When I first started this new way of eating, there was a little part of me that still thought this was all temporary- that once I started losing weight, there would be very little struggle because 'I got it'. Not that it would be a short road- I'm in this for the long run- but wow, I never thought I'd be struggling for this long.
No weight loss for weeks and then a lot of drama...not good for an emotional eater. The hungries got me.
Last week I took off work because of the papal visit. Here in Philly the traffic was a hot mess; roads being closed all over, and it seemed like it would be better for me if I stayed home and wrote, cleaned, and other mom/wife/writer stuff.
But being at home was a danger because whenever I took a break, the fridge was only a few rooms away. I snacked on good stuff, but there was also crackers, cheese and chips. Yep, I made the mistake of 'treating myself' and ate almost the whole bag of chips- and Cheeze-its. Not in one sitting, but I still ate too many snacks and too many helpings at dinner.
I was feeling lazy mid-week, and didn't cook much; take-out pizza and Chinese were added to the menu. The Chinese food was mostly veggies and meat which was a good thing, but there was rice as well as fried food too.
Basically, I blew it. Big time.
Now I need to deal with feeling bad about my choices, and still deal with the personal dramas of being a working mom/wife/writer. Ugh.
I'll get through this with God's help- I know I will. But I do get more than a bit tired of all the bumps in the road. Especially when those bumps taste like chicken or pepperoni!
Lessons learned:
Taking breaks from work doesn't mean taking breaks from eating plans.
Stop buying chips!
Treating myself isn't a treat- it a step backwards.
Find a friend to talk to about personal and eating drama.
If all else fails, reboot again!
I hope and pray I get out of this funk soon- it's not doing anyone any good- especially me. Spinning my wheels is better than throwing myself into reverse, and though I hit a few snags, I'm getting back on course to lose weight!
Monday, September 28, 2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
Week Thirty Six: The Dear-God-I'm-Still-Fighting New Eating Lifestyle
I'm still fighting Fat!
The progress is slow but I believe I'm gaining ground and losing weight. Unfortunately I can't tell you what the loss is yet because I was so busy this week I forgot to weigh myself!
The good thing about forgetting is I'm not focused on food- and it's been an emotional eating kinda week.
Another good thing- I found a small bit of fruit (this time a fruit salad with melon, pineapple and grapes) made a really good choice for breakfast. I didn't have as much time or energy to spare for the gym this week, but I feel thinner and don't have that bloated feeling I normally get when I have an 'emotional eating' week.
The down side? I did too much and now I'm exhausted. this is the hardest part of losing weight because 'resting' sometimes means 'eat comfort food'- and that can be bad, bad, bad.
But I'm not out of the fight- not by a longshot. I still have Fat on the ropes and I have a second wind!
Lessons learned:
It's better for me to eat a little bit every hour than a big meal in one shot- at least on the mornings I work. Fruit is more refreshing and less heavy than a breakfast sandwich (even the homemade ones), and a lot less calories.
When I have fruit for breakfast, lunches need to be heavier in the protein department.
Keeping hands busy with food prep, paper sorting, etc. does a body good on those emotional eating days. Oddly enough, when I prep food, I don't eat!
A time to rest is just as important as a time to exercise. Sometimes more-so.
Never, ever give up! Take a small break if you have to, but never give up the fight.
I'm still fighting. It's not a losing battle but a 'losing' battle! To lose is to gain, and to gain is to lose. Weird, but true. And right now, the only thing I'm gaining is confidence- I'm going to beat Fat!
The progress is slow but I believe I'm gaining ground and losing weight. Unfortunately I can't tell you what the loss is yet because I was so busy this week I forgot to weigh myself!
The good thing about forgetting is I'm not focused on food- and it's been an emotional eating kinda week.
Another good thing- I found a small bit of fruit (this time a fruit salad with melon, pineapple and grapes) made a really good choice for breakfast. I didn't have as much time or energy to spare for the gym this week, but I feel thinner and don't have that bloated feeling I normally get when I have an 'emotional eating' week.
The down side? I did too much and now I'm exhausted. this is the hardest part of losing weight because 'resting' sometimes means 'eat comfort food'- and that can be bad, bad, bad.
But I'm not out of the fight- not by a longshot. I still have Fat on the ropes and I have a second wind!
Lessons learned:
It's better for me to eat a little bit every hour than a big meal in one shot- at least on the mornings I work. Fruit is more refreshing and less heavy than a breakfast sandwich (even the homemade ones), and a lot less calories.
When I have fruit for breakfast, lunches need to be heavier in the protein department.
Keeping hands busy with food prep, paper sorting, etc. does a body good on those emotional eating days. Oddly enough, when I prep food, I don't eat!
A time to rest is just as important as a time to exercise. Sometimes more-so.
Never, ever give up! Take a small break if you have to, but never give up the fight.
I'm still fighting. It's not a losing battle but a 'losing' battle! To lose is to gain, and to gain is to lose. Weird, but true. And right now, the only thing I'm gaining is confidence- I'm going to beat Fat!
Monday, September 14, 2015
Week Thirty Five: The Dear-God-I-Did-It! New Eating Lifestyle
As I look back on the past week, I still can't believe it.
