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Saturday, February 28, 2009

Week 1

My intentions are always good and as always I started my diet on Monday. My goal was to focus on Rule 1, cutting the carbs. For the most part I succeeded until Thursday. Thursday was Mac and cheese day. Need I say more? Well I will anyway. I found myself not paying attention as I was talking with the family at the dinner table and mindlessly helped myself to small seconds and thirds (maybe even fourths). New Rule - Pay attention! Old habits are hard to break!

Regardless, I did manage to lose 2lbs. Not too bad and I am happy with that. I didn't put it on over night and I am certainly not going to lose it over night. So I am going to work harder on Rule 1, Rule 2 and New Rule 5 this week. Once I conquer those then maybe it will be warm enough to start on Rule 3.

OK, I admit that yes I am using the weather as an excuse because I do have a treadmill which is in a nice warm place. I know it is more than a clothes rack and a whatever happens to land it rack, since it is in my husbands office, but that is the other major thing I need to work on "commitment." I love walking in general and walk fast as a norm, but there is just nothing appealing about walking and not going any where. It faces a wall! Who in their right mind wants to mindlessly walk facing a wall! If I open the blinds on the window all I can see are trees, which is better than the wall, but you still don't get than free open feeling. Between the drone of the treadmill and the wall it just isn't a pleasant experience. So I justify my inactivity by complaining about the weather and using it as an excuse not to do anything. Guess I need a new rule about that one too.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Back on Program

Well, I have discovered something about myself since the first of the year. I really am commitment phobic and I really don't like the word diet. Think about how it is spelled die-t. I concluded that is because you feel like you are dying while on one. Well not actually, but I am starving and I know that isn't right either. And I know I am not really starving, but there is just something about that word that instantly makes me hungry. I am just caught in a vicious circle.

I have always used the WW program, but the last time it didn't work for me. My daughter lost 35 lbs and I actually lost 12 lbs then started gaining. We live in the same household so I know we were eating the same food. I was even exercising. Most times I left the meetings in tears and could find no answers to what I was doing wrong. Well after months of spending my money for nothing I quit, as I always do. I talked with several people about it and did a little investigating on my own to try and figure out what was going on. I narrowed it down to one thing, menopause. I found that I can't eat like I did when I was 50 or even 55. I had always made the statement that if I had lost the weight by the time I was 60 then I never would, well guess what I was more prophetic than I ever knew. Here I am 62 1/2 and still fluffy.

But, now I look at it as a different kind of challenge. What I have discovered is that your whole metabolism is just goofy now. I know that has always been an easy cop out, but unfortunately for us that have made it to this glorious age (whoever coined the phrase golden years needs to be shot) now have a whole new set of rules to play by and eat by. Portion becomes very important, but also what kinds of foods we eat.

New rules:
1. Cut the carbs
2. Portion control
3. Exercise
4. Prayer

Ok, so they aren't really new rules, but I am actually determined to follow them. Rule 1 is the hardest. I love my carbs and I don't mean the good kind. In studying I have found that everything has carbs, but not all carbs are good. I love my pasta, potatoes and white rice. So we have converted to healthier versions of those three. They take getting use to, but I guess they will have to do since I don't want to live totally without them. Rule 2 naturally follows, especially with the carbs. I did learn something interesting when I watched the Doctors last week. They revealed an interesting thing about women when they get married. They tend to eat the same portion as their husbands. I had never thought about what that was doing to me over the years or even that it was part of the problem. Fluffy girl was the result. Of course I have to be honest that sometimes I just ate more because I wanted it. But, we just set ourselves up for disaster by doing that since our bodies don't metabolize the same. Proof being, it takes me 3-4 weeks to lose five pounds when he can lose that in a few days. Grrrrr! That brings me to Rule 3 - exercise. As I previously wrote in my blog about the snow shoveling, I felt better and was getting in shape. Snow went away and after a few days I went back to old habits. Here again the husband works hard all day so he keeps fit. So I have to get with the program and get moving! Rule 4 - Prayer. I believe prayer helps no matter what your situation in life. I know God listens and answers, but I have to be willing to do my part too.

So here I go again with the new program and my 4 rules that I believe I can live by. I know I have said it before, but I will say it again until I actually believe it, I can do this. The next time I post a picture, it will be an after with fewer chins!