"Leaving on a jet plane".... tomorrow that is! Going on vacation for 9 days. I will try to see if there is a computer around to blog, but you never know. We're going to the "wilds" of the USA, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Plan to see national parks and take lots of photos.
This is the first vacation that I have not really tried to lose weight for it. You know, lose weight for those big events... weddings, reunions, vacations, etc. Then it's back to reality and the weight comes back on and plus some weight, which often happens.
My focus leading up to this vacation has been in healthy eating and exercising. I know they have roads/streets up there to walk so I should be able to get a mile or two in every day. Plus many hotels have an exercise room, maybe I'll try something different. It will be fun!
Food and eating is a concern as my brain seems to also go on vacation and "logic" stays home. We'll see how we do. I will catch up on all details when I get back! Peace!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Plan to Balance
Here's a quote from Guideposts magazine that Robin Miller, from the Food Network, wrote:
"In my career, writing cookbooks and eventually appearing on television, I was determined to help people develop healthy relationships with food. There are no 'taboo' foods - unless you have a medical condition that requires a special diet, like diabetes. Otherwise, it's all about balance. And balance isn't the same as control. I eat lots of vegetables and fruit. I believe it's essential to exercise and eat healthy. But it's impossible to do that if you feel anxiety about food. You should love your food! People often ask me what they should cut out of their diet. 'Nothing,' I say. 'Take longer walks instead.'"
I think that there is a lot of wisdom in this message. I have been expressing basically the same concept for weeks now. I have not called my lifestyle change a "diet" because that word/concept gets me feeling anxious about my food. The thought of "diet" brings on feeling of deprivation, then despair - "I want that, why can't I have that?"
BUT I am beginning to realize that in my "balancing" of food, I need to eat less of certain foods or cut them out of my food plan entirely in order to LOSE weight. Yes, food is not "taboo," however, some foods may be "triggers." Triggers to our system and psyche to eat more. For some people it may be sweets, others it's flour, others it's meat..... the list can go on and on! Some of us may know right off the bat what our trigger food is, others of us discover as we go forward. I gave up my nightly snack of ice cream as soon as I started this lifestyle change. I thought it would be a struggle, however after the first week, I have hardly missed it. However, the "nightly snack" habit is still a thorn in my side. Lately, I have been having mixed nuts. Now, I know that nuts are a healthy snack for fiber, they are not "taboo." However, one nut equals twenty nuts for me. I can't have just one. Nuts are a trigger for me.... to want more. Even if I measure out the nuts for recording fat grams and calories, I will still go and get more. It's a food that I need to avoid or cut out of my diet.
DIET Die-it That food needs to die (go away) from it - my food plan!
Another thing I have realized in my own life and now in reading emails from others is how much an effect the lack of planning has on our lifestyle, our eating habits, and our ability to make changes in our life - such as lose weight. Before I know it, I have chowed-down this or that, then the remorse comes later or the insight comes later. Remorse may be a strong word, but it seems appropriate many times. Remorse may be the the basis of bulimia. The insight becomes a questioning of myself. Why can't I THINK before I act (eat)? Why can't I PLAN instead of being compulsive?
Compulsiveness is the basis for the need of groups such as Overeaters Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Yes, I have tried Overeaters Anonymous, but I did not recognize my own compulsiveness as I was rejecting their concept of "obsessiveness." I don't eat a whole bag of chips, cookies, pasta, etc, etc.... in one setting.
Getting back to my original thought, PLANNING takes work. It takes effort. It's sometimes much easier to fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants and EAT whatever we want (i.e. compulsiveness). Planning is the basis of balance ... which is what I think the author, Robin Miller, was promoting in the quote above. By planning my food, I can determine and decide to have a balance of foods. This plan or balance may include more of one type of foods and less of another. Each person is different so I can't determine any one's food plan other than my own. It has been trial and error for me and I'm still learning.
Peace!
