Motivation. We all need it at different points in our lives. I've been searching for mine. I've been looking for my motivation for exercise. I've been looking & looking but just can't seem to find it.
I remember how much I enjoy exercise. The elation, the calm & relaxed feelings of euphoria as I get into my groove. How my breathing was in and out of the gym. How much better I sleep. How much easier I wake up. How I have energy during the day. All of these reminders should be the motivation to get back into the swing of things. They aren't.
Working six days a week, 5 of them just about straight nine hour days makes for a tired girl at night. Excuses, I know. I'm not going to get up extra early to go the YMCA, which is two minutes up the road from me, literally. I go to bed after 11pm most nights. Getting up at 5am to go early just won't work for me. I should go after work. I'm motivated during the day then it totally peters out. It's exhausting being busy all day, on the phone, super multitasking, talking to people, rushing, doing, going. By the end of the day I just want a little peace and quiet. I plan to try and be in bed by 9:30pm but that just doesn't happen. I seem to get a second wind around 9pm or so, then piddle around making my lunches & snacks for the next day. I suppose if I were exercising regularly, that wouldn't happen.
Today something happened that wasn't very positive. I was on my way to work & there is an intersection I cross over every day. The left lane is the turn left/go straight lane and the right one is right turn only. So I was 2nd in line behind a car also going straight. When the light turned green we started to move. The 2 big trucks to my right, one with a trailer were not aware of how the lanes actually work because they went straight through the light instead of turning right like they were supposed to. So I laid on my horn & started screaming at the one guy. He didn't think he did anything wrong & here we are stopped in the middle of the road for my screaming & his ignorance. It was at THAT very moment it occurred to me I need to go to the YMCA. That is not how I normally react to things. That's bad, very bad. Anyone who knows me would have been shocked at my behavior. Hell, I was shocked at my behavior.
So I took some deep breaths & calmed myself down. I've decided to go back to my minimum exercise requirement to get me started. It's just something I've set for myself. Just get to the gym & burn 300 calories doing something. Doesn't matter how long it takes, just do it. Usually I end up going & doing more. It occurred to me that I need to do for me and no one else. What is better motivation other than taking care of yourself?
Anyone who would like to share their motivation, it would be greatly welcomed!!
Happily,
Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Is that a tuba in your back pocket or are you just happy to see me?
So this week has been a super successful week for me in terms of eating. I have been super focused & planning ahead. I'm proud of myself for doing well. I have been trying a lot of new things. I tried Quinoa for the first time. I made it & tried it before I turned it into my side dish, a recipe from Oxygen Magazine. I was surprised at how good it tasted. I found dried fruit at Costco that is no sugar added. Side note: Why would anyone add sugar to dried fruit? I'm not a fan of the apples but the other fruits: two kinds of apricots, peaches, pears & plums are delicious.
I enjoyed a little too much of the fruit one night. As my body slept, it processed the last meal of the day. By morning my colon revolted against me. And by revolt I mean "If I'm not 15 pounds lighter, where did that all come from?" type of revolt. I felt really light on my feet that day!!!!
Ironically & very recently, the status of "The Eating-Clean Diet" on Facebook asked for tips from fans for those who are starting their eating clean journey. One person posted that in the beginning you will be very gassy. That it takes some time for the body to adjust. One person said it takes about 6 weeks for the body to adjust. I hope that I survive the next few weeks, as well as my loved ones & coworkers, survive as well. Seriously.
I joked to Jay that I needed some potato chips to calm my body & bring it back to normal. Hahaha potato chips to make my body feel normal......who would have ever thought? In reality, my "normal" is not a healthy normal, the greasy chips just made me sluggish & feel like poo. I'm taking my body through a readjustment period & I know one day my friend foods will truly no longer be a part of my life. My body won't be able to handle them.
