First, it must be noted that drinking 8 oz. of water every half hour isn't a sustainable practice. After the first few hours, I quickly decided to use my head rather than stick to a vow which didn't make sense. The good news? I'm back in the water habit! Not 8 oz. every half hour, but definitely more often than before.
After plenty of hemming & hawing, tempted by the idea of "I'll just go back to WW! They'll fix it!" I chose instead to purchase a food journal. This is the one I bought. Already on day one it's working. Starting to journal what I eat reminds me to think twice before eating. This morning I almost had my teeth into a cookie, I remembered the journal and my goal, and then I put the cookie down. I'm reminded of the phrase Don't trade what you want most for what you want right now.
The journal also made me finally make time to get to the grocery store for fresh fruit. I can't remember the last time my breakfast included fruit or veggies.
I'm thankful for all that I learned in WW. Now I need to keep tapping into those lessons and stand on my own two feet.
water -- check.
food tracking -- check.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
How I Lost 100 Pounds, Starting Today
I've had the title "How I Lost 100 Pounds, Starting Today" in my head for a few weeks now. I think it comes from the dream it, do it or believe it, achieve it school of thought.
This morning I decided to promote myself to the next grade by moving from thought to action. I took what is almost always the first step of getting serious about getting healthy: identify the Why. Why am I motivated to invest in improving my health? I took my brand new, fairy-godmother-given notebook and made my list. It's my list, not yours. I invite you to make a list of your very own.
When I was done making my list I gave myself 2 challenges for today:
1. Get on the scale. I know, I know: there are other healthful cues than a scale, but if my title is "How I Lost 100 Pounds, Starting Today," then I'd better know where I started so I know when I get there.
2. Drink 8 oz. of water during every top and bottom half of the hour. Not only will this make me healthier, it'll also give me a jump start on that 100 lbs.
So. Here we are. Only 100 pounds to go!
This morning I decided to promote myself to the next grade by moving from thought to action. I took what is almost always the first step of getting serious about getting healthy: identify the Why. Why am I motivated to invest in improving my health? I took my brand new, fairy-godmother-given notebook and made my list. It's my list, not yours. I invite you to make a list of your very own.
When I was done making my list I gave myself 2 challenges for today:
1. Get on the scale. I know, I know: there are other healthful cues than a scale, but if my title is "How I Lost 100 Pounds, Starting Today," then I'd better know where I started so I know when I get there.
2. Drink 8 oz. of water during every top and bottom half of the hour. Not only will this make me healthier, it'll also give me a jump start on that 100 lbs.
So. Here we are. Only 100 pounds to go!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
doggie dash
What is all boils down to today is this:
Do I want to be the fat old lady waiting at the finish line with a mouthful of excuses, or do I want to be the fat old lady crossing the finish line in spite of the excuses?
Off to the Doggie Dash!
Do I want to be the fat old lady waiting at the finish line with a mouthful of excuses, or do I want to be the fat old lady crossing the finish line in spite of the excuses?
Off to the Doggie Dash!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
weight loss insanity!
Was it Einstein? I think it was Einstein. I could look it up, but then I'd lose my train of thought, and the way that train's been running lately, I'm better off keeping away from search engines.
Someone, I think it's Einstein, noted that doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results is insanity. I think it's more futility, but what do I know?
I know that my clothes got tighter while I wasn't looking. I thought about blaming it on those calories which hide in the washer & dryer and suck the extra space right out of the fabric. I'm sure I've read about that kind of calories on the Internet; and we all know that if it's on the Internet it must be true.
I thought about blaming it on my injuries which have kept me from getting my heart rate up. But, quite frankly, hand and arm have done just fine lifting goodies all the way to my mouth. I suspect that some of my residual limp is less limp than waddle.
Where am I going with all this? I'm going to make my clothes less tight. I'm not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, so instead of working from the outside-in, I'm going to have to work from the inside-out.
