Though I've had good intentions about eating healthy and exercising, I haven't done very well lately. Honestly, it frustrates me that I have so little self-discipline. Although this year's theme of "awareness" has helped me be more AWARE of my lifestyle shortcomings, it hasn't exactly given me much self-direction. I've been playing those mental games with myself lately and really haven't PLANNED and developed a good strategy for living healthier in recent months.
I've used everything as an excuse . . . my new job . . . my crappy schedule . . . the fact that I'm tired . . . that I'm broke . . . that I need comfort in eating because I'm upset . . . that I'll be good tomorrow . . . that I'm starving . . . that my family WANTS to eat that take-out Chinese food (full of fat, sodium and sugar) and that we HAVE to eat out constantly because I don't have time to cook. All the usual lies I tell myself when I'm being self-destructive and delusional. But awareness had made me all-too-conscious of what I'm doing. So I need to changed bad habits that I've slowly slipped back into.
Several of my friends have lost successfully lost weight and gotten in shape recently - many of them are on Weight Watchers. I'm having trouble, really struggling, and don't know quite why. But I'm finally feeling fat and uncomfortable enough to commit to at least 5 days, oh heck we'll make it 7 of healthy eating and 1/2 hour per day of exercise.
I'm also reading this excellent book by Marilu Henner that is channeling this desire to change into a concrete plan. I'll commit to "Boot-y Camp" as she suggests for FIVE DAYS - actually I am making it 7, as I said. During those 7 days, from Sunday April 13th - Sunday April 20th, I commit to the following, as per Marilu's Boot-y-ful plan:
Eat small, healthy "mini meals" every 3 hours per day.
Per the Boot-y Camp rules, no dairly products, red meat, refine sugar, artificial sweetners, alcohol or CAFFEINE. (That's the big one, I'm a BIG coffee drinker, but for this week it's going to be decaf teas instead). I can eat chicken and fish, and eggs, but no beef or pork.
Drink 1/2 my weight in water per day. Yikes, that sounds familiar.
Limit myself to no more than TWO restaurant meals during the 7 days.
Eat organic and fresh veggies and fruits whenever possible.
All salads served with lemon squeeze, no dressings.
Exercise at least 30 minutes every single day.
Stop eating 3 hours before bed.
Get a good night's sleep every night.
That's it - the Boot-y Camp in a nutshell. As my friend Kaleem so often says, "I can do this!!"
I already shopped at the organic market today and my Mom and I had fun picking out healthy foods. It was a blast. Now I'm off to end my evening early with some herbal decaf tea.
5 comments:
Sounds very do-able and you will love the jumpstart. Shcheech between my buff husband and your good example I may have to get my squishy self in gear.
Good luck! Bravo to you! I can't wait to see how it works. Maybe I should try it if it works so well.
First day is today - it's 2:00 p.m. and I've eaten healthy, so far I've downed 64 ozs of water. Have a headache from caffeine withdrawl already. Ahhhh. But I'm hanging in there.
Hen House and HyVee are closer to you so I don't know if they have this, my "alternative" to take-out is to stop at Price Chopper and pick up the smoked meats. (I know HH & HV also does this but what I don't know is if they sell smaller pkgs rather than the whole bird, etc.)
You can get a pkg of one or two skinless chicken breasts, salmon to feed one or two, turkey, pork, etc. in portions for one meal with no waste. Fillers for the family could be those pkg'd au gratin, mashed, etc. potatoes or macaroni and you could fill in with the crunchy veggies.
The important thing is to have some protein or you won't feel full for very long.
Keep on keepin' on!
Thanks everyone, I'm keeping on with it. This is HARD!!!
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