As with anything new, there is an adjustment period. I know my body is adjusting to all the good fuels I am giving it. I suppose it's purging all the things, toxins, that I have put into it for so long. Maybe all the sounds it's making is a chorus of thank yous, an ovation (though not a standing one, hahaha) of sorts for my efforts.
I like that even though the Eat-Clean Diet uses the word "diet" it's really a lifestyle. I like that all the advice given is for gradual changes. That if a person tried to go "hard-core" the potential for failure is greater. Granted, I'm not 100% clean, I haven't moved from bottled dressings & I still like milk & sweetener in my tea, but most of my recent food choices have been clean. I look forward to breakfast every day. I graze on healthy things all day long. I've found that the recipes I have tried, which is only 3, all of them were delicious. Imagine that. Healthy foods that taste delicious. Who would have ever thunk it?
As I stated in my first post of my blog, every day I try. Some days I'm uber successful, some days not so much. But I have noticed that my bad choices happen a lot less often.
So I will continue on, eating my fiber rich, lean protein, complex carb foods. I will continue trying every day. I will continue trying new foods and I will toot my way through the days of my journey, hoping I don't offend someone too much.
I learned how to add links. I added some today, one to Oxygen Magazine and to The Eat-Clean Diet, haha I did it twice. Look at me go! Anyway, check them out, see what I'm talking about. It's free information. The two links are related to each other. While you're at it, check out Tosca Reno, she turned her life around by eating clean, losing 80 pounds & becoming a huge inspiration. She's the one behind the Eating-Clean books & website.
Have a tootful day!!!
Happily & gassily,
Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
I enjoyed a little too much of the fruit one night. As my body slept, it processed the last meal of the day. By morning my colon revolted against me. And by revolt I mean "If I'm not 15 pounds lighter, where did that all come from?" type of revolt. I felt really light on my feet that day!!!!
Ironically & very recently, the status of "The Eating-Clean Diet" on Facebook asked for tips from fans for those who are starting their eating clean journey. One person posted that in the beginning you will be very gassy. That it takes some time for the body to adjust. One person said it takes about 6 weeks for the body to adjust. I hope that I survive the next few weeks, as well as my loved ones & coworkers, survive as well. Seriously.
I joked to Jay that I needed some potato chips to calm my body & bring it back to normal. Hahaha potato chips to make my body feel normal......who would have ever thought? In reality, my "normal" is not a healthy normal, the greasy chips just made me sluggish & feel like poo. I'm taking my body through a readjustment period & I know one day my friend foods will truly no longer be a part of my life. My body won't be able to handle them.
As with anything new, there is an adjustment period. I know my body is adjusting to all the good fuels I am giving it. I suppose it's purging all the things, toxins, that I have put into it for so long. Maybe all the sounds it's making is a chorus of thank yous, an ovation (though not a standing one, hahaha) of sorts for my efforts.
I like that even though the Eat-Clean Diet uses the word "diet" it's really a lifestyle. I like that all the advice given is for gradual changes. That if a person tried to go "hard-core" the potential for failure is greater. Granted, I'm not 100% clean, I haven't moved from bottled dressings & I still like milk & sweetener in my tea, but most of my recent food choices have been clean. I look forward to breakfast every day. I graze on healthy things all day long. I've found that the recipes I have tried, which is only 3, all of them were delicious. Imagine that. Healthy foods that taste delicious. Who would have ever thunk it?
As I stated in my first post of my blog, every day I try. Some days I'm uber successful, some days not so much. But I have noticed that my bad choices happen a lot less often.
So I will continue on, eating my fiber rich, lean protein, complex carb foods. I will continue trying every day. I will continue trying new foods and I will toot my way through the days of my journey, hoping I don't offend someone too much.
I learned how to add links. I added some today, one to Oxygen Magazine and to The Eat-Clean Diet, haha I did it twice. Look at me go! Anyway, check them out, see what I'm talking about. It's free information. The two links are related to each other. While you're at it, check out Tosca Reno, she turned her life around by eating clean, losing 80 pounds & becoming a huge inspiration. She's the one behind the Eating-Clean books & website.
