Movement in the Right Direction

 I am still in the game.  I know it's only been two days of feeling present and ready to tackle this journey again, but I honestly feel good about where I am.  Now don't get confused, I didn't say that I was perfect during these last two days but I feel as if I have taken some steps toward a healthier and thinner me.  I am moving in the right direction.  I still have no promises to make, but I do have one or two concrete plans for the future as I move forward.

A Non-Perfect Victory

Yesterday I wrote that I was not going to promise that there would be no candy after my lunch.  (you can read about that habit and my post from yesterday here.)   I also mentioned in that same post that I would be navigating a lunch at work where we were ordering out and that I would track it.   I am proud to say that I DID track the whole day.   As I suspected my calories were over where I have always wanted them to be.  However, I am so proud to say that I did NOT have any chocolate after my lunch.  I am also extremely proud to announce that I ordered a salad.  Yes, in terms of calories; a chef salad with dressing may have been just as many calories as a sandwich and fries (or at least the sandwich with no fries)  BUT I filled my body with nutritious food versus empty calories!  I call that a victory!

 

Change in the Scales 

 I used to weigh myself every day.  I have come on here so many times over the years and expounded about and defended my position.  (You can read some of those posts here and here ).  I still hold to the belief that weighing every day is a fabulous tool.  I learned so much about my body by weighing every day.  I learned the effects of a super high sodium meal and how much I should expect to pop up on the scales after such a meal.  I learned that my body weight will spike two days after a larger caloric day. I was able to identify signals within my body that indicated changes on the scales. Weighing daily taught me so much.  Furthermore, when the scales are trending downward each and every day, a daily weigh in is fabulous as it keeps you motivated.

However, the scales do not cooperate and move for me the way that they did when I was in my 30's when I lost the weight the first time.   The scales don't even operate the way that they did when I was in my 40's.  The older I get the more difficult it is to move the scales in the right direction, so it seems.  At the very best it is freakishly slow movement.   I know weight loss  can be achieved at my age, but it is slower and a whole lot less linear.  It's part of aging and that is ok.  But that change in how I am losing is demoralizing.  When I am demoralized, that is when I give up and say "who cares, I am eating what I want since eating right for the last however many days didn't make a difference'....and thereby I display no consistency in my efforts.   So I am switching to weekly weigh ins.  I will be weighing myself once a week, Saturday mornings is the plan right now. Other than that one weigh in day, I am not planning on stepping onto the scales.  Weekly weigh ins for now!

I will throw in the caveat that when (not if....WHEN) I reach my goal, and maybe even earlier when I get closer to that goal that I may go back to daily weigh ins.  I do still fervently believe that it is a good way to watch what is happening and is a great way to stop a gain before it gets out of control!

 She Will Not Fail

My last change is within this website/blog and you may have already guessed what this change will be.    I have been writing on here for almost 20 years.  (Yes, I wrote my first post on Jan. 5, 2006).  I have long known that when I am posting that I am more focused and more in tune with my weight loss journey.  Writing on here has long been my accountability. (And readers have been my motivation, inspiration and cheerleaders.)  

This change came about a while ago as I sat back and KNEW that I had to do something and do it NOW (and not tomorrow).  I turned to prayer, heavily asking for help with my weight and asking for help with my emotional angst.   In the midst of those beseeching prayers I happened to read a post from someone that I have followed for years. (Sweat & Sparkle – Taking this journey back to me, my health, my happiness).  She has struggled with a lot of the same things that I have encountered, the death of a mother, weight loss, weight gain, etc.  And she shared a scripture that has been speaking to her lately.   "God is within her, she will not fall, God will help her at the break of day." (Psalm 46:5)  Yes yes yes.....perfect bible verse for where I am at.  

 

She also challenged her self to write more frequently as she works through healing her body mind and spirit.   Now this is a challenge that makes sense to me and that I can get behind.  So while I was already coming her because I know it's good for me, I"m all on board with joining her on her challenge and accepting it as my own!

Looking to the Future

I have managed to cobble together two days where while I wasn't perfect, I made good choices with food and with coming on here for accountability.  The weekend is upon me and for me that means even more difficult choices.    I am once again not promising anything, but I'm hoping that I can at least make one small choice that propels me toward a healthier me!   

Turning the ship around

It apparently takes a long time to turn the ship around! I of course am not talking about an actual ship but rather a metaphorical ship, also know as my weight loss journey.  

Changes and habits are slowly changing.  It’s a long process, but I’m really trying!!!  So what have I been doing ...both good and bad?

