There is something about the end of summer and the beginning of school - even if you don't go to school anymore - that is motiviating. Like New Year's Eve. A new beginning. A chance to begin anew - with a fresh plan and fresh enthusiasm. So, here I go again. I have a big birthday coming up in mid-November. Not saying which one, but it's big. And I have a doctor's appointment coming up in early October. And if you've been reading this blog you know that I am stuck in neutral. Five up, five down, five up, five down. Stuck. So I am unsticking myself today in hopes that I will be below 200 at the doc's and comfortably below 200 for that birthday. And the way to do that is to return to the most successful plan I have ever been on. Snagged from the internet it is simply eating six small meals a day, exercising, and drinking water. Sounds easy, right? The meals are made up of veggies, fruits and proteins. I'm going to stay away from bready carbs for a while as they seem to be a slippery slope for me. A few crackers turns in to too many. Bread turns into 'how about some butter on that?' So no carbs till I've got my tummy and my brain rewired - again. And no alcohol. I've already alerted my immediate crew that my bar order is going to be water with lemon. It looks like a vodka drink and that should satisfy those small minded people who seem to give me a hard time if I'm not joining in by having a drink. I can have just as much fun sober as I can under the influence - seriously - I know I can. So eliminating alcohol is no problem at all for me. Eliminating sugar and bread - not so easy. So I've weighed myself - up a lot. I've recorded that on my diet clipboard that will be housed in my kitchen. I've planned my breakfast - fruit and protein. And I willl be eating today at 8, 10, 12, 2, 4, and 6. Six little meals. And my biggest hope is that I will remember to breathe - in through the nose, out through the mouth (kind of like childbirth!!!) whenever I am tempted to do a cupboard search or a frige search or an other people's kitchen search or a 7/11 stop, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. Just breathe. And by taking the time to breathe, hopefully my common sense will kick back in and I will remember that I am not truly hungry - just mouth and eyes hungry - and that if I wait a tiny little two hours, I will get to have a pretty little plate full of veggies and fruits and proteins. And all the water I want. Water for all my friends!!!
And the exercise. It's right there on my journal sheet. I've got space to record my weight, space to record my intake, space to record my water, and space to record my exercise. Last week I was doing some cleaning;hoeing out and found a brand new never been opened pilates kit including a book, a DVD and an exercise band. So that's my plan for today. A session with the band. Nothing better than pilates for alllover toning which I am in desperate need of. And perhaps I'll get my sneakers to take me for a walk. Here's my little hint for a long walk - if you pop a piece of gum in your mouth before you start it somehow makes your breathing easier. It helps to keep your mouth from drying out with all that gasping for air you do when you're newly back into it. Which I am, again.
So here's to me and the new program and to my birthday - 79 days from today!