Have a tootful day!!!
Happily & gassily,
Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Goals & No, I'm not talking about Hockey
What do we consider a goal? Getting all the laundry done & put away? Paying all your bills on time? Running for one minute on the treadmill? Goals are different for all of us. We would never consider completing laundry or paying bills on time as goals, but if you think about it, they are. You started something, you finished it. You had a goal. Sometimes we reach our goals & feel accomplished. Sometimes we don't & we have to keep working.
Did you ever stop to think about all the little mini goals you have within the BIG ones? I imagine most people don't think about that. I never used to. When I sit and things about particular "things" in my life, there were little mini goals that I suppose I had in the back of my mind. I don't even think I thought of them as goals.
Way back in the very beginning of 2004 I was working for a lawyer & I had applied to the State of NJ to be a parole officer. I had gotten the call to be interviewed & went & they pretty much were going to hire me. When I had my home visit, the detectives told me to start running. I knew I was in deep doo doo. I had gained a lot of weight, I had shattered my ankle 3 years before & was told the damage was so bad I really shouldn't do any weight bearing activity at all. Nice. Well, I walked my booty into the local gym & said "I need some help. I'm going to be going to the State Trooper Academy in 2 months & need to lose some weight". So I got a trainer & then decided not to take the job for reasons irrelevant to my story.
It was so hard for me to walk into that gym. Obviously it looked like I need to be there. But I did it, over and over and over again. Every time it was hard for me to walk in. I was successful at establishing a regular workout schedule. I lifted weights & walked on the treadmill. I refused to do any other type of cardio or use anything but machines. I worked with that trainer for a while, but felt I wasn't getting anything out of it. Partly because of my eating habits & partly because there wasn't any variation to my workouts. My trainer didn't exactly push me. So I stopped with him and started doing things on my own. This is around when I started educating myself. I read a lot & got a couple of books.
Yes, this is long but there is a point. Stay with me.
One day, as I was alone, doing weights I received a compliment from a different trainer & the girl she was training. I was told I look great. Me???? Wow!!! Eventually I would see them often & would we'd chat. Well, then I started training with them. Ironically, the two of them have become very important to me. Who would have ever thought that something so simple as kind, positive words would mean so much to me? I usually refer to them as My Donna & My Amy. When I really think about it, I think they were my first friends in NJ that were MINE. They didn't come with another other package. They belonged to me and only me. :)
So as I worked out with Donna, she would change things up every time. Forcing me out of my comfort zone. I was doing all the things I didn't want to. Oddly, I liked it. I looked forward to doing cardio with Amy. We were like gym ambassadors, riding the exercise bikes to Dairy Queen. We said hi to everyone, we talked to everyone, we had such a great time. Notice I said I was riding the exercise bike? Yeah, eventually Donna got me on the cross trainer. The first time I did it, I don't think I could handle longer than 3 minutes but she pushed me to 7. She rode the cross trainer next to me the whole time. I did it, my heart was pounding out of my chest but I survived.
There are lots of details about my friendship with Amy that have played a huge part in my life. She was part of a lot of my mini goals. I will be forever thankful to her for that. While Amy & I don't ride the exercise bikes to Dairy Queen anymore, we still talk. I'm hoping to convince her to join the YMCA with me so we can resume riding....
My training with Donna was/is important. She pushed me. I tried so many new things. She's really the reason behind today's particular blog. One "thing" happened during a training season with Donna, Elysia & I. Elysia had become my new gym buddy. I'm also trying to convince her the YMCA is a good place to workout. Elysia & I worked out hard together whether it was with Donna or not. Elysia & I would do lots of cardio together, then we'd practice things in the gym that we had done with Donna. I would ask Donna to use free weights (notice not machines) & she'd work us out, full body training, with free weights. Well, Elysia & I had to do planks to strengthen our cores. A plank is where you are in push-up position & you hold it for a matter of time. Well the first time we did them I could see the blubber in my arms shaking because holding the position for more than 5 seconds was extremely hard. I couldn't take it. I got upset & had to fight the tears. I was done with the gym that day. Both Donna & Elysia had encouraging words for me.
