Monday, January 16, 2006

Not on the bandwagon

I confess, I am officially a yo-yo dieter. Over the past 7 years or so I have lost and gained the same 25 pounds about three times. So, it comes time again to do the same. No quick fix, just with good ol’ eating better and exercise. As much as I’m tempted to try Trim Spa to speed things up, I’m secretly (or not so secretly) afraid that it would make my brain fry and I’d start and acting and talking like Anna Nicole Smith. So not worth it!

In my experience, there’s not really a way to trick yourself into being in the right mind set either. Each time I have lost weight, it’s just because I was ready to do it – something in my brain just clicked. So, I’m not on the New Years Resolution bandwagon, it just so happened that I decided to be healthier shortly after 2006 began; it’s purely coincidental.

I don’t make New Years Resolutions. Starting over on January 1st seems like a good idea – the beginning of a New Year, a seemingly fresh slate. But really, it is a purely arbitrary date that some yahoo decided to push on the people. If you’re not ready to start over (and usually, you aren’t ready if someone ELSE decides the time) 99.9% of resolutions will fail. Then you just end up making yourself feel worse than you did before. Focus on changes or resolutions when you are ready to really make changes – if you think about it, any time is a good time, every second, every hour and every day is fresh and new. You can start over any date – it’s just as arbitrary as January 1st.

OK, off my soap box. So, what am I doing to help “perder peso”? I started a food journal – this was stolen from my old Weight Watchers days. I write down everything, even if it’s not the best choice. I also keep track of my water and fruits and veggies, how many times I go to the bathroom and the consistency of such. I realize that’s TMI, but since I’ve been having bowel issues in Mexico I figured I should keep track of what’s going on. That way if I have to go to the doctor I will have a better idea of how my body reacts. FYI - In case you are wondering, more often than not since I’ve been back in Mexico I’ve had my shit together, if you know what I mean. Much more pleasant not being in constant poop distress!

I also take a couple minutes each morning to jot down how I’m feeling emotionally. This is because I was getting sick of being so down and depressed, so I figured it would be a good thing to get those feelings down, and hopefully let them go. Seems to be affecting me in a positive way so far – but we’ll see how she goes.

What else? Mostly I’m just trying to make better choices; breakfast everyday that’s not a coke and two cinnamon pop tart (usually oatmeal or a slim fast shake), taking vitamins and fiber, and eating 3 – 5 veggies and fruits per day ( I know it should probably be 5 – 7, but I’m starting with realistic goals). I don’t have a system of counting calories or anything – we all know that a grilled chicken breast is better than a greasy greasy burger, veggies are better than candy bars, chips and fries, and that oatmeal is better than sugar coated sugar wowies, so it’s really not all that hard.

There’s also the not eating until I’m going to burst thing. That helps a ton – only eating when I’m hungry and stopping when sated, not when I can’t fit anymore food down my esophagus. Let’s face it, it may be tasty, but do you really taste it after the 100th bite? I also am drinking 1 – 2 liters of water a day (8 cups or 64 oz), NOT drinking much alcohol, and increasing my exercise a bit. Last week was primarily my 20 minute Pilates DVD and 30 minutes of knee exercises (which I should be doing ANYWAY) on alternating days. This week Keith and I are adding 20 – 30 minute walks during lunch 3 times a week.

Humph. Interesting. I didn’t think I was really making lots of changes, but I guess I have. Doesn’t seem like much when you’re ready to do it, I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not being “perfect”. I did eat an entire box of Mac N Cheese (with 1/2 butter and skim milk, at least) for dinner. Really though, perfection is not what I am striving for. Every positive choice I make that one more than I made before, and one more my body will thank me for down the road. That’s what I’m aiming for.

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