Day #1

Breakfast:  I already started out wrong because I didn't eat any breakfast, but I'll change that tomorrow.  Too late to change it today.

Lunch:  Leftover chicken fettucine alfredo and glass of Coke
Okay, so I've slipped again and had a Coke, but to my defense, most days by 1:30 in the afternoon, I would have been up to 3 glasses of Coke.  I'll try better the rest of the day.

Hello to the Rest of my Life

Hello to the rest of my life ... that's how I felt this morning when I got up.  I have planned on today being the first day of my "diet."  I worked on menus for the coming week, using what things I had in our cupboards and freezer.  My husband does the grocery shopping, so he won't go again until Saturday.  We are already eating fairly healthy - my problem is, I drink Cokes.  Plain and simple.

Everyone I know tells me I have to stop drinking Cokes, and I know I have to.  I am smart enough to know that I am drinking pure sugar.  But this is a hard habit for me to break.  My husband and my daughter have kicked the soda habit, so I know I can do it, but it's this psychology thing making me hold on to it.  I have stopped drinking Cokes in the past.  I have gone months with drinking any, but the craving was still there and after a period of time, something will trigger my anxiety, and I'm reaching for an icy cold drink.

I'm not going to make a big declaration to myself saying:
I AM GOING TO STOP DRINKING COKES
I am going to give it my best shot to cut down the amount I drink.  I'm not going to forbid myself to drink the Cokes because then I only want them more.  Instead, I'm going to save the Cokes for special times and try drinking water and sugar-free liquids throughout the day.  This is enough for me to try and work on for the next few weeks.

So, in addition to cutting down the amount of my portion size and trying to add some walking to my routine, I am going to cut down on my Coke intake.  I have given myself three goals for the next week:

• Smaller meal portions
• Small walk every day
• Small amount of Coke only

I will try to keep a journal of my success, charting my ups and downs as I go along.  Experts say to also write down your feelings when you are charting your food/exercise intake.  

Today I'm in a manic mood, and these are always unorganized days for me.  My brain is racing in hundreds of different directions and it is hard for me to focus on just one thing.  Sometimes I can get things done, but more times than not, I end up starting several projects that don't get finished.  Today I also have the added stress of my daughter going back to college.  She has been home for Christmas break, but now it's time to get back to the real world.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Resolutions, Again ...

Here we are at the beginning of a New Year, and everyone is thinking about resolutions.  I'm going to lose weight, I'm going to be more organized, I'm going to be more productive, yada, yada, yada.  If you're like me, then you have probably made your fair share of resolutions every January, and by February, they are all by the wayside.

This year will probably be no better, but I'm still going to give it a shot.  I want to lose weight and get healthy for the New Year.  There.  I've said it.  I am tired of feeling so tired all the time.  I am tired of my knees hurting all the time.  I am tired of my back hurting all the time.  I am tired of having no energy to play with the grandchildren.  I am just sick and tired of being sick and tired!

My plan is simple:  I'm not going to have a plan!  It seems like every New Year I vow to lose weight and I get all hyped up with making plans and goals, that it all gets to be too overwhelming.  This year, I'm going to take things one day/week at a time and I'm going to start with only three new changes:

1.)  I am going to start out with making a menu over the weekend.  Since it is just my hubby and I at home now, I don't have to cook as much, but I have trouble cutting down recipes to feed less.  This year, I plan to freeze the left-overs to use for additional meals.  If I plate up the left-overs when I fix my plate each night, we both will be less likely to go back for seconds.  Second helpings are usually my downfall - I'm always telling my hubby my eyes are bigger than my stomach.  When I eat too much, I end up miserable for the rest of the night.

2.)  I am going to start going for a short walk each night after supper, even if it is just to the mailbox and back.  Usually I will finish eating and then plop down in my chair to write or read.  This probably won't change much because I do make my living by writing, but at least I am going to give my digestive system a kick start before I do!

3.)  I am going to try and drink more water every day.  I am a Coke-a-holic and I have been almost my entire life.  I need to get more water, not only to help with weight loss, but to help lubricate my achy joints.

So, these are the three things I am going to try for this first month of my "diet."  I really don't want to call it a diet because I want it to be a lifestyle change.  If you would like to join me, let me know - we can be blog buddies and support each other.

Here's to a new beginning ...