Pretty Good Day (Food wise) that is

It was a bit of a stressful day at school but I stuck with it foodwise.

Breakfast- 2 scrambled eggs with cheese plus 8 oz. skim milk
AM snack - none (I have no break)
Lunch- 2 eggs in an egg salad, string cheese, cherry s-f jello
PM Snack- string cheese
Dinner- ground beef (hamburger patty) with cheese and green beans with almonds
Dessert- no sugar added creamsicle

I'll come back and do the steps stuff. Yeah, I'm so glad that I was able to stick with it today!

Forgot to add my water intake- I drink water using the 16.9 oz. water bottle because it's just easier for me to drink the individual bottles throughout the day. I drank 3 of them today which means I didn't meet my water intake for the day (I need app. 4 to be around 66 oz.) and I did have a 12 oz. dt. mtn. dew and about another 12 oz. at dt. mtn. dew at dinner. I'll add my steps tomorrow.

A New Start and a New Challenge

I am starting with my new plan tomorrow. i have a stocked fridge and freezer ready for me to start with South Beach tomorrow. I'm just going to need to pray for the willpower to stay away from the stuff I need to stay away from. I am also joining in on the walking challenge. I found out that it's 514 miles to where Kim lives in IL. So, I'm going to go that way since it is the longer trip. I'm not sure I'll get much of a chance to go work out this week because I'm not on the routine of school yet so I'll do what I can and go find the pedometer and make sure I'm walking around the school as much as possible.

Not Good

Well, I'll make this brief and to the point. I have to go finish planning for our half day of school tomorrow. When I weighed myself this morning I had gained back the pound I lost last week. I wasn't really too surprised- I could kind of tell. My water drinking is definitely picking up though- I can tell that difference already. Monday I'm hoping to get into the routine of things again.

Also- on my last post I said those who were on the challenge with me- I actually meant those who were on this journey with me. If you are reading this because you are on the way to a healthier life please email me at the address in the post below with your snail mail. Thanks!

Blah- and Tuesday Tip

Well, I just feel sort of blah today- yesterday I did well, I had fruit and half a bagel for b-fast, subway for lunch (chicken and bacon ranch on wheat) for lunch, and grilled chicken and brown rice for dinner. I also had a sugar free pudding for dessert. Today however, I did fine until I didn't have a snack when I left work. If i had had a snack I would not have been hungry and would have resisted the temptation of the Sunchips better and then that led to the candy bar. Oh, so frustrating. However, tomorrow is another day and I will try again. I have plans- I just need to make sure I have my snacks with me.

So, my tip for today would be along those lines- before going shopping (which is what I did after leaving school) have some type of snack so that the temptation is not there to snack while out.

Also- I would like for all those who are participating in this challenge with me to please email me at zephan3.17 at juno.com. I would like you to email your "real name" and your mailing address. From time to time I want to send out RAKS of encouragment and I want them to be a surprise.

One last thing- I live in Knoxville, TN if anyone wants to participate in a virtual type of challenge like granny and kim. Just let me know. Have a great day!

Do It Anyway

I received this in an email a long time ago and printed it out. While moving I found it and thought that it was good! It goes along with the attitude being a big obstacle or building block to success.

Do It Anyway
Written by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will sin some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happines, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enoug;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Break Free of Your Food Addiction- article

I regularly get the Quick and Simple magazine and a recent one had a great article. I promised it yesterday and things got a little crazy and I completely forgot. So, here goes:. The question the article asks is: "Can you be addicted to food, a stubstance your body needs to survive?" Dr. Gold (a Univ. of FL addiction expert) says that yes, that as food addicts imagine their favorite foods it triggers "anticipatory brain changes that are virtually identical" to the changes in the brain of an alcoholic or drug addict. The article also states that a person addicted to food experiences many of the same withdrawal symptoms- irritability, moodiness, and anger- as a recovering drug addict.

There were 8 ways to tame temptation:
- Become a journalist- write down what you eat, how much you eat, and how you were feeling when you were eating it.

- Identify and dodge your triggers- keep a list of activities to do do when you have identified what triggers the eating. This is where card making/scrapbooking can come in handy- get your hands busy! If it's a person that triggers unhealthy eating- you might need to steer clear of that person for a while until you have the strength to stand up to her

- Slow down! Food junkies eat fast. Because we tend to eat so fast it takes longer for us to register that we are full. Dr. Gold says that for a thin person it takes 12 minutes to register that food has been eaten and someone who is obese it could take 20 minutes. A suggestion is to set a timer and eat with baby spoons/small spoon or forks to stretch out the eating time.

-Surround yourself with support- which is what we are doing- keeping accountable!

-Switch addictions- Dr. Gold suggests getting addicted to exercise. Do what needs to be done to make exercise a regular part of your life

-Downsize the dinnerware. Use smaller plates and bowls to keep portions more controllable

-Weigh every day. This is something that I personally do but I focus on every other day. It really keeps me aware and doesn't allow it to sneak up on me. I am able to know that I have overindulged and therefore need to adjust- and even though I KNOW it from my journal- the scale doesn't lie!

-Don't give up. Different people respond in different ways to different strategies- find what works for you!

It also included a quick tip- "announce an executive decision the next time you are tempted by food you don't need. Tell that doughnut- out loud- my body doesn't need or want you!"

Quick and Simple magazine- July 31, 2007- quickandsimple.com

WOW!!

I have not had a great week food wise with moving and haven't had made the best choices when I have gone out to eat. However, in spit of that I still lost another pound. I don't know how unless it's because i haven't been snacking. I haven't really had much time to snack- basically I have eaten my dinners and that's it. Who knows- I'm going to keep going and then next week I'm hoping to get in the gym. Hope you are having a great day!