Well, I've lost 43 pounds so far, and am within 10 or 12 pounds of my goal. Even though I'm not a big believer in the BMI measurement, I'm pretty excited, since I'm no longer considered "overweight" by BMI standards, but on the high end of "normal." I can get the rooster pants and my skinny jeans on, but I can't close them quite yet.
I am at the home stretch…on Tuesday we start transition.
The first stage of transition is taking away one product and replacing it with "real food", which consists of 220 calories' worth of lean protein and 1/2 cup cooked veggies. We can have that meal any time of the day. I have decided on a veggie omelet, eaten at dinner time, since that is the time I can really relax and enjoy it.
Some of my cohort mates started planning elaborate menus consisting of something different every day; our lovely facilitator, N, suggests that we "keep it simple" for the first week at least, and have the same thing (or close to it) every day. So I bought a dozen eggs, some broccoli, a bag of spinach, and some mushrooms. I'll be making a veggie omelet every night and alternate the broccoli and the spinach so it doesn't get boring.
I have a little gadget called a "Stone Wave Cooker" (you might have seen it on late night TV commercials) which cooks up a yummy little omelet in the microwave, using no fat or oils, and it doesn't stick to the pan. I can go to the gym after work, come home, and have dinner ready in a couple of minutes.
Last blog post I mentioned that I joined a gym. I've been going almost every day and I really do love it. It feels so good to move! I've taken a couple of days off here and there, and when I do, I miss it. It is part of a chain that is establishing itself in my area, and I found out yesterday that they acquired another gym that is within walking distance of my home. I will have two gyms to choose from and take Zumba and yoga classes, etc.
Now that I am 43 pounds lighter, it is much more fun to walk and move around.
N has told us that the "product only" phase is the easiest part of the whole journey, and the challenges begin during transition. I believe her! Just walking through the market, looking at all the food, I can really understand why people get fat. From now on, I can only make good choices and watch everything I eat – weighing, measuring and tracking – if I want to keep this weight from piling back on
I was worried about having the food in my fridge until Tuesday, when I am finally allowed to eat it. Now it doesn't phase me; I know I can hold my horses until then. Eating product only is so simple! I am looking for ways to simplify my eating habits during transition and maintenance, and make sure I always have healthful food on hand.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Week 14, Day 7: My cheat day and working out
I'm now down 37 pounds, and have two more weeks of full product to go before heading into transition. My fear of food has abated and now I've been thinking of new ways to eat, and healthier modifications of favorite recipes.
On Thursday, April 17, I cheated. So far I've been able to resist the cakes, cookies, fudge and bagels. However, on Thursday one of my co-workers brought a platter of baby carrot and celery sticks. This event coincided with my forgetting to pack my nutrition bar in my purse, which gave me the perfect excuse to cheat. :)
I picked up one celery stick (about 2" long) and a baby carrot, and brought them to my desk. When it was time for lunch I munched on them slowly, with itty bitty bites. They tasted good! I was surprised by the strings in the celery, because those had not been in my veggie fantasies. But it was great to have a bit of raw veggie after abstaining all this time.
I'm not a bit remorseful. And that one little cheat was enough for me; no big bags of raw veggies are in my refrigerator to snack on. (Or Oreo cookies, for that matter.)
The other big news is…I joined a gym! A gym near my home is under new ownership and they are running a new member special through the end of April. The monthly rates are very reasonable and there is no contract. For the special they reduced their sign-up fee to $1. I paid a prorated amount for the rest of April, and my full membership will kick in on May 1.
It's a nice gym, large and clean, with lots of machines and equipment. The treadmill I used today was huge, with a secure place for me to put my e-book reader. (Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who reads on the treadmill.) There are also classes available, such as yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, cycling, etc.
I decided to join this gym rather than the yoga studio due to cost; also, there is more variety at the gym and there are several types of exercise I would like to try.
As today is Easter Sunday, the classes were canceled, but I'm going back tomorrow night to try Zumba.:) It's amazing how much easier it is to move around with 37 pounds gone! I feel energized, not exhausted.
The staff member who signed me up at the gym had to fill out a registration form with several questions, one of which was, "How much do you weigh?" Back in January I would have been embarrassed to answer (and would probably have lied). Today I had no problem answering truthfully. He asked me what my goal weight was, and I said, "I weighed 120 in high school, but I don't know if that's achievable at my age." He said, "Sure it is!"
