Saturday, June 30, 2007

W.W.W.

W.W.W. Does my title puzzle you? If you are one of my sisters of which I have six, it means Wild Women's Weekend. But that is the source of whole other blog next fall.

Actually the W's stand for three important things & actions in my success this week.

W = WRITE Write down what I am eating. Write down what I am feeling.
This is the first time in my years of trying to lose weight that I have consistently and honestly written down what I'm eating. It builds my responsibility to myself by being accountable. I write down what I eat, how much I eat, the calories and the fat grams. Others might write down their consumption of sugar, food exchanges, carbs, sodium, etc. It's so important to write it down as it's so easy to forget that single piece of sweet that ends up being 100 calories or that spoonful I ate while cooking that ends up being more than the 1/2 cup I thought I consumed.

Writing in this blog is helping me. It keeps me accountable and helps bolster my feelings (emotions).

W= Weigh Weigh my food. Measure my food. I have to know how much I am putting into my mouth. There are a lot of good resources that tell me that 4 ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. Otherwise I use a food scale, which I keep on the counter as a reminder. No more hiding it in the back of the cupboard. One more weigh .... I weigh myself on a scale. In the past I have done daily weigh-in. This time I'm doing it differently, once a week and on Wednesday.... there's a couple of more W's! I don't want to be a "slave" to the scale. I want to focus on eating appropriately each day, one day at a time! However I do realize that the scale will help me see if I need to change some aspects of my food plan.

W= Water Water is such an important part of any food plan and thankfully, I love my water. It hydrates me, it fills me up, its quick and easy and cheap, it's wonderful! Exercise, a word that I often frown at, is important and with any type of exercise, it's important to keep hydrated.

That reminds me there's another W word that is part of my success this week, WALK! I have walked everyday for 20 minutes and today I did 40 minutes. There are so many ways to exercise and right now, I choose to walk. Again, it cheap & easy.

It's been a week since I started this project of changing my lifestyle. It's been very interesting for me. It's different! It different than other times in my life. I am not using the D word diet, because that word and concept punish me and I realize that after so many attempts. This is a change for the better. This feels soooo good! It's uplifting to my spirit and emotions.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Inspiration

"Inspiration" has always been a word that I've liked, it sounds so fulfilling and calming to me. Upon looking up the word in trusty, dusty 10 pound dictionary, I find that first listed meaning of inspiration is "stimulation of the faculties to a high level of feeling or activity." I guess when I feel "fulfilled" that fits in, but "calming"? Oh well, the "high level of feeling or activity" fits in with changing and balancing my lifestyle.

I made the decision to change my lifestyle about a week ago and on Saturday when I started my food plan, my husband asked. "What's different this time? What's motivating you to do this?" My initial response was, "I don't know, it's just time." But his questions have hovered in my mind all week... What is different? What is motivating me?

If you look up the word "motivate" the meaning is "to stimulate to action." Gee, seems I've seen those words before! Another meaning for inspiration is "an agency, such as a person or work of art that moves the intellect or emotions."

SIDE NOTE: You will find if you read this blog long enough that I'm a "word" junkie, I love looking in the dictionary for words and their meanings.

Who or what is inspiring me? Who or what is motivating me? Let me tell you.

Last night I was talking with my husband about this subject and when he questioned me, I told him I didn't think he inspired me. Then I saw a slightly dejected look on his face and I realized that he HAS truly inspired me by accepting me as I am, overweight and under-shaped. To be accepted by your loved-ones is a source of inspiration, maybe not the kind that moves a person to action, but truly moves the emotions. Thank God for those people in our lives!

I live in a neighborhood that every day from early morning hours to late evening hours, you will see a neighbor out walking. These people inspire me, especially the 90 year-old lady out there walking at a good pace! I was beginning to think that I would never live to 90, much less walk like she does unless I changed.

Victor is a weekly columnist in our local paper and his article are so inspiring and thought-provoking. He is a wheel-chair bound college freshman that was not expected to live beyond his tenth birthday. He must be fed & bathed by care-givers, yet he is bound only physically as his mind knows no boundaries. He is free to dream and encourage us all. After reading his articles, I am truly inspired by the choices that I have.... to walk when I want and to put food into my own mouth. Here's his website if interested www.victoralvarezweb.com

I love photography! My photos are my own work-of-art and they inspire me. I enjoy being outside and trying to improve my pictures and techniques. The challenge of "improving" can be transferred to other areas of my life. I think that my photography helps balance me in the areas of emotions and spiritual.

Diana H. is a long-time friend of mine and such a wholesome person! Wholesome.... "sound health and well-being." She exercises, eats wholesome, healthy foods, and has spiritual feelings deeper than most professional theologians that I know. To me, she is the epitome of balance, physical, emotional and spiritual. Thanks Diana & keep on truckin'! Now if she could only find a job! :)

Robyn is my long-time (39 years today) sister. She makes me proud and humble that I'm her sister. She's creative and she inspired me to start this blog. She is, day-by-day, finding and holding on to balance in her life. Way to go!

