Fulfill your role

The NAWLS Small bite that only gets a feature once every 4 years (Feb 29th) I felt needed to be honoured, so here it is.

Fulfill your role.
Everyone has their perfect part to lay in the unfolding of the universe. You have a niche to fill, a place you are destined to be, a job you are meant to do. Many people feel a longing for purpose, but have not yet figured out just what that purpose is. What is your role in this world? Maybe you have always known, or maybe you are still searching.

Sometimes people don't fill their niche because they are afraid. Maybe when you were obese you were physically unable to follow your purpose. If you meditate on what really excites you, and on your skills and abilities, you will find your purpose. Maybe the answer is right in front of you waiting to be recognized. If you know what your purpose is, but are afraid, talk about that with someone you trust and admire. 

Action for the day:
In your jounral, create a mission statement for your life. If you don't know what that means or how to do it, search on the internet to find out. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Find new ways to nurture yourself

Wow, the end of February already and the year seems to be racing. Well since it is not a leap year I am going to do two NAWLS Small bites today!!!

Find new ways to nurture yourself.
Sometimes people use food as a way of nuturing themselves. food is such a comfort when you  re feeling down. It is a great companion when you are celebrating alone. It brings true pleasure, both in the anticipation of eating it and with the first bite. Yes, food is nuturing.

After WLS, it's still okay to enjoy food. In fact, eating the highest quality of food you can afford, and preparing it will, helps you to feel satisfied with your new life.  However, a healthy approach to dining dictates you ear only when you really need to. When you want to eat, but know you're not hungry, indenitfy the feelings behind your desire to eat. Are you in need of nuturing? If so, choose and alternative to food. You'll get used to responding differently to your nuturing need. Give it time. 

Action for the day:
Make a list in your journal of things that feel nurturing to you other than eating. The next time you feel the need to be nutured, try something from this list. 


© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Be a force for change - not a victim

So, here we are up to date with the NAWLS small bites.

Be a force for change - not a victim.
Are you frustrated with people and situations you wnat to change? Longing for the world to change to make things easier for you won't help. The only way change occurs is if you take responsibility and make the effort (and have the courage) to do something different - despite what others may think or say.

To bring about changes that support your WLS lifeslye, you can resolve to treat gatherings as opportunities to have fun and be social, rather than to eat. You can serve healthy foods when eating is a necessary part of an event. You can heighten awareness of healthy foods and portion sizes, and you can change your own environment to suit your needs. You can be a gentle and confident example who inspires others. 

Action for the day:
Resolve to be a foce for change in the world. Make the choice to stick up for your own needs today.

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

 So things should be back to normal tomorrow as far as posting goes. I will try to keep this as up to date as possible and to do the exercises as we go along. I am also in the process of sending out to all of the people who came to the Meet and Greet a survey about the organisation and also about where the next Meet and Greet should be as it was going to be in Christchurch. Should we hold it again in Palmerston North, or another city, or should we wait a few more months and go back to Christchurch? Lots of questions.

Act first

The NAWLS Small bite for Feb 26th

Act first.
If you wiat to be inspired before you move into action, you will not get much accomplished. Seldom does anything worthwhile happen if you wait for inspiration. Inspiration is born of action. 

To achieve, you must be willing to act first and follow each small step to your goal. even a small step is progress. Progress toward a goal is often all the inspiration you need to keep going. And before you know it, you've reached your goal.

Action for the day:
Take small action toward a goal today, whether you want to or not. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Redefine your idea of beauty

The NAWLS Small bite for Feb 25th

Redefine your idea of beauty.
True beauty comes from within. Even though what's on the outside is important to most of us, remmebr that a person who is pleasing to the eye, if they have an ugly soul, will not find peace. Think of the most beautiful person you know. What qualities does that person possess? From that list you will notice not all their beauty is on the outside.  Now think about what is wrong with their appearance.

Even with flaws people are beautiful. You are, too. No matter what your body ends up looking like when you reach your goal, you are still beautiful. (Yup, even with the sagging skin!) Your beauty radiates from within. Your beauty is not only skin deep. 

Action for the day:
To cultivate the beauty within you, in your journal list five things you have done in your life that show your inner beauty. Meditate on why and how these things reflect your inner beauty. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Make gratitude your new point of view

The NAWLS Small Bite for Feb 24th

Make gratitude your new point of view.
Grateful recognition of the sacrifices people around you have made will increase your won sense of personal power and wellness. When you show gratitude for gifts from others, whether they be material or emotional gifts, you are rewarded. 


People will endure many hardships if they know that their efforts are appreciated and recognized. Showing gratitude is a way of encouraging others to support you. And what if the gifts are sometimes well meaning flops? You know all to well what it is like to be judged. You can rise above judgement and show your appreciation for what others have given - even if their gifts are not perfect. 


Action for the day:
Show appreciation to one of your supporters today. Secretly do something nice for one of htem. (And remember, you don't have to be perfect, either!)

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Explore your healthy options

The NAWLS Small bite for Feb 23rd is

Explore your healthy options. 
The world is full of wonderful foods that taste good and are good for you. Thankfully, the produce area of the grocery store is an international delight of exotic fruits and vegetables. Sweet cravings can be fulfilled by small servings of juicy melons, decadent star fruits, and plump berries. When you want something salty, tomatoes and olives do the trick.  What about needing to satisfy that urge just to crunch? THen chew ons ome celery, colourful perppers, raw asparagus, or cucumbers. When you crave a spice from an old favourite foodt, it can easily be incorporated into your healthy diet. For example, garlicj, onion powder, paprika, and oregano are popular flavours for fried foods, but these can also be incorporated into meat mixes or added to the water in which you cook whole grains. 

When you step outside your eating comfort zone, the rewards can be great and healthy. Sampling a variety of foods with prove invaluable to your new way of eating. 


Action for the day:
be thankful you have so many healthy food options. Trya  new, healthy food today. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Respect your triggers

Well as you can imagine, I have gotten behind on these due to the earthquake in Christchurch. I have family down there, and as I trained in broadcasting I also thought I might have known some of the CTV people. However, I am lucky that at this stage I don't personally know of anyone who has been killed.  I do of course have family and friends in Christchurch who do, and I so wish I was closer to be able to offer and do more. 

So I will probably not do the exercises for these NAWLS Small Bites, but I will post them, as hopefully they will still help me think about my WLS journey and help me along the path. 

Respect your triggers.
Maybe you let your son buy chips at the store yesterday. OR you have eaten at restaurants more often lately. Did you offer to bake something to bring to a party - something you know will trigger food cravings in you? Once on the road to recovery, you may feel that you can handle more temptations. Sometimes you can. And sometimes allowing your food triggers to creep back into your life is a recipe for disaster. 

Your triggers are a part of you and must be acknowledged and respected. Obesity is a deadly disease, and you have it, whether you are thin or heavy. It's time to gently tell yoursef, "NO". There are some foods you just can't be around safely. Staying away from a trigger food is a one day at a time challeng. But you can do it. 

Action for the day:
Make an honest list of your trigger foods. Are any of them in your house? Ask a friend to help you get rid of them now. It will never get any easier. Not even after you've gained 10 pounds. So do it now.

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.