I need a belt.

When I started the clean eating plan, my pants, which are a size 20, fit just right.  Not quite snug, but definitely not loose. At only 8.5 pounds down, my pants are close to too loose.  I need a belt.  That really makes me happy.  I have these dress shirts in closet that I want to wear to work. 8.5 pounds ago they were very tight, buttons stretched tight.  Now, they are just not flattering.  The buttons all close without strain.  In another 8 pounds they should look nice. Today I made sure to get my walk in at work.  I wasn't able to really go fast because of lower back pain.  I had hoped my walk would loosen it up, but no such luck.  

Remember that NYTimes Mag I linked to in my post, it has been on my mind for a while.  I keep thinking back to Mrs. Bridges and her constant focus on food and exercise.  It does sound like she has some hobbies, friends, and family. But much of her day is spent focused on eating or exercising.  I don't have that kind of time to devote to this.  That isn't the life I want to lead.  So I am trying to get over my free of failure.  I am not going to let that fear keep me from trying. I need to figure out why I overeat.  Why do I eat when I am stressed? What can I do at work when I need to give my mind a break?  Walking helps, sometimes it seems impossible to get out of that chair.  If I can't walk the full twenty minutes, why walk, right? Wrong.  The minutes add up, the steps add up.  5 minutes is enough to get blood and oxygen flowing in my body and brain.

Today's Good Reading Links:

(1) Angie Mizzell's Embracing (and escaping) the big black hole of yuck

(2) Glennon's Momastry (the whole blog)

New Food Lessons/Rules:

(1) I stopped eating after 7 unless it is my dinner.  But this plan is really all about planning ahead and taking control of your eating.  So it should very rare that my dinner is after 7 pm.

(2) I have found a few different protein bars that have reasonable amounts of sugar that I can sub in for emergency meals.  Having these available (actually physically available or as an option) takes an edge off the  stress of working as much as we do and trying to keep on plan.

(3) Not sticking to the meal schedule results in unnecessary stress, so stick to the schedule.  You might be sitting at your desk thinking, I'm not that hungry, I can wait.  But then something comes up and 15 minutes becomes an hour and 15 minutes.  And you are hungry, bordering on cranky, unable to focus and just not feeling well.  

  

Day 7 of 28

Here we are at the end of Day 7 & I am happy to report that I am down 6 pounds. (Hopefully, that is still true tomorrow am, although, I'll take better news too!)

I am getting in about 5 meals and I am not really hungry at bedtime.  When I am, I have some almonds or a fruit.  The rule is to have the sixth meal if you are hungry at the end of the day.  As I write this, I am snacking on pistachios & almonds.  I have been using the dry erase board on our fridge to keep track of what I eat every day.  It is a bit freeing to not count calories. This article from the NYTimes Magazine (free but registration required) suggests that my preoccupation with food may gone on for a very long time.  I still haven't managed to get exercise into the picture.  The good thing about work is that I usually get at least a 20 minute walk in every day.  I am planning on 2 - 20 minute walks this week when I go back to work.

This has been an easy week. The real test come Thursday.  Thursday is our earliest start morning.  I need to be at work by about 6:15 if not earlier to make sure everything is together for the 7:00 am morning briefing.  (I am so not a morning person.)  So my cooler needs to be packed and ready to go when I get to bed Wednesday night.  On Tuesday, we have play practice so I have to pack 4 or 5 meals instead of 3.  I can do this.  I just need to keep an eye looking ahead for my traps.  I need to look out for the places I can safely bet I will fall if I am not careful with my planning.