And what better time that autumn? No shorts or swimsuits on the horizon -- only blankets and flannels, if our recent loss of power is any indication of the months ahead. Autumn! With comfort foods and social foods and sampling foods. Since society will have us all dieting on January 1, so if we're going to eat butter, cheese, and sugar we'd better hop to it.
Yeah, a great time to fix what's not working.
My best weapon right now is that I want to be healthy. My tighter clothes aren't the issue -- they're a symptom. I've had enough injury this year to last me a lifetime; I want the rest of my lifetime to be glorious, not burdensome.
Eat better. Move more. Ignoring those instructions and thinking I'll be healthy... futile insanity.
Someone, I think it's Einstein, noted that doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results is insanity. I think it's more futility, but what do I know?
I know that my clothes got tighter while I wasn't looking. I thought about blaming it on those calories which hide in the washer & dryer and suck the extra space right out of the fabric. I'm sure I've read about that kind of calories on the Internet; and we all know that if it's on the Internet it must be true.
I thought about blaming it on my injuries which have kept me from getting my heart rate up. But, quite frankly, hand and arm have done just fine lifting goodies all the way to my mouth. I suspect that some of my residual limp is less limp than waddle.
Where am I going with all this? I'm going to make my clothes less tight. I'm not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, so instead of working from the outside-in, I'm going to have to work from the inside-out.
And what better time that autumn? No shorts or swimsuits on the horizon -- only blankets and flannels, if our recent loss of power is any indication of the months ahead. Autumn! With comfort foods and social foods and sampling foods. Since society will have us all dieting on January 1, so if we're going to eat butter, cheese, and sugar we'd better hop to it.
Yeah, a great time to fix what's not working.
My best weapon right now is that I want to be healthy. My tighter clothes aren't the issue -- they're a symptom. I've had enough injury this year to last me a lifetime; I want the rest of my lifetime to be glorious, not burdensome.
Eat better. Move more. Ignoring those instructions and thinking I'll be healthy... futile insanity.
Monday, October 8, 2012
new
Much like the butterflies in my stomach before the initial Lighten Up session in 2011, today's butterflies know how to raise a ruckus. In a little while I'm going to try a new gym. I'm already wondering what the clientele will be like, how hard will it be to find the machines I want to work on, and what am I capable of after having been physically & emotionally broken.
It's too bad I can't sneak into the gym when no one's looking. Try this machine and that, build my endurance and slim down a bit before adding other people to the mix.
But as I told myself time and time again in the past, people at the gym are there for themselves, not to pay attention to me. So the best I can do it pack a water bottle and some tunes, make sure my laces are tied, and do my best.
It's too bad I can't sneak into the gym when no one's looking. Try this machine and that, build my endurance and slim down a bit before adding other people to the mix.
But as I told myself time and time again in the past, people at the gym are there for themselves, not to pay attention to me. So the best I can do it pack a water bottle and some tunes, make sure my laces are tied, and do my best.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Enough time
To summarize where I've been since August: Back injuries stink. And that's enough about that.
Since I have had no exercise option available to me for more than a month now, I've had plenty of time to wallow and worry.
And I've had so much time to wallow and worry that I've resorted to giving myself a good talking to. There are some things I can't do. So?
I can do my phsyical therapy exercises. (I used to work to make my trainer proud; now I'm working to make my physical therapist proud.)
And I can concentrate on healthy eating. (So many blogs, so many cookbooks, so many friends with great recipes)
Time to start concentrating on doing what I can, rather than lamenting what I can't. (Is that optimism I hear?)
Time to become reacquainted with my kitchen. (It's on the other side of the dining room.)
Here we go!
Since I have had no exercise option available to me for more than a month now, I've had plenty of time to wallow and worry.
And I've had so much time to wallow and worry that I've resorted to giving myself a good talking to. There are some things I can't do. So?