How things have changed in three short months!!
Happy Easter to those who celebrate; and to those who do not, have a great Sunday evening! Here are some of my knitted creations, pattern design by Susan B. Anderson:
On Thursday, April 17, I cheated. So far I've been able to resist the cakes, cookies, fudge and bagels. However, on Thursday one of my co-workers brought a platter of baby carrot and celery sticks. This event coincided with my forgetting to pack my nutrition bar in my purse, which gave me the perfect excuse to cheat. :)
I picked up one celery stick (about 2" long) and a baby carrot, and brought them to my desk. When it was time for lunch I munched on them slowly, with itty bitty bites. They tasted good! I was surprised by the strings in the celery, because those had not been in my veggie fantasies. But it was great to have a bit of raw veggie after abstaining all this time.
I'm not a bit remorseful. And that one little cheat was enough for me; no big bags of raw veggies are in my refrigerator to snack on. (Or Oreo cookies, for that matter.)
The other big news is…I joined a gym! A gym near my home is under new ownership and they are running a new member special through the end of April. The monthly rates are very reasonable and there is no contract. For the special they reduced their sign-up fee to $1. I paid a prorated amount for the rest of April, and my full membership will kick in on May 1.
It's a nice gym, large and clean, with lots of machines and equipment. The treadmill I used today was huge, with a secure place for me to put my e-book reader. (Yes, I'm one of those weirdos who reads on the treadmill.) There are also classes available, such as yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, cycling, etc.
I decided to join this gym rather than the yoga studio due to cost; also, there is more variety at the gym and there are several types of exercise I would like to try.
As today is Easter Sunday, the classes were canceled, but I'm going back tomorrow night to try Zumba.:) It's amazing how much easier it is to move around with 37 pounds gone! I feel energized, not exhausted.
The staff member who signed me up at the gym had to fill out a registration form with several questions, one of which was, "How much do you weigh?" Back in January I would have been embarrassed to answer (and would probably have lied). Today I had no problem answering truthfully. He asked me what my goal weight was, and I said, "I weighed 120 in high school, but I don't know if that's achievable at my age." He said, "Sure it is!"
How things have changed in three short months!!
Happy Easter to those who celebrate; and to those who do not, have a great Sunday evening! Here are some of my knitted creations, pattern design by Susan B. Anderson:
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Week 11, Day 3: Personal Responsibility, or I'm The Boss Of Me
The past two cohort meetings have centered around personal responsibility; both admitting why we got fat and dealing with the times that we slip (and we all will, sooner or later). Someday, something will weaken my resolve and I'll have to work that out when the time comes.
I made myself fat. No one held me down and stuffed food down my throat. If someone made me feel bad, and I reacted by eating a bag of cookies to make myself feel better, that's on me. The other person didn't do it TO me.
That being said, our facilitator, J (our regular leader, N, was absent that night) talked about the Failure Cycle and the Success Cycle. If I'm on the Failure Cycle, I think negative thoughts, don't track my calories, don't exercise, eat too much and gain weight. On the Success Cycle I pick myself up, I acknowledge that I slipped, write it down in my food journal, then keep on tracking and exercising and making good choices.
The emotions on the Failure Cycle are depression, anger, frustration and powerlessness.
The emotions on the Success Cycle are awareness, commitment and self-forgiveness.
But the trick with self-forgiveness is not to make excuses for myself, or justify my actions. It is to acknowledge my mistake, write it down so I don't forget, and move on.
J also talked with us about "black and white thinking", or extremism, where things are good or bad, on or off. Food isn't good or bad, it's just food. I am in control; I choose what to eat or not eat.
When I was growing up, wasting food was tantamount to sinning. My parents were born during the Great Depression; then when they were children, World War II broke out. My father lived in England and my mother in Scotland, and food was rationed (when it was even available).
In our house, we didn't throw food away. My mother cooked healthy and balanced meals, and my parents never got fat (my father is 82 and has always been thin). My brothers and I were on the slim-to-average side because we ran around a lot and didn't get much candy, or any fast food to speak of.
One time, when my brother and I were teenagers, we threw a few eggs at another kid's house. We were found out, of course, and my father was more upset about the wasted eggs than he was about the vandalism.
I gained weight later, much later, after I was older and had been out of the family home for many years. I visited my father the other day, and he told me that he no longer worries about throwing excess food away. He said, "I used to think it was terrible to do that. But it will do no harm to the garbage can, and it might do some real harm to me."
