Day 9: 100 days challenge - Here's what I want

This morning when my alarm went off, I did not want to get up.  I awoke several times last night with coughing fits and just generally did not sleep well.  I argued with myself, but knew the whole time that I would be getting up.  I got on the treadmill at about 7:45 and went about 20 minutes.  My lungs still hurt, and with not much exertion.  If this thing isn't any better by Friday, I'm going in again.  I didn't cough a whole lot today so maybe this thing is winding down.  Anyway, I did my twenty minutes.  The food end of things is not good.  I am stress eating and that has to change.  I hadn't planned to implement the food plan until I'd been working out for 3 week solid.  What I am going to do is limit meals to 3 with one snack if needed and nothing in between unless there is a blood sugar issue.

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Today's Focus from the 100 Days of Weight Loss is Here's what I want
In this section we are advised to be very specific about telling people exactly what we need from them.  This one I don't really agree with.  My plan may be a major part of my life, but it isn't for others.  The people that care about me - I'll know where they're coming from.  The people that don't - let's face it, why give them ammo.  Today's reading from this book was not very helpful for me.

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Today's lesson from The Beck Diet Solution is about making sure we are sitting down when we eat. 
Now sitting down to eat is not a huge problem for me because I most always sit down when I eat - at the computer, in front of the TV - you get the picture.  No, we are to eat at the table - like civilized human beings.  There is some really great thinking behind this that I hadn't considered.  When eating, the visual is as important as the actual eating.  Beck says that seeing the food spread out in front of you makes you more aware of what you are eating, and it is more satisfying because more than one sense is involved.  When I was working at the school, I ate sitting down, but since I didn't get a lunch hour I was pretty much on call. I was entitled to 2 fifteen minute breaks, but where I worked that never really materialized.  Someone always needs something in a computer lab. I can't remember one time that I ever took more than two bites without having to jump up.  The good thing was, I didn't try to eat other than at lunch.  The bad thing was, I never really felt like I had eaten so when I got home, everything was fair game. Now that I'm down to one job, I am around home most days.  Some days there are kids here, other days not - it all depends on what's going on in my kids' lives.  So . .  my days do not have a set structure, except for the first hour in the morning when I have decided that the workout is non-negotiable.  That's why I was able to get my tush out of bed this morning!  

What I need to do is make a structured - not rigid - but structured food plan.  For now the structure will be breakfast, dinner, supper and a snack. (We are farmers, our big meal-dinner-is at noon.) In the next couple of weeks I will be planning a perpetual shopping list (thank you Flylady) of staples to keep around.  The next step will be to generalize some menus.  I have control of breakfast, lunch, and snack most days.  Supper we usually fend for ourselves.  It will be the times we go out to eat that I will have to plan for, but eating out is not usually a problem for me.  My biggest adjustment will be adhering to those 4 set times to eat..  

Day 8: 100 days challenge - Help me please . . .

I got on the treadmill at about 7:15. When I got up, I felt like something the cat dragged in.  I didn't sleep well because of this cough that I have.  I subscribe to a website called "Meditations for Weight Loss." When I logged on this morning, I found a weight loss meditation in my inbox.  It was about not putting off what we need to do.  I laughed when I read this part.  " Don't wait until Monday.  Don't wait until your cough is gone. Start now."
 In the past I might have waited until this cough was gone. My lungs were aching but instead of ditching the workout, I backed the incline down a bit and did it anyway.  It's all about consistancy.  



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Today's Focus from the 100 Days of Weight Loss is Help Me Please . . .
This chapter deals with telling others what we do and don't need from them regarding weight loss.

For instance I don't need . . .
1. someone telling me, "You haven't done it before what makes you think you'll do it now?" 
2. someone eyeballing my every bite and questioning whether I'm supposed to have it.
3. pushing food on me when I have already said no.
4. someone telling me about the diet I SHOULD be on.

I do need . . .
1. support and encouragement.
2. a pat on the back when I've done well  (Thank you Ida, Jinx, and Diane - you ladies are very good at that.)
3. people to understand that I am doing what I need to do.
4. people to understand that this isn't about vanity any more.

