Date: 4/24/14, Day 2
Days until cruise: 43
So today is the 2nd day of my healthier habits lifestyle. Overall, it's going pretty decently so far. My stomach still hasn't "shrunk" to a more normal size, so I'm struggling with some hunger issues. Having dieted a lot in the past I know I just need to get through a few more days and I won't feel so hungry before meals anymore. It just kind of sucks for right now though.
I'm also struggling with sugar cravings. Unfortunately I still have some unhealthy foods in the house. I had a Pop-tart yesterday and some cookies today. Since I'm not on a "diet" right now and am instead trying to have a more healthy and balanced life, I'm not beating myself up about this. However, my ultimate goal is to be able to not make these unhealthy foods a daily occurrence. Hopefully, since I've cut out most of the junk food from my daily diet, these sugar cravings will decrease.
And yet another struggle I'm having is physical activity. I'm doing GREAT with sticking to my goal of daily yoga (probably because I actually enjoy it!) but I'm having trouble with increasing my aerobic activity. For example, I didn't have to go in to work until 10 today, so my plan was to wake up a little bit earlier and go to the gym. I was going to get up at the same time my BF was getting up for work, which would have given me plenty of time to go the gym and then shower, etc. However, that did not happen! When my BF came back into the room from his shower he found me still in bed. When he asked if I was going to the gym I responded with a very ladylike grunt and rolled over and went back to sleep. Not quite the attitude I'm trying attain! Yet I firmly believe the recipe for success is to try, try again. And so I shall. Tomorrow is a new day, and I have confidence in the me of tomorrow!
Now that I have elaborated on my struggles of the past two days, I'd like to congratulate myself on what I've been doing well. My meals have all been very healthy and consist of normal portion sizes. Yay for me! I've also gotten back on the smoothie wagon. I have a great recipe for a green smoothie, and it makes for a great daily breakfast! Disclaimer: it's not the most appetizing breakfast in the world. Don't get me wrong, it tastes just fine, it's just nothing to get excited about. It's not like waking up to chocolate chip pancakes and bacon, that's for sure. However, it is psychologically appetizing. It contains 3(!) full servings of fruits and veggies and lots of fiber. Here is the recipe for one serving:
1/2 cup frozen berries of your choice (can you use more or less, depending on how thick you like your smoothie)
1 banana
1/4 cup water
1 cup baby spinach
1 spoonful of psyllium husk
1 spoonful of chia seeds
I put the first three ingredients in a blender and blend well. I then add the last three ingredients and blend again. This second blend I like to blend for awhile so that the spinach gets really well incorporated. And trust me, the flavor of the banana and the berries overpowers the spinach taste. I absolutely DETEST spinach, and even I can't taste it!
A note on the psyllium husk and the chia seeds. I believe in these as supplements because they contain some really great nutrients and vitamins. A lot of people tout chia seeds as some miracle weight loss cure. Yet several clinical trials have been done to test this claim and show that chia seeds have absolutely no impact on weight loss. I incorporate them into my daily diet solely for the fact that they are high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Here is a great article from WebMD if you want to read a little more about chia:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-chia
I feel more strongly about psyllium husk then I do about chia, and it's because I can see the effects it has on my body. Psyllium husk is a great source of soluble fiber and is GREAT in regulating bowel health. Trust me, a spoonful of psyllium husk a day and you will be regular! It expands when mixed with liquid, so it must be mixed into a beverage or made in a smoothie, you can't just eat it. I find it to be a perfect addition to the smoothie. Because it expands, I find it prudent to drink my smoothie immediately after making it, it doesn't seem to sit very well for extended periods of time. Here is a link from the University of Maryland Medical Center with more information on psyllium:
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/psyllium
That's it for today! My nightly yoga routine is calling. More on my yoga plans in the next post.
Plus the Bruins game is about to start. Go B's!!
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Date: 4/22/14, one day before beginning my new lifestyle
Weight lost: 0 lbs.
Current size pants: 16/18
Days to cruise: 45
So I'm writing today's post in the spirit of self-reflection. Goodness knows I've tried dieting before. I've been struggling with my weight, and thus struggling with dieting, since the 6th grade. I can distinctly remember the first time I became aware of my weight. In gym class all of us were required to be weighed, I don't quite remember why. We were weighed in private, not in front of the class or anything, but it was the first time someone had actually informed me of what I weighed. I guess when I went to the pediatrician she just informed my mother. I don't remember what my weight was on that fateful day, but I do remember it was over 100 lbs. I was shocked. To my 11 year old self 100 lbs was crazy! After gym class I remember swapping weights with several of my classmates. While there were several other girls over 100 lbs, there certainly weren't a lot of us. And thus, self consciousness was born.
As I said, I've tried dieting before. I've actually succeeding in losing significant amounts of weight twice before, once in college and once a few years after college. Inevitably, I put the weight back on. And over the past two years I've struggled with a binge-eating disorder, leading me to pack pounds on. So here we are, with me at the heaviest I have ever been by far.
Over the past 6 months I've worked extensively with a therapist to get to the root of my eating disorder and to come to terms with how I feel about myself and my body. She was an incredible help to me and mentally I feel the strongest and most comfortable I ever have. I feel that I have taken control and made myself mentally strong, it is now time to take control of my health and make my body strong.
