2007-02-12
have groove will succeed
|I do believe Cardiogirl, like Stella, got her groove back. This would be the diet and exercise groove. Three years ago, when our middle kid was a year old, I realized that losing weight really was a frame of mind. That one realization was life changing, for me. It really determined my success.
Now if only I could figure out what the actual trigger is to get the mental side of things onboard. I really don't know what the little extra oomph is to get things in line for me. But I do know that until I am there mentally I am not successful.
Anyway, this past weekend I made it to the Y on Saturday and Sunday and burned 400 calories on the elliptical (if you can believe the LED read out on the machine) and 200 on the treadmill both days. I cannot explain the high I feel - physically, mentally and emotionally - during and after a good workout. It just feels so good to know I am using my muscles, sweating out my "bad chi" and generally feeling lots of accomplishment.
So in addition to getting on the exercise groove I am more in tune with the diet side of things. I don't like to use the word "diet" I prefer the phrase "lifestyle change." Anyway, I am trying to really pay attention to how I feel when I am about to eat as well as trying to make better choices. It really is true that the type of food you eat determines how you physically feel after eating.
I know I tend toward crackers and Chips Ahoy as a snack, but my stomach doesn't feel very good after a session with that kind of savory carb. Much like a forbidden interlude, it might feel good while you're partaking, but it just leaves a proverbial rock in your stomach. And that doesn't feel good.
I also am trying to be practical about my goals. I think losing one pound per week is realistic and achievable. I did weigh myself on Thursday last week and again this morning. I lost half a pound. Now normally I would have told myself I wanted to see a certain number today and if I didn't see that number I was going to be really angry.
Then I realized that's another way I sabotage myself. Initially I was hoping to see a two pound weight loss. As I thought about that I saw it wasn't realistic -- two pounds in four days? Get real. But in the past I would throw out that kind of a goal to myself and then beat myself up when I did not achieve it. That would begin a cycle of eating more and exercising less, because I felt the work I had done warranted better results. Even though the expected results were extremely unrealistic.
So I took a deep breathe this morning, exhaled and said to myself, 'I will be happy if I see anything lower than last Thursday.'
I'm not going to lie. I looked at the number, got off the scale and re-weighed myself a second time. Then I remembered the new goal: anything lower than last Thursday. And this was lower. So that's success and I'm going to embrace it.
2007-02-12 at 6:36 a.m.
