Monday, May 21, 2012

Getting Started!

It's been about a month since I started dieting and working hard at getting healthy and I have realized a few things. First and foremost that I need accountability, hence this blog. Obviously, there's lots more to do than just scribble down my thoughts, but I figured it might help me (and maybe someone else) if I write about some of my struggles and hopefully the more bountiful teeny victories.

One thing that has been big on my mind is how I talk to myself. Often I will just let the internal dialogue roll, which frankly, can be pretty negative. Lately, I've been really focused on talking to myself in a more productive, intentional way, add a healthy dose of silly. Sometimes, my job requires that I prepare food trays for meetings or events and today was one of those days. I not only needed to go purchase cookies, but I needed to arrange them on a platter and make them pretty. The challenge of course is not to gobble them like the Cookie Monster in the process. So...I told myself that they taste like poop. Now, I know they don't actually taste like poop, but envisioning my coworkers eating poop cookies was just funny enough to distract me and keep my hand out of the cookie jar, so to speak. A teeny victory! Yay! Queue the balloons and confetti! Over the top, yes...but I didn't eat the cookies. :)

A while back, I did a goal setting program that I found online, Tiny Habits with BJ Fogg. In his online program he talks about how to develop and create sustaining habits by committing to doing tiny habits first (floss one tooth or do two push-ups) and then internally celebrating each task completed like it was a victory. The idea is that eventually those tiny things will build and before you know you'll be flossing all your teeth or doing a whole set of push-ups without even thinking about it. The idea of having an internal victory party for even small things sounds silly and childish, but it really helps! For too long my head has been a landmine of negative self-defeating thoughts, it's high time I put some party in there. In the end, I hope that all these teeny victories will lead me where I want to go -- the land of the physically fit and healthy. The land of sane eating. This blog will chronicle my adventures, the creation of new habits, my challenges, and the teeny victories along the way.

What I'm doing:
I am loosely following the South Beach plan, phase II. I had to make a few modifications because I believe that I'm wheat-sensitive and am not eating any wheat products. I also have thyroid problems so I do not eat soy products because they reduce thyroid function. The only really significant difference is that I eat more nuts than the recommended 1 serving/day, usually I eat 2 servings and obviously, no bread, etc.

I'm exercising. I just rejoined my neighborhood gym and am walking solo and with friends. I have a few hikes planned also.

I'm drinking as much water as I can stand. I've never been a person who liked to drink anything but coffee, really, so this one is a big deal for me.

My goals:

Lose about 100 lbs. (So far I've lost about 20)
Jog/walk a 5k by the end of the summer.
Eat mostly whole unprocessed foods using as much as I can from my garden.
Get down to a size 14, maybe a 12.
Stop buying clothes is the women's/plus section

Fitness bucket list:
Go to the rock climbing gym
Complete a 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon
Zip line tour (this is a double-dog-dare since I'm afraid of heights!)
Learn to jog
Jog a 5k
Ski (I haven't been skiing since I was a kid)
Ice skake/Roller skate (The last time I tried, it hurt my ankles and I was too out of shape)
Repel into a cave (see above statement about fear of heights)
Ride a bike on the Katy Trail

I met with my shrink today to talk about life in general, but we took a few minutes to chat about my weight loss and fitness efforts also. She seems to think I'm on track and reminded me to be careful of all or nothing thinking should I slip up along the way. One bad meal or one bad food choice does not mean all of my efforts are wasted. This was a good reminder to keep in my back pocket. Lately, things have been pretty smooth, but I've dieted before, I know there will be struggles from time to time.

What I ate today:

Breakfast - two egg "muffins", coffee, V8
Morning Snack - apple with almond butter
Lunch - roast beef in a lettuce wrap, hummus, red pepper strips, strawberries and blueberries
Afternoon Snack - a few almonds and a V8
Dinner - burger no bun with mushrooms and swiss, sweet potato fries

 I went out to dinner with some friends to play drag queen bingo, which was super fun. :) The fries I had wiht my burger are the first fried food I've eaten in almost a month! They were really good and totally satisfied my potato itch without making me feel terrible like regular white potatoes do.

I'm starting to yawn, it's time for this girl to get some shut eye. More tomorrow!






4 comments:

  1. Thanks! I can't wait to reach them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those are great goals! I want to do a zip-line too, I was always self-conscious as a kid (and also afraid of heights!).

    ReplyDelete