Today is a great day. I can and I will.
Like many people, I'm struggling to regain my footing after the temptations of the holiday season. I have good meals and bad meals, good snacks and bad snacks. I can't say that I blow the whole day, but I have chosen meals or snacks that I know don't fit into my food template. This is something I want to change, and I will change.
Although I rarely get to watch award shows (living in a house full of men), I was able to watch the Golden Globes a few days ago. Many of the speeches were wonderful, but there was one that has had a lasting impact on me. Gina Rodriguez, who won a Best Actress award, recounted a mantra that her father taught her. "Today is a great day. I can and I will."
What a powerful mindset in which to start your day. This phrase really speaks to me with regard to facing my diet challenges. I CAN see that off-program food, and I WILL say "no" to the inner voice that wants to eat it. I choose to be a strong, healthy woman.
I read a wonderful, spot-on post today by Diane Carbonell over at Fit to the Finish. In What To Do When That Food Calls Your Name, Diane gives a voice to those food items that we want to eat, even when we know they are unhealthy for us, or not in alignment with our health goals. "You need me." "You deserve me." "You love me." I don't know about you, but I sure have heard those voices when faced with unhealthy foods and unfortunately, recently I have caved in. Diane speaks clearly and honestly about how we feel after caving in. If you have the chance, please read the full blogpost.
Since the reintroduction of food after my full fast using Optifast 70 products, I've chosen to restrict my carbohydrate intake. Admittedly, giving up cookies and sweets has been the most difficult part of this, but I also know that I needn't give up sweet treats altogether, as there are a number of low carb desserts and treats to choose from if I get a craving. I read another great blogpost from the Low Carb Dietician, Five Tips for Achieving Low Carb Weight Loss Success in 2015. She provided some science-based clarification on approaching a sustainable low carb diet and addressed the issue of high fat, low carb (something to not go too crazy with because of high calories), as well as tips for dining out and eating when you're sick. It's a great read, and my resolve was bolstered by it.
If you're starting out on your weight loss journey, I wish you the best. It can be done. You can and you will. It doesn't end there, though. Losing weight is just the start of a lifelong awareness of being healthy and making choices to stay healthy. It's sometimes discouraging, and right now for me, it is often frightening because I want to feel like I have a handle on it, as an insurance policy against weight gain and going back to how things were. I want to know that if I follow that "Recipe for Success" to a "T" that I'll be fine. But I know that for me it's more complicated than that. My body system is complicated and my mind sometimes fights against me.
This will probably be the last post before I head to Phoenix for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. I am under-prepared, but hopeful that I'll finish without injury. I'm sure it will be an amazing experience. I will also meet up with some virtual friends who have helped me and inspired me on my weight loss journey. That means a lot to me! I'll post photos for sure.
When I was 257 pounds it was intimidating to start exercise and to be seen in a bathing suit or out sweating on the gym machines. It took a great deal of humility and determination to say "to heck with it" and just do what I know was good for my body. It also didn't take long for me to see positive results -- being stronger, more flexible, going faster for longer periods of time. Yesterday a friend posted this awesome video that completely inspired me to keep moving and finding my athletic self. I'll end my post with it and hope that it inspires all of you women with some "jiggle" to keep on going and never look back. It's like one of those bad-ass Nike videos for us real women. Enjoy!
Like many people, I'm struggling to regain my footing after the temptations of the holiday season. I have good meals and bad meals, good snacks and bad snacks. I can't say that I blow the whole day, but I have chosen meals or snacks that I know don't fit into my food template. This is something I want to change, and I will change.
Although I rarely get to watch award shows (living in a house full of men), I was able to watch the Golden Globes a few days ago. Many of the speeches were wonderful, but there was one that has had a lasting impact on me. Gina Rodriguez, who won a Best Actress award, recounted a mantra that her father taught her. "Today is a great day. I can and I will."
What a powerful mindset in which to start your day. This phrase really speaks to me with regard to facing my diet challenges. I CAN see that off-program food, and I WILL say "no" to the inner voice that wants to eat it. I choose to be a strong, healthy woman.
I read a wonderful, spot-on post today by Diane Carbonell over at Fit to the Finish. In What To Do When That Food Calls Your Name, Diane gives a voice to those food items that we want to eat, even when we know they are unhealthy for us, or not in alignment with our health goals. "You need me." "You deserve me." "You love me." I don't know about you, but I sure have heard those voices when faced with unhealthy foods and unfortunately, recently I have caved in. Diane speaks clearly and honestly about how we feel after caving in. If you have the chance, please read the full blogpost.
Since the reintroduction of food after my full fast using Optifast 70 products, I've chosen to restrict my carbohydrate intake. Admittedly, giving up cookies and sweets has been the most difficult part of this, but I also know that I needn't give up sweet treats altogether, as there are a number of low carb desserts and treats to choose from if I get a craving. I read another great blogpost from the Low Carb Dietician, Five Tips for Achieving Low Carb Weight Loss Success in 2015. She provided some science-based clarification on approaching a sustainable low carb diet and addressed the issue of high fat, low carb (something to not go too crazy with because of high calories), as well as tips for dining out and eating when you're sick. It's a great read, and my resolve was bolstered by it.
If you're starting out on your weight loss journey, I wish you the best. It can be done. You can and you will. It doesn't end there, though. Losing weight is just the start of a lifelong awareness of being healthy and making choices to stay healthy. It's sometimes discouraging, and right now for me, it is often frightening because I want to feel like I have a handle on it, as an insurance policy against weight gain and going back to how things were. I want to know that if I follow that "Recipe for Success" to a "T" that I'll be fine. But I know that for me it's more complicated than that. My body system is complicated and my mind sometimes fights against me.
This will probably be the last post before I head to Phoenix for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. I am under-prepared, but hopeful that I'll finish without injury. I'm sure it will be an amazing experience. I will also meet up with some virtual friends who have helped me and inspired me on my weight loss journey. That means a lot to me! I'll post photos for sure.
When I was 257 pounds it was intimidating to start exercise and to be seen in a bathing suit or out sweating on the gym machines. It took a great deal of humility and determination to say "to heck with it" and just do what I know was good for my body. It also didn't take long for me to see positive results -- being stronger, more flexible, going faster for longer periods of time. Yesterday a friend posted this awesome video that completely inspired me to keep moving and finding my athletic self. I'll end my post with it and hope that it inspires all of you women with some "jiggle" to keep on going and never look back. It's like one of those bad-ass Nike videos for us real women. Enjoy!
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