As I stated in my last post, a majority of losing weight successfully has to do with planning. It looks like 2012 is going to require a lot of planning, and mental rehearsing, on my part. There are 3 events that could spell trouble if I'm not ready for them.
Event #1 - The Cruise
In March my family is going on a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas. Sounds amazing, right? Well, it could spell food, and waiste-line, disaster if I let it. This trip is going to entail a week away from home, and I will have no idea ahead of time what is going to be available at each meal. Again, this comes down to things I can control and things I can't. I can control my liquor in-take. Since we have to pay for it anyways, I will limit it to 1 drink at dinner at the most. I will also make smart alcohol choices, such as a glass of wine, or a bloody mary, as it is healthier than the sugary drink mixers for margarita's or daquiries. As far as food goes, I plan to load up on the fruits and veggies when available, and ask for all sauces on the side if possible. I also plan on doing a lot of walking, either around the ship, or while we're in port. I lwould ike to think I will make use of the gym on-board, but I don't think that will happen.
Event #2 - Baseball Season
This is pretty much half my year. We have season tickets for the Royals, and if they can carry on their momentum from September, we will be at just about every game. My weakness - buffalo ranch fries and meatball subs. Last year they had some of the best ballpark food around and it was hard to stay away from it. My goal is to allow myself one treat per homestand. In an attempt to not buy any more than that, I will leave my wallet, cash, and debit card at home.
Event #3 - Jamaica
My husband and I will be spending 9 days in Jamaica at the end of the year. I'm not so much worried about the food, because based on experience, everything is made from scratch, and they offer a lot of variety. They also offer some of the most amazing fruit and veggies I've ever had. My downfall will be all of the free alcohol. When we went last year, I gained 6 pounds. I cannot let that happen again. I know I won't be able to lay off the drinks entirely, but I'm definitely going to try to cut back. I don't think I will be having bloody mary's at breakfast every day. I need to figure out a way to be more active as well. I'm hoping that since the husband won't have a broken ankle this time (God willing) that we'll be able to do more walking and exploring the grounds. I may have to suck it up and make use of the gym. At least the treadmills have a great view of the ocean. I think I'm going to get in on as many snorkling trips as possible too. Some of the currents can be pretty strong and it does take effort to kick yourself around in the water.
I'm planning on making some small, every day changes as well. The last half of this year has gotten out of hand with going out to eat. I was eating out most days for lunch, and we were going out for dinner several times a week. It's time to cook. It's time to plan my lunches. I'm allowing myself 1 meal out a week for lunch. Other than that, I will be brown-bagging it.
I'm also going to make an attempt to eat less processed foods. Weight Watchers has a system called Simply Filling. The premise of this plan is to eat fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains, and fat free dairy. It's basically what most would call "clean eating." I never thought I could to that, but I've been experimenting with it these last few weeks and it's a lot easier than I thought. It also keeps me fuller long, and I don't crave the junk. You used to have to follow this plan for a full week at a time, but now you can switch back and forth day to day between Simply Filling, and tracking points.
An area where I really struggle is activity. I just hate doing it. I hate going to the gym. I hate getting sweaty. I hate exerting myself. But I know in order to lose the weight and keep it off, that I'm going to have to move more. I'm starting off with a goal of earning an average of 2 activity points per day. That's basically 30 minutes of low to moderate activity a day. It doesn't have to be a traditional work-out either. It can be taking the dog for a walk, walking around the store or cleaning the house. I think my house, my husband, and my dog will love me for this goal. The point is just to move more.
Lastly, in an effort to keep my ultimate weight-loss goal managable, I am going to break it down into 5 pound mini-goals. That way I won't get discouraged when the 65 pounds I have left to lose don't come off over night. Sometimes I may assign time periods to them, other times not. But my first goal is to lose 5 pounds by the end of January.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
A New Year, A New Blog, A New Me
Last year, I started blogging about my weight-loss journey. If you had previously followed me, you know I slacked off big time towards the middle of the year. We are getting ready to embark on another year and I have made it one of my many resolutions to keep up with my blog. It really does help me stay on track and focused about my efforts. I also appreciate the love, encouragement, and support I get from all of you. Please help keep me accountable this year. :)
I find that when making new year's resolutions, it's helpful to look back over the past year to see how far you've come, as well as how you've fallen short. Last January, my goal was to lose 50 pounds in 2011. I have fallen far short of that goal. As of last Saturday I was holding at 15 pounds gone. There were a lot of things that happened to which I could assign blame, but ultimately, the choices were mine, and I made the wrong ones.
I've written down all of the events that happened in 2011 and sorted them into 2 categories, events that I could control, and events that I couldn't control. Some of the things that fell into the first group were vacations and trips, baseball season, and holiday food. These were all events that I knew of well in advance and could have planned for better.
If there is one thing I can take away from 2011 it's that the key to effective weight-loss is planning. Good intentions can't get you to your end goal. How many times have you caught yourself saying, "I didn't intend to eat that," or, "I meant to go to the gym." As the old saying goes, "Wish in one hand, poop in the other and see which one fills up first." It's crude, but true.
In an attempt to stick with the plan and actually hit my weight-loss goal by the end of 2012, tonight I am going to sit down with my calendar and plan out all of the events that I know are going to happen during the next year. I will then form a plan-of-attack so I have a strategy already in my head for how I'm going to handle the situation. There are 2 events sticking in my head right now...both vacations. I can't live my life inside an isolated diet bubble because as I've said before, this isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle change. The trick is staying on plan while living my life. I haven't quite figured that part out yet.
I'm excited to see what 2012 brings. With the new year comes a renewed sense of commitment and motivation. Here's to seeing a little less of myself! :)
I find that when making new year's resolutions, it's helpful to look back over the past year to see how far you've come, as well as how you've fallen short. Last January, my goal was to lose 50 pounds in 2011. I have fallen far short of that goal. As of last Saturday I was holding at 15 pounds gone. There were a lot of things that happened to which I could assign blame, but ultimately, the choices were mine, and I made the wrong ones.
I've written down all of the events that happened in 2011 and sorted them into 2 categories, events that I could control, and events that I couldn't control. Some of the things that fell into the first group were vacations and trips, baseball season, and holiday food. These were all events that I knew of well in advance and could have planned for better.
If there is one thing I can take away from 2011 it's that the key to effective weight-loss is planning. Good intentions can't get you to your end goal. How many times have you caught yourself saying, "I didn't intend to eat that," or, "I meant to go to the gym." As the old saying goes, "Wish in one hand, poop in the other and see which one fills up first." It's crude, but true.
In an attempt to stick with the plan and actually hit my weight-loss goal by the end of 2012, tonight I am going to sit down with my calendar and plan out all of the events that I know are going to happen during the next year. I will then form a plan-of-attack so I have a strategy already in my head for how I'm going to handle the situation. There are 2 events sticking in my head right now...both vacations. I can't live my life inside an isolated diet bubble because as I've said before, this isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle change. The trick is staying on plan while living my life. I haven't quite figured that part out yet.
I'm excited to see what 2012 brings. With the new year comes a renewed sense of commitment and motivation. Here's to seeing a little less of myself! :)
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