Ok, so I just had to share this with everyone, I am so so proud of myself! For those of you who don't know, I am a costume designer in the entertainment business. First off, totally not as glamourous as some people think. Second, this means that I am faced with incredible amounts of temptation for basically 12 hours per day. Usually the number 1 expense on any production is food. So on any given set I work on, there is always at least 1 big table filled with TONS of food, usually at least 60% junk food! Chips, candy, sodas, anything bad you can think of they usually have! But on a good set, they will also have a good variety of healthy snacks too (and I started specifically asking for fruits and veggies in my contracts too). Add on top of all the snacks is the catering they bring in for lunches, and if we go over 12 hours they have to provide another meal. More catering!!

It can be really tough, and I am realizing just how hard it is to stay on track! But yesterday and today I proved to myself that I can do it!! I calorie counted the whole day, chose lots of fruit and veggies and some pretzels (even allowed myself a small bag of chips) over the really bad stuff, stayed with some delicious chicken and salad for lunch, and pounded water all day. And even tonight when we went over time and they ordered Panda Express for us, I stuck with some noodles and lots of veggies. I am so proud of myself! I cannot tell you how many times I've been in the same situation and just thrown in the towel (soooooo easy when you're hungry and bored and they have bought so much free food for us!) and just eaten whatever. But I really stuck with it today. Wooooo Hooooooo! This is really great for me because I was starting to wonder whether or not I should even continue in the business if it was going to be such a detriment to my health. But I know now that I do have the strength inside me to stay on track, and that is how I know that this time I'm going all the way! YAY!!!!

P.S. LOVE this little carrot guy! This is how I feel right now!!

:c arrot:

Wow, you do have a lot of temptation put in front of you each day. Congratulations on your weight loss and in making and requesting healthy foods.
Although I do think yours is a hard situation, basically, we all face so much temptation everywhere, every day. With fast food on every corner and food commercials every 10 minutes on the tube, it is hard for all of us to stay true.

There is a question by Dr. Judith Beck in The Beck Diet Solution that I have started repeating to myself when tempted. It is "are you exercising your giving in muscle or are you exercising your resisting muscle?" I think of that every time I am hungry and tempted to grab a candy bar in the grocery checkout line.

So again, congratulations for using your resisting muscle and good luck to you in your goals.
P.S. Your job does sound glamorous!!

Congrats!

What a great accomplishment! Way to go!!

Congrats!!! That takes alot of will power!

congrats girl!!

Thanks guys! It's a big breakthrough for me. Add on top of that I haven't smoked at all on this set (being at work majorly triggers eating and smoking for me) and I am feeling really good. It just makes me want to work even harder.
Next issue to tackle: managing to get myself to the gym everyday, even work days. I go through big periods of working on set (12+ hour days) intermitten with big periods of not really doing much or just 'prepping' a film (2-3 hour days). When I'm not working a ton each day, I am very dedicated and do at least 60 minutes of intense intervals each day. Busy days? I'm lucky to get any in at all!

toot it loud...get healthy and proud! hehe