I Don't Need No Stinkin' Resolutions

The season of eating with reckless abandon is coming to end (thank goodness) and I've decided to get a jump start on the New Year. Rather than waiting for New Year's Eve to come up with some lame resolution like:

• This year I'm going to lose weight. (who doesn't say that EVERY freakin' year?) or

• This year I'm going to exercise every day. (as if THAT's ever going to happen?)

Nope. This year, I'm starting NOW (did you hear me?)

I know that I am not alone if I say that I let the holidays get the best of me. Or, that I have paid the price. Too much sugar and starchy things...(but mostly sugar) has added 10 pounds to my "post cruise" self. So before those 10 become 20, I'm shaking myself out of my sugary haze and starting fresh. (again).

I briefly considered signing up for one of the membership based diet sites like eDiets or South Beach but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to plunk down any amount of money on my credit card (which is still smokin from the battle scars of December in a dual faith household). There's just too much FREE information out there to support the diet plan of your dreams.

Yesterday, I just jumped right in with both feet determined to use my knowledge for good. I'm relying on what I know has worked for me in the past and the daily scouring of my fellow bloggers wisdom. For tracking, I went back to Spark People to log my food and exercise. (It's FREE, FREE, FREE)

It's Day 2 and I already just plain feel better. Sluggishness...BE GONE!

And soon those 10 pounds will be too... and maybe a few of their friends as well.

I am back! Stay tuned for less of me.

Addictive Eating

I used to be a smoker. I was never a heavy smoker...just slightly more than a social smoker. About 10 years ago I quit…cold turkey. A fact which annoys my husband who still smokes. It’s not that he is upset that I quit but more that he doesn’t understand how I can just up and stop…just like…THAT.

And as I think back on it, it really was easier for me than most. I came down with a horrible case of bronchitis and just couldn’t bring myself to smoke while breathing was such a painful experience. Then, once I was feeling better…well, it just seemed silly to go back. But every trigger was a difficult one in the beginning. So it went like this…

Today I’m not going to smoke on the walk from my apartment to the subway. (OK, I can do that)

Next, I’m not going to smoke on the walk from the subway to my office. DONE.

Throughout the day it was more of the same until several days had gone by and I hadn’t smoked at all. So when these urges passed, I started to truly consider myself a “non-smoker” But it was a daily process…and it wasn’t as easy as I’m now making it sound.

OK, so why am I bringing this up?

It occurred to me yesterday in a moment of quiet contemplation (and kicking myself for whatever I ate that I shouldn’t have) that eating…while necessary to sustain life, is also an addictive behavior.

I need food to live…but do I need cookies? Not really.

What about the peanuts? Hmmm…no.

So why is it that some people are able to eat just what they need and the rest of us eat what we need plus what a small third world nation needs too?

How do I take that “one addictive habit at a time” mentality that I used to quit smoking and apply it to not eating except that which I need to sustain a healthy life?

And why was it so much easier to take weight off in the time leading up to last summer’s cruise than it is now? I obviously know HOW to eat the right things. Yet, somehow, without realizing it...I somehow find myself eating things I shouldn't more often than I'd like to admit.

Perhaps instead of one day at a time, I should apply the one bite at a time theory.

:SIGH:

I’m looking for answers so chime in if you’ve got some and… stay tuned for less of me.

Vitamins as a Key to Dieting Success

Life has been a little hectic lately. Was laid off from one job...found and accepted an offer at another...and in the midst of it all I tossed a lot of dieting caution to the wind. I guess I was of the mindset that "damnit, I have too much on my mind to worry about every morsel that goes in my mouth."

How'd that work for you, Scalemistress?

I suffered the consequences, of course. Too much sugar (i.e the dreaded Oreos) and random eating led to quickly (and I mean REALLY quickly as if by magic) gaining 7 or 8 pounds.

Happily the crisis was averted. Got a new job. Stress eating immediately stopped and I'm back on track. This week, as I settled into my last week at the job I've held for nearly 8 years, I took off 4 of those extra pounds. Hurray for me.

In the process, I had one of those A-HA moments...

My daily vitamin regimen is this: a multivitamin, 600 mg Calcium and 200mcg of Chromium Picolinate. But there are days where I was forgetting to take them and on those days I noticed that my tendency to make some bad food choices increased. However, when I did remember to take them... I found I was less likely to do any random eating or make bad snack choices. Personally, I think it is the Chromium Picolinate. I started taking it back in July when I read about it's effect (in some) on appetite suppression and the effective processing of insulin. Turns out that this appears to be true for me (YMMV).

