Patrice,
I have spent most of my life making sure everyone else in my world is taken care of and in the 15 seconds of silence I get before I fall asleep it occurs to me I had no me time today. As I'm getting older I'm getting selfish and as hard as it is to do you have to build some me time into your schedule. When you first start this, there will be unbearable guilt. So many things you know you should be doing other than taking a half hour bubble bath or whatever it is that floats your boat, but you have to take the time. I am 29 years old and have packed 304 pounds onto a 5 foot 5 1/2 inch frame over the years. The best thing I can suggest is, to start, pick a day of the week and make yourself unavailable to the world. Turn off your cell phone, leave your pager on the bedroom dresser and leave the house. Go to a museum, to the zoo, something --anything that makes YOU happy. Don't worry about what needs to done, who needs you to do what errand..you're off limits for that time. Once you get one day for yourself you will find it easier to steal 15 or 20 minutes for yourself during the week.
As to the food issues, I make my next days food the night before while I'm cleaning up from my supper. It usually works but not always. When it doesn't I to am fast food diva
. My tricks, when I go to McD's these days I usually get a salad, but on days when I feel like being naughty I get a happy meal. That's right I'm 29 years old and march very proudly up to the counter and order a Happy meal with a small diet coke. There really is enough food there to fill you up for lunch and I give the toys to my 6 year old nephew. So far I have carved 20 pounds off my bod and I'm working my way down.
Another trick I've learned is, go the bathroom upstairs. I know that sounds dumb but give it a try. At work I go up 2 filght of steps to use the ladies room instead of the one right down the hall. At home, instead of using the guest bath I go upstairs to my bathroom. I drink a ton of water, sometimes 96 ounces a day and I make sometimes 10 trips to the bathroom at work alone (
probably more information about me than you needed -- sorry). That's 10 extra trips up and down the steps. It doesn't take that much time and it's a good way to stretch your legs.
I'm not sure who said it but there is a quote I found that is now all over my house and office. "Success is not a result of spontaneus combustion -- you must set yourself on fire." There comes a time when you have to put your self first. Your family and friends will understand and support if they are truly your friends.
Hope this helped at least a little and hey it's o'k' to be a little selfish.
Chin up,
Breaking out