"In my career, writing cookbooks and eventually appearing on television, I was determined to help people develop healthy relationships with food. There are no 'taboo' foods - unless you have a medical condition that requires a special diet, like diabetes. Otherwise, it's all about balance. And balance isn't the same as control. I eat lots of vegetables and fruit. I believe it's essential to exercise and eat healthy. But it's impossible to do that if you feel anxiety about food. You should love your food! People often ask me what they should cut out of their diet. 'Nothing,' I say. 'Take longer walks instead.'"
I think that there is a lot of wisdom in this message. I have been expressing basically the same concept for weeks now. I have not called my lifestyle change a "diet" because that word/concept gets me feeling anxious about my food. The thought of "diet" brings on feeling of deprivation, then despair - "I want that, why can't I have that?"
BUT I am beginning to realize that in my "balancing" of food, I need to eat less of certain foods or cut them out of my food plan entirely in order to LOSE weight. Yes, food is not "taboo," however, some foods may be "triggers." Triggers to our system and psyche to eat more. For some people it may be sweets, others it's flour, others it's meat..... the list can go on and on! Some of us may know right off the bat what our trigger food is, others of us discover as we go forward. I gave up my nightly snack of ice cream as soon as I started this lifestyle change. I thought it would be a struggle, however after the first week, I have hardly missed it. However, the "nightly snack" habit is still a thorn in my side. Lately, I have been having mixed nuts. Now, I know that nuts are a healthy snack for fiber, they are not "taboo." However, one nut equals twenty nuts for me. I can't have just one. Nuts are a trigger for me.... to want more. Even if I measure out the nuts for recording fat grams and calories, I will still go and get more. It's a food that I need to avoid or cut out of my diet.
DIET Die-it That food needs to die (go away) from it - my food plan!
Another thing I have realized in my own life and now in reading emails from others is how much an effect the lack of planning has on our lifestyle, our eating habits, and our ability to make changes in our life - such as lose weight. Before I know it, I have chowed-down this or that, then the remorse comes later or the insight comes later. Remorse may be a strong word, but it seems appropriate many times. Remorse may be the the basis of bulimia. The insight becomes a questioning of myself. Why can't I THINK before I act (eat)? Why can't I PLAN instead of being compulsive?
Compulsiveness is the basis for the need of groups such as Overeaters Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Yes, I have tried Overeaters Anonymous, but I did not recognize my own compulsiveness as I was rejecting their concept of "obsessiveness." I don't eat a whole bag of chips, cookies, pasta, etc, etc.... in one setting.
Getting back to my original thought, PLANNING takes work. It takes effort. It's sometimes much easier to fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants and EAT whatever we want (i.e. compulsiveness). Planning is the basis of balance ... which is what I think the author, Robin Miller, was promoting in the quote above. By planning my food, I can determine and decide to have a balance of foods. This plan or balance may include more of one type of foods and less of another. Each person is different so I can't determine any one's food plan other than my own. It has been trial and error for me and I'm still learning.
Peace!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Catching up
There is a word to describe a stop or slow-down in weight loss, it's called a "plateau." I have come up with a different phrase, I'm calling it "catching-up." My physical, emotional & spiritual selves are catching up with the whirlwind journey I have embarked on. It seems that everything has been going fast, including weight loss. Emotions have been flying around me and in my head for weeks now, many expressed here in this blog.
The past couple of weeks, I have needed to catch-up with everything. Slow down the thoughts and emotions, which means blogging/writing less. Slow down the weight loss, which means eating more. Not really eating a whole lot more, I'm maintaining. I feel like I needed my skin to catch up on the weight loss, so I don't have to have a tummy tuck later. That may sound crazy and perhaps sounds like an excuse, but I'm OK with this slow-down. Granted I want to lose more weight and I will.
I realize that I need to have a "burning desire" to lose weight more than my burning desire to eat certain foods. I have to remind myself, "I know what that (food) tastes like so I don't need to have that food right now." I may decide later or tomorrow to have that food, BUT right now I don't need it, I know what it tastes like. A desire is something or someone we want so badly, that it hurts just thinking about not having it in our life. It burns us, it brands us.
What burning desire do we each submit or give in to? Is it appropriate for our life? Is it healthy for us? What catching up do we each need for our life?
Peace!
