Fresh Start

 Introduction-

For those of you that don't know, I am currently enrolled at a community college studying Human Services, in pursuit of my Addiction Studies Certificate.  That in and of itself is a story on its own, but not for the immediate post at hand.  However, for the certificate one of my elective classes is "Self Esteem Strategies".  This class is where the idea spurred for starting afresh my "food journey" blog.  In class we are working on goal setting, with the aim of using visualization as one of the techniques to implement in attaining our goals.  I found it interesting and encouraging to learn that visualization is a technique also supported by science, according to one of the speakers of a Ted Talk You Tube video.  However, I myself have not looked at the research to determine how valid or reliable it is. Nevertheless, I am still able to create a goal, and work towards it.

Goal- 

So my goal is to lose 40 pounds safely within a 6 month time frame.  I want a great body!

Reward-

For every ten pounds lost, I have decided to reward myself.  I plan to get a new haircut (oh I may as well add highlights in there too, since I am starting to see more grays).  After 20 pounds lost, I will treat myself to a manicure.  After 30 pounds lost I will treat myself to a pedicure.  Finally when I have lost the 40 pounds I plan to treat myself to a professional muscle massage from the local Korean day spa. If during covid that is not an option, I will still do some kind of celebrating for my accomplishment.  It might be a new outfit, or 5 new outfits.  Anyways the rewards are set.

Every Sunday or once a week I will blog about my fresh start.  I will "discuss" with you the reader about how its going with my food intake.  Right now I am in the planning and preparation stage.  I have allotted some time of a week or two for both the menu planning and the grocery shopping for ingredients to make delicious low calorie low carb foods that I am likely to enjoy.  Lemons are on my mental list, for they are excellent to squeeze into a warm glass of water in the morning to aid digestion when I first wake up.  I say warm water only because its so cold in the mornings.  But cool water is fine if that's your preference I suppose.  

Action Plan-

• I will buy a dozen lemons within one week by Friday 3/12/21.
• I will create a weekly menu plan by same time frame Friday 3/12/21.
• I will go grocery shopping by ASAP Sunday 3/14/21.
• I will count calories, carbs, etc.  I will find the food diary and record it OR just buy a new food journal on or before Sunday 3/21/21.
• I will commit to a daily physical activity, such as strength training resistance, aerobic exercise such as zumba/dance, yoga/pilates, and.or walking neighborhood for 30 minutes daily by Saturday 3/6/21.  (I missed the deadline for starting my exercises yesterday, so my next best way to handle it is to start tomorrow on Monday 3/8/21 with walking at the minimum.)
• I will drink 8 glasses of H2O daily starting Saturday 3/6/21.  (Again I did not meet my quota nor deadline to start yesterday.  Fortunately, tomorrow Monday is a new day for me to start afresh on this aspect of my overall goal.)
• I will create and compile easy veggie recipes of the foods and flavors I like within a 2 weeks time so by 3/19/21.
• I will "blog" my journal ASAP with one or more weekly entries every Sunday starting on 3/7/21.  Yaye!  I did it!  I almost forgot then suddenly I remembered this goal.  So I also added it into my day planner now so to remind me what I've set myself to do each week.  I am planning to commit to blog (writing) each week for the next 6 months duration of "losing 40 pounds safely".  If a weekly blog turns out to be "too much" then I am free to adjust accordingly, and vice versa.  This is just my initial starting point.
• I will find one person to "join me" in weight loss.  I will "offer" to help him or her to lose weight also.  In other words, I am looking for a "study buddy" who will be my weight loss partner in crime.  I am looking for someone who will be my accountability partner and or someone I can teach or coach in weight loss.  The buddy system is such a great tool.  Why do something alone when doing it together is so much more fun and rewarding for all involved?  Yes, if you or someone you know wants to join me in this process feel free to come along!

