Down 3, 2 weeks ago
then down 2 last week.
makes a total of 10 so far. go you :)
me
Monday, April 6, 2009
what I'm doing
a'ight Merideth, Here goes.
I'm basically doing my own version of the "diet" at www.skinnyswitchsecret.com it's this site that I found of some infomercial while laying awake one night. Your general calorie counting system. Only it's kinda not. At least not for me.
You see, I've got a wealth of knowledge about food and portion sizes and all that crap from my time with Weight Watchers FOREVER ago. It's all still up there (which I find pretty amazing as nothing else really is) So when this skinny switch advertisement came on it just struck something within me.
I was ready.
When you are ready, it's not so much what you follow, or change, but that you are finally ready to make those changes.
Like with any other diet plan, it can't be a diet if you want to remain successful, forever. Having done this already (15 years ago) I did have some knowledge about myself. Over the last decade and a half I have been paying attention to my body and mind, even if I haven't done a damn thing about it. with my new found readiness I'm implemented some of the life lessons I've learned so far.
This time I'm focusing on what DOESN'T work for me. How my brain ticks and what I do to, inadvertently, set myself up for failure. Now that I'm figuring those ticks out I'm finding it easier to avoid them.
I'm talking all sorts of thing here. But mainly repetitions things. thing that I'll have to do forever if I want to be a healthy person. Or a person who actually wants some part of forever.
Like:
Food choices. I'm not limiting myself to a standard "eat this every day" meal plan. I've done that and once I get burnt out (and I always do) I don't know what to eat. So I'm finding a variety of things and mixing them up, so when something doesn't' taste good anymore I have other things to fold in the mix.
or:
expectations. I'm not telling myself that "once I'm thin I'll be happy with myself" or other self talk sentences that aren't true. Once I get thin, I'll be thin. I'm already happy - just fat. My happiness doesn't go hand in hand with my weight - NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANT TO CONVINCE MYSELF IT DOES. I will NOT be happy if I only get thin. This type of self talk is defeating to me because once I get thin I will still be the same self doubting, nervous wreck person I've always been. those are other issues altogether. Granted, I'm working on the right now as well, but they aren't dependant on my weight and I can't allow myself to think it is.
and:
experiments. I'm trying new foods. foods I've told myself for years I don't like. Some I still don't. But many, I do like. That's been one of the coolest things so far. Being semi-adventurous about food and enjoying it. I think that will help me be successful in the long run.
and finally - timing. I have to convince myself this is going to take a long time. and that I'm not going to do it all in one day. Or one year. I'm treating it just an alcoholic treats his disease. One day at a time. this is an addiction for me, I'm treating it as such.
so what am I doing? really, now that I really think about it. I'm 12 stepping.
If you are ready to give something a try I would recommend the skinny switch secret site. It's not as "eat right for 2 days then anything you want the 3rd" as they claim. But it is common sense, good eating. what skinny switch does is allow you a treat every third day. This is something I love, because I really CAN eat spot on for 2 days, then allow myself something special the 3rd.
I'm going to post something else right now too. Something that might be fun to team up on this blog. work together to have our own little cheering section, if you will.
Thanks for the question. we'll be talking again soon, I'm thinking :)
Michelle
I'm basically doing my own version of the "diet" at www.skinnyswitchsecret.com it's this site that I found of some infomercial while laying awake one night. Your general calorie counting system. Only it's kinda not. At least not for me.
You see, I've got a wealth of knowledge about food and portion sizes and all that crap from my time with Weight Watchers FOREVER ago. It's all still up there (which I find pretty amazing as nothing else really is) So when this skinny switch advertisement came on it just struck something within me.
I was ready.
When you are ready, it's not so much what you follow, or change, but that you are finally ready to make those changes.
Like with any other diet plan, it can't be a diet if you want to remain successful, forever. Having done this already (15 years ago) I did have some knowledge about myself. Over the last decade and a half I have been paying attention to my body and mind, even if I haven't done a damn thing about it. with my new found readiness I'm implemented some of the life lessons I've learned so far.
This time I'm focusing on what DOESN'T work for me. How my brain ticks and what I do to, inadvertently, set myself up for failure. Now that I'm figuring those ticks out I'm finding it easier to avoid them.
I'm talking all sorts of thing here. But mainly repetitions things. thing that I'll have to do forever if I want to be a healthy person. Or a person who actually wants some part of forever.
Like:
Food choices. I'm not limiting myself to a standard "eat this every day" meal plan. I've done that and once I get burnt out (and I always do) I don't know what to eat. So I'm finding a variety of things and mixing them up, so when something doesn't' taste good anymore I have other things to fold in the mix.
or:
expectations. I'm not telling myself that "once I'm thin I'll be happy with myself" or other self talk sentences that aren't true. Once I get thin, I'll be thin. I'm already happy - just fat. My happiness doesn't go hand in hand with my weight - NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANT TO CONVINCE MYSELF IT DOES. I will NOT be happy if I only get thin. This type of self talk is defeating to me because once I get thin I will still be the same self doubting, nervous wreck person I've always been. those are other issues altogether. Granted, I'm working on the right now as well, but they aren't dependant on my weight and I can't allow myself to think it is.
and:
experiments. I'm trying new foods. foods I've told myself for years I don't like. Some I still don't. But many, I do like. That's been one of the coolest things so far. Being semi-adventurous about food and enjoying it. I think that will help me be successful in the long run.
and finally - timing. I have to convince myself this is going to take a long time. and that I'm not going to do it all in one day. Or one year. I'm treating it just an alcoholic treats his disease. One day at a time. this is an addiction for me, I'm treating it as such.
so what am I doing? really, now that I really think about it. I'm 12 stepping.