Truer words were never spoken.
Someone brought some Marini's walnut fudge to the office the other day. There was one little piece left, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
Of course I didn't eat it! You guys know me better than that! :)
But...boy, for a minute I sure thought about it!
I'm in control. I'm in charge here. I'm the boss of me.
It has occurred to me that it's time for me to go out into the world and look for activity partners who want to live in a positive, life-affirming, healthy way. There is a yoga studio about a mile from my home, and I haven't been to a yoga class in about three years. Maybe it's time to try again.
I love this blog because I can share my ideas. I'd love to talk with you about yours! Please share, either by PM or in comments.
I made myself fat. No one held me down and stuffed food down my throat. If someone made me feel bad, and I reacted by eating a bag of cookies to make myself feel better, that's on me. The other person didn't do it TO me.
That being said, our facilitator, J (our regular leader, N, was absent that night) talked about the Failure Cycle and the Success Cycle. If I'm on the Failure Cycle, I think negative thoughts, don't track my calories, don't exercise, eat too much and gain weight. On the Success Cycle I pick myself up, I acknowledge that I slipped, write it down in my food journal, then keep on tracking and exercising and making good choices.
The emotions on the Failure Cycle are depression, anger, frustration and powerlessness.
The emotions on the Success Cycle are awareness, commitment and self-forgiveness.
But the trick with self-forgiveness is not to make excuses for myself, or justify my actions. It is to acknowledge my mistake, write it down so I don't forget, and move on.
J also talked with us about "black and white thinking", or extremism, where things are good or bad, on or off. Food isn't good or bad, it's just food. I am in control; I choose what to eat or not eat.
When I was growing up, wasting food was tantamount to sinning. My parents were born during the Great Depression; then when they were children, World War II broke out. My father lived in England and my mother in Scotland, and food was rationed (when it was even available).
In our house, we didn't throw food away. My mother cooked healthy and balanced meals, and my parents never got fat (my father is 82 and has always been thin). My brothers and I were on the slim-to-average side because we ran around a lot and didn't get much candy, or any fast food to speak of.
One time, when my brother and I were teenagers, we threw a few eggs at another kid's house. We were found out, of course, and my father was more upset about the wasted eggs than he was about the vandalism.
I gained weight later, much later, after I was older and had been out of the family home for many years. I visited my father the other day, and he told me that he no longer worries about throwing excess food away. He said, "I used to think it was terrible to do that. But it will do no harm to the garbage can, and it might do some real harm to me."
Truer words were never spoken.
Someone brought some Marini's walnut fudge to the office the other day. There was one little piece left, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.
Of course I didn't eat it! You guys know me better than that! :)
But...boy, for a minute I sure thought about it!
I'm in control. I'm in charge here. I'm the boss of me.
It has occurred to me that it's time for me to go out into the world and look for activity partners who want to live in a positive, life-affirming, healthy way. There is a yoga studio about a mile from my home, and I haven't been to a yoga class in about three years. Maybe it's time to try again.
I love this blog because I can share my ideas. I'd love to talk with you about yours! Please share, either by PM or in comments.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Week 11, Day 1: Thirty pounds released into the wild
I've been a very bad blogger. Week Ten got past me and I didn't make an entry. Nothing much really happened, EXCEPT LOSING 3.6 POUNDS! Bwahahahaha! April Fool!
It's official…I'm now 30 pounds closer to my goal. I'm very pleased about that.
On a sadder note: Our Kaiser cohort group has become very tight and we all try to support each other. A couple of people have left the program for various reasons. One of our cohorters had to leave the program this week, as she has been diagnosed with a serious illness and must start intensive treatment right away. This news hit us all very hard. It is a somber reminder that everything is temporary; nothing is static.
I hope and pray for a miracle -- that our weight-loss friend will be fully cured and able to resume her MWM program next year.
I'm getting used to consuming the meal replacement "products". They are my comfort food, in a way. Most of the others are looking forward to being allowed to have "real" food, but I would be very happy to stay on product indefinitely. It has become my security blanket. We start transition in four weeks, and I need to really look at why I'm clinging to my product. Part of it is laziness…there is nothing easier. No grocery shopping, no decisions to make, nothing to do but add water and stir (or blend).
