A Life Less Overweight

Ok, it’s now time to leave behind the cookies, cakes, and other implements of the devil and move on with my healthy life that I worked so hard to achieve over the summer. Here is my 8 point plan to renew my commitment to myself.

1) I will get back on South Beach, which worked so well for me, starting back at phase one for the full two weeks.

2) I will exercise every week, shooting for four times. I will also add weights back into my program twice a week.

3) I will take my vitamins every day.

4) I will drink at least 40 oz of water a day, shooting for the required 64, though that is really tough.

5) I will track my weekly progress on a calendar, with a weigh in on each Monday, and logging when I’ve exercised and for how long.

6) I will use the online community to support me as I did this summer. This blog serves as part of that, as do the community boards on the SBD website. That was so helpful to me, and I need that support.

7) I will make a concerted effort to experiment more with recipes, and even cook a few meals on Sunday so I can’t use cooking dinner as an excuse not to go to the gym.

I will get up earlier so I can eat breakfast before I leave for school.

So starting today, I begin again. I have gained back 5 pounds, which isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but still, they need to be removed. My goal is to lose those 5, and then an additional 5 more, to bring me to 165. Somehow even though it’s only a 5 pound gain, why do I feel so fat?? I feel like I can really see it. Anyway, here is my starting weight. I can do this!!!!!

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Well, I’ve been a little better with food, but terrible about beating myself up. I have readopted a lot of old habits, but I feel like I am now at an advantage for being able to recognize them and fix them. On the 26th, I will be outlining my plan for getting back on track. I’ve already begun formulating it in my head.

As for now, I am planning to hold on, hang in there, try to enjoy this time and the food I am going to knock out of my eating in three days, all without going overboard. It helps to know many are in the same boat.

By the way, I have had a TON of annoying comments about prescription drugs. How the hell do you get those to stop??????

I’m being pulled into a vortex of food and I can’t get out. I can’t wait till all of this food is away from me…

Well, with the holidays approaching, I have been exercising less and eating more. And stuff I wouldn’t normally eat that I am giving myself permission to since it’s the season. It’s all just bad habits, with no good rhyme or reason why. I am really struggling with exercising during the school year. I am just tired when I get home, and the last thing I want to do is move my ass. But I’m always glad when I do. It’s just going to be a hurdle I clear, and suck it up and just do it.

So, I am up five pounds since my summer weight loss. Not a lot, but enough for me to be scared. I was scared two pounds ago, but that didn’t stop me either!! It’s always so much easier to put it on than take it off. How do you working women handle finding energy to exercise?

No, no not a breast self-exam, although I should be a lot better about doing those more consistently. Sometimes I wonder: is there anybody out there who does ALL the things they are supposed to do- eat well, exercise, take vitamins, do breast self checks, pay the bills on time, have a perfectly clean house, drink 64 oz of water daily, change their oil on time, etc. Wow, that sounds really OCD, no wonder people with compulsive disorders drive themselves crazy!  I feel like there are SO MANY things to be perfect at, that it makes sense that we can’t possibly do them 100% on time, every time. And I guess that kind of proves that we are always bodies in constant self-improvement. I don’t think I’ll ever get it all down, all the time, and maintain some sort of sanity. And I think to some degree I have thought that if I could just remember to do a,b, and c then I’d be exactly where I was supposed to be. But then that would be perfection wouldn’t it? I know that I can’t strive for perfection, but I guess a more realistic goal is to instead be self-improving, and self-forgiving.

On somebody else’s blog I read about how they are seeing a doctor that is making statements like “don’t eat for the future hunger, eat for the present hunger.” Wow, what a concept!!! Something that is so simple, yet I know that I am guilty of eating enough now to be sure I don’t get hungry later. What a terrible habit! Do I really think we are in the dark ages when it was possible that I might not have enough food for the next time I need to eat??? Even with my kitchen needing a desperate trip to the grocery store, I still have more food at hand than our cave ancestors never had. Damn science- we can figure out how to lipo the fat off our asses and put it in our lips, but we can’t find a way to control our “food libidos.” That’s really what it is. I would bet some of our appetites for food rival some men’s appetites for sex! Boy if we could get the two sexes “libidos” to align, we’d be a very populated, very skinny planet.

Well, I’ve fallen off the face of the planet haven’t I??? I knew that when work started, I would have a hard time maintaining this and everything else health related, but I guess relatively, it hasn’t been bad. My eating could be worse, but it could be better too. And gym could most certainly improve, mostly in the area of weight training.

I read in the new issue of Oprah magazine that one of the key factors in the success of making changes is relationships. Relationships with people that can help you achieve your goal. Over the summer, that’s what I found here, and I think that’s the reason why so many of us have been successful. Leeda also mentioned this in her blog, that going away from it had made an impact in her level of success and commitment. And we all know how awesome she is doing, so she’s a good one to copy in my mind!!

So, I will be starting anew. No waiting until New Years to make a commitment to myself, because that’s just an excuse to slack off for the next three weeks. Starting today, I will be better at three things:

1) Being as strict about eating as I was this summer

2) Being as vigilant as I was at the gym this summer, particularly in regards to weight lifting

3) Being better about blogging, hopefully at least three times weekly.

I haven’t gained too much back, three pounds, but that could very easily begin creeping back up if I don’t make a conscious decision to do this. Losing weight is NOT easy, nor did anyone ever say it would be. It is an enormous effort, but one worth making. Besides, the best satisfaction comes from the things that don’t come so easily. Welcome back, BoSoxFan.

Things are crazy, I am so busy, but I’m still here. I will get around to updating myself and reading others blogs too. Good to know I’m missed!