Friday, January 29, 2010

Info for my YouTube watchers...

Here's the article from Jillian Michaels on determining your AMR (Active Metabolism Rate):


http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/determining-your-AMR


MattyV
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Friday, January 22, 2010

Which are you?

"A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked. "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity—boiling water—but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" - Anonymous, "The Carrot, The Egg, & The Coffee Bean"

Had this as my devotion this morning, thought I would share it with everyone. I personally tend to waver between all three, sometimes I am a carrot when something happens that rocks me to my core. Sometimes I am an egg, jaded by the constant bombardment of situations. But there are times when I am a coffee bean and am able to step back and change my perception of situations & learn from them.

Good story... Just thinking of it, a friend of mine shared this story with me years ago...

MattyV
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Friday, January 15, 2010

"All you need is love..."

"Love is all you need..." - The Beatles, "All You Need Is Love"


Woke up this morning wondering what I would note about when the subject of love popped into my head. We often overuse the phrase "love" that kind of takes away its wonder and beauty. "Oh I LOVE this handbag" or "Don't you just LOVE that car" really brings the concept down to almost a carnal nature. Love is a gift, love is most important. If you do not love, life is not worth living. I remember last week's episode of "The Biggest Loser" when the group were gathered around learning from eachother. One of the Tongan brothers spoke of the previous season where Filipe (another Tongan) had his big makeover reveal and how his wife looked at him. He said, wiping tears from his eyes, that he wanted what Filipe had - a woman that loved him deeply. Many of the other contestants concurred that they wanted someone to love and to have someone love them.

Love is important, love from someone else is a gift that is like no other. I am so thankful that I found someone that loves me and cares for me as much as I care for her. I would want to say that I am lucky, but blessed is probably a better term. The apostle Paul laid out how important love is:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Cor 13:1-13, NIV

John also lays out for us the importance of love:

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. " Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." - 1 Jo 3:16-23, NIV

Having it all except love is meaningless. Money can't buy love, maybe lust or favor for a time, but not love...

Much love to you all from my heart, my friends. Much love...

MattyV
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Striving for That Ten Percent

While flipping channels tonight I saw a snippet of a new show that will be featured on Discovery Health which will chronicle the reemergence rise of Eric Chopin, winner of season 3 of "The Biggest Loser". After winning the show, something happened in Eric's life that caused him to gain back all the weight he lost on the show. It seems that this is a trend that tends to happen to those that lose focus on what's important and rest on past achievements. Even one of the people I admire, Matt Hoover (another "The Biggest Loser" winner), gained back over 80lbs in the years since winning.

I read an article a few years back that spoke of a study done on those from my previous weight classification (the super-super-morbidly-obese, and yes, this is a clinical classification). The study was done over a period of years of a group that had lost a substantial amount of weight and the findings showed that only about 10% of the group were able to maintain their weight loss (or continue to lose). The other 90% either gained back all or all their weight plus more.At the height of my weight loss, I had lost half of my original body weight and well within reach of my goal. I was speaking to groups of people, had a popular weekly web show, things were seemingly going my way. But then the dreaded "life-happening" began which took focus away from my goal and found me falling back into old ways. The speaking engagements began to dry up, the website hits began to falter, viewership of the show waned. Soon I began not to care anymore about my goals. My dreams were fading fast. The motivation subsided. I was driven by the accolades of others, the recognition of my achievements. Once they became old news & the accolades faded, the cheering section was gone. I became just another Joe who lost some weight.

Sitting here thinking about my goals for 2010, I realize that I cannot allow this trend to continue. I want to become a part of that 10 percent. I know deep down that I was meant to be an example for others, a leader, an encourager, an inspiration.One of my goals for 2010 is to make it to my initial goal weight. And in making that resolution, realizing that this goal is all up to me. There may be others that will be cheerleaders or encouragers, but unfortunately I can no longer rely on them alone to motivate me. That was my mistake last time around. The only true cheerleader I can count on is the one that I face in the mirror each day as I get ready.

I was sooo close to goal I could taste it and yet I let it slip through my grasp. Learning from one's mistakes and making the right course corrections is on the board this time around.Need to disband one group (Lose, Fatboy, Lose) and focus on starting another - but this time look for members willing to participate and not just sit idly by in the stands...

WANTED - people willing to be a part of something great. Need to be willing to offer encouragement, ask questions, give advice. Payment in the form of knowing that you have helped someone else achieve their goals, inspiration to achieve your own, & satisfaction in being a part of something historic & amazing. Email or respond to this note if you want in on this unique opportunity...

MattyV
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com