Being on product and not obsessing about food gives me room in my life for other activities. Like walking! Like movies! Like crafts! I'm signed up for two knit-alongs and one crochet-along for the month of April. Yes, I'm crazy. That is a lot of projects, in addition to a full-time job and other things to do.
The other part is: I'm losing weight. I don't want to put myself in a place where I might slip, or eat something I shouldn't. If I stick to product I can't go wrong. "Real" food is still a minefield for me.
I might have mentioned this before, but I was told that we could opt for an eight-week transition, as opposed to four. A lot of participants are excited to wean themselves away from product because purchasing the products is an additional expense alongside the family grocery budget. But because I live alone, the product replaces my groceries, and cost-wise it's not that much different from when I was cooking and buying food.
So I am hoping that they will okay an eight-week transition for me. Maybe that way I'll be able to prolong the weight loss mode and get close to my goal before having to eat food again.
I have a lot more to say, but it's late and I need to get up early for a 7:15 a.m. meeting at work. Two cohorts ago our group talked about personal responsibility (a favorite topic of mine). Yes, I made myself fat. Not my parents, not my exes, not my boss, not Presidents Bush or Obama.
I eats the food, I pays the price.
More on that enlightening topic next time! :)
It's official…I'm now 30 pounds closer to my goal. I'm very pleased about that.
On a sadder note: Our Kaiser cohort group has become very tight and we all try to support each other. A couple of people have left the program for various reasons. One of our cohorters had to leave the program this week, as she has been diagnosed with a serious illness and must start intensive treatment right away. This news hit us all very hard. It is a somber reminder that everything is temporary; nothing is static.
I hope and pray for a miracle -- that our weight-loss friend will be fully cured and able to resume her MWM program next year.
I'm getting used to consuming the meal replacement "products". They are my comfort food, in a way. Most of the others are looking forward to being allowed to have "real" food, but I would be very happy to stay on product indefinitely. It has become my security blanket. We start transition in four weeks, and I need to really look at why I'm clinging to my product. Part of it is laziness…there is nothing easier. No grocery shopping, no decisions to make, nothing to do but add water and stir (or blend).
Being on product and not obsessing about food gives me room in my life for other activities. Like walking! Like movies! Like crafts! I'm signed up for two knit-alongs and one crochet-along for the month of April. Yes, I'm crazy. That is a lot of projects, in addition to a full-time job and other things to do.
The other part is: I'm losing weight. I don't want to put myself in a place where I might slip, or eat something I shouldn't. If I stick to product I can't go wrong. "Real" food is still a minefield for me.
I might have mentioned this before, but I was told that we could opt for an eight-week transition, as opposed to four. A lot of participants are excited to wean themselves away from product because purchasing the products is an additional expense alongside the family grocery budget. But because I live alone, the product replaces my groceries, and cost-wise it's not that much different from when I was cooking and buying food.
So I am hoping that they will okay an eight-week transition for me. Maybe that way I'll be able to prolong the weight loss mode and get close to my goal before having to eat food again.
I have a lot more to say, but it's late and I need to get up early for a 7:15 a.m. meeting at work. Two cohorts ago our group talked about personal responsibility (a favorite topic of mine). Yes, I made myself fat. Not my parents, not my exes, not my boss, not Presidents Bush or Obama.
I eats the food, I pays the price.
More on that enlightening topic next time! :)
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Week 9, Day 3: Those dreaded words
Today we had another party at work. One of my co-workers (who has a side business planning parties) catered a beautiful spread of sandwiches on croissants, pasta salad, veggies and dip, pink lemonade and (the biggest stumbling-block for me) a huge fresh fruit salad.
I went into the "party room" to hang out for a little while and sip my bottled water. One co-worker (not the caterer) said, "Can't you just have some veggies? There aren't any calories."
Some of my Kaiser co-cohorters (CoCos!) have related similar stories of such things being said to them, but it had not happened to me yet. I'm out of the Optifast closet at work, so everyone knows that I don't eat regular food, and can't for four months. I am not sure what part of PRODUCT ONLY is so hard to understand; people of lesser education and intellect than this gal seem to grasp it! But she just couldn't resist saying it.
I simply answered, "No, I can't" and let it go at that.
Most people are very respectful of me and my choice. A lot of my co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances have commented on my weight loss and have given me encouragement. Friends and family have been my cheerleaders. My brother checks in with me once a week to see how I'm doing and rally me on. My boss is probably the most supportive. The other day he said, "I'm glad you are doing this and I want to help you any way I can. I've got a selfish motive -- if you keel over with a heart attack or stroke, I'm screwed!"