So tomorrow I'm starting what so many others have touted before me. I'm not starting a diet. I'm starting a new lifestyle. I will not be dieting. I will not count calories. I will not go to the gym everyday because I need to burn those extra calories. Here is my list of rules for my new lifestyle. I feel that spelling them out so clearly will help me keep my focus:
1. I will make consciously healthy choices at each meal.
2. I will only eat when I am hungry.
3. I will stop eating when I no longer feel hungry. (Ie, it is okay to leave food on the plate!)
4. I will incorporate more physical activity into my day. This does not necessarily mean the gym everyday!
5. I will allow myself one cheat meal per week.
6. I will only use my weight as ONE indicator of my success and my health. The scale will not define me.
To expound a bit on my rules. The first rule means I will try to make healthier choices, like swapping whole wheat bread for white bread on my sandwiches. Bringing a banana with lunch instead of pop-tarts or granola bars. Eating more fruits and veggies, etc.
The second rule: do not eat my feelings! I will not eat because I'm bored, I won't eat because my friend is eating, I won't eat because I'm stressed out. I will only eat when I am hungry. I will learn to listen to my body.
The fourth rule means things like taking the stairs. Walking instead of taking the bus. Instead of sitting down and watching 3 hours of TV in the evening, I can use some of that time to go for a brisk walk. I will go to the gym on some days. And I will try to do a yoga routine every evening before going to bed. This is one aspect I will try to enforce on a near daily basis. I like doing it, I feel great when I'm done and it helps me to sleep like a baby!
I will allow myself one cheat meal of whatever the hell I want per week. Deprivation is the key to failure my friends!
I'm not sure how often I will update this. I'm honestly writing more for myself, as a means of self-reflection and as way of holding myself accountable. When I do update, I'll be sure to post things that are working for me and things that haven't! Hopefully they will be helpful if anyone decides to read my scribbles!
Weight lost: 0 lbs.
Current size pants: 16/18
Days to cruise: 45
So I'm writing today's post in the spirit of self-reflection. Goodness knows I've tried dieting before. I've been struggling with my weight, and thus struggling with dieting, since the 6th grade. I can distinctly remember the first time I became aware of my weight. In gym class all of us were required to be weighed, I don't quite remember why. We were weighed in private, not in front of the class or anything, but it was the first time someone had actually informed me of what I weighed. I guess when I went to the pediatrician she just informed my mother. I don't remember what my weight was on that fateful day, but I do remember it was over 100 lbs. I was shocked. To my 11 year old self 100 lbs was crazy! After gym class I remember swapping weights with several of my classmates. While there were several other girls over 100 lbs, there certainly weren't a lot of us. And thus, self consciousness was born.
As I said, I've tried dieting before. I've actually succeeding in losing significant amounts of weight twice before, once in college and once a few years after college. Inevitably, I put the weight back on. And over the past two years I've struggled with a binge-eating disorder, leading me to pack pounds on. So here we are, with me at the heaviest I have ever been by far.
Over the past 6 months I've worked extensively with a therapist to get to the root of my eating disorder and to come to terms with how I feel about myself and my body. She was an incredible help to me and mentally I feel the strongest and most comfortable I ever have. I feel that I have taken control and made myself mentally strong, it is now time to take control of my health and make my body strong.
So tomorrow I'm starting what so many others have touted before me. I'm not starting a diet. I'm starting a new lifestyle. I will not be dieting. I will not count calories. I will not go to the gym everyday because I need to burn those extra calories. Here is my list of rules for my new lifestyle. I feel that spelling them out so clearly will help me keep my focus:
1. I will make consciously healthy choices at each meal.
2. I will only eat when I am hungry.
3. I will stop eating when I no longer feel hungry. (Ie, it is okay to leave food on the plate!)
4. I will incorporate more physical activity into my day. This does not necessarily mean the gym everyday!
5. I will allow myself one cheat meal per week.
6. I will only use my weight as ONE indicator of my success and my health. The scale will not define me.
To expound a bit on my rules. The first rule means I will try to make healthier choices, like swapping whole wheat bread for white bread on my sandwiches. Bringing a banana with lunch instead of pop-tarts or granola bars. Eating more fruits and veggies, etc.
The second rule: do not eat my feelings! I will not eat because I'm bored, I won't eat because my friend is eating, I won't eat because I'm stressed out. I will only eat when I am hungry. I will learn to listen to my body.
The fourth rule means things like taking the stairs. Walking instead of taking the bus. Instead of sitting down and watching 3 hours of TV in the evening, I can use some of that time to go for a brisk walk. I will go to the gym on some days. And I will try to do a yoga routine every evening before going to bed. This is one aspect I will try to enforce on a near daily basis. I like doing it, I feel great when I'm done and it helps me to sleep like a baby!
I will allow myself one cheat meal of whatever the hell I want per week. Deprivation is the key to failure my friends!
I'm not sure how often I will update this. I'm honestly writing more for myself, as a means of self-reflection and as way of holding myself accountable. When I do update, I'll be sure to post things that are working for me and things that haven't! Hopefully they will be helpful if anyone decides to read my scribbles!
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