I have now tracked five days in a row!  Go me!  Not all of the days are spot on with my calories but I have had some spot on days!  And what is important, is that I tracked...good or bad, it didn’t matter.  I tracked!

We hiked on Monday.  We were out about two hours.   We also did some geocaching during the day before we hiked.  So we were out and about and moving all day.

On Tuesday I actually laced up my shoes and I attempted to run on my lunch break.  Wow, that was difficult!  My run was slow and I had to give up and walk after a bit.  You see,  I ran the first half mile and then walked the rest of the way.   That’s ok though.  That is the line in the sand showing me where I am.   If I keep doing it, I will improve.

I’m not setting the world on fire with my changes.  I’m not even losing weight at this moment.  But I am comforted by the fact that I am making changes that will turn into success!!

Small but Mighty

First and foremost, let me get my weekly official weigh in out of the way.   I’m not exactly happy....and I’m not exactly upset.   Why?  I maintained.   Ok, part of me is angry because I ate almost exactly what I ate last week...and last week I lost!   But part of me is ok because the rain that we have had constantly this week has kept me from walking on my breaks.  So a mixed bag of emotions!  

So where am I?   Ready to make a change!  And they don’t have to be huge changes.  Small does the trick nicely!

My maintain this week on the scales as compared to my loss last week emphasizes that the Changes does not have to be huge!   My eating remained the same...the only thing that changed was walking on my breaks versus sitting on my behind!   Small change...big difference in my results!

So the first  SMALL change?   I can walk in the parking garage even with rain!!!!  Back to walking at least some of my breaks! (And hopefully the sun will return so I can walk around the lake again...although the forecast doesn’t look all that great!)

Another SMALL change I can make?  10-15 minutes on my bike (the one with the bike trainer) a day or even a couple times a week...that’s not a big commitment....but I’m the grand scheme of things I can reap huge results!   Not just in terms of weight loss, but also in terms of my endurance while biking!!!   That is going to be huge very soon because ASAP we plan on upgrading my bike to up the level of trails I can attempt on my bike!  

Small changes...mighty results!!!

Little changes....profound affects

Yesterday I sat here at my job.  I dipped into my lunch box and partook of  my healthy fare. I munched through my banana and my green beans.  I was enjoying my lunch. I always save my little 'treat' for last.  Usually my treat consists of a 100 calorie pack of some variety.  However, this past weekend I was grocery shopping and my eye caught the box of rice crispy treats.  I looked at the price and realized that they were quite a bit cheaper.  For me this is a big deal.  I try to keep my grocery store trips budgeted out and as cheap as possible.  So an average price of 22 cents for one rice crispy treat versus the average 50 cents of the 100 calorie pack was a nice saving.  (I paid just under 9 bucks for a box of 40 rice crispy treats and I pay right around  $3 for a box of six 100 calorie packs.....so my figures are based upon those numbers).  Significant savings.  I had the presence of mind to look at the calorie content while I was in the store.  90 calories.  My thought was GREAT....right in line with what I was looking for.  (Conversely I had purchased a few weeks ago the Lance Granola cracker bite things..they are delicious...but 190 calories....that's almost double what I want to spend on my little snack....no more of those bad boys for me).

So yesterday I pulled out my new snack.  I ripped open the wrapper and sat here proud of myself for having had the presence of mind to check the calorie count and for buying something that was right at my snack calorie allotment.  In fact, I had SAVED myself 10 calories.  Not a big deal I know....10 calories.  Tiny, eensy weensy, itty bitty 10 calories.  I mean seriously what could I do with 10 calories.  It wasn't like I could have a slice of pizza for 10 calories.  It wasn't like I could drink a mixed drink for those 10 calories I saved.  But then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  10 calories......365 days a year.  That is 3650 calories.  That is theoretically one pound a year.   By a simple 10 calories a day  ...10 calories that I don't miss at all.  10 calories saved simply because my delicious substitution was 10 calories less than my normal food....a no brain, no thought no worry one pound gone for the year.  Couple that with another small 10 calorie change and you have two pounds gone.  Snowball it and make three more.....and there are 5 pounds....it snowballs!!  It really is as simple as that.

And just because I'm a bit of a geek.....one year of 100 calorie packs  would cost me $182.50......the rice crispy treats...... $80.30

OK OK OK, so I don't eat a 100 calorie pack (or now a rice crispy treat) every day...they are my lunchbox treat....or an occasional quick sweet snack at home. And I also know that I would most likely get bored if I ate a rice crispy treat each and every day.....but it's the concept here folks not the logistics!!!!!

SMALL CHANGES turn into BIG RESULTS!