I managed to do most of what I wanted to do!
I ate less.
I went to the gym three times. (would have been four, but we had a holiday)
And yet iI still managed to make healthy meals and eat less than I have been. Not entirely meeting my 1500 a day goal, but much, much better than last week.
I'll be honest with you. It was hard.
It wasn't easy getting up every morning at the crack of dark, making two breakfasts, taking him to work, working five to six hours, working out, then coming home to lunch, chores, and dinner prep. I usually went to bed early and fell asleep instantly.
It helped that my daughter (who now has to get up with us to make the school bus) made us breakfast a few mornings- it's a lot easier to eat a breakfast sandwich one half at a time during my work shift than to eat way too early and be too hungry when I get home- though I wish I could make sandwiches without bread!
Sometimes I do forgo the sandwich and make special eggs and bacon, eat that, and take a banana with me for worktime hungries. Both ways have worked out well and have about the same amount of calories.
I was surprised at how dehydrated I get when working though. But bathrooms are few and far between, so this is something I have to bear with- then guzzle like a fish when I get to the gym. The gym has bathrooms- thank You Jesus.
After being unemployed for so long (18 years; but I was working- just not getting paid!), it's hard getting back into job mode. Both writing and crafting has suffered, so there are still scheduling changes to be made, but for the most part, the morning routine works, as does most of the eating routine.
Menu planning? Nope. I need to, but nopity, nope, nope. I picked out recipes, but haven't made a list or gone shopping for the missing ingredients yet.
Snacks? There's no time to cut veggies, so a big nope there too. Though I admit I don't have much time to snack anymore either!
Sleep? Oh, sleeping is good. In fact it's so good, I find myself falling asleep when I'm not supposed to!
Lessons learned:
There's more than one way to kill the hungries when working.
Write down places where there are public bathrooms and take breaks when possible so you can drink more water.
It's amazing how much dinner prep can be done on a coffee table while watching NCIS on Netflix.
It's also amazing how many recipes you can leaf through, papers you can sort, and straightening you can do while Netflix is on.
Pandora is awesome for 'cleaning music'.
Small naps are essential in having a clear mind if you plan on staying up past 8:00 pm. (especially when you're up at 4:30 am!)
This week was hard, but gratifying. I found myself accomplishing more and more each day, though I also see a need for rest. I found myself trying to talk myself out of going to the gym, only to stubbornly go anyway- and feeling better for having done so.
I did it. At least I did most of it. And that my friends is a step in the thinner direction!
I managed to do most of what I wanted to do!
I ate less.
I went to the gym three times. (would have been four, but we had a holiday)
And yet iI still managed to make healthy meals and eat less than I have been. Not entirely meeting my 1500 a day goal, but much, much better than last week.
I'll be honest with you. It was hard.
It wasn't easy getting up every morning at the crack of dark, making two breakfasts, taking him to work, working five to six hours, working out, then coming home to lunch, chores, and dinner prep. I usually went to bed early and fell asleep instantly.
It helped that my daughter (who now has to get up with us to make the school bus) made us breakfast a few mornings- it's a lot easier to eat a breakfast sandwich one half at a time during my work shift than to eat way too early and be too hungry when I get home- though I wish I could make sandwiches without bread!
Sometimes I do forgo the sandwich and make special eggs and bacon, eat that, and take a banana with me for worktime hungries. Both ways have worked out well and have about the same amount of calories.
I was surprised at how dehydrated I get when working though. But bathrooms are few and far between, so this is something I have to bear with- then guzzle like a fish when I get to the gym. The gym has bathrooms- thank You Jesus.
After being unemployed for so long (18 years; but I was working- just not getting paid!), it's hard getting back into job mode. Both writing and crafting has suffered, so there are still scheduling changes to be made, but for the most part, the morning routine works, as does most of the eating routine.
Menu planning? Nope. I need to, but nopity, nope, nope. I picked out recipes, but haven't made a list or gone shopping for the missing ingredients yet.
Snacks? There's no time to cut veggies, so a big nope there too. Though I admit I don't have much time to snack anymore either!
Sleep? Oh, sleeping is good. In fact it's so good, I find myself falling asleep when I'm not supposed to!
Lessons learned:
There's more than one way to kill the hungries when working.
Write down places where there are public bathrooms and take breaks when possible so you can drink more water.
It's amazing how much dinner prep can be done on a coffee table while watching NCIS on Netflix.
It's also amazing how many recipes you can leaf through, papers you can sort, and straightening you can do while Netflix is on.
Pandora is awesome for 'cleaning music'.
Small naps are essential in having a clear mind if you plan on staying up past 8:00 pm. (especially when you're up at 4:30 am!)
This week was hard, but gratifying. I found myself accomplishing more and more each day, though I also see a need for rest. I found myself trying to talk myself out of going to the gym, only to stubbornly go anyway- and feeling better for having done so.
I did it. At least I did most of it. And that my friends is a step in the thinner direction!
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Week Thirty Four: The Dear-God-I'ts-Working-Out New Eating Lifestyle
It's working out. I'm working out. And the schedule? That's starting to work out too!
