Tuesday, April 27, 2010

How To Keep From Snacking

Alright, you caught me. I've been avoiding you. You could probably guess why... I've been naughty. My weigh in on Friday reflected my week, no weight lost, none gained. I guess that's ok, but that's not what I want to happen. I want and need those numbers to go DOWN!!! My problem, and yes, I can finally admit it, I snack way too much. I did great Monday. I was out of the shoot like a rocket. Tuesday, I did ok.. Ok. Wednesday, hahahahaha, I was too embarrassed to journal all the food I shoved in my mouth. Then I have the buyers remorse... afterwards. I think to myself, "Why did I just do that?!" "Was I really hungry?"

Most of the time, I would say, "Yes, I am hungry!"

And I was Wednesday. It was the whole, Day 3 back on plan, hungry. But if I answered those questions honestly, the answer for hungry is usually "probably not." The why, to that I would have to say, boredom. I had nothing in my hands or mouth, I found myself in the kitchen again, I grabbed a piece of candy while cleaning, things like that. Sadly, the things I'd pop in my mouth were not the healthy options either.

So all in all, I need more will power. I've been so lax on myself this time around, for some reason. I haven't found the why on that, but I'm guessing the busy schedule. I finished my Creative Writing class last night, which takes a load off. The one thing it did give me is my awesome story I can work on and get finished. Maybe I'll get published... better start looking good for my back cover shot. lol

I've got to work harder on the eating and exercise. I haven't worked out since last week (unless you count the walking around campus yesterday) so I made a promise to myself that I would today. As far as food goes, I need more discipline. I did good yesterday morning and afternoon, but splurged a bit that evening. I'll be home today, so I can watch that. And I did myself a favor. I bought 100 cal pack snacks, fruits, veggies, and other things that a more calorie friendly to me. Thought about cleaning the table off today, but if I dig out the candy bowl I'll be more likely to pick, so maybe I'll just leave that hidden a little longer.

Enough with my rambling, lesson learned, need to apply. On to the ways to stop from snacking. I really need to follow these.

How To Keep From Snacking

Drink Water - I think we've all heard this one. I know we all have heard over and over again like a broken record, "drink more water, drink more water, drink more water." So not only will you be hitting the snack cravings with water, you'll also be drinking more water! What a way to kill two birds with one stone. Even better, I found that adding a packet of Crystal Lite to the water will get any sweet craving you have. My fav is the Pomegranate Lemonade, it's nummy! And who can complain about 10 calories a pack!!!

Chew Gum - The other day, I was getting ready to go shopping. I could feel the afternoon hunger coming on, but I needed to get my shopping done right then. After I popped in a piece of gum, I forgot mostly about my hunger and it kept my mouth busy so I wasn't trying to find things to shove in it. If you don't have gum, then brush your teeth. What food tastes good after you brush your teeth!?

Stay Out of the Kitchen - This would be my #1 problem. A lot of the times, I can't stay out of the kitchen with cleaning, having to stay in there while children eat, walking through there to get laundry and other various things for the children. I am constantly finding myself in the kitchen. It's the times that I realize I'm in the kitchen that I start snacking. If I'm passing through with a full basket of clothes, give myself a list of things to do, or if I'm carrying things in my hands (such as phone), then I'm less likely to pick.

Stock Up on Good Foods - This step involves a little investment, but it will pay off. Go to the store and stock up on fruit, veggies, 100 calorie packs, healthy snacks, water, etc. When you do want to pick and snack, pick and snack on these things. But please make sure not to eat more than one 100 calorie pack in one sitting!

Stay Busy/Exercise - If your always moving, then you're less likely to eat. Like I mentioned above, when I walk through the kitchen with my hands full, I don't snack. Don't just sit idle (especially in the kitchen), move! Go exercise, that's even better! Then, not only are you curing the boredom/hunger, but you're burning calories! WIN/WIN!

Think About It - As your scavenging through the cabinets and candy dishes, stop for one minute and think. Ask yourself a few questions, "Am I really hungry?" "Do I really need to eat this?" "Are there better options for what I'm about to eat?" "How am I going to feel when I'm done eating this?" "Why am I eating this?" I can guarantee in most instances, if you stop and think about the snacking, then you'll walk away. Need more motivation? Try on your favorite pants. Are they snug? If so, then work to make those comfy. If not, then go buy a smaller pair of pants to work to!

Plan Your Meals - I've been guilty of just going off the fly here lately. Especially with all the homework I've had, I usually don't think about dinner until dinner time. It seemed like there was an Italian theme in my kitchen last week, because it was all pasta or pizza. Not that they all are horrible for me, but they aren't the best choices. If you can't plan your meals out for a week, at least try to plan the day.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I Need To Be Harder On Myself!

First off, let me start this out by thanking everyone that read this blog! And all the wonderful comments! You guys are awesome! I was teary-eyed as I read through them. I'm glad I'm the only one that sees me as disgusting. lol At least I don't secretly look like a gross blob and no one tell me! lol

And here's an update on me. I was going to sit down and type one out yesterday, but it ended up being a tad busier than expected, plus I spent most the night setting up my new computer.

