Beat the Motivation Blues!

If you're among the hundreds of educators taking the NEA Fitness Challenge and your zeal is starting to fade, take heart: There is a way to stay psyched and keep those pounds rolling off. How? Just ask your colleagues (and a few experts, too!)

By Sheree Crute

Photo: Courtesy of the F-D-S Team

A pound shed is a triumph shared for the F-D-S Challenge team at West Center Area Secondary School in Barrett, Minnesota. The team—officially, Five Dedicated Scholars—joined the NEA Fitness Challenge nine weeks ago with this goal of shared success in mind, and their strategy has been working like a charm—not only in keeping the weight rolling off, but keeping members pumped to stay the course.

The plan the members hatched, says Tim Cochran, the team reporter, calls for everybody to lose one pound a week. Each member then donates his pound to the team weight loss pool. If one member has a bad week, other members compensate by donating extra pounds of their own. It's a win-win situation, Cochran explains, because as long as somebody drops a pound, there's no such thing as failure. Everyone has contributed to the group's success, even as they motivate the members who aren't losing. And the plan is working: After 10 weeks the F-D-S team had whittled away 55 whopping pounds.

Diet and exercise, of course, went a long way toward contributing to their success. But just as important was the team's ability to figure out how to build and maintain motivation. It's a critical skill, because it's tied to changing habits for the long haul, explains David Katz, M.D., a Yale School of Medicine professor and author of The Way To Eat (Sourcebooks, 2002). But making long-term fixes like not snacking through the day or choosing the couch over the hiking trail, is not exactly in our nature, he says. "We evolved from metabolically efficient ancestors who had no biological defenses against nutritional excess," Katz explains. Translation: They never had enough to eat, so they were genetically programmed to eat as much as possible when food was available. Their bodies also stored as much fat as possible to keep them alive. As for their workouts—well, if you had to slay a wild animal and forage through miles of forest to put dinner on the table, you'd be in great shape, too. We're all just hungry cave folk living in an age of fast food and super-sized portions. But hold on before you dive head-first into a Big Mac. There's definitely hope because—news flash!—you are not a slave to your DNA. Your highly evolved mind is a superb defense against obesity and the ravages of a sedentary lifestyle. To show you how to use it, we've asked Katz, along with Natalie Newton, Ph.D, a sports psychologist, and Lambert Deckers, Ph.D, a professor at Ball State University and author of Motivation: Biological, Psychological and Environmental (Allyn & Bacon, 2001), to help you find the staying power to stick with your healthy living plan for the years to come.

Clip out these tips and post them on the fridge to fortify you on those days when you think you just can't eat another low-fat meal or walk another mile.

The Challenge Motivation Credo

Illustration: Photodisc

1. Balance lows with highs. Use high motivation days to build a structure to protect you when your inspiration is low, David Katz, M.D., says. Pick a brace for your sore knee now, for example, so you can't use not having one as an excuse to lounge later on. The day you celebrate losing your first five—or 10—pounds, clean the cookies out of the pantry and put only healthy foods on your permanent grocery list before the temptation to call it quits sets in.
2. Consider the kids. "We are on a trajectory where we will soon see cardiovascular disease in 18-year-olds," Katz says. Our children are obese and they need the help of every parent, educator, and any other adult who's willing. You can and should serve as fit and healthy role models. Obesity can do as much or more damage than drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
3. Confront your saboteurs. In a world where 80 percent of adults are overweight, Katz says, a person losing weight is going to threaten someone. When you hear jabs like: "Why lose, you'll just gain it back," or "You've lost weight. Gee, you look sick," and so on, say: "I could really use your help to stay on my plan so please support me or join me, but don't criticize."
4. Count your blessings—and your steps. Hate walking? Reframe that thought. With each step, Katz says, focus on how wonderful it is to be strong enough to feel every muscle (even if they're sore) that day. Be joyous about your vitality and growing strength. It's a gift.