It's strange how weight issues are connected to other things in our lives.  On Monday nights I watch a show called Hoarders.  It dawned on me that many of these people are overweight.  I know that the state of my house and the state of my mind are directly connected.  That is not true of all people, but it is definitely true of me.  When the house is in chaos, most likely my life is in chaos too.  At the moment I am attacking the house chunk by chunk.  A visitor might see a mess, but I see daily small improvements.  The same is true for weight loss.  You may not see the number on the scale going down, but chunk by chunk I am making changes that will eventually get me where I want to go.
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Today's Lesson from 100 Days of  Weight Loss
1. In your journal, wirte a list of things that people are always welcome to say or do in regard to your weight-loss efforts.  

2. Create another list of things you don't ever want people to do, such as: snatch your plate away, give you lectures, or admonish, "You're not supposed to be eating that."
The exception here would be family members who know about my blood sugar issues and are genuinely concerned about my health - and by family members I mean kids and spouse - no one else.
3. Read both lists to your support people including your spouse, your children, and your best friend.
This I probably won't do, because those people know what they can and cannot get away with, already.
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Today's lesson from The Beck Diet Solution is about choosing an eating plan. 
 We are advised to begin thinking about what our eating plan will be - structured or flexible.
I know that I do better with a flexible plan because of my "all or nothing" perfectionist thinking.  (Hmm, that applies to housework as well.)  I know that I will be following a plan that is built around the glycemic load because of my blood sugar issues.  I used to love Atkins.  I think Atkins is a very sound plan and works vry well for those who follow it.  Because my blood sugar tends to fall to low on that plan, I can't do the ongoing weight loss phase of Atkins, however the maintenance plan, which South Beach, Sugar Busters and other are very much like, is one that could work for me.  I have some time to think about it yet.  I really need to prepare mentally because I can already hear my inner brat groaning. 
Once I accept the fact that I have to follow a healthy eating plan for life, dieting will be easier!  (in fact it will no longer be dieting - it will be a way of life.) My preparations will be to formulate of list of foods that will be staples - foods I like around which my plan will be built

Day 7: 100 days challenge - Weigh-in day - I can do it!

Well, it's weigh-in day here on the ranch. I am down 4 pounds. Not bad considering that I haven't instituted my food plan yet. That will begin on day 22. They say it takes 21 days to establish a habit. I will have established the workout habit. Then it will be time to start working on the food.

Today's workout was on the Wii Fit. Did the bike ride, step, advanced step, basic run and the tree pose from the yoga section. Can't say it was much of a workout, but Sundays are going to be fun days as far as working out goes - more to keep consistency than anything else. I don't want to take an "off" day. My last lapse started with an "off" day.

Because today I used the Wii Fit, I didn't do my reading yet. I will be back later to update.

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Today's Focus from the 100 Days of Weight Loss is "I can do it!"
We are advised to become our own cheerleaders.  For some of us this is a tough assignment because we are so used to beating ourselves up for failing.  Would we do this to anyone else?  Then why do we do it to ourselves?

Today's Lesson from 100 Days of  Weight Loss
1. Tell yourself "I can do it" at least 10 times.  Use this to cheerlead yourself through the entire day!
This one is pretty easy.  After all, how many times have we repeated negative thoughts to ourselves?  I plan to use this to drown out the negative noise in my head.

2. In your notebook, write, "I can do it because . . ." and then add a few supportive phrases such as "I'm capable of doing anything."
I can do it because I am not a quitter.
I can do it to show myself that I can care about myself and still care about others.
I can do it because I am looking forward to all the good things that will come with it.
I can do it because I am changing how I think and feel about myself.

3. Read your phrases often, using them to reinforce your goals and build your enthusiasm.

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Today's lesson from The Beck Diet Solution (day on continued)
Make your Advantages Response Card and use it . .
1. . .  daily at scheduled times.
2.  . . .whenever you find yourself struggling with cravings, temptation, or sabotaging thoughts.


Today's to-do list
_______________ Create My Advantages Response Card
_______________  Write, record, or post these advantages elsewhere
_______________  Implement a reminder system (to remind you to read your card several times a day.  
My reminder system is whenever I find myself heading for the kitchen. 

