Non Scale Victories!!!

Over the last few days my scale has been going up and down between 3 and 4 pounds - So I recorded a gain today.  It can be frustrating but there are other things going on than just the silly number on the scale... Non Scale victories can be better than a number defining your journey. Dieting can be like a road trip.  You can simply go from Point A to Point B and when the odometer reaches that magic number of miles between you and your destination you can declare victory.  However, if you pay attention to the scenery along your destination, I can guarantee you'll have a much more rewarding trip.  For instance, my recent victories are:

1. I have consistently recorded daily in my food journal either online or in a notebook (catch-up in one or the other, but consistently journal) since Feb 16, 2011. 42 days. - this being said means that I've also been conscious of the food I eat for 42 straight days. I've been  known the fall of the wagon within hours of starting a diet on n Monday,  so 42 days this time is a nice feeling.

2. I'm noticing my shirts are bigger and hanging on me differently.

3. People have made comments that they notice I'm losing weight.

4.  I have maintained every doctors appointment I have had since 2/16/11 unless it was out of my power and then promptly rescheduled. My next appointment is April 8.

5. I took control of my health and then even more control when I fired my doctor and got a new one.

6.  My arthritis in my knee isn't as painful.

7.   I was eating my lunch today - a turkey and ham sandwich and was to the point of almost gagging as I've ate it, turkey or ham for lunch for over a week, thinking that I've got to make a change and realized that it wasn't the sandwich itself, it was the crust.  I don't like crust. I don't think I had ever slowed my eating down enough to really taste the whole sandwich. May be trivial but I liked finding that out about me.

8.  There is a contest at work like the biggest loser and while I am not in the contest several of my employees are. One was sharing with me today that she weighed 140 pounds and my reaction left a strange look on HER face like I'd hurt her feelings. I immediately felt bad. My reaction was that of shock because I would not have put her over 120 pounds soaking wet. I knew the look on her face was a familiar feeling I'd felt so I opened up to her and told her the truth. Your weight number is where I want to be, where I'll get and you look so small, I was having a hard time seeing Me look like you. I think she understood but the reality of what I will actually look like had so much impact on my mental journey that it was surreal.

Where is your road trip taking you?

Don't Judge a Post By The Title...

The scales and I have not spoke since Friday. I wanted to visit with her this morning but I was running late. It's rather ironic that I would turn to her to assess my damage. I don't trust the bitch when I do good. Why would I trust her when I waiver a bit? I need to own my journey. I need to speak up and quit allowing others to help guide my journey. There is not one food that passes a person's lips that taste as good as success does.  At times, I feel like I'm stuck with no voice. No ability to say "No" I won't eat that. Sometimes I feel like I have the winning numbers to a Million Dollar jackpot, when it comes to losing this weight, but feel I don't deserve to win so I sabotage it. I burn the ticket.

Friends, those statements are about value. They're about how much you value yourself to keep going forward in your journey.  Time and time again you read that it doesn't stop when you hit the magic number on the scale. It doesn't stop when you naturally drink tons and tons of water a day. It doesn't stop when you work out 3-5 times a week.  It's all of these things combined and more that create your healthy lifestyle. You can't expect to hit home runs if your feet never touch second and/or third base. You don't have to do it all at once but start out slow. Right now, I'm focusing on taking all of the value I put in food and putting more value in me. I need a clear head to move forward. I must be getting better because my mind says pretty nice things to me lately.  It's also reminding me that I need to put exercise into this journey... rather taunting me right now, however my mind has started to revel on how fast my body will adapt to exercise and become stronger as each day goes by. It's all of those little things I can't do now that exercise will cause me to start doing again. Watching it happen will be the measuring tool. I have just little over a year to reach the goal of going to Memorial Day 2011. That's a mere 365 days. I will not be sitting here posting a year from now at 400 pounds. It's not going to happen. I refuse to let it happen because I do own my journey. Are you owning yours?

Luck Be A Lady Tonight

First and foremost, Thank you all for all your words of inspiration and encouragement from the onset of this blog. I smile with every comment or email.  In just a short time I have made some very special friends that I hold dear to my heart and that is truly awesome. My husband is my number one fan hands down, and I know this week was especially hard for him because I've been doing some real soul searching that has been painful at times for me and painful at times for him to watch me go through. I am stronger because of it and he was right there to hold my hand through it.
I've had a remarkable week that goes beyond staying with in my calorie budget, drinking water, and losing weight.  The soul searching happened without me stuffing my emotions with food. I actually went to a Chinese buffet on Thursday night and stayed within budget and didn't leave feeling stuffed, the poor diet girl who couldn't eat more or anything like that. I stayed in complete control because I'm worth this. I enjoyed my husbands company and didn't worry about the lines of food that our table was close to. I ate what I like, what tasted good and stayed within budget. ... And then Friday came!!! Friday was awesome! Hubby and I planned our evening with take-out and movies. We had a great date night and I stayed within my budget all evening. There were no... celebratory Friday  feasts with food. Today is Saturday, we volunteer once a month and in that there is always a potluck that is involved... no problems here. It isn't about the food it's about people and having a good time. I have no fears about the day that lies ahead of me. There's no mental preparing going on. There's no justifying how to save calories...Food has no priority other than fuel for my body. That is such a good feeling. The even better feeling is I love myself and know it with conviction.