Anyway, Elysia & I would practice planks together. One of us would count for the other. It's easier that way. I think we got up to holding the position for 30 seconds. Then one day Donna said we were doing planks on the stability ball. The ball under our feet, hands on the floor. We fell off every. single. time. But we kept practicing. We got so good we could then roll the ball in to our chests & then do a push-up. The more I read, the more we trained with Donna, the more we worked out I wanted to get to that next "thing" but I couldn't get there without succeeding in those little "things". Each time I could do something longer I achieved a small goal. I didn't look at it as a goal. I just wanted the big "thing". To me it was exciting. My body, our bodies are amazing machines & when I think about it, it fascinates me. We are capable of so much.
I train with Donna here & there. I stopped going to my old gym & don't get to workout with Elysia anymore either. I'm working on my own. So far, not so good. I haven't had any goals. But writing this helped me figure some out. I know I'm capable, I just have to put the work in. I want to get back, strength wise where I was. I need to rebuild a lot of the muscle I have lost. The YMCA is new, with new people & I have the fear of being made fun of. I know it's a dumb fear, but it's real to me. I know probably every other person feels the same way I do. I did it once before, I can do it again, but this time I have a lot more knowledge. I'd also want to run. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to. I have to do a lot of little "things", set some small goals & achieve them before I get there.
So I know what I want to do, what I need to do & how to get there. I'm going to write down my mini goals & hang them on my refrigerator. I think it's a good place to put reminders. I'm not going to set a date for each little goal. My life is a journey that has a lot of paths to take. As long as I move forward toward each goal that is an accomplishment all in itself.
Happily,
Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Did you ever stop to think about all the little mini goals you have within the BIG ones? I imagine most people don't think about that. I never used to. When I sit and things about particular "things" in my life, there were little mini goals that I suppose I had in the back of my mind. I don't even think I thought of them as goals.
Way back in the very beginning of 2004 I was working for a lawyer & I had applied to the State of NJ to be a parole officer. I had gotten the call to be interviewed & went & they pretty much were going to hire me. When I had my home visit, the detectives told me to start running. I knew I was in deep doo doo. I had gained a lot of weight, I had shattered my ankle 3 years before & was told the damage was so bad I really shouldn't do any weight bearing activity at all. Nice. Well, I walked my booty into the local gym & said "I need some help. I'm going to be going to the State Trooper Academy in 2 months & need to lose some weight". So I got a trainer & then decided not to take the job for reasons irrelevant to my story.
It was so hard for me to walk into that gym. Obviously it looked like I need to be there. But I did it, over and over and over again. Every time it was hard for me to walk in. I was successful at establishing a regular workout schedule. I lifted weights & walked on the treadmill. I refused to do any other type of cardio or use anything but machines. I worked with that trainer for a while, but felt I wasn't getting anything out of it. Partly because of my eating habits & partly because there wasn't any variation to my workouts. My trainer didn't exactly push me. So I stopped with him and started doing things on my own. This is around when I started educating myself. I read a lot & got a couple of books.
Yes, this is long but there is a point. Stay with me.
