Wk 4/Day 26- Points, Points, Points- Oh Geez!

Apparently points are a good motivator for me.  Well, apparently they are a huge motivator for me and I think I need some balance.  If points are my only motivator, when the 6 weeks are over, so are my good habits.  But, I'm not going to lie, I'm already planning my binge for the end!

You want some honest evidence that the points have become a little too motivating?

2 real thoughts yesterday:

• "No my dear son, I do not want to ride bikes with you around the block again.  I have already gotten my 46 minutes of exercise and I don't get any more points for doing more than that.  In fact we will probably drive to pick up your brother from school, because with all of the block circling we did today, there's no point (literally) to walking over there."
• "Thank you for offering me a strawberry.  It sounds good but what I really need is a vegetable serving.  Eating more fruit isn't going to get me any more points. (and isn't that what eating fruit is about?)"

Now, I did catch myself in this erroneous thinking.  I remembered that my call is for people to focus on the Activities of Living and not so much exercise or exercise points.  Certainly, joining my son on a bike ride for fun and enjoying a walk to pick up my oldest from school is LIVING.

P.S. I really was too worn out to circle the block even 1 more time and needed to get everyone some lunch, but we did walk to school later.  And stupid me didn't eat the strawberry, nor did I get up to get a veggie snack.  Lost opportunity on both accounts.


Here's what I believe will continue in my own habits after the program has ended: 

• Exercise.  I've gotten into a good routine and have found a lot of enjoyment in a combination of cardio, strengthening, and stretching.  I have in the past primarily focused on cardio and 45 minutes of jumping jacks is a hard thing to stay motivated on.  Now I march around my living room with handweights or sit down and stretch, while I talk to my husband in the kitchen- It's been fun. 
• Focus on a variety of grains.  Because I haven't been able to eat anything with white flour, we've branched out a little in our use of grains- steel cut oats, couscous (okay this is primarily semolina flour, but it's a least added some variety to our diet), and quinoa.
• Fruit intake.  Since I have been buying more fruits to have around, we have been eating them more and I have been turning to them more often to satisfy a need for something sweet.  
• Consistent Scripture Study. What a well balanced program to incorporate spiritual aspects into fitness.  It has gotten me into a good habit of really reading and not just skimming something before I go to bed.

Wk 4/Day 25- Mmmmm!

This is an article I wrote as a resource on my new website.  
It's almost ready for the big reveal!

An Exercise in Mindfulness

Go get your favorite treat- Right Now!  Come back, sit down with it, and get ready to experience it on a whole new level.

1. Experience your treat with all of your senses.  

First look at it closely- notice the texture, color,  and sheen.  Notice any variety of color or texture across the food.

Next smell it- does it have a strong smell?  Do have any memories that come to mind because of the smell?  Does that add to the experience?  

Now touch it- is it hot/cold?  smooth/rough?  Is it brittle or flexible?  

Does it make any sound when you smash it or pinch it?

 2. Take 1 bite.  I'm not going to tell you how big the bite should be, that's for you to decide.  As you move through this exercise, try different size bites to see how your experience differs.

3. Focus on what is in your mouth. 
Now the experience is in your mouth, so close your eyes.  Put any utensils down and put your hands in your lap.  
Taste it- where can you taste it the most?  Tip of your tongue, side, middle or back of your tongue?  What do you like best about the flavor?  Are there any parts to the flavor that you don't care for?
Focus on what it feels like- are there different textures to it?  Does it feel different on your lips, tongue, inside your cheek?  Is it hot/cold?  What do you like best about the texture?  Is there any part of the texture you don't care for?
Can you still smell it?  Check by pinching your nose and see if that effects how it tastes.
Listen to any crunching or other sounds as you chew.  Would the experience be different if it were missing it's characteristic sound?

4. Pay attention to why you swallow.  What tells you it's time to swallow?  How many chews are just right for this type of food?  Can you still taste it after you swallow?  What is the lingering taste or texture like?  What do you like or dislike about it?

5.  Intentionally exhale before taking another bite.  Can you still recall what you just experienced?  Are you ready to focus in again on the next bite?  This might be the appropriate time to exclaim "Mmmmm!"

© 2012 Kilgrow Culinary, LLC

Wk 4/Day 24- I Quit!

I would have to guess that rarely does anyone make it past week 3 of a diet- if they make it that far.

Week 3 was a killer.  Especially after a week of such strict diet rules, I was so burnt out.  I kept trying to conjure up the motivating reasons why I was doing this; and none of what I thought were my reasons were motivating enough. 

I told my husband I didn't think it was worth it to keep going.  He is usually very supportive of my decisions and I expected him to say, "Whatever you think is best, honey"- like he usually does. What a great husband I have.

Instead he told me, "You can't quit!  How are you supposed to know what it's like for everyone else?"  My silent thought was "I have learned what it's like and I hate it.  I'm done!"

He continued "What is going to make your program any different?  You have to know what week 4 is like, what week 5 is like, and what week 6 is like."

So here I am still chugging away, though I have started to mark down how often I go to bed hungry.  Which hasn't been very often lately because I haven't kept to the after 8 PM rule (no points there, but no hungry there either).  In fact, in the program I am developing, the 'no eating after 8 PM rule' will be the first to go.

Well now I've gone and said too much.  Stay Tuned . . .  

Wk 4/Day 22- Bathroom Scale: How I Hate Thee

What do you think it takes to become a foot model for a bathroom scale picture?  I promise these are not my feet.

I bought my first bathroom scale exactly 24 days ago (2 days before the start of this diet).  I have never owned one before that.  I had considered it, but always decided that I didn't want to know.  I felt I could tell adequately whether I was at a healthy weight or not, by how I felt and how my clothes fit.  And I didn't want to drive myself crazy watching numbers go up and down, up and down, as they inevitably do.  

I'm not going to lie, I did occasionally check my weight at my mom's or at work.  Gratefully, those occasional check-ins were able to show me a trend over time without the daily fluid fluctuations that will drive you mad!

I needed to invest in my own scale so I could track my weekly weights for the Fit in 6 program.  I figured my mom wouldn't let me borrow hers that long and I didn't want to pack all the kids up first thing Monday morning to go to Grandma's so mommy could weigh herself- That would totally underhand the lack of focus I was trying to bring to the whole diet thing.  Finally when my husband convinced me we could use the scale to weigh back packs for scout trips (I have 3 boys) after my challenge was over, I consented to buy one. 

I read reviews online trying to decide which scale to buy.  I mostly read the 1 star reviews, so that I knew the common complaints that people face with a product.  The complaint that my scale got over and over, was its lack of reliability.  People would explain that they weigh themselves one night and again in the morning to find they had lost 2 pounds "without exercising or anything". 

I am sure most of us realize that over the course of a day you can gain/lose up to 2 pounds (perhaps even a little more) in fluid fluctuations.   But do you really consider that when you weigh yourself and congratulate yourself for having lost weight that week "without exercising or anything" only to beat yourself up the next week because you gained those 2 pounds back? 

I know these things and still I am finding loads of frustration watching the numbers go up and down, up and down.  I lost weight the first week, gained it the 2nd week (which was the killer- no sugar week), and lost some the 3rd week.

I must remind myself we lose weight like this

 And not like this