If you are ready to give something a try I would recommend the skinny switch secret site. It's not as "eat right for 2 days then anything you want the 3rd" as they claim. But it is common sense, good eating. what skinny switch does is allow you a treat every third day. This is something I love, because I really CAN eat spot on for 2 days, then allow myself something special the 3rd.
I'm going to post something else right now too. Something that might be fun to team up on this blog. work together to have our own little cheering section, if you will.
Thanks for the question. we'll be talking again soon, I'm thinking :)
Michelle
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
fourteenth note to self - numbers
down 3 lbs last week. Pants aren't loose, yet, but only because they were SO tight that I have to get to fitting before they start falling off. But even then, I can tell. I'm getting a little teeny bit smaller. and it's cool.
and I can't think about how much smaller I need to get. Or how many sizes I need to drop. Or the 3 digits plus of poundage that need to come off before I get close to my goal. I have to think about today. TODAY I will do my best.
sometimes today is even too long to think about it. sometimes it's "this morning" or "before I go to bed" or "while at Chili's"
baby steps, self, baby steps. One day at a time. that's all you need to do.
m
and I can't think about how much smaller I need to get. Or how many sizes I need to drop. Or the 3 digits plus of poundage that need to come off before I get close to my goal. I have to think about today. TODAY I will do my best.
sometimes today is even too long to think about it. sometimes it's "this morning" or "before I go to bed" or "while at Chili's"
baby steps, self, baby steps. One day at a time. that's all you need to do.
m
thirteenth note to self - new feelings
Something I'm noticed over that last 2 1/2 weeks of eating like a normal healthy(ish) person, I'm not used to not being FULL. I'm also not used to be hungry (or what I thought was hunger). I always bounced between the two extremes. Now, not so much. Now, I don't ever really feel starving. My stomach doesn't growl. I don't ever feel week or deprived. It's cool.
I also don't ever feel crazy full. That overwhelming full where the pants get unbuttoned and the couch screams for you to join it. That one is harder to get used to, and a couple times I have lost the battle to a serving of mashed potatoes so I could feel that solid lump in my belly.
that lump = my (previous) definition of full.
I'm also not used to being satisfied. I'm not used to feeling like I've had the exact right amount food when I only had a little bit, or when then is some left, or before I eat so much I can feel the food backing up in my throat.
It's a good feeling, for sure. But new. And new is weird a little bit. It feels real, and solid, and like something I can actually do for, like, ever. Which is kinda the goal.
me
I also don't ever feel crazy full. That overwhelming full where the pants get unbuttoned and the couch screams for you to join it. That one is harder to get used to, and a couple times I have lost the battle to a serving of mashed potatoes so I could feel that solid lump in my belly.
that lump = my (previous) definition of full.
I'm also not used to being satisfied. I'm not used to feeling like I've had the exact right amount food when I only had a little bit, or when then is some left, or before I eat so much I can feel the food backing up in my throat.
It's a good feeling, for sure. But new. And new is weird a little bit. It feels real, and solid, and like something I can actually do for, like, ever. Which is kinda the goal.
me
twelfth note to self - reminder
WRITE HERE! You feel better when you do. So keep doing it. k, you?!
me
me
Monday, March 23, 2009
eleventh note to self - recharge
It might be time, already, to go back and read what you've written to yourself. Maintaining good habits this weekend was kinda hard. I did okay, but not great. What I need to remember is that great isn't going to happen all the time. Or even most of the time. This is a lifestyle change and I can't expect myself to do great, like ever. Good will be good enough. Good is sustainable. You can do good.
Remember, do not set yourself up for failure with unrealistic goals.
Remember, baby steps. You've had a lifetime to get used to your unhealthiness. It's going to take some time to get used to healthy.
Remember, write here. Come back and read this. I'm 5 minutes into this post and I can already feel a shift in my brain and body. Sounds weird, I'm sure, but it's like writing it down simultaneously lifts me up and grounds me. crazy. It motivates me and reminds me why I'm doing this.
You can do this. You ARE doing this. Keep it up.
me
p.s. oh yeah, down 5 pounds last week.
Remember, do not set yourself up for failure with unrealistic goals.
Remember, baby steps. You've had a lifetime to get used to your unhealthiness. It's going to take some time to get used to healthy.
Remember, write here. Come back and read this. I'm 5 minutes into this post and I can already feel a shift in my brain and body. Sounds weird, I'm sure, but it's like writing it down simultaneously lifts me up and grounds me. crazy. It motivates me and reminds me why I'm doing this.
You can do this. You ARE doing this. Keep it up.
me
p.s. oh yeah, down 5 pounds last week.
Friday, March 20, 2009
tenth note to self - halfies
A few tricks:
Half of (I'm guessing any) restaurant meal can be set aside and you'll be plenty full. If the meal can't be cut in half and set aside, like with a sandwich, ask the server to only plate half, and box the other half. Or ask for a box when the meal arrives and half it yourself. Today, though, you were strong enough to cut in half and leave it on your plate until after the meal. Good job, self!
Eat slowly. Putting the fork down between bites helps a ton.
Drink a few gulps of water between each bite. Not only does that help slow things down, it also helps fill the belly. And, as an extra perk, it gives your hands something to do while you're not holding the fork.
me
Half of (I'm guessing any) restaurant meal can be set aside and you'll be plenty full. If the meal can't be cut in half and set aside, like with a sandwich, ask the server to only plate half, and box the other half. Or ask for a box when the meal arrives and half it yourself. Today, though, you were strong enough to cut in half and leave it on your plate until after the meal. Good job, self!
Eat slowly. Putting the fork down between bites helps a ton.
Drink a few gulps of water between each bite. Not only does that help slow things down, it also helps fill the belly. And, as an extra perk, it gives your hands something to do while you're not holding the fork.
me
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