Drop a Size for Life: Fat Loss Fast and Forever!. Joanna Hall

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       STEP SIX:

       GET ON THAT PEDESTAL

      This strategy is about raising yourself up your priority list. Where do you figure on your list of priorities? Ask yourself the following series of questions and write the answers down. Who is the most important person in your life? After that, who is the next most important person in your life? Ask yourself this question seven times. Next, take a piece of paper and play hangman, adding a new piece to the gallows for each name that appears on your list. If you get to six or seven before you reach your name, you’re done for! Why? Because if you are that low down on your priority list, then your weight loss attempts will fail – they’ll fail because your needs are not important enough for you to give them the time and energy they require. Quite simply, you do not value yourself enough.

      Now ask yourself who is responsible for keeping all those other important people or things going and working in your life – chances are it’s you. Let’s get one thing straight: if you feel low about yourself, your health suffers through a lack of quality sleep and too little physical activity and this in turn makes sensible eating and other lifestyle choices harder. However, it’s not only you who suffers as a result of this, but your family and anyone else you’ve put above you on your priority list.

      Case Study: Katie and the hangman

      Katie took part in one of my group weight management courses. A mother of three, she was frustrated about not being able to lose the weight she had gained since having Jessie, Amy and Matthew. She wanted to lose the weight, but kept getting sidetracked by all the other demands on her attention. She felt exasperated and upset that although she was doing so much for her family, she was also silently begrudging them for it. Playing the hangman game showed Katie how she needed to raise herself up the priority list. This is the list Katie came up with:

      Michael my husband

      Amy – as she was born with a heart condition

      Matthew and Jessie

      Mum

      Sister

      In-laws

      Best friend Sue

      Me

      Seeing a visual depiction of the situation helped Katie put things into perspective. She knew she would never be number one – that was not her nature – but she knew by carving out a little time for herself and building even a small pedestal for herself would help with her weight loss efforts and help her feel less exasperated with the rest of the family.

      TAKING AND MAKING TIME

      Many people complain that they do not have enough time to eat healthily, take regular exercise and manage stress, but the issue is not about making time it is about taking time. Taking time is only possible when you feel you are worthy of it. Being happy to take time involves you raising yourself a few rungs up the ladder. Even if you are not at the top of the list, getting higher is important.

      Step five action aims are about getting you to put yourself on a pedestal.

      ACTION POINT 1: REPEAT AFTER ME – TAKING TIME FOR ME IS A WIN-WIN STRATEGY FOR EVERYONE

      WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

      Stop thinking that taking time out for you is selfish. Self-neglect is one of the most common issues I see in the women I work with – they are successful, run a happy home, excel at work, the fridge is full and family is always fed, but they end up going to bed way after everyone else, toss and turn worrying about all the things they need to do and end up even more tired the following day. Taking time out for you does not mean you are neglecting others – see it as looking after the main cog in the wheel of your family.

      THE LOGIC

      Saying this mantra will act as a powerful springboard to help you want to make self-care part of your schedule. It will help you make time for it, as opposed to simply finding time for it. Taking time out can help you, your family and others realize the pivotal role you play.

      ACTION POINT 2: REBEL!

      WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

      Go on, do it – be a rebel. Stop loading yourself with pressure to be perfect. Go against the grain, step out of line, be edgy, say something shocking – anything that makes you feel you are being non-conformist and takes you out of the role others see you in.

      THE LOGIC

      Challenging others to view you in a slightly different light can help you look at yourself in a different light, too. This will illustrate how important your actions are within your world and in turn help you place yourself higher on the scale.

      ACTION POINT 3: TRIM AND SWITCH

      WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

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