There's been a lot of diet discussion going on in my life. First several Playfriends decided to go back on Weight Watchers, while I buried my head in the sand and pretended to be too busy to notice. Then my sister and I talked quite a bit about some weight (and attitude) issues we've both been experiencing. Oddly enough for identical twins, they were exactly the same. Imagine that!
During this discussion, I bemoaned a perplexing dilemma. In order to reach my weight loss destination, I have to do the work. But some two year old living inside of me keeps stomping her foot and saying, "I don't want to do the work. I just want the reward." Sad, isn't it? And while I'm procrastinating, my weight is slowly inching up the scale.
I hate it. I hate that I have to do something about this. It's not fair that I've been dealing with my weight since I was 15. Shouldn't I deserve a break by now? I should be able to continue hiding my head in the sand and the weight will just magically melt off.
This rant could continue ad nauseum, but I'll spare you the details....
Well, I'm learning that I have to counteract these little land mines in my mind with more positive thoughts. That's the only thing that will motivate me to move forward (and stop sabotaging the Playfriends with bits of baklava). But even there, I still have to do the work. Talking about it won't make it happen, I have to put in the effort.
Kind of like writing. Thinking about writing and talking about writing are nice. But I'll never write a book if I don't actually write something. I can't submit a blank page. Can't produce anything if I don't put my butt in the chair, put my fingers on the keyboard, and work.
Why does everything have to be so hard? When can I get around to the easy stuff? :)
What do you need to work on today? Mondays are always a good starting day... for diets or whatever else needs that first step. Then another, and another...
Angel
16 comments:
Mornin' everyone...
This weekend i went home to Jersey, yes, not New Jersey, but Jersey. There is a difference.
Anyhow, I went home to visit the inlaws. It's great to say i like 'most' of them. I got to see my 3 nieces and 3 nephews. I got to see my mother in law (whom i really like). I also got to see one brother in law (he's okay) and his wife (blech!!!) and my other sister in law(she's nice). Her DH was working.
I ate good food, not too much, for which i am proud! I mean, really, i'm in the middle of a big northern city, where there's a plethora of bakeries, restaurants, and yummy stuff. I did good!
Today i'm back to my regular day. School and then home to do the laundry. I need motivating to actually go out the door. It states about 40 degrees. Now i love this kind of weather, but not at 5:30AM.
I need to be able to find the time to write. In between school, home, family, etc., I can't find the time to write, and when i do, my brain is dead.
Ideas?
Nini :)
Angel, you've got to strike the word diet from your vocabulary. Sister, I'm older than you and I've walked this path longer. Diet infers deprivation and that's a bad mindset. I think more along the lines of choices and portion control. Sadly I have to work darn hard to look like I do and no, I'm not stopping traffic with my fabulous figure and I do piss and moan because it's just not fair that some people get to eat anything they want and well...I don't...or at least not more than a bite.
And thanks for the kick in the pants cause this weekend I went to my GRW meeting and we talked about writing and then I spent some time reading (which is indirectly still thinking about writing) but now, yes, I need to sit down and WRITE.
Diet and write??? How does that work exactly? I seem to be able to do one or the other, but never both at the same time. :-)
(Verification word efitufmf, to which I can only add wtf?)
I keep trying to tell myself that I'm not on a diet, that this a lifestyle I need to adapt, but it doesn't always work. I'm slowly working at replacing things like brown rice for white, wheat pasta and bread for regular, getting more water, eating more fiber... that's the kind of thing that I can stick with. Its the box of KK doughnuts on the table outside my office and the late night spin through the drive-thru that's the problem. A whole day of strict good food aherence can be ruined with five little words..."Can I Take Your Order?"
Yes. I want something fried. And a milkshake.
See, I lack willpower of any kind. I could so easily lose weight if I just stopped feeding my face! :-)
Diet isn't so much a bad word like exercise is. And it's difficult to find exercise that doesn't aggravate my shoulder (bone spur and partial tear of the rotator cuff) and my foot (arthritis, bone spurs and a bone chip from a prior break). Of course if the DH hadn't bought those Little Debbie oatmeal cakes, I wouldn't have eaten one last night. Okay... it was two.
I need to write. So what else is new???