5. Log On and Slim Down Faster Support and great advice are the backbone of every successful health and fitness plan, so log on to www.neafitness.org to get the latest news on how to get the most out of your diet and exercise plan and beat stress. Also, check in to participate in live chats with the NEA Challenge Dream Team and find out about team progress around the country. There's even a chat room where you can share your story with Challenge members nationwide.Think of the Challenge Web site as your very own personal trainer.

   Focus on your fabulous future. Really home in on your long-term goals, Lambert Deckers says. Envision yourself as the proverbial little old lady (or gentleman) in tennis shoes, full of energy, clear-headed, chasing your grandchildren, in love with life. Write out a timeline, how many pounds until your hypertension or diabetes risk disappears? Think about how successfully exercise strengthens the mind. You can make it happen.
6. Accept that you are master of your universe. Sure, your sixth period class challenged every ounce of your patience, but ultimately, you're responsible for those Twinkies you're about to eat. "You have to believe you are the master of your fate," Deckers says. When you do, little can sway you from your path.
7. Search your soul. Intrinsic, inner motivators stay with you, sports psychologist Natalie Newton says. External motivators fade. Really think about your most meaningful reasons for wanting to be healthy, and write them down so you can look them over from time to time. Concentrate on building strong self-esteem and nurturing your self-image.
8. Plan ahead. This may seem simple or even optional, Newton says, but in fact, it's crucial to your success. Restructure your life so that healthy eating and time for exercise are permanent parts of your day, not special events.
9. Beat food companies at their own game. Processed foods really are designed to make you eat more. Using a concept call sensory-specific-satiety, Katz explains, companies trigger your appetite with complex flavors. That's why most cold cereals have almost as much salt as potato chips and a ton of sugar; you will eat them until you satisfy your sweet tooth, then continue eating until you fulfill your desire for a salty snack, even though you're already full. Major culprits are spaghetti sauce, bread, salad dressings, and snack foods. To avoid the trap: Scan labels for added salts and sugars. Eat whole foods, with few if any additives.
10. Have fun. This is not the work of dieting and exercising; it's the thrill of living your life to the fullest. Eating well, moving your body, and enhancing your health can be a ball. Looking great and feeling great are part of the package. So, learn to samba, cross-country ski, take a low-fat gourmet-cooking course with your spouse. Plan the shopping excursion you want to take after you drop those 20, 30, or even 50 pounds. Celebrate being healthy and enjoying life every day!

The Nutrition Challenge, Part Three

Winning At Long-Term Weight Loss

Congratulations! By now you've been following the Challenge nutrition plan for about five months, and you're starting to see those pounds melt away. "At this point, you've probably lost between 10-20 pounds," says Molly Gee, Challenge nutrition expert. Cheers if you've accomplished even more. But even if you've only trimmed a pound or two, don't despair. Everyone loses weight at a different rate. Or, perhaps you're really trying your best, but you're stuck at the same weight. Relax. "It's perfectly normal for weight loss to slow down, or stop altogether at some point in your plan. Just don't give up." Gee says. The pounds will start to drop off again soon. Here are her suggestions for moving forward.

1. Remember the benefits. With every pound lost, you are guaranteed to look and feel better, have more energy, greater confidence, and improved health.
2. Re-examine your goals. Maybe you've reached a healthy, realistic weight range for you. Do you feel good at this weight and is it the best for your health over the long term? If yes, then the real work will begin. Maintaining a healthy weight is a journey and not a destination. It's time to make your healthy eating and physical activity plan a lifelong habit, not a short-term test.
3. Be realistic. If you still want to lose weight, don't chase a "dream" weight that may not be easy to attain or the best for your health's sake. If you're determined to keep going, however, keep in mind that the pounds come off fastest in the first six months. After that things will slow down a bit.
4. Review and revise. Take a look at your food diary and see how you're doing with your eating plan. Are you letting larger portions squeak by? Are you still measuring and weighing your foods? If you're having a tough time working with prepared meals, consider using meal replacements (a Slim Fast shake or bar, for example) for breakfast and/or lunch. Do not skip breakfast. Boredom is another common factor. Introduce new foods and try new recipes, or maybe treat yourself to a new low-fat cookbook.