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I also implemented a little reward system.  Today I put $5.00 for each pound lost in a special box.  As I reach smaller goals along the way, that money will be used to reward my progress.

(Just to clarify, when I use colored text, these are not my own words but are quoted from whichever book I am discussing.)

Day 6: 100 days challenge - Protect your program

Well today started off slow.  I allowed myself to sleep in because I didn't have kids coming over. I planned to do a fun Wii Fit Plus workout, but first I couldn't get my remote to sync.  Fixed that, but then the battery died on my Wii Fit board and I can't find the recharger that Nina and Jamie got me for Christmas.  The whole time, my inner brat was chanting, "skip it for today, skip it for today, it's getting late, skip it for today."  I successfully ignored her and headed for the treadmill.

Today's focus from "100 Days" is Protect Your Program.
Some days it doesn't take much to convince us to veer off course.  There are 2 particular times for me that are slippery slopes.  One is at night and the other is at large family get-togethers.  In the first instance I am the culprit.  In the second I am usually the culprit but at times others exert their influence.  I have not officially started the food aspect of this program yet because I want my exercise habit firmly in place.  But I am trying to avoid eating at night.  I am gradually instituting a nightly cup of tea habit.  I'm not a huge fan of tea, but at night it's nice to have a cup.  I am using that time to remind myself of the success I am having at getting up and doing my workout.  I am gradually using up items that I plan to discontinue buying.  I have decided to quit buying store bought cookies.  If we have cookies in the house, they will be baked here.  I can shovel down 10 oreos and not get as much enjoyment as I do from one home-baked cookie.  When I bake cookies there is a whole "experience" that goes along with it that feeds the soul.  I can stop at one home baked cookie.  The same goes for home baked bread.

The other issue is family gatherings.  As I said, I usually manage to sabotage myself, but sometimes there are other people involved.  I can remember one instance at just such a get-together when a family member urged me to have a piece of pie. I can normally take or leave pie so this wasn't a big deal.  I said I didn't care for any at the moment, maybe later. About 10 minutes later the family member approached me again and insisted that I take some because there might not be any left.  I again said maybe later.  Another 10 minutes and she was at my elbow again.  I'm not sure exactly what was going on, but I was getting ticked off.  I took a piece of pie, waited until she left the room and then left it on the table.  Someone else eventually ate it.  For some people food is love and when you refuse their food, you are rejecting them.  I think that may have been the sub plot that was unfolding.  I don't know.  One thing I do know is that I am not responsible for someone else's emotional well-being.  Well, I am in the sense that I am not going to mindlessly hurt people, but I am also not going hurt myself in the process.

The reason I bring up this incident is because the book suggests saying "not just yet. . ."  That doesn't always work if a food pusher has an agenda.  What I need to do before such events is have a talk with myself and establish the ground rules.  I may have something off plan, but I will decide in advance what that will be and I will stick to it.  It has helped me to tell myself that I will divide my plate into quarters.  1/4 will be veggies, 1/4 will be meat or protein, 1/4 will be bread or something similar, and the other 1/4 will be something I don't normally allow myself.    At family get-togethers, Bette and I have a tradition of clearing up and washing dishes. I usually only see Bette two or three times a year so we spend the time visiting or singing.  It's fun.  It also helps take some of the load off of Judy who usually hosts these gatherings.  As soon as Bette and I are finished eating, we discreetly begin the cleaning process.  This gets us both out of eating mode and keeps us from vegging out the rest of the day.  Having something concrete to do after dinner sets a limit to the eating and gets us away from the food.

This chapter also advises that you don't discuss your "diet."  I have found this to be great advice.  When I was on Atkins and other people found out about it, they all had something to day - mostly negative.  I heard it all from "you'll ruin your kidneys" to "you know Dr. Atkins died of a heart attack, don't you?"  (Actually he did not die of a heart attack.  His death had nothing to do with his diet.  But I digress.) I felt like I had to constantly defend my food choices and it got old really fast.  I eventually just said, I'm eating less and moving more.  That usually shuts them up.  Others, who were really looking for answers, I spent more time with.  So there are some people I will talk to and others I will just mollify with the diet and exercise answer.
The book suggests a kind of mantra ( I don't really like that word, but I can't think of another way to put it), "I must protect my program at all costs."  Overeaters Anonymous has a phrase that is much the same.  "I do not eat, no matter what."   It doesn't matter what phrase you use, the important thing is that you have something that you can have running through your head to squelch the negative voices that seek to derail you.