One day, as I was alone, doing weights I received a compliment from a different trainer & the girl she was training. I was told I look great. Me???? Wow!!! Eventually I would see them often & would we'd chat. Well, then I started training with them. Ironically, the two of them have become very important to me. Who would have ever thought that something so simple as kind, positive words would mean so much to me? I usually refer to them as My Donna & My Amy. When I really think about it, I think they were my first friends in NJ that were MINE. They didn't come with another other package. They belonged to me and only me. :)
So as I worked out with Donna, she would change things up every time. Forcing me out of my comfort zone. I was doing all the things I didn't want to. Oddly, I liked it. I looked forward to doing cardio with Amy. We were like gym ambassadors, riding the exercise bikes to Dairy Queen. We said hi to everyone, we talked to everyone, we had such a great time. Notice I said I was riding the exercise bike? Yeah, eventually Donna got me on the cross trainer. The first time I did it, I don't think I could handle longer than 3 minutes but she pushed me to 7. She rode the cross trainer next to me the whole time. I did it, my heart was pounding out of my chest but I survived.
There are lots of details about my friendship with Amy that have played a huge part in my life. She was part of a lot of my mini goals. I will be forever thankful to her for that. While Amy & I don't ride the exercise bikes to Dairy Queen anymore, we still talk. I'm hoping to convince her to join the YMCA with me so we can resume riding....
My training with Donna was/is important. She pushed me. I tried so many new things. She's really the reason behind today's particular blog. One "thing" happened during a training season with Donna, Elysia & I. Elysia had become my new gym buddy. I'm also trying to convince her the YMCA is a good place to workout. Elysia & I worked out hard together whether it was with Donna or not. Elysia & I would do lots of cardio together, then we'd practice things in the gym that we had done with Donna. I would ask Donna to use free weights (notice not machines) & she'd work us out, full body training, with free weights. Well, Elysia & I had to do planks to strengthen our cores. A plank is where you are in push-up position & you hold it for a matter of time. Well the first time we did them I could see the blubber in my arms shaking because holding the position for more than 5 seconds was extremely hard. I couldn't take it. I got upset & had to fight the tears. I was done with the gym that day. Both Donna & Elysia had encouraging words for me.
Anyway, Elysia & I would practice planks together. One of us would count for the other. It's easier that way. I think we got up to holding the position for 30 seconds. Then one day Donna said we were doing planks on the stability ball. The ball under our feet, hands on the floor. We fell off every. single. time. But we kept practicing. We got so good we could then roll the ball in to our chests & then do a push-up. The more I read, the more we trained with Donna, the more we worked out I wanted to get to that next "thing" but I couldn't get there without succeeding in those little "things". Each time I could do something longer I achieved a small goal. I didn't look at it as a goal. I just wanted the big "thing". To me it was exciting. My body, our bodies are amazing machines & when I think about it, it fascinates me. We are capable of so much.
I train with Donna here & there. I stopped going to my old gym & don't get to workout with Elysia anymore either. I'm working on my own. So far, not so good. I haven't had any goals. But writing this helped me figure some out. I know I'm capable, I just have to put the work in. I want to get back, strength wise where I was. I need to rebuild a lot of the muscle I have lost. The YMCA is new, with new people & I have the fear of being made fun of. I know it's a dumb fear, but it's real to me. I know probably every other person feels the same way I do. I did it once before, I can do it again, but this time I have a lot more knowledge. I'd also want to run. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to. I have to do a lot of little "things", set some small goals & achieve them before I get there.
So I know what I want to do, what I need to do & how to get there. I'm going to write down my mini goals & hang them on my refrigerator. I think it's a good place to put reminders. I'm not going to set a date for each little goal. My life is a journey that has a lot of paths to take. As long as I move forward toward each goal that is an accomplishment all in itself.
Happily,
Elizabeth
grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Get Out of My Way!
The kind of day I had today would have been a chips, wings, pop, if it's not nailed down I'm eating it & don't try to effing stop me. My hormones were raging, I'm overwhelmed at work & extremely overtired. I had a slight break down today with tears involved.
As I sat at my desk, I started thinking how a hot fudge sundae would be tasty. Then I thought I needed something salty so chips would be good too. As I thought more I was ready to pass on the ice cream & just have hot fudge. Then I was trying to plan my evening to get all the "provisions". Then I decided it wasn't worth it. I went back to my original plan. Have the dinner I planned & bake the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was in some desperate need for chocolate.