Today, I also play in a Texas Hold Em Tournament and boy are my opponents in trouble! I'm a pretty good player (If I do say so myself) and place top 10  pretty frequently. I've won this same tournament about 7 months ago and I'm placing today. Placed in the Top 5 too many times to count.  I'm going to place high today without even seeing my cards because I'm not going to be side-tracked with food or anything other than I'm here to be a winner.  As long as Lady Luck is on my side, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't walk out of there with First Place.

This brings me back to my collage... After I completed it, I realized there are a lot of things on my collage I don't have to wait to do depending on my weight. I can do most of  them now the only difference is, I can do them more easily as my weight declines. My dreams don't have to wait for the magic number on a scale. I can realize them any time and so can you. Tricia made her first collage too check it out. I've also created a "What's Your Vision" page where you can send me your vision and I'll post it with your site. Take care of you.

Better Said in Pictures

I found a really cool project on Spark People to make your vision a collage of what you aspire ot be or see yourself in 1, 5, and 10 years - the things you can do easier by being healther and thought it would be a really cool visual for keeping me focused. I made mine and gave it it's own page under "My Vision" - I know pretty creative huh? Anyhow, I really liked doing it and I think you might too. The article is under the Feed Your Head page called Vision Collage or here.  I'd love for you to share yours with me too. So, please feel free to email it to me or drop me a comment with a link to your blog. Take care of You.

Ok, I'll save you the click :) (how many calories are burned in a click?)

Click the picture to enlarge... (more calories burned! Woo Hoo)

Sometimes Staying in Jail is the Better Option

I stay within my calorie budget 99% of the time Monday - Friday 5p.m. and then all hell cuts loose. I get lazy, I don't blog, I have a running calorie calculation in my head. I say "yes" to eating out more than I should KNOWING I won't have good food options and then I come back here and complain about it. Are we seeing a cycle? Somewhere I have gotten the notion that Saturday and Sunday are like "Get out of Jail Free" cards and I'm allowing my ass to linger at Free Parking for as long as I want. Unacceptable. Do you know the luxury tax it will cost me in pounds if I continue to do this? The question is do I want to keep rolling the dice or use another "Get out of Jail free Card" this weekend? I think I'll set behind the bars and roll my dice - take a chance at getting doubles for good behavior.

3 DAYS

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

3 ROLLS !!!

With that being said, I'm giving away my "Get out of Jail Free Cards" if any of you are interested, leave a comment and I'll refer you back to this post as to why you shouldn't take them or use them. 

My Goals this week.

1. 
   
   64 oz of water everyday
2. 
   
   Write down everything I put into my mouth every day.
3. 
   
   Plan weekend meals before the weekend gets here.
4. 
   
   Write 3 posts this week. 1 must be written Saturday or Sunday.

Sausage Veggie Grill or Hobo Dinner

This past Saturday we did have an awesome dinner from the grill. Hubby took 3 beer brats, sliced them into pieces and made 4 little "hobo dinners" for all of us to enjoy. He wrapped the brat slices in heavy tinfoil with an ear of corn, sliced red peppers, zucchinni, yellow summer squash, baby porabellos, and onion.  Then he put a light drizzle of olive oil over it and seasoned it with pepper, garlic and onion powder. He grilled the little pouches for about 45 minutes and it was fabulous. We got the idea from seeing this recipe here. We reduced the calories and fat by reducing the amount of sausage and olive oil to make it more calorie friendly.  My aunt and uncle used to make something similar with burger and veggies when we'd go camping on the campfire. Try it, I'll bet you like it.

Some He Said /She Said moments from today...

411 Gurl: you know what i would really like to do with our birthday money.

Hubby: what

411 Gurl: get a new scale so that i can keep track of this journey. i've lost my gungho without being able to weigh

Hubby: yes

 

411 Gurl: I want to be a butterfly not a caterpillar

 

Hubby: You're always a butterfly to me.

 

 

Ordered and shipped today.

 

Take Care of You.