Eleven short weeks, and I will be on this journey for an entire year. That's a lot to think about.
I lost most of my weight in the first half of these forty-plus weeks, and the latter trying to maintain- or not gain so much as to weigh over 300 pounds. It's been a struggle.
Right now I'm not only fighting fat, I'm fighting peri-menopause, dental issues and financial fallout. That's a lot to juggle in a day, no less for a three month stretch! Though I'm not giving up fighting fat, I really do need to find time to rest and heal up a bit.
Nothing can be more distracting than a sore mouth when you need to focus- and not all healthy foods are soft foods. The good news is not all bad foods are soft foods either!
I'm working on herbal solutions for the menopausal thing; unfortunately I have to take antibiotics for my infected gums. Odd jobs can be expounded on for more fundage, so I can work on that as I trudge along.
Cooked veggies are becoming more prominent on the menu- and home-grown beets out of the garden then slow roasted are awesome! They're naturally sweet and are great hot or cold- and taste much better than the ones I bought at the store!
And they're easy to chew. Oh yeah!
While I'm eating my soft veggies, I'll be taking a look at my past posts from the beginning of this New Eating Lifestyle. Seeing how far I've come can help me stay on track to lose more!
Lessons Learned:
Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you need to switch gears concerning diet when some foods are hard to eat.
It's okay to falter- as long as you get back up and do it again!
Reviewing past posts can revive the spirit- and see where things could be changed.
Stop telling yourself you'll do better tomorrow- tell yourself you'll do better right now. One screw-up won't ruin the entire day, but bingeing will!
I'm going through a lot of changes lately, but that will only help me get stronger in the long run. I'll learn from the trips and spills, pick myself up, dust myself off and get back in the game. Can you imagine what the posts will be a year from now? I know I can!
Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Week Forty: The Dear-God-What-Happened? New Eating Lifestyle
Where did the week go?
I managed to work two days this week, but the rest of the week was a wash. Sickness is never fun. This time I had no problem eating- and guess what? I gained back those five unwelcome pounds.
Of course it could be water weight, but it also could be that this is my plateau weight range. 290-295 pounds is my plateau zone.
I'm not going to try to break this zone just yet. My body is still sluggish, so all-out workouts just won't happen- but I can control what I eat to lose some of it, so that's what I'll do.
Breakfast has changed here and there for workday mornings, but has mostly been lean roasted chicken, raw spinach and cherry tomatoes. These do a body good, and I can eat them on the fly when waiting between drives. I'm not starving when I get home (or if I get done in time to go to the gym), so I'm not eating like a rabid beast at lunchtime.
Idle hands while staying home? Not such a good idea. Stress eating doesn't do a body good!
Lessons learned:
When sick, stay upstairs as long as possible. No TV or computer up there. The only item is my laptop- which I never remove from my writing room- and the only thing I do on that machine is write. I never eat in any of the upstairs rooms.
Remove all food nearby when I want to graze. I was surprised how much PB I consumed with a butter knife while watching a movie. A little dab won't do ya!
If you still want to munch, make it veggies or watermelon- something that will fill you up, satisfy the crunch/sweet craving, but not cost a lot in calories.
Find something better to do with your hands other than scrape the vestiges of PB from the bottom of a jar!
Alas, I have gained back the weight. Yet I'll lose it again. Hopefully I'll lose more than five in the next few weeks. In the meantime, the PB will go back on the shelf, the watermelon is cut, and I have plenty of things to do with my hands- including writing this blog!
I managed to work two days this week, but the rest of the week was a wash. Sickness is never fun. This time I had no problem eating- and guess what? I gained back those five unwelcome pounds.
Of course it could be water weight, but it also could be that this is my plateau weight range. 290-295 pounds is my plateau zone.
I'm not going to try to break this zone just yet. My body is still sluggish, so all-out workouts just won't happen- but I can control what I eat to lose some of it, so that's what I'll do.