The recipe is in my Clean Eating magazine. It said with these six ingredients
you'd want to sink your teeth into these cookies. They are gluten free, no-flour, dairy-free & low in sugar. I figured I would give them a shot but I had some doubts. I mean who wouldn't, all the good stuff would be missing, right?
I mixed everything up, didn't taste the batter like I usually do. I want to truly enjoy the finished product. I put them on the cookie sheet & baked them up. They don't bake for very long. Well, they came out of the oven looking pretty tasty. You really have to wait the amount it says to cool. I don't have my cooling racks & I had to cool them on a plate.
This is what the final baked product looked like
Let me tell you something, these cookies rock!!! Oh my goodness!!!! I couldn't believe it. Absofreakinlutely delicious!!!! Wow!!!! Two cookies satisfied my need for chocolate. It was all I needed.
I have more of a point than talking about cookies too. I worked through some emotional stuff today without food. HUGE! I also compromised. I made something a little more healthy, still have the chocolate my body was needing. I got what I wanted without doing it in a destructive way. That makes me very happy.
If anyone would like this recipe, I will be more than happy to share. I have set up an e-mail for this blog, feel free to e-mail me directly, anytime for recipes, encouragement (to & from), motivation (to & from) or for anything really. You can get me at grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Happily,
Elizabeth
As I sat at my desk, I started thinking how a hot fudge sundae would be tasty. Then I thought I needed something salty so chips would be good too. As I thought more I was ready to pass on the ice cream & just have hot fudge. Then I was trying to plan my evening to get all the "provisions". Then I decided it wasn't worth it. I went back to my original plan. Have the dinner I planned & bake the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was in some desperate need for chocolate.
The recipe is in my Clean Eating magazine. It said with these six ingredients
you'd want to sink your teeth into these cookies. They are gluten free, no-flour, dairy-free & low in sugar. I figured I would give them a shot but I had some doubts. I mean who wouldn't, all the good stuff would be missing, right?I mixed everything up, didn't taste the batter like I usually do. I want to truly enjoy the finished product. I put them on the cookie sheet & baked them up. They don't bake for very long. Well, they came out of the oven looking pretty tasty. You really have to wait the amount it says to cool. I don't have my cooling racks & I had to cool them on a plate.
This is what the final baked product looked like
Let me tell you something, these cookies rock!!! Oh my goodness!!!! I couldn't believe it. Absofreakinlutely delicious!!!! Wow!!!! Two cookies satisfied my need for chocolate. It was all I needed.
I have more of a point than talking about cookies too. I worked through some emotional stuff today without food. HUGE! I also compromised. I made something a little more healthy, still have the chocolate my body was needing. I got what I wanted without doing it in a destructive way. That makes me very happy.
If anyone would like this recipe, I will be more than happy to share. I have set up an e-mail for this blog, feel free to e-mail me directly, anytime for recipes, encouragement (to & from), motivation (to & from) or for anything really. You can get me at grazingthroughlife@gmail.com
Happily,
Elizabeth
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Gratification
Let me first start by saying that anything I post pertains to me and no one else. I feel I need to have that disclaimer.
So I titled this post about gratification. The Wikipedia definition is: the pleasurable emotional reaction of happiness in response to a fulfillment of a desire or the fulfillment of a goal. I am an instant gratification kind of girl. Gotta have it, right now, this very second. Guess what? That doesn't happen.
When I was younger, although I was never thin, I used to pray to wake up thin. I just wanted to be thin, accepted, liked. I didn't care how it happened, it just better happen. As I got older & gained more weight I still wanted to be thin, instantly. I eventually got to a point where I had actually told my doctor at the time I wanted to have gastric bypass surgery (GBS). She gave me the ok & I found a place that had meetings, so I went. I got my binder, I talked with a nurse & sat in on a discussion group.