It was a funny thing for him to say, but it made me feel great.
I understand that others are not on my program and "regular life" goes on. There are parties, there are dinners, there are birthdays and special occasions. There will be food everywhere and I have to make choices. What is momentary enjoyment of some food, when my long-term health and well-being is at stake? When we go into transition and then into maintenance I'll have to make these choices all the time. Right now I'm fortunate to have a plan that is set out and spelled out for me…no thinking required.
My goal for this next week, now that my bug has almost run its course, is to be more diligent about exercise. I want to aim for 9000 steps every day until the end of March.
If you are trying to lose weight, how do you handle the insensitive statements of others? And do you have a behavioral goal you would like to achieve this week?
I went into the "party room" to hang out for a little while and sip my bottled water. One co-worker (not the caterer) said, "Can't you just have some veggies? There aren't any calories."
Some of my Kaiser co-cohorters (CoCos!) have related similar stories of such things being said to them, but it had not happened to me yet. I'm out of the Optifast closet at work, so everyone knows that I don't eat regular food, and can't for four months. I am not sure what part of PRODUCT ONLY is so hard to understand; people of lesser education and intellect than this gal seem to grasp it! But she just couldn't resist saying it.
I simply answered, "No, I can't" and let it go at that.
Most people are very respectful of me and my choice. A lot of my co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances have commented on my weight loss and have given me encouragement. Friends and family have been my cheerleaders. My brother checks in with me once a week to see how I'm doing and rally me on. My boss is probably the most supportive. The other day he said, "I'm glad you are doing this and I want to help you any way I can. I've got a selfish motive -- if you keel over with a heart attack or stroke, I'm screwed!"
It was a funny thing for him to say, but it made me feel great.
I understand that others are not on my program and "regular life" goes on. There are parties, there are dinners, there are birthdays and special occasions. There will be food everywhere and I have to make choices. What is momentary enjoyment of some food, when my long-term health and well-being is at stake? When we go into transition and then into maintenance I'll have to make these choices all the time. Right now I'm fortunate to have a plan that is set out and spelled out for me…no thinking required.
My goal for this next week, now that my bug has almost run its course, is to be more diligent about exercise. I want to aim for 9000 steps every day until the end of March.
If you are trying to lose weight, how do you handle the insensitive statements of others? And do you have a behavioral goal you would like to achieve this week?
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Week 9, Day 1: Gratitude
I am almost over my cold now; there is a slight residual cough but I'm pretty much back to normal.
Went to my MWM meeting at Kaiser last night. The weight loss last week was not spectacular (1.2 pounds) but my blood pressure read normal! 127/89. That is so amazing! And to think that as recently as late December, my blood pressure was registering over 190.
I've now lost a total of 24.6 pounds. Staying on the plan is hard at times. I yo-yo between enjoying the product (like tonight's raspberry vanilla shake--yumm!) and being truly tired of having no "regular" food.
Today is the birthday of one of my co-workers. Someone brought chocolate dipped strawberries to work. I resisted all day and didn't even look at them. This afternoon, at about three, I went into the break room and saw one last strawberry on the plate. No one was around, no one would have seen me eat it. And it was just one strawberry! One wouldn't hurt, would it? Did I think about it? Yesssss….. Did I eat it? NO! (Did I take a picture of it? Of course!)
Anyway, enough about chocolate-dipped strawberries! Back to last night's cohort meeting.
One of the physicians came in and talked about ways of dealing with challenges and stress without resorting to self-medicating with food. One of her slides said "Food Is Medicine", which contradicts what I just wrote a sentence ago. But the difference is, food is medicine for our bodies. It should not be an antidepressant, or a mood stabilizer, or an antidote to boredom. There are other ways to cope.
We broke into small groups to brainstorm about coping strategies, or what the doctor calls our "Stress Toolbox". Suggestions were: talking to friends and family; taking a walk; listening to (or playing) music; a bubble bath with candles; creating art or doing a craft; spending time with our pets; reading a good book; watching something uplifting on TV, such as a travelogue or home improvement show.
Chocolate covered strawberries didn't make the list. :)
Since I've been on the program I've pondered a great deal about the triggers that prompted me to overeat. I am a big stress eater. When something goes wrong, or if I'm in an uncomfortable place, having something (anything!) to eat will make me feel better, for a few minutes at least. I am teaching myself to pause and think about what is really going on before grabbing some food and mindlessly eating it. And unfortunately, what I would usually grab was junk and empty calories.
