Now that I'm allowing myself to really examine where I've gone wrong over the past few months, I realize that I've let some of the tools that were so valuable to me in the beginning get a little rusty.
Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who is ready to make some changes and wanted to pick my brain about what had worked for me. I geared up with lots of "show and tell", including my daily food plan, a shelf's worth of books, and my inspirational jewelry. As I shared them with her, it occurred to me that I haven't worn my inspiration bracelet or necklace in a long time. The handy little book of response cards that for many months accompanied me wherever I went now sits, unopened, on a shelf next to my desk. I haven't reviewed a list of reasons why I want to lose weight or written any new response cards in months.
At one time, these items were invaluable reminders and aids, and I've made attempts to refresh them, but ultimately, they simply don't resonate as they once did. To a large degree I have internalized them. I often find myself repeating the most important mantras to myself: "It's just food ... there will be more ... I can have some another time." "I'll be really unhappy if I eat past fullness." (Used that one this morning at breakfast, and 10 minutes later, I was SO happy I did).
Another important tool that I have allowed to rust is the idea of giving myself credit. This morning over breakfast, as I pushed away a plate of whole wheat apple pancakes that I would have LOVED to finish, although I had had plenty, I thought about it for the first time since ... I don't know when. I thought, "Hey! I deserve credit for stopping when I'm full! I deserve credit for skipping the butter and for subbing lower fat mozzarella and more veggies in the omelette. I deserve credit for dragging myself to the gym the other day when I really wanted to lie on the bed and finish reading my book!"
So, now I'm thinking about what else I may have forgotten, and how to refresh and renew some of these tools that worked so well in the past, or find new ones. One tool that has never failed me is the food plan. Although there are times when I get busy and skip a day of writing it down, I never fail to at least mentally plan what I will have. (Writing is better).
Currently, I'm trying to plan several days in advance. It helps with scheduling time for food prep, as well as budgeting. My husband and I really enjoy shopping together, and we make a little event of it, getting up early, having breakfast out, doing the shopping and errands. Afterward, I do some preliminary food prep (washing salads and fruit, trimming things like radishes and removing grapes from stems so they're ready to eat) and usually I will make one or two quick dishes, such as hummus or fresh salsa. I've also started organizing the shelves in my fridge so that all the prepped fruit is in one place; all the prepped veggies in another; leftovers on yet another. It makes it very easy to quickly locate items I need for meal prep.
Things I need to work on:
Not nibbling (no grabbing little extra bites --- they count!)
Accountability (keeping the weight graph, weighing regularly)
Honesty (no fooling myself!)
What are your particular challenges? What do you most need to work on in your own journey to better health?
Theresa, one of the things I did early on was plan a set of easy-to-find-or-fix alternative meals that I could substitute for my planned meal at any time. For example, I can always substitute a grilled chicken salad (which you can get at any fast food place), or a cup of plain yogurt or cottage cheese and some fruit (any convenience store) for a planned meal. At home, I keep a few easy-prep things on hand, too. Of course, I don't have to worry about cooking for kids, or driving them around! So my question for you is --- what is the big challenge? Last minute changes to plan? Are you trying to cook more than one dinner?
Annimal, I am so with you about the food journal feeling like a judgement. But for some reason, a food plan, written out in advance, doesn't have the same negative resonance for me (though I sure don't like having to notate when I eat off plan)!
Hi Laura and welcome! Thanks for telling me about the link. I hope you'll be a regular visitor here. :)
Posted by: Cindy | June 28, 2009 at 05:51 PM
I've just found you. Linked from another blog:
http://kjlivinglively.com/2009/05/14/another-womans-journey/
Your story is incredibly exciting!
Posted by: Laura | June 27, 2009 at 08:17 PM
Keeping my food journal. Writing it ALL down. It so helps with the little bites of this and that. Which all add up!
I'm not sure why, but I've been mentally resisting this tool, even though on most successful blogs a food journal is always listed as a must.
I think part of me sees it as written judgment.
Posted by: Annimal | June 26, 2009 at 01:20 PM
sorry about my spelling. Obviously I've got club fingers today! :)
Posted by: Theresa | June 26, 2009 at 11:44 AM
That's the spirit Cindy! It is so easy to get comfortable and forget what works!
My hardest challenge is having my plan and not being able to follow it. With 3 kids I can not always say it's me first. I've had to make a plan A, B, and heaven forbit even plan C for what I can do as an alternate if things don't go like I think they will. It's so much more work that I often throw my hands up in the air and say "too hard". Then of course I really regret it "after the fact". I'm working on it!
Posted by: Theresa | June 26, 2009 at 11:43 AM