I learned a lot. I learned that when choosing a snack having peaut M & M's were a much better choice than pretzels. Why? Because the peanuts offer some sort of protein. Go figure! I learned that sometimes people's bodies "reject" foods. For no reason. Some people can't eat steak or bread. It isn't that they don't want to, their body just can't handle it. Well gee, that doesn't sound very good. I like steak & bread, I may have to live without them? I learned about the "dumps". The dumps is where you have too much sugar & you get flu-like symptoms, including the trots. Yeah, I said trots, it was the nicest word I could think of. I don't really find the trots to be much fun. You can never drink fully carbonated pop. Apparently it comes out the staple seam. They gave me this visual: Put some pop in a ziploc bag then shake it up & see what happens. You have to stir the carbonation out of pop before you drink it. What's the point then? I like carbonated beverages, especially lemon-lime seltzer.
I've known a couple people who have had GBS. One woman has skin that looks very gray. A lot of her hair has fallen out & is very thin. Another woman has gained a lot of her weight back. Imagine, going through GBS, losing weight then gaining it all back. You can stretch out your smaller stomach to fill it back up & go right back to square one.
Well, all of this got me to thinking. How could I go through all of that only to possibly gain the weight back? Back then (I had my GBS meeting probably 7 years ago) I started to realize that if my head wasn't in the right place then it didn't matter what I did I wouldn't lose the weight or I would lose it but not eep it off. So I decided there wasn't any point in going through with the surgery if I didn't know if I could truly be successful. I knew my head wasn't right and that I needed to do some work on it, but it wouldn't be until a few years later that I actually took action on getting my head on straight.
So here we are. I've been diligently reading my Clean Eating magazines, my Clean Eating book & scouring this website www.eatcleandiet.com for all the useful information I could find. www.cleaneatingmag.com has a 7 day menu you can download and printout. I thought I could pick my own foods & make it up as I go. I figured out I need help, mainly because I falter. I got the ingredients for a few recipes. I will post them along with pictures. I printed out my 7 day meal planner. The magazines also offer 2 week meal planners. I have my foods ready to go to get my cooler ready. Until I can be diligent on my own I'm going to take the help of all the tools available to me.
Instant gratification is something I have realized is unattainable. I'm willing to put the effort & work in, eating wise and exercise wise. I'm a gratification-over-time kind of girl now. I'm actually looking forward to little changes & small successes. The way I see it, it took me time to get to where I am at now, the good, the bad, all of it. It's going to take some more time to work through and change behaviors and thoughts that got me to this place.
So, please stay tuned for this great journey I am on......
Happily,
Elizabeth
So I titled this post about gratification. The Wikipedia definition is: the pleasurable emotional reaction of happiness in response to a fulfillment of a desire or the fulfillment of a goal. I am an instant gratification kind of girl. Gotta have it, right now, this very second. Guess what? That doesn't happen.
When I was younger, although I was never thin, I used to pray to wake up thin. I just wanted to be thin, accepted, liked. I didn't care how it happened, it just better happen. As I got older & gained more weight I still wanted to be thin, instantly. I eventually got to a point where I had actually told my doctor at the time I wanted to have gastric bypass surgery (GBS). She gave me the ok & I found a place that had meetings, so I went. I got my binder, I talked with a nurse & sat in on a discussion group.
I learned a lot. I learned that when choosing a snack having peaut M & M's were a much better choice than pretzels. Why? Because the peanuts offer some sort of protein. Go figure! I learned that sometimes people's bodies "reject" foods. For no reason. Some people can't eat steak or bread. It isn't that they don't want to, their body just can't handle it. Well gee, that doesn't sound very good. I like steak & bread, I may have to live without them? I learned about the "dumps". The dumps is where you have too much sugar & you get flu-like symptoms, including the trots. Yeah, I said trots, it was the nicest word I could think of. I don't really find the trots to be much fun. You can never drink fully carbonated pop. Apparently it comes out the staple seam. They gave me this visual: Put some pop in a ziploc bag then shake it up & see what happens. You have to stir the carbonation out of pop before you drink it. What's the point then? I like carbonated beverages, especially lemon-lime seltzer.