Breakfast has changed here and there for workday mornings, but has mostly been lean roasted chicken, raw spinach and cherry tomatoes. These do a body good, and I can eat them on the fly when waiting between drives. I'm not starving when I get home (or if I get done in time to go to the gym), so I'm not eating like a rabid beast at lunchtime.
Idle hands while staying home? Not such a good idea. Stress eating doesn't do a body good!
Lessons learned:
When sick, stay upstairs as long as possible. No TV or computer up there. The only item is my laptop- which I never remove from my writing room- and the only thing I do on that machine is write. I never eat in any of the upstairs rooms.
Remove all food nearby when I want to graze. I was surprised how much PB I consumed with a butter knife while watching a movie. A little dab won't do ya!
If you still want to munch, make it veggies or watermelon- something that will fill you up, satisfy the crunch/sweet craving, but not cost a lot in calories.
Find something better to do with your hands other than scrape the vestiges of PB from the bottom of a jar!
Alas, I have gained back the weight. Yet I'll lose it again. Hopefully I'll lose more than five in the next few weeks. In the meantime, the PB will go back on the shelf, the watermelon is cut, and I have plenty of things to do with my hands- including writing this blog!
Monday, October 12, 2015
Week Thirty Nine: The Dear-God-The-Weight-Flu-Off New eating Lifestyle
No, that wasn't a misspelling. The weight really did 'flu' off.
This was a week of sickness. Not so much for me, but for my family- then me. My son started it, then my husband, so I went into Mommy Mode and made a huge pot pf chicken noodle soup. I don't know what you use for sicknesses, but this homemade soup does wonders for us.
I was too busy to eat as much as I have been because I spent my energy taking care of them. I also had to work longer and pitch in more concerning chores, and by the time dinner was finished, so was I.
Despite all of my preventative measures, I got the flu this weekend.
I'm still a little wonky, so I'm staying home today also. Yes, I'll lose a day of work, but having a bathroom nearby is just a wee bit more important at the moment! Lucky for me I have at least two working brain cells to make my blog posts this morning.
I took my now recovered husband to work and while there, I weighed myself. I lost five of the seven pounds I gained!
So now my weight is an even 290 pounds.
Being sick had its advantages after all!
Normally I don't lose weight. I usually gain weight because I get a cold, and you know the adage "Starve a fever, feed a cold"- and I fed that sucker. This time it was a fever and a sour stomach, so even the thought of food made me want to hide under the covers.
Still a five pound loss over a week? Maybe some of it was water loss. At this point I'm not caring too much as to the why- I'll just celebrate because I'm only two pounds heavier than my greatest loss.
I'd dance like a lunatic, but my stomach is still a bit wonky, so I'll do it in my head- and on my blog.
*dance, dance, twirl...backflip, split, do the worm, jump to my feet, twirl, twirl, dance, take a bow*
Lessons learned:
Sickness can be a good thing- especially when it resets your tummy for lesser storage.
Those 'sometimes' snacks should possibly become 'don't eat that' snacks. Or 'only at parties' snacks.
Listen to your body when you're sick. It's okay not to eat your own chicken noodle soup if the smell makes you gag.
Keep hydrated when sick, even if it takes you ten minutes to shuffle to the bathroom and back. Just consider it a mild gym workout every couple of hours.
You can do your best thinking on the road to recovery.
You can also gain a lot of perspective.
This was a tough week, health-wise. But everyone is slowly getting back to normal (at least our version of normal), and I already have ideas on rewriting the family budget, getting the house clean (since the kids are off today), and making sure I rest and sip my soup.
God is good! He even made being sick a blessing!
I'll be honest with you- that seven pound gain scared the bejoobees out of me! I kept thinking about how hard it's been to lose a single pound, and I gained seven. Being sick was a definite blessing, in its own weird way. Now all I have to do is behave, eat right- and pick up all of my bejoobees.