Before this program, I would just put stuff in my mouth without even thinking about it! Now that I am ingesting five Optifast products a day, I think about each one, before and during. I think about the taste, the texture, and I space them out enough so that usually I enjoy the experience. I want to take that new habit into transition and maintenance.
Affirmation: Food is medicine for my body. I mindfully eat only what I need, with gratitude, then put the fork and plate away to move forward and live my life.
What strategies are in your "Stress Toolbox"? What can you do for yourself as an alternative to eating for stress release?
Went to my MWM meeting at Kaiser last night. The weight loss last week was not spectacular (1.2 pounds) but my blood pressure read normal! 127/89. That is so amazing! And to think that as recently as late December, my blood pressure was registering over 190.
I've now lost a total of 24.6 pounds. Staying on the plan is hard at times. I yo-yo between enjoying the product (like tonight's raspberry vanilla shake--yumm!) and being truly tired of having no "regular" food.
Today is the birthday of one of my co-workers. Someone brought chocolate dipped strawberries to work. I resisted all day and didn't even look at them. This afternoon, at about three, I went into the break room and saw one last strawberry on the plate. No one was around, no one would have seen me eat it. And it was just one strawberry! One wouldn't hurt, would it? Did I think about it? Yesssss….. Did I eat it? NO! (Did I take a picture of it? Of course!)
Anyway, enough about chocolate-dipped strawberries! Back to last night's cohort meeting.
One of the physicians came in and talked about ways of dealing with challenges and stress without resorting to self-medicating with food. One of her slides said "Food Is Medicine", which contradicts what I just wrote a sentence ago. But the difference is, food is medicine for our bodies. It should not be an antidepressant, or a mood stabilizer, or an antidote to boredom. There are other ways to cope.
We broke into small groups to brainstorm about coping strategies, or what the doctor calls our "Stress Toolbox". Suggestions were: talking to friends and family; taking a walk; listening to (or playing) music; a bubble bath with candles; creating art or doing a craft; spending time with our pets; reading a good book; watching something uplifting on TV, such as a travelogue or home improvement show.
Chocolate covered strawberries didn't make the list. :)
Since I've been on the program I've pondered a great deal about the triggers that prompted me to overeat. I am a big stress eater. When something goes wrong, or if I'm in an uncomfortable place, having something (anything!) to eat will make me feel better, for a few minutes at least. I am teaching myself to pause and think about what is really going on before grabbing some food and mindlessly eating it. And unfortunately, what I would usually grab was junk and empty calories.
Before this program, I would just put stuff in my mouth without even thinking about it! Now that I am ingesting five Optifast products a day, I think about each one, before and during. I think about the taste, the texture, and I space them out enough so that usually I enjoy the experience. I want to take that new habit into transition and maintenance.
Affirmation: Food is medicine for my body. I mindfully eat only what I need, with gratitude, then put the fork and plate away to move forward and live my life.
What strategies are in your "Stress Toolbox"? What can you do for yourself as an alternative to eating for stress release?
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Week 8, Day 1: Plugging Along
I went to my meeting last night and, according to Kaiser's scale, I lost 3.1 lbs. last week, or 23.4 pounds on the program so far. Yippee! I do feel a lot lighter and more energetic. I can wear smaller jeans.
At the end of this week we will be exactly halfway through the product-only phase of the program. N, our lovely facilitator, said that this is the time that a lot of participants get really sick of eating Optifast product only and want to eat real food. I am feeling very fortunate that I am not experiencing the challenges and road bumps that many of my cohort members are experiencing. I don't have to cook for a spouse or children and smell the food. I don't travel for business or entertain clients at restaurants. I have no cruises or vacations or weddings or any social commitments that require me to be around lots of food. This program is probably easier for me than it is for a lot of people.
I'm not jonesing for "regular" food; not really. Yes, I occasionally think of steamed veggies, or pizza, or yogurt. If I REALLY REALLY wanted to, I could probably munch on a few carrots or celery sticks, or eat an apple, and not suffer any ill effects. But as N says in class, "It's a slippery slope." If I give myself permission to eat raw veggies, it's a short trip from veggies to a piece of chicken breast to fries at McDonalds. And I don't want to go there.
