A new month. What is it about beginnings that get us excited? What is magical about January 1, or Mondays? How did we develop the mindset that we can't begin to change on any day other than the first of the year? I have to laugh because I purposely started this journey on a Monday on the first day of the month. I think January 1 or Mondays are part of the "perfectionism" mindset that we all face. All of us have perfectionist tendencies about something whether it be cleaning or dieting. I've mentioned Flylady before and she is a big proponent of getting rid of that perfectionist thinking. Thanks to her, I have made a lot of progress in that area. It's as if I needed someone in authority telling me that "progress, not perfection" was a worthy goal. As I look over February and what I've achieved, I am happy. In the past I wouldn't have been. I wouldn't have thought I accomplished enough. And we can see where that got me. So let's look over February and see where I stand.
1. I have developed the habit of exercising every day. I only missed one day in February and that wasn't intentional.
2. I am becoming comfortable with eating at only 4 specified times.
3. I have been accountable every single day.
4. I have lost my first 5 pounds.
5. I am feeling good about myself.
6. I have committed to a 5K in 2 months.
The first 5k that I ran, I was actually 10 pounds less than I am now. I remember that I almost chickened out of the race because I hadn't lost any weight and I worried about what people would think. You know what? Everyone was very encouraging. Students from the school where I worked cheered me on. About 2 months ago, a friend on Facebook told me that I had inspired her. Think of that! I didn't even know that I had inspired someone. And what about what people would think? I know what I think when I see an overweight person running on the road as I am driving by. If I can catch his or her eye, I give a big thumbs up. I find them inspiring! I picture what they'll look like months from now if they stay the course. And then I recommit to my own goals. I think this is the attraction of the Biggest Loser. But I don't like the way the contestants lose the weight. I would much rather follow them for a longer season and see into their minds, read their thoughts, and see them lose at a healthier pace. That would have more relevance to my life. There is no way on earth I could exercise for 6 plus hours a day, even if I wanted to.
******************
Today's reading from "100 Days of Weight Loss" is titled Handheld Foods. This kind of ties in with mindless eating. It's easy to grab a handful of food and then another without really thinking about it. Ms. Splangle suggests putting your portion of a handheld food in a serving size bowl rather than eating from the big bowl. That's kind of a "duh." At least it is for me. I rarely eat from the bag or a serving bowl because I have learned that I can empty both before I realize what I'm doing.
The "Beck Diet Solution" book talks about changing your definition of full. What comes to mind when you think about being full? Is it that sensation that you have had just enough, could eat a little more, but choose not to? Or is it that feeling you get on Thanksgiving when you have shoveled in enough to feed a third world family for a week. When you are so uncomfortable that all you can do is just veg out until you can breathe again? There is full, and there is overfull. Remember, eating it to keep it from being wasted is to, in fact, waste it.
No comments:
Post a Comment