School started for my daughter today and will start next week for my son. I did my 'regular hours' driving, then went to the gym, worked out (at least 30-45 mins.) then came home, ate lunch, and started doing housework and prepping for dinner.
Food-wise last week was horrible- I found myself eating more each day, and tried experimenting with breakfast by making myself a breakfast sandwich (about 600 calories) each morning. The hungries were sated, but when I came home I grazed more- and none of it was veggie related! Allergies are kicking me in the hind end as well, and I found myself stress eating more than I wanted.
I did not weigh myself on the freight scale this week. It might have been detrimental to my progress.
Instead of weighing myself, I looked at the food I ate. I felt thinner and more energetic without that breakfast sandwich. Was it the bread, or breakfast as a whole that was doing it? Well, this morning I fully intended to just take a banana again (and only eat it when I got hungry- usually around 9am), but my daughter got up extra early and made my husband and I breakfast.
My favorite. Special eggs with cheese,. spinach and tomato. And bacon. She knew my morning breakfast routine before I started working, and also knew I hadn't eaten it in a long time.
I ate breakfast extra early with my husband and daughter. It was perfect. (and about 430 calories.)
Later in the morning, I ate my banana, about an hour before hitting the gym. I wasn't starved, I had energy, and I did a pretty vigorous workout. I ate a light lunch of baked ham and cheese (no bread) and got to work on the chores.
It was a darned good first day!
I have no idea if this will happen every day (especially making special eggs for myself at 5am), but I'll take it when I can. Getting up a few minutes earlier might help. We'll see.
Lessons learned:
A late breakfast banana is a good thing. But a no-bread breakfast might be better in the long run.
Exercising after work does a body good- and helps relieve stress.
Exercising also boosts the energy level enough so I get more housework done after I get home.
Dinner prepping early not only relieves stress, but makes cooking a lot more fun! (especially if you can prep in front of your favorite TV shows!)
TV is a nice break, but it's amazing how much you can do-and get done- while watching the boob-tube. Laundry or dinner prepping takes one or two shows, and before you know it, it's all done! It also let's you go through all those papers you've ignored for the past two weeks. Yay, decluttering!
Last week, I slipped. I know I ate too much. But getting back in the zone feels so good! I've felt more productive today than I had most of last week, and I'm not focusing on food as much. I had to remember not to weigh myself because I knew it would depress me.
Maybe you're different- it might motivate you. But I know me, and I know what works best- for me. That's what this blog is all about; helping people find their own way through my experiences. I think we'll all learn something new about ourselves!
School started for my daughter today and will start next week for my son. I did my 'regular hours' driving, then went to the gym, worked out (at least 30-45 mins.) then came home, ate lunch, and started doing housework and prepping for dinner.
Food-wise last week was horrible- I found myself eating more each day, and tried experimenting with breakfast by making myself a breakfast sandwich (about 600 calories) each morning. The hungries were sated, but when I came home I grazed more- and none of it was veggie related! Allergies are kicking me in the hind end as well, and I found myself stress eating more than I wanted.
I did not weigh myself on the freight scale this week. It might have been detrimental to my progress.
Instead of weighing myself, I looked at the food I ate. I felt thinner and more energetic without that breakfast sandwich. Was it the bread, or breakfast as a whole that was doing it? Well, this morning I fully intended to just take a banana again (and only eat it when I got hungry- usually around 9am), but my daughter got up extra early and made my husband and I breakfast.
My favorite. Special eggs with cheese,. spinach and tomato. And bacon. She knew my morning breakfast routine before I started working, and also knew I hadn't eaten it in a long time.
I ate breakfast extra early with my husband and daughter. It was perfect. (and about 430 calories.)
Later in the morning, I ate my banana, about an hour before hitting the gym. I wasn't starved, I had energy, and I did a pretty vigorous workout. I ate a light lunch of baked ham and cheese (no bread) and got to work on the chores.
It was a darned good first day!
I have no idea if this will happen every day (especially making special eggs for myself at 5am), but I'll take it when I can. Getting up a few minutes earlier might help. We'll see.
Lessons learned:
A late breakfast banana is a good thing. But a no-bread breakfast might be better in the long run.
Exercising after work does a body good- and helps relieve stress.
Exercising also boosts the energy level enough so I get more housework done after I get home.
Dinner prepping early not only relieves stress, but makes cooking a lot more fun! (especially if you can prep in front of your favorite TV shows!)
TV is a nice break, but it's amazing how much you can do-and get done- while watching the boob-tube. Laundry or dinner prepping takes one or two shows, and before you know it, it's all done! It also let's you go through all those papers you've ignored for the past two weeks. Yay, decluttering!
Last week, I slipped. I know I ate too much. But getting back in the zone feels so good! I've felt more productive today than I had most of last week, and I'm not focusing on food as much. I had to remember not to weigh myself because I knew it would depress me.
Maybe you're different- it might motivate you. But I know me, and I know what works best- for me. That's what this blog is all about; helping people find their own way through my experiences. I think we'll all learn something new about ourselves!
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