Who knew?

I'm happily back on track so stay tuned for less of me.

It All Counts

Creep. Creep. Creep.

That's the sound of extra pounds magically appearing when I have banished them from my body.

UGH.

Admittedly, I have been struggling the past month or so with staying on track but today the scale jumped into the 150's as if by magic.

OK, maybe not magic.

Have I been careful about what I put in my mouth? NO.
Have I consistently tracked what I'm eating? No.
Have I been exercising regularly? No.
Have I been sneaking an Oreo here and there? Sadly...Yes.

So who is to blame but me? No one.

Which got me thinking about those universal truths about dieting.
If you don't write it down it doesn't count.
If no one sees you eat it, it doesn't count.
If you eat standing up it doesn't count.
If you just have a "taste" it doesn't count.
If you eat it straight out of the box/jar/container it doesn't count.

IT ALL COUNTS.
Even if you are standing at the counter. Or eat if off your child's plate so it doesn't go to waste. Or in this case it just goes to "waist"

It counts on the scale whether someone saw you eat it or not.

It counts if you eat the Oreo out of the bag in the fridge...especially when you dip your hand in there repeatedly during the day.

It counts if you just put the spoon straight into the jar of peanut butter or (worse) the pint of ice cream.

And it counts if you eat those nuts by the handful...or two or three.

Am I alone in this or have a struck a nerve?

So before my weight takes off like a runaway train, I'm going to start with a few new universals.

This week, I will eliminate those "special foods" that I know are a trigger for me to over do it. Peanuts, Peanut Butter and of course, the dreaded Oreos. (This week's shopping trip will include cookies for my kids that I can stay away from.) I know that if I can just stay away from those three things, then I will have a successful week and get back on track.

And that is really what it is all about. Staying on track and accepting the fact that I am not perfect and will occasionally have to kick myself in the head to be reminded of that. My new favorite blog over at Cranky Fitness, had this to say about that. She's a scream so check it out.

What are your trigger foods? And what do you do to stay away from them?

Holiday Shopping? Already??

We took the kids to the mall last night to get their Halloween costumes and I was mortified to see the beginnings of Christmas decorations going up.

Call me Scrooge if you want. But I’m just not ready.

Problem is I don’t think I’m ever ready. I have grand ambitions of getting the holiday shopping done early but every year I find myself running around in those days before Christmas for that “one last thing.” The fact that we are a dual faith household doesn’t really help matters. Especially this year because Chanukah falls at the beginning of December.

I have a friend who prides herself at having all her shopping done by early December. In fact I think she takes great joy at going shopping on Black Friday and doing it all in one fell swoop and then reminding me of it all December long.

So this year, I am bound and determined to spend as little time in the mall as possible and NOT be still searching for the perfect gift on December 24^th.

In fact, nothing would please me more than to stay completely out of the mall this year.

Enter Couponchief.com. OK, so maybe it’s true that I’m a sucker for a good deal but this site is great because it has all those deals in one place from retailers that we know and trust. In fact, I was really surprised by the sheer volume of choices. All offers have promo codes that carry the offer with you to the checkout.

I have to get working on a list but I found some incredible deals from places like KB Toys, Target and Best Buy. Some of the coupons are for particular items (like $15 off a digital camera) or a percentage off the total. And others are for free shipping which can certainly make a big difference to some between the convenience of shopping online and saving the shipping by picking it up in a store.

Hey, I might actually be excited about the holiday shopping now that I think about it.

Hmmm… let’s see, I can cover all the kids with coupons from KB Toys, a digital picture frame for mom at Best Buy, and maybe I can coax new clothes out of my husband using the DKNY coupon. Gotta get a new wardrobe for my new single digit size, right?

Shopping in my pjs? Saving money? No fighting for a parking spot?

What could be better than that?

Seeking Answers to Life's Questions

The quest to keep my weight down continues so I look for answers wherever I can find them. I started reading Protein Power this week. A few weeks ago I read their follow up book and isn't that so like me to do things backwards. Anyway, I saw enough interesting information in their lifetime plan to want to go back and read the original weight loss plan.

It's a good book and if you are currently low carbing it or thinking about it and want to take a slightly different approach than Atkins, then check out what Drs Michael and Mary Dan Eades have to say on the topic.

I'm only a third of the way through the book so far and some it is stuff I already knew from other low carb sources but what I've found most interesting is the formulas they've put together to determine personal weight goals and protein levels. For instance, based on some simple measurements, formulas and charts, I was able to figure out my body fat percentage, lean body weight, Ideal body weight range and the minimum grams of protein MY body needs.