Today's Lesson from 100 Days of  Weight Loss
1. Watch for chances to repond to food invitations by using the line, "Not just yet; I'm going to wait a little while."
I find that when thin people say this, they are usually left alone.  This technique doesn't always work for me, but if it does for you, definitely use it.


2. Identify at least three high-risk times or events in your notebook and write down how you'll protect your program during each of these.
In addition to the two times that I mentioned above, I also eat if I feel stressed or worried.  It's almost as if I am telling myself that I don't deserve to be healthy if my kids are struggling or if my friends are hurting. I also feel the urge to eat in order to procrastinate. I have a set response to this.  I have written it down and I look at it when I am tempted to use food as a tranquilizer.  This card contains the phrase:  "Eating will only created another problem."  Then I have a list of 15 minutes activities to choose from.  Usually, completing one of those activities makes me feel better than food would have.

3. Do at least one thing today that reinforces your determination to protect your program at all costs. 

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Today's lesson from The Beck Diet Solution
Record the Advantage of Losing Weight
On a 3x5 index card write out the advantages losing weight.  You may think that you could never forget why you want to lose weight, but when you are face-to-face with temptation, all of those reasons fly right out of your head.  I have found it helpful to excuse myself from the situation and head for the ladies room.  I pull out my index card and give myself a pep talk.  It usually works.


Take a moment to think about how weight loss will impact the following areas in your life.
1.  Your love life, friendships, family, career, and social life. 
2.  Your energy level and participation in hobbies and recreational activities.
3.  Your body, health, self-image, and mental outlook.

Be specific in your answers.  Example:  Family: My energy level will increase and I won't tire as quickly when playing with the grandkids.   Hobbies:  I'll have more time and energy to do the things that give me joy.
Just as gaining weight and feeling bad have a momentum, so does gaining control of your life and experiencing small victories along the way. 

Extra advantages:
1. Your cravings will diminish
2. You won't struggle over whether or not to eat something you shouldn't
3. You'll feel good when you resist unplanned eating
4. You won't feel guilty and demoralized because you gave in to cravings


(Just to clarify, when I use colored text, these are not my own words but are quoted from whichever book I am discussing.)

Day 5: 100 days challenge - Magic Notebook - Eat it another Time

It is day 5 and I am very proud of myself that I have gotten up every single morning and started my day with a workout.  I am so looking forward to lighter mornings so that I can do my running/jogging route.  As the days get longer, I anticipate spring and warmer days.  However, I enjoy each season in its time.  I do love winter and everything that goes with it except dangerous, slippery roads. 

Today's topic from "100 Days" is the Magic Notebook. The Magic Notebook is a suggestion, not a command. The purpose of the Magic Notebook is to free our thoughts from obsessions.  It works like this.  There may be a food that you want that isn't in your plan.  You write it down.  "Just because you think of a food doesn't mean you have to eat it." But you don't have to say "no."  You can say "not now."  (This works with grandkids too.)  Not now sounds much better than NO!  I think that speaks to the little kid in all of us. The author goes further to say that you might write down when you will allow yourself a certain portion of the food - when and how much you will have.  This frees you up from having to argue with yourself.  Arguing with a 3-year old can be exhausting.  How much more exhausting is it to argue with yourself when you are constantly with yourself?

Today's Lesson
1. Whenever you think about a particular food you want, write it down in your notebook.
Have you ever wanted to eat something but just couldn't identify what it was you wanted?  When I get like that I find myself pawing through the cupboards taking a bit of this or that and never really finding what I want.  So I end up doing a lot of mindless eating with very little satisfaction. Having a list of things you like might save you from eating through an entire bag of chips when what you really might have enjoyed was a small bowl of really good ice cream.
2. Plan that you'll eat it at another time.  If you wish, add the amount you'll have and how often you'll fit it into your program.
For me, right now, I am better off leaving "trigger" foods off this list, or noting that I may have them in a few weeks or a month.  Or maybe I will limit those foods to special family occasions and not buy them at all.