This was a week of sickness. Not so much for me, but for my family- then me. My son started it, then my husband, so I went into Mommy Mode and made a huge pot pf chicken noodle soup. I don't know what you use for sicknesses, but this homemade soup does wonders for us.
I was too busy to eat as much as I have been because I spent my energy taking care of them. I also had to work longer and pitch in more concerning chores, and by the time dinner was finished, so was I.
Despite all of my preventative measures, I got the flu this weekend.
I'm still a little wonky, so I'm staying home today also. Yes, I'll lose a day of work, but having a bathroom nearby is just a wee bit more important at the moment! Lucky for me I have at least two working brain cells to make my blog posts this morning.
I took my now recovered husband to work and while there, I weighed myself. I lost five of the seven pounds I gained!
So now my weight is an even 290 pounds.
Being sick had its advantages after all!
Normally I don't lose weight. I usually gain weight because I get a cold, and you know the adage "Starve a fever, feed a cold"- and I fed that sucker. This time it was a fever and a sour stomach, so even the thought of food made me want to hide under the covers.
Still a five pound loss over a week? Maybe some of it was water loss. At this point I'm not caring too much as to the why- I'll just celebrate because I'm only two pounds heavier than my greatest loss.
I'd dance like a lunatic, but my stomach is still a bit wonky, so I'll do it in my head- and on my blog.
*dance, dance, twirl...backflip, split, do the worm, jump to my feet, twirl, twirl, dance, take a bow*
Lessons learned:
Sickness can be a good thing- especially when it resets your tummy for lesser storage.
Those 'sometimes' snacks should possibly become 'don't eat that' snacks. Or 'only at parties' snacks.
Listen to your body when you're sick. It's okay not to eat your own chicken noodle soup if the smell makes you gag.
Keep hydrated when sick, even if it takes you ten minutes to shuffle to the bathroom and back. Just consider it a mild gym workout every couple of hours.
You can do your best thinking on the road to recovery.
You can also gain a lot of perspective.
This was a tough week, health-wise. But everyone is slowly getting back to normal (at least our version of normal), and I already have ideas on rewriting the family budget, getting the house clean (since the kids are off today), and making sure I rest and sip my soup.
God is good! He even made being sick a blessing!
I'll be honest with you- that seven pound gain scared the bejoobees out of me! I kept thinking about how hard it's been to lose a single pound, and I gained seven. Being sick was a definite blessing, in its own weird way. Now all I have to do is behave, eat right- and pick up all of my bejoobees.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Week Thirty Eight: The Dear-God-It's-A-Tough-Fight! New Eating Lifestyle
I did the one thing I didn't want to do this week. I stepped on a scale.
I really didn't want to. Truly. I'd rather have painted the house than to step on the stupid scale. But I had to know just how bad a blew it.
Ugh.
I now weigh 295. A seven pound gain.
Double ugh.
Okay it's not so bad that I can't bounce back from it (though 'bounce' might not be the best word...sheesh!), but it's a big enough gain that I need to do something. Fast.
The problem is when I work, it's best for me to do the gym right afterwards, but menopause has hit me hard. I don't eat much in the mornings anymore, and by the time I finish working, it's almost lunch and I have no energy- not the best time to go to the gym.
I'm not making excuses. It's just the way things are going at the present moment. I've got to find a better way to get that exercise in, even if it means I do it after dinner. Or after lunch. Or after writing.
Egad, I wear way too many hats.
I've been thinking about joining a walking group. I've been thinking about starting a walking group. Just one more responsibility to add to the list! At least if I did this one, it might do a body good. Exercise reduces stress, and I could use a boatload of that right now.
Diet alone won't do it. Neither will exercise alone. I have to do both- there's no way around it. Especially if I want to avoid those 'miracle pills' and other weird things they make people do to lose weight.