I can do my phsyical therapy exercises. (I used to work to make my trainer proud; now I'm working to make my physical therapist proud.)
And I can concentrate on healthy eating. (So many blogs, so many cookbooks, so many friends with great recipes)
Time to start concentrating on doing what I can, rather than lamenting what I can't. (Is that optimism I hear?)
Time to become reacquainted with my kitchen. (It's on the other side of the dining room.)
Here we go!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Even better than what the doctor ordered
When I last wrote, I was a big ol' mess. I felt lousy after that training session-gone-kaplooey. And then it got worse -- my back went out, and when my back goes out it doesn't tiptoe meekly out, but rather slams the door so that dishes fall off shelves, windows shatter, and birds' nests fall from trees. My back knows how to make an exit.
In a nutshell, I saw some doctors. One gave me something to make me care less about the pain; the other prescribed yoga & physical therapy. What neither prescribed but I took on nonetheless was a hiatus. The most walking I've done is around a few blocks... with my exuberant 60-pound tripod of a puppy, so I guess there might have been some exercise involved. But that's beside the point.
During my Exercise Exile, I had to fill my time to distract myself from Progress Being Lost.
That (and the blessed relieved from a hotly changed climate) got me interested in trying some new healthy recipes (Does strawberry banana cream pie count? I made the custard myself!), which gave me to optimism that accompanies creativity. My sewing machine is looking less like a monster, and scrapbooking supplies are looking shiny & new again.
During this time of actually caring for myself, I found that my appetite dwindled. How's that for a nice side effect?
Before I got on the scale this morning I thought "It's about time to buy a new scale. We've had this one forever." It must have heard me because the number it displayed was enough to make me smile, confirming that caring for myself is good.
One of the ways I care for myself is exercise. But exercise isn't my goal. Love and joy are my goals, and it's time I keep and cultivate that attitude, even in the challenge of jogging at my weight.
My new back doctor is not a fan of pharmaceutical medications. Instead he focuses on health, on managing our muscles. I'm really excited to have someone in my corner who brings that optimism -- that I CAN manage my muscles.
I don't know how to end this rambling today. I'm just happy and optimistic for the first time in a long time, and all it took to get here was going through some excruciating pain.
In a nutshell, I saw some doctors. One gave me something to make me care less about the pain; the other prescribed yoga & physical therapy. What neither prescribed but I took on nonetheless was a hiatus. The most walking I've done is around a few blocks... with my exuberant 60-pound tripod of a puppy, so I guess there might have been some exercise involved. But that's beside the point.
During my Exercise Exile, I had to fill my time to distract myself from Progress Being Lost.
- I went to the movies with my kids
- I walked half a mile to a restaurant because its actual location didn't match precisely with what I imagined its location to be
- I ate a slice of cheap bread with salami, popcorn with butter, and even 1/2 a can of diet soda (what IS that stuff?)
That (and the blessed relieved from a hotly changed climate) got me interested in trying some new healthy recipes (Does strawberry banana cream pie count? I made the custard myself!), which gave me to optimism that accompanies creativity. My sewing machine is looking less like a monster, and scrapbooking supplies are looking shiny & new again.
During this time of actually caring for myself, I found that my appetite dwindled. How's that for a nice side effect?
Before I got on the scale this morning I thought "It's about time to buy a new scale. We've had this one forever." It must have heard me because the number it displayed was enough to make me smile, confirming that caring for myself is good.
One of the ways I care for myself is exercise. But exercise isn't my goal. Love and joy are my goals, and it's time I keep and cultivate that attitude, even in the challenge of jogging at my weight.
My new back doctor is not a fan of pharmaceutical medications. Instead he focuses on health, on managing our muscles. I'm really excited to have someone in my corner who brings that optimism -- that I CAN manage my muscles.
I don't know how to end this rambling today. I'm just happy and optimistic for the first time in a long time, and all it took to get here was going through some excruciating pain.
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