Reflections on a lifestyle change… September 21, 2007
Posted by kimayars Diet, Ramblings
Digg! this story.
, 5comments
I’m 4 1/2 weeks into my diet lifestyle change, and found myself thinking about it a lot today. It all started when I wondered what I had for lunch yesterday. I am VERY food centric. Love food. Love to eat. If it’s chocolate, deep fried, and covered in salt I’ll be the first in line to try it. But I couldn’t remember. I know I wouldn’t have skipped lunch. I would never do THAT. Not me. Ever. Even if I did skip lunch, I would have made up for it with some sinful snack that afternoon (probably a masterful creation by Starbucks). But I didn’t. Hmmm… It was a mystery.
A little over 4 weeks ago I bought the book “You on a Diet” by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen. They advocate eating smarter. Use what science knows to work in your favor. Eat whole grains. Avoid high-fructose corn syrup. Remove “hydrogenated-X” from your menu.
The first week was brutal. I was hungry, cranky, and unsatisfied. The book said to stick with it. Let your body adjust. So I did. There was just a lot of grumbling involved.
For week two I found I had a rhythm. I followed their advice on picking your hardest meal and eating the same thing for that meal every day. For me, lunch is the worst, mostly because I tend to skip it and then it’s a slow slide into disaster for the rest of the day. I found some soups I liked, and had soup and a salad for the entire week. Week 2 was proving to be easier. Cravings were subsiding.
Week three was the real test. This week was the week before “THE WEEK” (and girls, you know what that is). It’s a wonderful time of bloating, cramping, and “give me chocolate or die”. But I must say overall I felt better than I have before. I was beginning to think that I’m moving in the right direction.
Last week (week four) I went out for dinner with my friend Sherene. I knew I wanted to have a great time with food and drink, and I did. I ate a lot, drank a lot (argh, the hangover) and enjoyed 5 hours of wonderful company. But it wasn’t so bad to go back to “the plan”. I was actually starting to be optimistic.
So that brings us to the mystery of yesterday’s lunch. I eventually did remember: I had pizza during a lunch meeting. But it was only half a piece with some salad. I ate like a skinny person, and didn’t even give it a second thought. Hallelujah! This actually works.
I’ve had to go back to the basics a few times, but each time it gets easier to stay on track. It’s sounds silly, but when I make a mistake I actually tell myself: “Make an authorized YOU-turn”. (If you read the book you’ll get that.) It gives me permission to stop, regroup, and make a better decision. I’m listening to my body more (am I really hungry?) and overall feel so much better. So far, this is a good thing.
Tomorrow is my 5K fun run. I found myself wishing I had registered for the 8K. Maybe I’ll ask if I can switch… (I must be nuts.)
Sunday Metrics September 3, 2007
Posted by kimayars Diet
Digg! this story.
, add a comment
Our DSL was down (grrrr), so I’ve been a little behind. Quickly I wanted to post my “metrics” for the week. I dropped a little weight this week and weighed in at 146.8 lbs, with a net loss of 2.4 lbs in two weeks. I like that! More importantly my waist has dropped to 34.25 in, which is a net loss of 2.75 inches. Their claim that you’ll loose 2″ around your waist the first two weeks seems to be a fairly accurate claim, for me at least.
Overall I am really enjoying the changes. I haven’t really felt deprived. So far it’s been a great plan. As a bonus I haven’t had many “close encounters of the porcelin kind” which happens if I load up on fatty foods. When I eat out, I’ve been trying hard to think about avoiding HFC, and a handful of almonds around 3pm keeps me from devouring my dinner like it’s my last meal. I follow their plans for breakfast and lunch, then really try hard to “listen to my body” for dinner.
Next week, my body will lie. It’s the week before that time of the month. The time where Jeff runs for cover, the kids play outside more, and I discover the benefits my warm laptop has on cramps. I bloat, I get cravings, and I get tired. These are the weeks that makes making a change the most difficult. I’m hoping I have a good foundation to work from.
I’m off to my lesson with Ray. We had a great work session yesterday in which I rode with the Polar. I discovered it makes a great metronome (must… turn… beeping… off… aaaaaaahhhhhh….). I’ll catch you up on that after my lesson today.