I want to lose the rest of my weight and put the SMART Skills we are learning into practice. I'll never, ever be able to eat what I want and as much as I want. And that is okay. I'd rather be thin than be full.
SMART stands for:
Set a goal
Monitor your progress
Arrange your world for success
Recruit a support team
Treat yourself
(from the book Living Smart: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever, by Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D and Sheri D. Pruitt, Ph.D)
I have the first four nailed down; "treating myself" is a bit more awkward. After all, I'm single with no kids. I am not always denying myself to put my family first. I guess you could say that my life is one big "treat"! When we talked about this in class, N said that it's more about training ourselves not to use food as a reward for meeting our goals. I can buy that. So I guess that instead of having a cookie or a glass of wine and a piece of brie, I need to find something else to "reward" myself with. An iTunes download? A new e-book for my Kindle? A pair of knitting needles? I'll have to figure that out.
Before the program I didn't really look at food as a "reward", though. For me, food was my stress reliever, drug of choice and comforting friend.
Traffic bad on my way home? I'd have a cookie, or two (or three).
Boss being a pain? I'd wait until after five and pour myself a glass or merlot and cut off a hunk of cheese with it. (Cheese is good for your teeth, dontcha know? Red wine, not so much.)
Lonely at home, no one to hang out with? I'd order a pizza from one of the six pizza places within walking distance of my condo, bring it home and chow down. (After all, if I walk there and walk back, I'm burning off the calories, riiiiiight?)
Reading over this post, I've got a lot to be thankful for, and sometimes I don't realize it. I look forward, not to cookies or wine or pizza, but to being the size I want to be, and having a new, healthier body.
If you would care to share your challenges, or what is motivating you to lose weight, I'd love to hear from you!
At the end of this week we will be exactly halfway through the product-only phase of the program. N, our lovely facilitator, said that this is the time that a lot of participants get really sick of eating Optifast product only and want to eat real food. I am feeling very fortunate that I am not experiencing the challenges and road bumps that many of my cohort members are experiencing. I don't have to cook for a spouse or children and smell the food. I don't travel for business or entertain clients at restaurants. I have no cruises or vacations or weddings or any social commitments that require me to be around lots of food. This program is probably easier for me than it is for a lot of people.
I'm not jonesing for "regular" food; not really. Yes, I occasionally think of steamed veggies, or pizza, or yogurt. If I REALLY REALLY wanted to, I could probably munch on a few carrots or celery sticks, or eat an apple, and not suffer any ill effects. But as N says in class, "It's a slippery slope." If I give myself permission to eat raw veggies, it's a short trip from veggies to a piece of chicken breast to fries at McDonalds. And I don't want to go there.
I want to lose the rest of my weight and put the SMART Skills we are learning into practice. I'll never, ever be able to eat what I want and as much as I want. And that is okay. I'd rather be thin than be full.
SMART stands for:
Set a goal
Monitor your progress
Arrange your world for success
Recruit a support team
Treat yourself
(from the book Living Smart: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever, by Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D and Sheri D. Pruitt, Ph.D)
I have the first four nailed down; "treating myself" is a bit more awkward. After all, I'm single with no kids. I am not always denying myself to put my family first. I guess you could say that my life is one big "treat"! When we talked about this in class, N said that it's more about training ourselves not to use food as a reward for meeting our goals. I can buy that. So I guess that instead of having a cookie or a glass of wine and a piece of brie, I need to find something else to "reward" myself with. An iTunes download? A new e-book for my Kindle? A pair of knitting needles? I'll have to figure that out.
Before the program I didn't really look at food as a "reward", though. For me, food was my stress reliever, drug of choice and comforting friend.
Traffic bad on my way home? I'd have a cookie, or two (or three).
Boss being a pain? I'd wait until after five and pour myself a glass or merlot and cut off a hunk of cheese with it. (Cheese is good for your teeth, dontcha know? Red wine, not so much.)
Lonely at home, no one to hang out with? I'd order a pizza from one of the six pizza places within walking distance of my condo, bring it home and chow down. (After all, if I walk there and walk back, I'm burning off the calories, riiiiiight?)
Reading over this post, I've got a lot to be thankful for, and sometimes I don't realize it. I look forward, not to cookies or wine or pizza, but to being the size I want to be, and having a new, healthier body.
If you would care to share your challenges, or what is motivating you to lose weight, I'd love to hear from you!
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