Working as a driver, there isn't a lot of time to eat, but very little exercise. However, when I took that week off, that's when I gained the most weight- more than half the gain was in that week! So after a week or two back at work might help me lose something other than my schmidt! Now all I have to do is find something that's low intensity exercise and still keeps me away from food (at least for the most part), then the weight should melt off. I'll worry about sweating and raised heart rates later.
I need to keep my hands busy without sitting all the time. Egad- could it be? Would housework be the answer? Ewwww!
Although this is leaf raking season. That could be a good 'all over' workout! Hmm...
Lessons learned:
Some form of exercise must be done each day. Including...*shudder*...housework.
Stop having seconds- you're doing it again!
Remind yourself that the calories aren't worth it.
Don't beat yourself up over the gain. Learn from it.
Stop trying to fight this yourself. Join a group, create a group, or involve the family to motivate you to exercise more.
Reward your efforts with activities or a good book- not goodies.
If you can't live with 'just one taste', then do without it. You can't miss what you haven't tasted (or have seconds either!)
This is not an easy road for me to travel. To be honest, I'd thought I'd be a lot thinner by now. But that's okay- I'm still forty pounds lost, and I can lose that seven again. I will lose that seven again. I just might need some help this time, even if it's someone nagging me to take that walk! I might not be able to depend on anyone to go with me, but I know I can depend on a lot of people to nag me to get out there and do it!
I really didn't want to. Truly. I'd rather have painted the house than to step on the stupid scale. But I had to know just how bad a blew it.
Ugh.
I now weigh 295. A seven pound gain.
Double ugh.
Okay it's not so bad that I can't bounce back from it (though 'bounce' might not be the best word...sheesh!), but it's a big enough gain that I need to do something. Fast.
The problem is when I work, it's best for me to do the gym right afterwards, but menopause has hit me hard. I don't eat much in the mornings anymore, and by the time I finish working, it's almost lunch and I have no energy- not the best time to go to the gym.
I'm not making excuses. It's just the way things are going at the present moment. I've got to find a better way to get that exercise in, even if it means I do it after dinner. Or after lunch. Or after writing.
Egad, I wear way too many hats.
I've been thinking about joining a walking group. I've been thinking about starting a walking group. Just one more responsibility to add to the list! At least if I did this one, it might do a body good. Exercise reduces stress, and I could use a boatload of that right now.
Diet alone won't do it. Neither will exercise alone. I have to do both- there's no way around it. Especially if I want to avoid those 'miracle pills' and other weird things they make people do to lose weight.
Working as a driver, there isn't a lot of time to eat, but very little exercise. However, when I took that week off, that's when I gained the most weight- more than half the gain was in that week! So after a week or two back at work might help me lose something other than my schmidt! Now all I have to do is find something that's low intensity exercise and still keeps me away from food (at least for the most part), then the weight should melt off. I'll worry about sweating and raised heart rates later.
I need to keep my hands busy without sitting all the time. Egad- could it be? Would housework be the answer? Ewwww!
Although this is leaf raking season. That could be a good 'all over' workout! Hmm...
Lessons learned:
Some form of exercise must be done each day. Including...*shudder*...housework.
Stop having seconds- you're doing it again!
Remind yourself that the calories aren't worth it.
Don't beat yourself up over the gain. Learn from it.
Stop trying to fight this yourself. Join a group, create a group, or involve the family to motivate you to exercise more.
Reward your efforts with activities or a good book- not goodies.
If you can't live with 'just one taste', then do without it. You can't miss what you haven't tasted (or have seconds either!)
This is not an easy road for me to travel. To be honest, I'd thought I'd be a lot thinner by now. But that's okay- I'm still forty pounds lost, and I can lose that seven again. I will lose that seven again. I just might need some help this time, even if it's someone nagging me to take that walk! I might not be able to depend on anyone to go with me, but I know I can depend on a lot of people to nag me to get out there and do it!
Monday, September 28, 2015
Week Thirty Seven: The Dear-God-The-Hungries-Got-Me! New Eating Lifestyle
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!
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 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!
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