Topic : 01/05 New Year: Change Your Life

I don't think dieting  to "look better" at a class reunion, a wedding, or any other special event will result in lasting weight loss. It's a change in eating habits that results not only in looking better, but feeling better and living longer. I've lost weight in the past by eating low fat, but high sugar foods, and even loosely followed Dr Phil's weight loss plan, slavishly using his Food Guide to count, and log, every calorie and gram of fat. This time, I followed his two week "rapid start" plan and am continuing to plan my daily menus based on his regular weight loss program. I only log the foods I eat. Other than  two small DQ blizzards, I've  been eating only HRC, HY foods. And, have lost 18 pounds over the last 12 weeks.

Change Doctor Happy Life New  Phil Year Your. Doctor Phil I will never change my life untill I die. See you-

on Monday Janurary 05th, 2008. Sincerley Your. Russell Vlaanderen.--------------------------------------------------- 

The couple on today's show has financial troubles.  He's a barber with a small income and she is a "stay-at-home mom".  THEY HAVE FOUR KIDS!  Why?  When will people learn that kids are not a necessity, they are a LUXURY and should only be had if you can afford them - no different than any other luxury.  But, they are different.  You can sell the BMW that you bought when you had a job; it is difficult to sell kids.  People need to have kids that they can afford under future unforseen, yet predictable, circumstances.  Unemployment happens.  Divorce happens.  Death happens.  Ask yourself, can I afford this kid that I want to have if my spouse dies?

I agree Martybrand, I had one child because I could only afford one child. I really disliked the mother's proud attitude when she said that she wouldn't let her children go hungrry just to pay her Visa bill. Did she not remember that she had four children when she ran that bill up in the first place? I hope they take Dr. Phil's advice and get themselves on a budget that will provide for their children AND pay the bills they owe.

I always really love Dr Phil's diet advice. I have been following his keys for years and I'm here to tell you they work.

Last year, at this time, I resolved to give up sweets -- my ice cream habit was as bad as Missy's. I'm now forty pounds slimmer and no longer fat -- just a little bit fluffy.

Jim Cramer is smart, not!!! These times need more than just consolidation, the credit companies are still in charge. I am trying to get our cc back active, make one stupid mistake and they are totally unforgiving. Being a self employed entertainer, trying to make ends meet is not easy, Dr Phil says get another job, if you take a job, you take away the opportunity to make more money in my profession than a 7.00 per hour job. I make more in one hour doing entertainment, Magician, than any hourly worker can do. I have tried the regular 9-5 and more and the employers are more tyrants than ever. No chance to do both. Hours are restricted and Life becomes bad. Change is a good thing but life is to be lived and enjoyed not made to be a bad or terrible lifetime.

I'm sorry but I beg to differ with the idea that the credit card companies will work out a plan to help repay debt. My husband and I sat on the phone one day calling the credit card companies we owe and were denied any help in the way of rate reductions. We tried, with the cards that had low rates already, to increase the limits so that we could transfer the higher rate cards to the lower rate cards and were denied this as well. We actually did this with the help of a professinal service. We also have a large installment loan on an RV that we tried for months in advance talking with this bank about reducing our payment because we could see what was happening with our income and they too would not help. We voluntarily turned in the RV so once they auction it off they will be contacting us for the remaining balance. We have a lot of assets but nothing is liquid at this point. ( My husband is a builder and developer.) We had the president of one of our suppliers that we've been paying each month tell us that we should take our business elsewhere. It's really bad and we are just trying to keep our heads above water at this point. I know that we are not alone but our creditors sure make us feel as though we are the only ones having a problem paying our bills.

     Most New Years resolutions will mostly be about weight loss or getting out of debt

Hi Dr. Phil,

I watched your show on Change your Life with New Year`s resolutions.  I pray that this year (2009) turns around for us.
Since we moved back from BC, Canada in 2000 this is what has happened to us:

We purchased our new home and 10 days after moving from BC, our basement got flooded out and we lost everything in the basement (things still in boxes) with having to re-construct the full basement.

Jan 2001 my husband had a work accident - got crushed by a concrete bucket (crane) by someone pressing the wrong button and is now on life disability

Nov. 11/2004 - we had a head-on-collision (we, my husband, my youngest boy and myself) and now I am disabled.

March 9/08 - our house burned to the ground and we lost everything as well as my oldest son lost his friend who was one of the volunteer fireman

The insurance company takes forever with such a trategy and to this date, Jan. 6/09, our house is still a debris.  The financial burden of having to buy everything from toothpaste to clothes on your back is quite an expense when starting from scratch.  I wish the insurance company would be more help and settle this soon as you wouldn`t believe the stress, etc. it causes when you can`t even re-finance as you have no more house or assets......
The thing we are blessed with is we are alive.  We have become a stronger family with all that has happened.  We just keep up the courage and faith!
I can only live ``One day at a time`` now and sometimes that causes problems with my husband.
I don`t look back at the past or look at the future cause today is ``THE PRESENT``.  Is this wrong to think that way????

One thing that is the most important thing is our 2 boys.  Making sure they have everything they need, if you know what I mean.  They fill our lives with so much happiness and joy and fill our hearts with sooo much love.

I feel for each of the people that was on this show, cause I`ve been and still sometimes in their situation where there`s no energy for the bedroom, making a goal and sticking to it (referring to the one who wants to loose weight), and for the couple with money problems.  It`s been like this for us since our house burned to the ground and the insurance has not settle yet.  Making sure you eat well.  There`s salads, stews, soups, tortilla pizzas .... that are healthy and that`s the most important thing is making sure you provide healthy meals. 

I wish our luck would turn around and I hope that the New Year brings us happiness, our new home soon, health, all that good stuff, and some money so we can start re-building our lives together, especially for the kids sake cause we all just want to GO HOME!!!!!

Do you believe in things happening for a reason???? 

Nor are the disposable diapers she uses a necessity. Wal-Mart still sells reusable, cloth diapers. That's what she ought to be using.