3. Stretch the times further apart for eating this food.  You may discover that after a while, certain foods don't seem as important to you as they once did.
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I mentioned in a previous post that I am also reading "The Beck Diet Solution."  I read both of my books on the treadmill in the morning. This book is a 42 day program.  I've been reading the preliminary prep for working this program.  This morning I ended at Chapter 5.  This chapter is titled:  Week 1 Get Ready: Lay the Groundwork


These are the skills that we will be working on:


1. Talk back to your sabotaging thoughts
2. Reduce the frequency and intensity of cravings.
3. Remain motivated to follow your diet (plan), even when you experience intense cravings.
4. Be more conscious of every bite.
5. Increase your satisfaction during and after meals so you're less likely to reach for second helpings.
6. Solve problems that have caused you to go off diets in the past.
7. Feel more confident about your ability to follow your diet inconsistently, even when the going gets tough.
8. Feel more accountable for every calorie you consume.


You'll use Cognitive Therapy techniques to prepare your mind and environment for dieting.


I had considered not tackling the Beck book until after I was done with the 100 Days Challenge, but both book compliment each other so well that I decided to use them together.

 

Day 4: 100 days challenge - Boundaries, not diets

I had absolutely no chance to get on the blog today.  I got up at 6:00 and did my workout.  In fact, I jumped right up when my alarm went off.  I got in my 30 minutes and felt great about it.  Today was one of those days where if I had put my workout off, I never would have gotten around to it. Let's be honest - I would have opted not to do it at all.

Today's lesson addresses that "all or nothing" mentality that I suspect most of us have.  Diets are rigid, boundaries are moveable.  and let's face it, no one ever does this dieting thing perfectly.  Boundaries are much friendlier than diets.  Guidelines are more forgiving than rules.  I know that I have a problem with rules.  Tell me I "can't" have something and I'll look for a reason why I should have it.  But if I deal with guidelines, well, those are much less threatening.  Yes, there need to be boundaries, there needs to be an eating plan, but I know myself well enough to know that "rigid" doesn't work for me.  The "Hundred Days" book advises us to think of this journey as a path.  Paths narrow and widen.  Some days we find it easy to stay within narrow boundaries and other days we need to widen the road.  The important thing is that we keep moving forward.  Yesterday I talked about how it makes no sense to stay down because you fall down.  This is the same analogy.  If I were to veer off the path, would it make sense to tell myself that I will keep going further off the road because I missed a step.  This is the kind of skewed thinking that keeps us from seeing how the pounds are piling up one at a time.  Yet we want them to come off two or three at a time.  "Boundaries should give you benefits, not punishment!"  Why do we think it's okay to punish ourselves for things we would forgive in others?  "Depending on your needs, you can simply adjust the edges of your plan to fit where you are in life. By doing this, you'll be far more successful than if you punish yourself every time you step off the road."


Today's Lesson


1. In your notebook, draw a line down the middle of the page, creating two columns.


2. Label one column "Narrow road" for your diet plan.  Label the other "Wider road" for your maintenance or alternative eating plan.


3. Under the titles, define your eating and exercise plans for each of the roads.  Then deicde on ways you can be flexible with them without losing sight of the healthy road you want to follow.

I need to think on this exercise for a bit.  I haven't actually formally started my eating plan.  For the moment I am concentrating on my commitment to get on the treadmill every morning.  I am trying to listen to my body and define hunger.  I am being forgiving with the food at the moment in because I know if I try to make changes all at once, I will be overwhelmed and give up.  For now I am congratulating myself on 4 days of consistant morning workouts. Considering my mindset for the last few months, that is huge.

Day 3: 100 days challenge - Do it anyway

Watched Biggest Loser last night. As much as I don't like Miggy and her dramatics, I do admire her for doing what needed to be done in the face of huge odds. She managed to drop 5 pounds after a week that included an emergency appendectomy and a proscription against all exercise except walking. This is a very good example of someone who is committed. She is also a poster child for today's topic - Do it anyway. She had every excuse in the book to just walk away in defeat, but she didn't.
Kudos to Miggy!