The good news is that according to Drs Eades, my ideal body weight range is 131-142 which seems far more reasonable than other charts I've seen that do not take into consideration body measurements and age. I feel that range is not only completely doable but reasonable to maintain. It was those charts that had me convinced that I needed to be 125 pounds that had me saying "who are they kidding?"

Once I finish the book, I will work at their plan for a while and see how I do. If you've done Protein Power and have any pearls of wisdom, please share.

In other self-help news... I've been under a tremendous amount of stress lately with an impending layoff hanging over my head. I'm not pleased with how my employer has handled the whole situation and as of yet, I still do not know exactly when my relationship with them will be "severed" However, in the past week, I've had some internal opportunities presented to me, have gone on some great interviews outside the company and have gotten several promising calls from recruiters.

The problem in all of this is that I just don't do change well. Specifically change that involves key elements that are out of my hands. I'm no good at sitting and waiting for the "proverbial" phone to ring. (perhaps it is why I was never much good at dating.) Which is exactly what I am forced to do lately...wait for the severance letter, wait for my phone to ring with invitations to interview and bottom line....WAIT to see where the chips will fall.

There are too many variables in the equation and sometimes I just feel paralyzed while I wait for ANY of the pieces to fall into place. I hate not having control of the situation.

A former boss, knowing my situation and knowing me well enough to know how I was handling it lent me her copy of Who Moved My Cheese? A book not only had I not read but really had no intention of ever reading. It seemed at first glance to be one of those hokey self help books that was all theory with no basis in reality.

But the kicker here is that because of who gave it to me and because I KNOW she will ask me about it on Monday... I felt compelled to read it so as not to look foolish or ungrateful for the suggestion. So if YOU haven't read it, please do. It will take you about an hour to finish. And if you've ever had trouble navigation change, you will find some useful guidance in its pages.

The bottom line is that my life is fraught with change lately and I have to find a way to cope with that change and not stress about every little piece of it. I can only change what I have the power to change...the rest is navigating the maze.

Zen moment officially over.

A Workout for the Exercise Challenged

I hate to exercise. And I resent that losing weight and keeping it off just about REQUIRES me to do some form of exercise.

I have a Fitness Flyer which I've tried to be diligent about getting on for 20 minutes a day. But given the chance, I will find just about any excuse to not exercise.

And I've tried taking exercise videos out of the library with the sincere hope that I'll find one that I really like where the cheeky host doesn't grate on my nerves in the first five minutes. Not an easy task. All those skinny, perky former cheerleaders who never struggled a day in their lives to maintain a single digit size....and the class participants with the same MO is enough to make me want to strangle each and everyone of them. UGH.

Last month, Claire, over at Burning the Scale, posted a blog entry about a promotion that Wrigley was doing in conjunction with the Biggest Loser. The Gumisgood.com web site wanted to know how gum had helped you in your weight loss efforts. Well, this was right up my alley since chewing gum has been one of the constants in my efforts. Keeps me from the vending machine.

So I signed up, told them my little story and in response, they sent me a gift of a water bottle, a pedometer, 5 packs of gum and a Biggest Loser workout DVD. Pretty cool, huh?

But remember...I hate to exercise.

But it was free. So first I took it out of the plastic...then it sat on my nightstand for 3 or 4 days.

Well, today I finally decided to give it a try. And I was REALLY pleasantly surprised.

Instead of the usual one-size-fits-all workout that is usually on things like this, there are 9 different segments to choose from. The opening menu allows you to chose which segments you want so your workout, not only doesn't have to be the same every day but you don't have to spend your time forwarding between segments in the middle of a workout.

The segments are:
Warm Up (5 min)
Low Intensity Cardio (15 min)
Boot Camp (15 min)
Functional Flexibility (10 min)
Cool Down (5 min)

You can also choose a High Intensity Cardio (10 min) or Power Sculpt (10 min)..one for Men...one for Women.

For my first time out, I chose the Warm up, Boot Camp and the Cool Down. (After I had done 15 minutes on the Flyer).

Best part of the whole thing? Bob Harper (the trainer) didn't annoy me. And the participants on the video were former Biggest Loser contestants. NO skinny perky cheerleader types. Real people. Real sizes. Very refreshing.

I'll try it again tomorrow with a different mix. And perhaps I'm on to something. We'll see.

Stay tuned for less of me.