I think the holiday season starts on with Halloween in October and ends with Easter in the April. A few weeks ago, I thought the holidays ended on Superbowl Sunday, but then I forgot about Chinese New Year. Then Valentine's Day. Then Lent started. Okay, I'm not Catholic (yet), but I am feeling guilty. I love an excuse to not officially diet. Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day. I fill my year with days when dieting is taboo. Birthdays, anniversaries. They don't even have to be mine. Anyone's will do as long as there is cake. And winter. All of winter--cold, snowy winter--should be a holiday.
Good News: In all these months of slacking (four months worth!), I've only gained back 3lbs.
Bad News: I've been struggling for weeks to figure out how to get back to keeping a food journal and exercising.
Good News: I really have incorporated increased activity in my daily life. I do a lot of incidental walking to and from work, while at work, and around town. Parking a few extra spaces away really does make a difference.
Bad News: Stress has taken a hold of my life in ways I hadn't anticipated. Right now I am smarter about eating and exercising than I am about controlling stress in my life. Reducing stress will be my big focus over the next few lifetimes. . . I meant to say weeks.
The Extra Good News and The Answer: My blog. I went back and read over some of my thoughts about weight loss and dieting since July. I'm so glad I wrote down what I did. I'm so thankful for this blog. I wasn't writing it for then. I was writing those words for today. A day when I needed it the most. And I wasn't writing it for you (though I do wish you happy health and weight loss and a peaceful life--okay sounds like a Vulcan greeting, but I do meant it). I was and am writing this blog for me. The only motivation you need is yourself. You don't need me. You don't need to know what I think. You need to know your personal motivation and diet needs.
New Year New Goal: Same as before. Lose 10%. I could lose 20% easily, but I'm still trying to do things slowly so the weight stays off and my body learns to be new. Or learns to be its new self. 10% in 2010.
Let me know what you've been doing and what you want to start doing to be healthy. Let's motivate each other. I'm a tiger (Chinese Zodiac-wise) and this is my year. Gong Xi Fa Cai, Happy New Year! Happy Health, Eating, and Exercising. And Peace.
I would say "welcome back on the wagon!" but that would imply I was still on it. Thanks for your post! Hopefully it will inspire me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I won't mention my new potato chip fad diet last week. Lost 2 pounds after sitting on the couch eating Pringles for 4 days. Then gained them immediately back. :-)
Yeah! You're back! I totally get the whole Feast Season. I've been spinning my wheels since November and haven't lost one single pound. Gah. Time to step it up again before I have to put the sweaters away.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're back!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first Feast Season I can remember that I didn't actually gain weight. Didn't lose any either, but it feels like progess.
DH and I gave ourselves an eliptical trainer for the holidays. He's still complaining...lol.
Nicki,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and much needed inspiration as I struggle to find my motivation. I, alas, gained over ten pounds and face a summer wardrobe that doesn't fit.
As a fellow tiger, I'll claim 2010 for myself, too!
Hey Nicki,
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you are back blogging. It can definitely be restorative (?is this a word) and therapeutic for the blogger and definitely motivational for the reader. When I saw you last, I was inspired by your drive to become healthy and made a decision to get off my lose some gain some roller coaster and instead create a lifestyle that I could follow and could maintain even when stressful events would attempt to throw my life off kilter. It has been challenging but I have managed to lose 26 pounds since I saw you guys in Sept and am looking forward to a goal weight by May that would put my BMI right where it should be (25):-D. Some things that have been helpful in my journey and may be helpful for you and others 1. The Bodybugg: i don't know if you watch the biggest loser (great show by the way) but they use it. It is a calorie management system. It takes the guesswork out of losing weight because it gives you exact parameters of how many calories you have to consume and how much you have to burn in order to lose a certain amount of pounds per week. I could sit here all day and sing it's praises but time doesn't permit so for more info go to apex fitness.com 2. Don't know what your thoughts are about running but if you pick a running event 3K/5K/10K/1/2 marathon ... to train for it will give you a goal to strive for that will affect your dietary choices and your exercise choices. How about the Peachtree Road race 10K (6.2 miles)in Atlanta on july 4rth hmmmm... make it a family thing; you can train w/a group for more accountability or follow one of the beginners regimines on line 3. Circuit training/bootcamp in a group; Big calorie burn in a short period of time again with built in accountability - and if you can do it in the morning you'll get the extra bonus of residual burn :-D 4. Unscheduled exercise; you seem to be utilizing this. Things like taking the stairs at work and parking in the furthest parking space in the parking lot 5. Lastly, Prayer - enough said. the joy of the Lord is your strength for those days when your get upnand go has gotten up and gone and keep calling things that are not as though they were. I applaud your efforts seeing as you have a full plate. Keep praying and posting and you will lose all the weight you desire to lose. Have a super weekend. :-D EB
Hey guys! Glad to see you. I've got secret successes planned for 2010 and another dreaded 20lbs to lose. Can't wait for winter to be over.
ReplyDeleteMamie, pull me back up on the wagon. I need it.
Michelle, I appreciate your careful choices when we eat out, but I pretty sure we are do for a Ru San's date soon. I think all you can eat sushi can be healthy . . .
Sally, Tiger girl. 10lbs is doable. 1lb for every chapter you write. Write and lose weight.
EB, 26lb! That is awesome. Did I read somewhere that you climbed 100 flights of stairs. Love the ideas. Kids are my main obstacle, but not an insurmountable obstacle. :) I'm working on 2 and 5. Got a blog coming up on 5. I'll keep you posted.
I gave up facebook for lent, so I'm basically off the internet until Easter. Sorry for the slow response!
ReplyDeleteSutton, are you using the elliptical trainer? Just curious how you motivate yourself in your house. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteNicki! Email me (cemurphyauthor AT gmail DOT com)! How splendid to reconnect with you, I've wondered how you've been doing!
ReplyDelete-Catie
Nicki! It was my pleasure meeting you at this year's Moonlight and Magnolias. I was a first timer and from the moment I walked in I felt like I made 10 new friends in 5 minutes. I had an awesome time, congrats on your win
ReplyDeleteStay in touch. Yes I fight the good/bad lose weight battle.
Yasmine Phoenix
You could schedule an expensive photo shoot in a string bikini, but I've found myself returning to some words of wisdom from Julia Cameron's Finding Water: Get small. When I feel overwhelmed, I focus on small things that I can do and focus on that one small thing. Maybe it's emptying the trash, maybe it's drinking water instead of a coke, maybe it's taking a walk around the block instead of turning on the television, etc. Once I finish that one small thing, I do another, and another, and before you know it, I've made BIG progress.
ReplyDeleteJef, I agree. Once you get motivated, taking out the trash doesn't seem so bad. Here's to what we can do in our writing and our healthy this year!
ReplyDelete