Today's Lesson from "100 Days of Weight Loss":

1. In your diet or exercise plan, identify a task you don't feel like doing, and then do it anyway!

I don't like getting out of bed early. I like being up early, but I don't like the act of actually getting up out of a comfy bed. I've been doing it anyway because I've discovered that once I'm up, I enjoy the early morning, and I am more productive the rest of the day. When my alarm goes off, I get up. Period. Of course getting up early is much easier when I get to bed at a decent hour. It has been my habit to go to bed at midnight. I like that hour. There are no demands on my time. I can do what I want and watch what I want. Even though I would rather stay up until midnight, I am now going to bed at 11:00.

2. Notice how it feels to accomplish a goal by taking a "no matter what" approach to it.

My favorite feeling in the world is finishing a workout. If I don't get up early, I most likely will not get a workout in. Leaving it until later most often results in rationalizing why I should wait another day. Yesterday I only got in 20 minutes. When I was late getting on the treadmill, it would have been easy to rationalize not doing the workout at all since it wouldn't be the "perfect" 30 minutes I had planned. Perfectionism. I will have more to say about that later.

3. In your notebook, make a list of actions you plant to stick with today, regardless of how you feel at the moment.

I'll get to this one later


In addition the the "100 Days of Weight Loss" book, I am also reading a book called The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain. This book focuses on a "cognitive therapy" approach. It teaches one how to change the thinking that leads to destructive behavior. No action is performed without first having a thought. All behavior is preceded by a thought process and a decision. Last night after dinner, I was stressing about something. I ate several handfuls of chocolate animal cookies. I was over my calorie allotment for the day. For the rest of the evening I struggled with thoughts of wanting to eat even though I wasn't hungry. I could feel the negative thoughts flooding in.  "You failed, you might as well eat and start over tomorrow."  Then I remembered something I read in the Beck Diet Solution.

"Every time you resist eating something you shouldn't, you're strengthening your tendency to resist in the future. However, each time you give in and eat something you shouldn't, you're strengthening your tendency to give in.

So whenever you feel the urge to eat something you're not supposed to, think about which muscle you really want to strengthen. If you want to lose weight and keep it off permanently, you need to take every opportunity to strengthen your resistance muscle and to weaken your giving-in muscle."

This makes sense to me because after I have slipped or when I'm confronted with difficult choices, I feel as if resisting is a void - a negative action. To think about actually "doing" something really helps me. Another challenge in weight loss is what to do after a slip-up, be it big or small,. with that feeling of being hopelessly catapulted on to disaster. Having a plan in place for those times (even though we tell ourselves that THIS time there will be no slip-ups,) gives me a better chance of succeeding in the long run. I said in an earlier post, it isn't the slip-ups that do us in, it's what we do afterward that makes the difference. My general response to messing up it to continue messing up and tell myself I will start again tomorrow. To see how irrational that kind of thinking is, imagine that if you fell. Would you tell yourself, "I'll just sit here until tomorrow and then get up and start again." I suspect that the what's going on in my head has more to do with my weight issues than what is going in my mouth. Yes, what I eat matters, but before I eat, I have to think. The thinking needs to change.

Day 2: 100 days challenge - Interested or Committed?

Just heard on the radio that the groundhog saw his shadow.  That means 6 more weeks of winter.  To my way of thinking if winter only lasts 6 more weeks, that WILL be an early spring.

Anyway, I got my workout in this morning.  It was only 20 minutes this morning because I putzed around to much.

Today's Lesson from "100 Days of Weight Loss":

1. Decide that you will always be committed to you weight-loss plan, not just interested.
This may have been one of my problems.  Maybe I've always been interested and not committed.  Commitment means you do what needs to be done, even when it's not what you really want to be doing.

2. In your notebook, describe how you will stick with your program, no matter what.
It is my habit, and not a good one, to find excuses not to do something.  If it's inconvenient or not fun, I can always find a reason to avoid doing something.  The strange thing is that once I'm on the treadmill or out the door, I almost always enjoy the workout.  I think transitions are hard for me.  In fact, I know that transitions are a problem for me.  I'm not sure why.  It's something I should probably think about.

