And I’m 12 1/2 lbs down.
Yesterday, I had the amazing experience of not eating all my food – it seemed to be too much for me. “So”, said Mr TBAM (150 lbs since the day I married him..), “Don’t eat it all.” It hadn’t occurred to me. After all, this was the food they were giving me. I had to eat it all, right? Just shows my screwed up relationship with food.
So I gave the second chop and potatoes to my daughter, who declared them delicious.
Things I am noticing
1. Despite losing 12 lbs, I am still fat. Since I was a good 10 lbs over my previously high weight when I started this thing, this should not be surprising to me. And yet it is. I feel so good, I am shocked to look in the mirror and see that I still have a long way to go.
2. You know how we all complain about how fast time flies? Well, go on a diet and weigh yourself every day. Time will CRAWL, I promise you. This is one of the good things about dieting. Slowing down time.
3. The way I feel at this weight today on the way down is vastly different then how I felt at this weight on the way up. Why is that?
4. My ankles have pretty much stopped swelling. Must be the bike riding. (Bardiac cries “Yes!”)
The challenge
I am heading out tomorrow for a 2 week vacation. (Part of the reason blogging has been so scarce – I’m trying to get things done before we leave. I promise I’ll get back to blogging once I get caught up.)
That means no delivered food, and keeping to the program while on the road for a week looking at colleges, then for a week at the cottage. I decided I am schlepping the scale along with me and weighing myself daily. I am also going to keep a food diary. Any other suggestions for eating on the road would be welcome.
I’ve done fine so far on the two weekends I was away at our cottage and cooking for myself, so I’m not too worried about that part of vacation. I’m actually looking forward to creating and cooking new foods.
But even if I screw up, I know that once I return, I’m back on the food delivery program. And that is so very reassuring to me. It also fits right in with what I’ve been reading about in Beck’s book on cognitive thinking and dieting. That we need to get out of the perfectionist mode with dieting. Going off a diet is not a failure, and doesn’t need to turn into a downward spiral of eating out of control. You just get right back on the wagon.
You’re an inspiration!
I hope you have a GREAT vacation. (Looking at colleges is way cool; I hope your daughter finds one she loves.)
I don’t know about biking reducing swelling. I’m totally the wrong kind of doctor. (I do know, that Shakespeare doesn’t reduce swelling.) Would it be because the muscles move blood back up the veins? But is swelling blood, or other fluids?
Just remember the portion sizes you’ve learned from the delivered meals and the revelation of not eating it all if you’re full. Those two things will help you a lot on your vacation. Take care and best wishes. So glad you are getting healthier!
Oh, and you are so right, falling off the diet is not a failure! Moderation in all things, including moderation!
Have you seen this blog
http://100lbs.typepad.com/ ?
Cindy is using the Beck system, and is smart, thoughtful, and enjoys good food. Now is a good time to check her out, she has photos up from last August and this month to show her progress.
She also moderates a Beck group via Live Journal at
http://100lbs.typepad.com/
She has a growing fan club, of which I am a member. 🙂
Good job on the 12+ pounds! I know what you mean about how different it feels on the way down than it did on the way up. Personally, I think when you get to be more conscious about your eating, everything about your body feels better.
Also, I can definitely testify that you can lapse a bit on the diet and then get right back on again when the situation is better, so just do the best you can on vacation. I think not gaining on vacation is a reasonable goal. And if you’re focused enough to have that goal, you just might even lose a pound or two.
Congratulations! You should feel really good about your acomplishment so far.
I’m going to step out on a limb with what are probably obvious suggestions…
In recent years there seems to be a consensus among weight loss programs that it is best to weigh yourself weekly and chart your progress. A fluctuation of a pound or two either up or down from day to day is meaningless and might just depress you if it’s the wrong direction. Since you’ll be away for 2 weeks, bring the scale and weigh yourself when you get to the cottage and again on the day you leave, but leave the damn thing packed the first week.
If your daughter is willing, whenever possible split meals out with her. Order one sandwich at lunch and get some fruit, order one entree at dinner and get two salads. That gives you automatic portion control and doesn’t leave you worried about leftovers. Restaurant portions tend to be large in any case and I doubt you’ll leave hungry.
Don’t forget to have fun.
Good luck!
Good going, keep it up! 🙂
balance diet is very affective treatment not only for existing diseases but prevent many disease in future by providing a good prodtactive systm in to the man. there are many disease in which medicine are not so affective but the a balance diet may play its on role like the skin condition Vitiligo and Anemia etc.
I love the practicality of the cognitive approach. It’s all about emotional skills and habits, for dieters, for procrastinators, for couch potatoes, for life,like: 1) motivating oneself, e.g., listing reasons why they want to do whatever, and read that list every single day.
2) Planing in advance and self-monitor behavior. 3) Overcoming sabotaging thoughts. 4) Tolerating urges, discomfort, unpleasant feelings. Hello life!
So on track TBTAM. Way go! pjg
well…just a suggestion but… since you always seem to do fine when away & on vacation, maybe you should should leave that scale at home! succeeding at dieting is to get to a point where you are no longer dieting but just eating healthy, portion-controlled meals w/o thinking about it! [i'm no MD, just a former dieter who for the first time in her life can have a gallon of [nonfat] ice cream in her freezer & not eat it in 1 hour!] if you must bring it, i agree w/ ccinnkeeper, try & only unpack it once a week & enjoy the trip!
congrats on the 12lbs! you go girl!!!
Congratulations on your progress! Funny you should mention biking and your ankles. I recently took up biking and I swear my ankles look different (not swollen)too. Maybe it is the calves that get bigger and make the ankles look smaller?
As far as eating on the road, the only thing I can think of is to order much less than you think you will need to be full. I’ve also found that if I order too much, instead of trying to eat the whole thing (I have that mindset also), I think about how I can make two meals out of it with the leftovers.