Monday - Went great! I stayed exactly on points. Unfortunately I didn't get in any exercise (unless you count walking around SIUE campus?!), but all in all I felt great about this day. I wasn't that hungry that day. I got the afternoon munchies but was able to fight them off by being extremely busy. (It was one of those days where if it could go wrong, it did.) Also, I was very excited to find that my Eris has a Weight Watchers Diary app, so I'm trying that out instead of computer diarying. (is that a word?!) I was really really really slacking on the computer food journals, which was a big part of my prob. Lets see if I do better with my phone!

Tuesday - This is the day that my title is in reference to. The day started out well, balanced breakfast, 30 min workout on the Wii Fit, and even a decent lunch (I suppose there could have been a better choice than fries with my Jimmy John's leftovers, but they were made at home, not fast food fries!). Afternoon snacking rolled around and I was pretty hungry. I paced the kitchen for a good 30 mins (and cleaning it too... that's what you have to do when you have 4 kids.. lol) before I decided to be a good girl and eat an Oreo Cakester 100 cal pack. They were ok, but dry, leaving me not that satisfied. Later on in the afternoon, I went back into the kitchen to get chicken out for dinner, next thing I realize, I'm fist deep in a bag of chocolate animal crackers. They were good, don't get me wrong, but I let myself slide on that slip up... I didn't add it in my food diary (maybe putting it here will make me feel more guilty!). Dinner was good, but it put me above my daily points. I'm not eating my exercise points intensionally.... so all my overage goes off my weekly points. Then, I had a moment of weakness.... I caved... I ate a Milky Way. I couldn't help it. I needed chocolate and that seemed to be the perfect source for the taste I craved. Which it was... but that tacked on 6 extra points for the day. Then (gulp, I can't believe I'm going to admit this because I'm ashamed of it too) I went back in the kitchen and ate another piece of quesidilla from dinner. All told my little evening antics put me over 15 points. I have 20 left to last through Sunday, so I better watch myself closer. I need to crack down and not bend to the will of food... especially sweets.

Another thing I need to crack down on is exercise. I did good yesterday, but Monday I found it easier to say I'd do it later than actually just get down and do it. Today, in my wee hours of waking and not wanting to do anything today, I contemplated just behaving on food and skipping exercise. Even as I sit, I occasionally try to make up the excuse that my back is hurting, so I can't work out. When in reality, I know that some yoga would probably be awesome for my sore back right now. I'll probably get on the Wii Fit after this post, because I need to. Then as I get into it, I won't want to stop. Funny how that works. Maybe we should take a family walk tonight too. Then I can boost my exercise today!

All in all, I really shouldn't complain about myself too much. Weak moments happen to all of us. When you fall off the horse, you just gotta climb back on, right?! I just need to keep trying and trying hard... and work on my will power.

Friday, April 16, 2010

I Am Disgusting!


That's right, I really do think I am at the moment. Here I am, typing on a blog that was meant to offer weight loss advice and tips to anyone who wants them, and I can't even maintain my loss. I mean just look at that pic above! That muffin top is enough to shame anyone, let alone how miserable and bloated I look. I've let myself get to a disgusting point again and it's time to crack down.

I think it all started around September. My daughter's birthday was fast approaching, as was the entire holiday season ranging from Halloween through New Years, and 3 more birthdays for our family. I was also looking to getting back in school. I was wore out and just wanted a break, so I took one. I did excellent maintaining until Thanksgiving. From there, I gained 10 lbs (in a day?! lol) and was never able to shed it. By that time I was 190. I fluctuated from the high and lower 190's through Christmas and the New Year. The last time my Wii Fit had a weigh in on it was February 5th, at 190 lbs. From then on, things went way down hill.

I think I quit caring. I think I just thought I could eat what I want. I wanted to eat what I wanted. I was tired of being a good girl, making good choices. The scale quickly reflected this new change. I kept hoping more and more that maybe it was a fluke, it'd go down, I'd exercise and it'd go down. The problem was, I never exercised. It never went down. Now I'm to the point I said I'd never see again. I left Onderland and am back in the 200. I'm disgusting.

CURRENT STATS
Bust - 46"
Chest - 42"
Waist - 39"
Hips - 46"

Weight - 206

OUCH! That hurts to see, but it's the facts. And it's the reason that I am going to get this weight off. If nothing else, just to be happy with myself again. I constantly complain about how clothes look on me, to the point that my husband has gotten sick of hearing it. I'm up over 12 lbs from my last time I weighed on my scale. I feel fat and disgusting. I feel ashamed to go out looking like I do sometimes. I realize people don't judge you on your size all the time... especially the people you see regularly, but I still feel gross. I even feel so disgusting, I don't to take my clothes off for my husband. He doesn't care... but I do. Never mind how I always feel wore down and tired, which I didn't when I exercised regularly.

Instead of offering just advice, I'm going to start taking my own. I want to take this blog in a new direction and make it more personal of my struggles. I may throw in educational tidbits from now on, but really, I'm warning you, this is going to get personal. I'm going to go as far as offer up everything except me nude. (Trust me, you don't want to see that!) And that takes a lot of courage, so please try to keep the bad remarks to a minimum. I beat myself up enough as it is (according to my husband). But I will take any and all encouragement, good thoughts, and in general cheering on! I want to try to post as often as I can, so I can get all my thoughts and feelings out. Maybe, just maybe if I vent my mind, I'll vent my body! Either way, I'm going to kick my butt and I want to see results!!