas: In this day and age of television diets, the powers that be want us to believe and spend our hard earned money on this diet or that diet. Sure, they all work to some degree, but none are sustainable. They are not a lifestyle. And for me, I've learned that what is sustainable is the support and accountability that others who are going through what I am going through bring to the table. This is especially true for us guys, that don't want to really acknowledge that maybe we need support and accountability.

My philosophy was always, "I can do this myself, I don't need anyone's help." That's why I lost and gained weight more times than a wrestler preparing for a match.

Sean Anderson provides those of us that are reluctant to get into some form of therapy or group situations with a unique opportunity to enjoy that accountability and unconditional support and yet keep the setting in a very informal one - our own homes.

As someone who now has done many groups including Sean's for many years, I can tell you what he charges for his eight-week support calls and his private Facebook group page is way below what mainstream support groups charge.

Yet the quality of his support and the group rivals that of any group I have been a part of. If you have gained and lost weight many times over and wonder why maybe what you are missing is this key element. That of support and accountability. If you decide to join Sean's group you may just find that missing piece to your own healthy lifestyle.

Don't fall into the diet mentality that we are all led to believe by the media, try something that works. What do you have to lose but maybe some extra weight and gaining a new you?

Personally, it all started for me with Sean's group, which was a stepping stone to more local groups and extended therapy. I learned more from others than I ever would have on my own. And I'm not too proud to say now that I couldn't have done this by myself. And it all started with one of Sean's support groups.

I have currently lost over 200 lbs and I can assure you that without support and accountability, I would never have reached this point in my own journey. That I am sure of. Thanks, Sean for all your support during my own health journey. --M.F. In Las Vegas

The mission statement for our group says it all: Creating and practicing a personal and unique plan enabling each of us to achieve, as a side effect, a body weight conducive to the best possible health benefits.

From D.A. in DC: I have been part of Sean's group for over 3 years. Not only was the group instrumental for me to be able to lose my last 30 lbs, but it has been very important in helping me maintain an approximately 80 lb weight loss for almost 2 years. Not only do you get Sean's inspirational leadership and experience and generosity of spirit, but you also get a group of wonderful, supportive teammates who will be there for you. We all follow our own plans, but the group is more about dealing with all the other things that get in the way of a healthy weight. In the end, what you eat is not as important as being able to deal with feelings and situations without turning to food. This group will help you with that. It was the missing piece for me. Recommend highly!!!! --D.A. Washington D.C.

From Gerri Helms: I highly recommend Sean's groups if you struggle with consistency in your healthy body goals. As an old (and I do mean old!) partner with Sean, I've seen firsthand the transformation that comes from working with him and his team. (Gerri Helms, Retired Life Coach)

From B.J. in Kansas: It is a great tool of many for a successful weight loss/lifestyle change. I encourage anyone thinking about it to join us.

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com

Saturday, April 20, 2019

April 20, 2019 At The Same Time

April 20, 2019 At The Same Time

Yesterday was a 4-star day: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

I had a great conversation with a support friend the other day. "I've come so far but still feel stuck sometimes when it comes to certain things." He was elaborating on how things that were once a very important part of his transformation have become more challenging--to the point of feeling stuck. It was an easy conversation because I can relate 100%.

We're calling it the "narrow focus dynamic." There, that's a fancy name for it. The NFD for short. Along this road, there are things in need of a narrow focus and things in need of a broader focus. And sometimes we need both on different things--at the same time. We all have focus. Learning when and where to narrow the focus and when it's important to broaden the focus is key. I'll explain...

The narrow focus is needed in a one day at a time, daily practice type approach. What I've personally discovered and what I hear from others too, is how when we feel like we're not doing as well as we should in certain areas, we end up getting hyper-focused on it--and in that super narrow focus we tend to forget how far we've come and most importantly, we forget the intentional actions we made important in helping us along the way.

I know in order for me to be well, I must maintain a narrow focus on the core elements of today's plan of action. But when I start mentally harping on myself about the things I struggle with, that's when I sometimes apply the same narrow focus--completely forgetting about what's been accomplished and what it took to accomplish. In that narrow focus, I can only see the problems and I can't see any of the possible solutions. What good are the lessons learned along the way if they're completely blocked out when they're needed the most?

Living as a 500-pound person for almost twenty years took a lot of work. I would venture to say it took more work than the work it takes to live a daily practice keeping me in a healthy weight range.

If I'm feeling stuck in certain areas, I must draw from the experiences along this road. I mustn't forget how far I've come and most importantly, the intentional actions it's included each day.
 


















Considering how many big before pictures I've shared over the years, you might find it hard to believe that I often tried to avoid pictures back then or at least hide behind someone or something. This picture was snapped by a colleague who had just received his new iPhone (it must have been the first iPhone). He wanted to try out the camera and I was right in front of him, so why not? I remember him showing me the picture afterward and me not liking it one teeny tiny bit.

It's interesting how our perception can become warped. At my heaviest, I didn't realize I appeared that large. I really thought I appeared smaller. It was always a shock to see a picture, wow, am I really that big? Flip it around and the opposite perception comes into play. At my healthiest weight, I always thought I appeared bigger. Seeing pictures was equally shocking, except it was the opposite thought, wow, am I really that small?

Now, I feel like I have a fairly decent handle on my authentic reality. And quite honestly, no matter my size and/or imperfections, the things I'm making important are the non-negotiable fundamental elements of my continued wellness. To me, the top of the importance level gauge is labeled "sacred," and I mean it 100%. As long as I keep that importance level gauge pegged to the top, I have a good chance of maintaining continued wellness.

Maintaining continued wellness requires a narrow daily focus on the core elements of my daily practice. And when I'm struggling with certain elements of my plan, like exercise, I must broaden the focus and draw on the experiences that have brought me here today.
----------------------
I handled the ceremony music for a wedding today. It worked out perfectly. I didn't ruin a wedding, yay!!

Featured Instagram:

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Practice, peace, and calm,
Sean

If you're interested in connecting via social media:
I accept friend requests on MyFitnessPal. My daily food logging diary is set to public.
MFP Username: SeanAAnderson
My Twitter: SeanAAnderson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seananderson505
Instagram: SeanAAnderson
Also--I'd love you to subscribe to my podcast Transformation Planet! You can find it in Apple Podcasts, in the Google Play store for Android, and listed wherever you find your favorite podcasts! If you haven't listened before, you'll find 20 episodes waiting for you!

Questions or comments? Send an email! transformation.road@gmail.com





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The Daily Diary of a Winning Loser. All rights reserved.