Last, but not least, is you, the reader of this blog. You keep me inspired to walk, eat appropriately and share my feelings and thoughts. You keep me honest! You are my "accountant," without you I would not have accountability and probably give up!

What is inspiring you? What is motivating you? Ponder on those questions, you may be surprised at what will be your answer.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Breakfast

In the middle of night, I woke up and I felt HUNGRY. I use capital letters, not because it was a severe hunger, but because it was a sensation I have not felt for a long time! Wow, there is another sensation beyond craving and clock watching (i.e. it's time to eat). I remembered reading long ago that breakfast can be broken down to break fast, as in break the fast you endured since last night.

For many years I ignored breakfast, I'd rather sleep & then rush to get ready and out the door. It's a easy habit to maintain. I've changed that in the past nine months. Perhaps, it because my husband is retired and he's up reading the paper with his breakfast and I want to join him before I head out the door. More likely, I have found that when I do eat breakfast, I like it and I don't have that I-can't-wait-for-lunch "hunger" bugging me.

Remember that old TV commercial with Mikey and the cereal..... try it, he likes it. Breakfast, try it, you'll like it! It's worth the time!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Morning Musings

Did your mother ever tell you when you were a kid, "wear clean underwear now, you never know when you might be in an accident"?

Well, I got caught with "dirty underwear" this morning and it's only 6 AM! That "motherly" voice told me as I was getting ready for my walk, "brush your teeth, you never know when you might run into someone on the street." Nah! no bother! Yep, I ran into my neighbor & chatted for a minute & probably good thing it was only a minute. It's much easier to accept (i.e. tolerate) our own morning breath, but we should never make others a victim. Sorry, neighbor!

It's my fourth day of walking, again. I was walking daily last fall, then I got a new job & fell into complacency.... rather sleep-in than walk. Anyway I'm back at it & it feels good. I made it twice around the "block" this morning. Of course I'm sweating like a sweathog, but it feels good. The sense of accomplishment is great. Like my husband teases me, "You move pretty good for a big lady." Got to move on..... to work that is!

Ramblings in the Night

R versus R

It's one of those nights again, the R versus R in my life! Rest versus Ramble! Ramble as in my brain is not resting (i.e. sleeping) therefore thoughts and concerns ramble through my brain for minutes, then hours of my time. I love to sleep and when I'm deprived of sleep, it's one of the most frustrating feelings to me. I think I like to sleep because I dream alot & it's like watching a movie all night long. Of course, sometimes I'm at work all night long & I wake up tired. I tell my husband, "I don't want to go to work, I already put in 8 hours at work last night!"

As I left the bed earlier than usual this morning, my husband asked, "Where you going? To Blog?" He knows me well. :) This blog will be part of my creative outlet. It will be my "Dear Diary" and it will be my accountability log. One of the rambling thoughts I had this morning is .... What have I done by starting a blog about my life and inviting friends & family to read it? I have got to be crazy! What makes us do "crazy" things like this?

They say there's a time for this and time for that. Maybe it's my time to share my rambling thoughts with others. Maybe they will identify with my thoughts and actions. Maybe my changes will be short-lived, maybe they won't. MAYBE is a big word! "Maybe" invites possibilities, challenges and changes. Maybe you and I will have a good day today! Let's hope so!

Monday, June 25, 2007

I have lived 55 good years on this earth. As you can see by my picture, I have lived to eat!

Now, I have gotten tired.... tired of trying to squeeze my body into large size pants that I just bought two months ago. Tired of trying to get my leg up on my knee so that I can put on knee-hi socks . Tired of walking across the parking lot and arriving at the front door of work all winded & hyper-ventilating.

Yes, I have lived-to-eat for many years. I've experienced yo-yo and roller-coaster periods of weight loss & gain. Regretfully, more gains than losses as last Saturday, my scale tipped at the tip-top of my poundage. I saw the "magic" number on the scale, the one that I never wanted to see and the number that said, "this is serious, Rayna."

It's ironic that when the scale tip-toppled at that huge number, I was not upset. I knew it was coming some day as I have lived-to-eat for too many years. Any time I have thought about a diet or even went on a diet, it's always been me whining, "It's not fair!" I sure could do a great imitation of a spoiled rotten kid that wants their way. Yes, I got my way, I ate what I wanted and when I wanted. Now it is time for a big change in my lifestyle or I will not have many more years of life to style!

So far, I have focused this day's blog on my physical weight and appearance, but there is more to this change in lifestyle than what I do or don't put into my mouth and how much exercise I do each day. Physical is part of my lifestyle change, and so is the emotional and spiritual aspects of my life. All three areas need to be in balance, in order for my life as a whole to be in balance. I want my life to be full of peace.

I am an old child of the sixties, but PEACE means so much more than a good, warm, high feeling. It signifies balance to me. If you look up the word 'peace' in the dictionary, the pronunciation is "pes." P, E, S, are the first letters of the works physical, emotional and spiritual. When those three aspects of my life are in balance, I will feel, think and know PEACE.

Join me as I journey to a life of balance and peace!