To be continued-

I am so excited to be starting afresh on this goal.  I lost almost 60 pounds in 2011 and kept it off for 2 years before slowly regaining.  I am using both what has worked in the past before as well as a few new techniques.  I really hope someone will join me.  Last time I lost a large amount of weight my friend was the leader.  She taught me how to do it.  This time I am leading myself and I would be super blessed to help another person along the way also.  So if you are wanting to lose 5 pounds or 50 , I'm not a doctor but I can encourage coach and teach you about what I am doing.  Until next week, be safe and be well.  Always take good care of yourself.  Love yourself.  Accept yourself.  God is so for you and wants to bless you.  How can I say that?  Because that is the nature and character of my God.  Thanks for reading my blog.  God bless you always.

I Blew It (again)! Now What?

Do you ever feel like, I want to eat the right foods, I want to eat healthy, but, gosh-darn-it, it's SO HARD, or I JUST LOVE TO EAT, or OOPS I BLEW IT AGAIN?!!  Well, if so, you are not alone.  We are designed to eat anything in sight.  It's the natural order of things.  I see food.  I want it.  I eat it.  Plain and simple.  The trick is, once you've already succumbed to that CHOCOLATE TEMPTATION,  or taken more than enough MOUTHFULS OF PASTA, what do you do? 

1.  Just start with your next meal.  I mean, why beat  yourself up over the PAST?  Just recommit to eating healthy your next meal!!  Really, what else can you do?

2.  Sure, go ahead and exercise!!  Even a moderate walk 30 minutes a day is beneficial.  So, yeah, get up, go for a walk, take a ZUMBA class, or whatever other form of exercise floats your boat!!  I LOVE  the happy-high feeling I get from all the endorphins and serotonin floating around in my brain after exercise!!  I also love MAKING FRIENDS with the other participants in any group exercise class (usually offered at many gyms).

3.  There's actually A LOT you can do to prevent over-eating, or mis-eating (again) in the future.  Another thing you could do is TO MAKE A PLAN.  What this looks like for you, or for me, might be different based on a variety of factors.  But, nevertheless, make some kind of MENU plan ahead of time might be a helpful strategy for some people.  For example, let's say chicken, rice and beans is on the menu for your family.  You could eat the chicken and beans and omit (or go easy on) the rice!!  And, add a fruit and salad to this meal, and you will feel full and satisfied for hours!!  Not to mention all the nutritional benefit you will gain from this meal: fiber, protein, phytonutrients.

4.  Let's say you are a working person.  Take healthy snacks with you to work so that you never again (or less often, at least) have a "food emergency" again!!  You know, when you eat ANYTHING in sight, simply because it's there, even when you know you shouldn't or that it's not good for you?!  On the last week of work, one of my co-workers brought in an entire dozen of donuts to share with us!  I contributed to the delinquency too by bringing in a huge bag of potato chips (gasp)!!  And, we each had at least 2, if not 3, donuts a piece!  We stuffed ourselves, and felt the all more miserable for it afterwards!!  I promised myself that my next meal would be a salad!!  Which I did.  But, PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! 

5.  What are some healthy alternatives for snacking at the office?  I'm going to try to have fresh veggies cut up and bring.  We have refrigerator we can use; or I also have small purse size cooler bag to put in.  Canned tuna; salmon or chicken.  Healthy nuts, trail mix.  Having healthy snacks ON HAND and EASILY ACCESSIBLE for eating will make life a whole lot easier, for our waistlines and our optimal health.

So, next time you "blow it", and you don't eat as well as you had hoped, or wanted, know that you are not alone!!  Better yet, don't drink your guilt and sorrow away with alcohol or your favorite sugar-laden iced coffee drink (one of my biggest challenges especially during the hot summer).  We can simply start eating right again starting with our next meal.  And, we can plan ahead for both our main meals and our little snacks throughout the day.  It might  not seem easy (at first), but with each tiny baby step in the healthy direction, we can get to where we want and need to be!!

Love you!