The Walking Challenge, Part Three

Beat the Plateau Blues

Illustration: Mercedes McDonald

You're now five months into your Challenge fitness plan and you should be starting to see great results, says C. B. Yelverton, Challenge fitness advisor. If, however, you've just signed up, click on www.neafitness.org and follow the first steps. If you've been on the program and are happy with your results, stick with the last workout and stay the course. You should feel strong and energized during your workouts, a little slimmer and trimmer. On the other hand, you may also be ready for a little excitement or experiencing the bane of every fitness plan—the weight loss plateau. "If you're feeling the need for something new or finding that the pounds just aren't coming off quick enough," Yelverton says, it's time to give your body a jolt. Your first weapon is the element of surprise. "Muscles adapt very quickly to exercise, so when your body does the same workout repeatedly at the same level it begins to work more efficiently," Yelverton explains. This is one of the few situations, however, where efficiency is not exactly good news, because it means you're burning fewer calories, even though you're still in good shape. Here are some tips for shaking things up and kicking your body into even higher gear.

Mix It Up

• If you normally do a 45-minute walk on the same route or treadmill program, do 30 minutes on uneven terrain (or a random treadmill program).
• Bike 45 minutes, then power walk holding a 1-2 pound weight, or add a few 60-second sprints to your walk.
• Use the rowing machine for 20 minutes, bike 20, and walk/run for 20. The hour will seem to go by fast.

Spread Your Wings

• Do something enjoyable—dance, roller skate, or try roller blades.
• Add weight training, stair climb, hike an interesting trail, row on a lake.
• Run, walk, or bike for a cause such as the cure for AIDS. Most of these fund-raising events start in the spring and continue through the summer and fall.
• Butt and abs videos are great to follow. Buy at least three to keep you motivated and muscles constantly surprised.

For the more advanced:

• Sign up for a road race (bike, run, or biathlon) once a month and train for it!
• Join an athletic team—volleyball, tennis, softball.
• Plan a rock climbing, canoeing, or whitewater rafting trip with friends and colleagues

Keep on track

Continue to measure your waist, lower abs, hips, and thighs. At this level, measuring with the tape is more important than getting on the scale because you may lose inches, even if you have not lost weight. Think of it as fine-tuning your body. It gives you a more accurate assessment of your body composition.

Different Goals, Same Team

A big part of sticking with a healthy living plan is tailoring it to your needs. The Levy Woodchucks, the Challenge team from the Levy Special Education Center in Wichita, Kansas, are doing just that. All six team members have their personal goals, but are working in tandem with their team members to meet them.

Photo: Connie Foster

Linda Baty is heeding her doctor's warning and losing weight to beat her elevated diabetes risk. Maria Brown and Debbie Burgardt are working hard to get in better physical condition, and if a few pounds happen to drop off, that'll be great too. Connie Foster wants support working out as she tries out the Atkins diet. Rebecca Gobel is a devoted fan of The Firm workout plan, but wants the extra boost to help her tone and slim down. Kathy Murguia is supplementing her Challenge workouts with a program called T.O.P.S. (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly). Together the women work out and give each other the emotional help needed to meet their individual goals. Their secret: "We never leave the building before we work out," Rebecca says. "We go straight to the library after school with our favorite workout tapes and hold a class."

Sibling Rivalry

Dorothy Bumpus-Page and Dorothea Bumpus-Bradley have been doing just about everything together since they were little girls.

Photo: Dorothy Bumpus-Page

Identical twins who still dress alike (they're 35), they teach in adjoining classrooms at Boone Elementary School in the Center School District, Kansas City, Missouri. Now they've started a Challenge team and are going strong. "We started out just to improve our health," Dorothy says, "but losing weight along the way is great." By eating salads for lunch, drinking lots of water, staying away from greasy fast food, and working out a few times a week, Dorothy has lost seven pounds and Dorothea's down 10. And, they've inspired others; fellow teachers Rebecca Johnson and Connie Jones recently joined their team.