The past couple of weeks, I have needed to catch-up with everything. Slow down the thoughts and emotions, which means blogging/writing less. Slow down the weight loss, which means eating more. Not really eating a whole lot more, I'm maintaining. I feel like I needed my skin to catch up on the weight loss, so I don't have to have a tummy tuck later. That may sound crazy and perhaps sounds like an excuse, but I'm OK with this slow-down. Granted I want to lose more weight and I will.
I realize that I need to have a "burning desire" to lose weight more than my burning desire to eat certain foods. I have to remind myself, "I know what that (food) tastes like so I don't need to have that food right now." I may decide later or tomorrow to have that food, BUT right now I don't need it, I know what it tastes like. A desire is something or someone we want so badly, that it hurts just thinking about not having it in our life. It burns us, it brands us.
What burning desire do we each submit or give in to? Is it appropriate for our life? Is it healthy for us? What catching up do we each need for our life?
Peace!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Darkness & Doubt
I read with interest the article that describes Mother Teresa's decades-long battle with darkness, doubt and spiritual drought. Who would have thought? I was certainly surprised.
I am certain that most of us would doubt the existence of a loving God if we, like her, had witnessed all the poverty, illness and starvation in India. Yet she continued to serve God's people throughout her life. What a noble woman!
I agree with the people that think that her letters should be made public, it has already brought inspiration to me. To think that a woman-of-God, who dedicated her life to serving God by serving humans, had cries of anguish and could be honest about her thoughts and feelings is remarkable. What a remarkable woman!
Mother Teresa was honest with God. In my previous blog entries I have expressed my doubts and spiritual drought, and I gather comfort in the fact that I am not alone in these experiences. It reminds me of an old motto, "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven." What a powerful word.... forgiven. If we confess our sins to God, we will be forgiven. The slate of sin is wiped clean.
Mother Teresa was not perfect. What a human woman! May this "human" side of her open up the dialogue for doubters like me to express & feel God's love in the forgiveness. May this "human" side of her open up the windows and doors to shed light on my darkness. May this "human" side of her open up the dams of refreshing water to rid my life of spiritual drought. May the experiences of Mother Teresa open up our hearts and minds to God's love.
Peace.
I am certain that most of us would doubt the existence of a loving God if we, like her, had witnessed all the poverty, illness and starvation in India. Yet she continued to serve God's people throughout her life. What a noble woman!
I agree with the people that think that her letters should be made public, it has already brought inspiration to me. To think that a woman-of-God, who dedicated her life to serving God by serving humans, had cries of anguish and could be honest about her thoughts and feelings is remarkable. What a remarkable woman!
Mother Teresa was honest with God. In my previous blog entries I have expressed my doubts and spiritual drought, and I gather comfort in the fact that I am not alone in these experiences. It reminds me of an old motto, "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven." What a powerful word.... forgiven. If we confess our sins to God, we will be forgiven. The slate of sin is wiped clean.
Mother Teresa was not perfect. What a human woman! May this "human" side of her open up the dialogue for doubters like me to express & feel God's love in the forgiveness. May this "human" side of her open up the windows and doors to shed light on my darkness. May this "human" side of her open up the dams of refreshing water to rid my life of spiritual drought. May the experiences of Mother Teresa open up our hearts and minds to God's love.
Peace.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Doing a double take
Sorry about the duplicate posts from this morning & last night! For some reason I could not get my Friday's entry to post, so I re-wrote it this morning & when I "published" this morning's entry, both of them published. I really don't like seeing me "double." But I'm not computer-savvy enough to know how to delete one of them.
I do notice on my current picture that my double chin is not as prominent. There's hope for me yet! Peace
I do notice on my current picture that my double chin is not as prominent. There's hope for me yet! Peace
Happy Day!
In honor of my 10% weight loss. I ordered myself a matching skirt and top and then another top all in a smaller size. I thought that I may have to hang them up in my closet for incentive, but they all fit. YEA! Happy Day!
Thanks to all who read this blog and have given me so much encouragement to continue on this journey. You comments and e-mails mean a lot to me Peace!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)