I've known a couple people who have had GBS. One woman has skin that looks very gray. A lot of her hair has fallen out & is very thin. Another woman has gained a lot of her weight back. Imagine, going through GBS, losing weight then gaining it all back. You can stretch out your smaller stomach to fill it back up & go right back to square one.
Well, all of this got me to thinking. How could I go through all of that only to possibly gain the weight back? Back then (I had my GBS meeting probably 7 years ago) I started to realize that if my head wasn't in the right place then it didn't matter what I did I wouldn't lose the weight or I would lose it but not eep it off. So I decided there wasn't any point in going through with the surgery if I didn't know if I could truly be successful. I knew my head wasn't right and that I needed to do some work on it, but it wouldn't be until a few years later that I actually took action on getting my head on straight.
So here we are. I've been diligently reading my Clean Eating magazines, my Clean Eating book & scouring this website www.eatcleandiet.com for all the useful information I could find. www.cleaneatingmag.com has a 7 day menu you can download and printout. I thought I could pick my own foods & make it up as I go. I figured out I need help, mainly because I falter. I got the ingredients for a few recipes. I will post them along with pictures. I printed out my 7 day meal planner. The magazines also offer 2 week meal planners. I have my foods ready to go to get my cooler ready. Until I can be diligent on my own I'm going to take the help of all the tools available to me.
Instant gratification is something I have realized is unattainable. I'm willing to put the effort & work in, eating wise and exercise wise. I'm a gratification-over-time kind of girl now. I'm actually looking forward to little changes & small successes. The way I see it, it took me time to get to where I am at now, the good, the bad, all of it. It's going to take some more time to work through and change behaviors and thoughts that got me to this place.
So, please stay tuned for this great journey I am on......
Happily,
Elizabeth
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Well, it's been a tough week.....eating & exercising. I was so busy at work, all day every day Monday - Saturday. It makes trying to eat right or clean very hard. I have had some revelations though.
Making the better choices has become much easier. I feel so much more in control. It's a weird but yet very exciting feeling. I never thought I would get to this place. I haven't even felt the need to cope with food.
I did get some chips. I had some. I didn't get that elated feeling of warmth that used to come over me when I ate my favorite foods. I tried to find it, it never came. I'm not complaining, it's just something I'm not used to.
I made time to exercise today & I really got into it. I did a full body lift then I did 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. As I was doing my 30 minutes of cardio I noticed my breathing was even & steady. I was calm & very happy. It was such a good feeling. I was so pleased with myself. I felt so good that I came home, cleaned & took my Hailey girl for a nice walk out in the sunshine. We probably walked a little over a mile (according to Jay). The last hill home was tough but we made it.
So, I'm thinking my happy feelings from food might possibly be replaced with happy feelings from being able to move & groove.
That's a darn good thing.
Happily,
Elizabeth
Making the better choices has become much easier. I feel so much more in control. It's a weird but yet very exciting feeling. I never thought I would get to this place. I haven't even felt the need to cope with food.
I did get some chips. I had some. I didn't get that elated feeling of warmth that used to come over me when I ate my favorite foods. I tried to find it, it never came. I'm not complaining, it's just something I'm not used to.
I made time to exercise today & I really got into it. I did a full body lift then I did 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. As I was doing my 30 minutes of cardio I noticed my breathing was even & steady. I was calm & very happy. It was such a good feeling. I was so pleased with myself. I felt so good that I came home, cleaned & took my Hailey girl for a nice walk out in the sunshine. We probably walked a little over a mile (according to Jay). The last hill home was tough but we made it.
So, I'm thinking my happy feelings from food might possibly be replaced with happy feelings from being able to move & groove.
That's a darn good thing.
Happily,
Elizabeth
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