PM
Nini, I'm here to tell you that all of the Playfriends deal with this issue of when to write. Most of us have young children, we juggle jobs, etc. My best advice: Make the time.
I know that's easier said than done, but if you don't make it a priority, then it will never get done. That may mean doing one less load of laundry, or teaching your kids to fold. Let something else go, so you can make the time.
That being said, I think I have often had a problem with thinking I have to sit down and write for hours. Don't. Give yourself 20 minutes a day. Would it kill everyone to wait 20 minutes for dinner, so you can write while you still have brain cells left? No. Twenty minutes today is one page more than you had yesterday, right? Put the kids in front of the tv, step into the other room, and write anything. It gets easier with time.
Just my 2cents worth...
Angel
On the issue of dieting...
Yes, I think I'm struggling with a perfectionism issue. I want to lose weight, be healthy and capable, but I love good food. The more I think about not having it, the more I want to eat.
Maybe I need to work on saying "Not now" instead of never. And half a portion or a kids meal, instead of a quarter pounder meal.
And if I'm more careful, those controlled indulgences won't be such a big deal.
All great in theory, but living it is the hard part.
Angel
I'm with PM! My mind is willing but my body isn't. I'm still hobbling around and using a crutch. Argh!
The thing I hate most is when I sit down and this blob of flab bloats over my pants. Blek! How gross is that? I've really fallen down on the job here. I swear when this knee will let me, I'm getting busy wit it whatever way I can to burn off this obnoxious fatty layer!
On the writing side, I've been doubting myself lately. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I type the words, any words? I think my brain was sufficiently depleted during surgery. PC, what say you?
Kathy
Angel, I'm with you. Have not reached my *summer weight* and now am facing fall and winter. Sigh. My metabolism changed this year.
I wrote a scene today and now have to exercise.
We'll get there. Let's report in later. :D
Hugs, JJ
Isn't it a shame that we all have to usually wait until something not so good happens until we do something. When you mentioned "drink more water" I have to say DO IT. I've never cared for the stuff and a few months past I seriously dehydrated myself and ended up in the hospital for 4 days. I'm sure it could have been avoided so I learned my lesson the hard way. It's human nature to want a quick fix but sadly that never works.
I need to do a serious house cleaning - I'm such a pack rat lol.
Well, I did exercise today, and have worked hard on my negative attitude. I know eventually I will get where I want to be, but I need to focus on the steps rather than the end result. You know?
And I drank a glass and a half of water so far today, about 24 ounces! Since I haven't had water in about 3 weeks, I'd say that's pretty good. I'm more of a tea freak myself...
Angel
Angel...i made that decision today. I'm home from school by 3:30/4:00 and then it's time to cook the dinner and do the dishes. By the time dinner is done, new dishes are in the dishwasher, a load of laundry has been thrown into the washer and it's time for me to do lesson plans. But......
As i looked at my lesson plans in school today, i realized i have three weeks worth of plans finished. That gives me time at home to write.
I've made a promise to myself. I'm shutting the door, turning off the music and tv, and no one is to bother me for 30 minutes. That means, no yelling for Mom, no Honey I need you...nope. I'm going to try this tonite. I'll let you all know how it went tomorrow.
Nini :)
Great, Nini! And don't be discouraged if it doesn't go perfect the first time, or even the second. Just keep on keeping on.
Angel
I should really be straightening up my house, file away lots of papers.
Talking about diets - I keep thinking about the yummy wedding cake we had on Sat - there were two types - chocolate and banana - they were both yummy and then there was the delicious cake I had beg. of Sept for a 60th bday party - half choc pudding and half strawberry - with a real whipped cream topping of course.
I just loves my desserts.
Angel, the problem I find with starting a healthy eating programme on a Monday is that there's always another Monday just 7 days away, and by golly that one always looks like the better option. Same with exercise. I know I need to address too much of one and none of the other in my lifestyle but, like you by the sounds of it, I find living it is the hardest part. In the times of my life where I've successfully lost weight, and held back the onset of said lost weight, I've been obsessive about the method of weight loss and the exercise. I don't think I'm all that nice to live with when that becomes my sole topic of discussion with anyone.
Good luck to you though. With the right mindset you can achieve anything! And look and feel great too!
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