 

3. Do at least one thing today that demonstrates that you are truly committed.  For example, take a walk or eat your vegetables - no matter what.
Today I got up at 6:00 again so that I could get my workout in before the kids got here.  I actually like to get up early - well, I don't really enjoy the getting up part, but once I'm up, I am much more productive than if I sleep in.

Yesterday I didn't get in as much water as I would have liked, but all in all, it was a good day.  I did some decluttering in the laundry room.  I mention that here because I suspect that I hang onto stuff for the same reason I hang on to excess weight.  It's not that I can't lose weight, it's that I don't let myself.  It's almost like I think I will be losing an important part of myself.  It dawned on me that this is exactly the same thought process I have when I am trying to get rid of stuff.  In both cases I think it would help if I could focus on how freeing it would be to clear the stuff and the weight out of my life. Instead of thinking of the weight and the clutter as insulation against bad things, I would be better served to think of those things as barriers to being the kind of person I want to be.  How many of us put on weight to keep others at bay.  I know my last significant weight gain came when a man at church said something VERY inappropriate to me.  I think subconsciously I packed on the weight to keep things like that from happening.  But I have to consider what is more damaging to me - having to put someone in his place or having to deal with the humiliation of excess weight day after day.  Something to think about.

Day 1: 100 days challenge - I Used To Be That Way

Well, today is the day.  I hopped out of bed at 6:00 am ready to tackle the first day of the challenge.  My little granddaughter comes over at 8:00 on Mondays and Tuesdays.  I have figured out that leaving the workout until later in the day rarely works. Today's workout will be on the treadmill since it is still dark outside at this time of the year.  Also, I am still battling a sore throat.  My next visit to the doctor I will insist on them taking a culture.  I've had a sore throat since December 27 - enough already! Back to the challenge:  I will be reading Day 1 from the book while on the treadmill.

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Today's Lesson from "100 Days of Weight Loss":

I used to be that way . . . .

1.  Make a list of any fears or negative behaviors that have hurt your weight-loss success in the past.  Read each one out loud and then say, "I used to be that way, but now I'm different."

2. Then write new ending for them by completing this sentence.  "I used to _______________(fill in your old behavior), but now I ______________(write in your new ending.)

3. Read these new outcomes often, and then live in a way that makes them true.

I think we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to achieving our goals.  No one has ever been meaner to me than I have been to myself when I stumble.  

1.  I used to eat to procrastinate but now I set a timer for 15 minutes and spend that time making a dent in the chore I am avoiding..
2.  I used to sabotage myself, but now I am trying to be my own best friend.
3.  I used to beat myself up when I slipped up, but now I forgive myself and move on.
4.  I used to have an all or nothing attitude about weight loss, but now I realize I am doing the best I can.  Progress, not perfection..
5.  I used to define myself by a number on the scale, but now I know that the number on the scale is only a barometer of weight loss, not an indicator of self-worth.
6.  I used to let other people define me, now I live according to my own set of values.
7.  I used to let "what other people my think" rule my life, now I think for myself.  As they say in OA, "what other people think of me is none of my business.".
8.  I used to let a slip-up become a total wash-out, now I know that it's what I do after a slip-up that determines the outcome. 

I did my workout this morning and was out of the shower by the time little Miss Madison got here.  It felt great to feel in control of my time.  

Final preparation day for the 100 days challenge

Well, I have my notebook all ready.  Today I am going to pick up a very cool water bottle.  I have done my initial weigh-in and I am pumped to start tomorrow. I weigh daily, but my official weigh-ins have always been on Sundays. I have also stocked the fridge with carrots and celery and other staples.  My food plan will be calorie based, but will follow the Sugar Busters model which is a lot like the early Weight Watchers plan which was based on the diabetic exchange diet.  It's funny, but Sugar Busters, Atkins Maintenance, and South Beach are all very similar to the early Weight Watcher model - except that good carbs and good fats are emphasized.  Anyway, tomorrow we start!!

100 days challenge begins on Monday!

Now that I am on the road to recovery (for the most part), I am ready to get back to work on getting healthier and getting this weight off. I am tired of being out of breath and not having anything I wear that looks nice. You may have noticed that my blog title changed again. I have not abandoned the Maple Syrup run. I will still post any information on that area. I am still working toward that goal, but the syrup run will be a by product of the 100 Days Journey.

My biggest problem with the whole weight loss thing is that I have a hard time focusing. A while ago I bought a bunch of self-help diet books, among them was a book called:  "100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet" I pulled it out to read on the treadmill the other day. I like it because it focuses on daily achievement which is about all I can handle these days. It is associated with a website where you can download all kinds of free tools such as a calender, a journal, tips, and other motivational tools. I would like to invite any of my readers to join me on this challenge.  I will be starting on Monday, February 1.  It is not necessary to own the book, but I would highly recommend it.  You can go through the link I have provided, if you wish. Or you can search in the used book section on Amazon where I have found some terrific deals on books.


Whether buy the book or not, you are most welcome to join me and post your progress on this blog. In the group Overeaters Anonymous, there is a saying. "Take my hand and together we will do what we couldn't do alone." If you would like to join me, please let me know by posting in the comment section or by clicking on my profile and sending me an email. I would love to have company on this venture!

This is what you will need to do to prepare to join me on Monday.  Find a 3 ring binder and purchase a ream of paper.  If you don't have a 3 hole punch, consider buying the kind of paper that has the holes pre-drilled. I printed my journal one-sided so I could write any of my insights on the back of the page.  Go to link below and print off the calender, the journal, and any other of the downloads you want to put in your notebook. 100 Hundred Days Challenge

I hope you will join me. There is strength in numbers.  Hoping to hear from you!

Mary

Day one back on Track

Well, I am finally to the point where I don't hack and wheeze with every other breath so today I hit the treadmill. Thanks to the digital switch, my TV in the workout room is now a glorified VCR.

Daily stats:
Workout type: Treadmill
Route: High incline, low impact
Distance: N/A
Time: 30 minutes
AV HR: 122
Max HR: 140
Calories burned:317
Temperature: 14 degrees

What did you think of last night's Biggest Loser? I really wish they had sent Miggy home. That woman is just plain scary. The only good thing is that Migdalia will get to see her husband before he leaves for Afghanistan. Some of the emotional dynamics leave me scratching my head this season. I think the green team needed a major attitude adjustment - maybe Miggy will get the message. I'm kind of glad that they got the 2 pound disadvantage. It made no difference, they would have been below the yellow line anyway. As for the woman on the Red Team - is she lying? Who knows? I don't ever remember them calling anyone else out on game play and they ALL acted like they didn't know why the scale wasn't cooperating - in every single season. I guess they have to keep the drama going so that it ensures the longevity of the show, but they need to be consistent on how they treat people. The way I see it, the Red Woman (can't think of her name right now) wasn't going to cut a break now matter how the scale went. If she lost big, they would say she had no choice and if she didn't, they would say it was because she had immunity again.

Inching my way along

I am finally at the point where I am feeling better for a greater part of the day. I am still congested but my ear is slowly unplugging. I am still on track with my spreadsheet. I'm not really doing anything special as far as diet - just not eating beyond feeling full. I am limiting my food to 3 meals a day. In fact, I am pretty relaxed about the whole thing. I am substituting prayer and other things for "entertainment" eating. That's my big problem with food. Using it for reasons other than it is intended. I am finding other things that give me that "high." Like making a batch of candles or cleaning up a hot spot. Nothing lifts my spirits more than walking into a clean kitchen in the morning.

Grrrrrrrr

My new resolve is holding fast. I can't wait to be able to work out again. I have been sick since December 29. I feel okay now except for the wheezing and the plugged ear. I made a second trip to the doctor and got another scrip for a different antibiotic. Last time the diagnosis was acute pharyngitis. This time it is a sinus infection. Never had one of those. I am itching to get back to working out, but when I do anything too strenous, my ear hurts. Today I am going to at least get on the treadmill.

Ida and Jinx - you ladies are treasures. Thank you for all of the support!