HEALTH~Stayn' IN the Groove!

HOW in the world CAN I do such a long term thing in my life as losing so much weight and LITERALLY revamping my life? It's NOT easy, but in breaking it down to itty bitty baby steps and staying motivated, I am making more progress than I've ever dreamed.  You see, morbid obesity is like a huge mill stone tied ever so tightly around my neck and for many with this like me, escape is nearly impossible~but REMEMBER I've said, nearly...NOT totally.  It IS possible.  It is...I have to believe this!

I have loads of obstacles, too. Just like anybody I have STUFF that comes up and washes over my resolve, and removes me from my ACTION in a moments time...but does it effect my progress? NO.  Why? Because I NEVER allow that stuff to change my firmly established good routines that so far have continued to 'work for me' this past year.  Believe me, I had to establish routines to support my NEW healthy eating amounts, kinds and times of food.  Routines that without them, I'd be facing continued failures along the path of this DREAM for a revamped LIFE....

My routines have definitely changed.  For one, I eat breakfast EVERYDAY unless there is medical reasoning such as a procedure or test that I am undergoing...and then I just arrange IF I CAN to have three meals a little delayed~as the body, MINE INCLUDED, is jump started with a routine of nutrition and available sources of energy~yeah, this is WHAT FOOD IS anyway~ENERGY! Nothing more, and nothing less.  To chase this for a second, I've changed my thinking to remind myself a good deal that FOOD IS NOT my friend, comfort, play pal, fun or event...it's simply FUEL...and who parties down at the GAS STATION? Uh....way too many who I've now left behind...and hence my life is changing!  Breakfast is very important to me, and I get really hungry and KNOW I need it by the way I feel physically before the appointed usual time. 

I eat three balanced meals so that each meal is solidly adding up to include almost something from EVERY food group: protein, milk (usually 60 cal yogurt), fruit and on two of the meals, I have a bread serving or two that NEVER exceed three servings a day.  Yesterday, I had one for breakfast and two in the form of a sandwich for lunch and NONE for supper.  Today, I am not sure, but for breakfast I will have one as I always do and then it might be one on lunch and supper, or it could be one lunch and none supper.  I look at that particular category as pretty flexible and also that it makes my available choices a little broader.  I NEVER eat starchy veggies along with actual bread or pasta (always whole grain varieties!) b/c then my carb servings would exceed my limit of three per day.  I generally don't eat preprepared box cereal as the carb count is VERY high for the 1/2-1 cup serving...it's not that I don't love the stuff, either! It's totally looking at a limit of generally consuming NO foods that contain more than about 21 carbs per serving...and I am a much bigger eater than just a once cup serving of cereal and 1/2 to 1 cu of milk for THAT amount of carbs..make sense?  My breakfast which I have consumed in some variety for now a total of over nine and half months generally consists of eggs or cheese, bread, yogurt and fruit. It's also been comprised of sugar free peanut butter and a slice of bread...I've even allowed myself the pleasure of occasional whole wheat raisin bread as long as sugar is fifth ingredient down...I REALLY READ all those labels now..and KEEP UP with those 'food totals' EVERYDAY as I GO along...no surprises for me...

And I don't let myself get too totally hungry.  I eat about 3-6 or 7 hours apart BUT...I am ALWAYS sure to eat generally way before the upper end of that time!  Yesterday, it was getting too long and I was beginning to feel bad. I don't like that.  It's not good for me either, so I try really hard to avoid this kind of situation.  I don't snack~meaning I literally eat three squares a day with NOTHING in between UNLESS I am HONESTLY between a rock and a hard place...and it's about 1-2 times a month where I will have a protein/fruit snack of some kind...usually a piece of FRESH fruit and a serving of protein...I spend three nights a week out late in going to my church OR also another activity, so my supper is often very late on those nights.  I leave well before supper time so if I eat on the early side of it, I am famished way before breakfast and in risk of binging or 'snacking' in my vulnerability in the night...nights are risky, so I avoid eating as much as possible after certain times and definitely in certain places...

I eat at my places, either at our counter in the kitchen OR at my place at the dining table. I used to eat in the livingroom and den~NOT anymore.  My food is fixed on my plate and carried to either place for my MEAL.  I eat and then either leave it for the cleanup by my son or daughter who I'm thankful handle this chore almost daily OR I carry the dishes back and leave them after ALL food has been put away~I'm a "POT PICKER" and to avoid this behavior relieves me of dealing in loads of EXTRA calories that I am NOT working diligently to get rid of~FOREVER!


When I leave the kitchen or food storage areas which are in our home, our kitchen and then we have a pantry area in our basement, I LEAVE THEM...til breakfast.  SOMETIMES I feel a pull to go back mentally and emotionally, but I busy myself in my den or if it's time to go to bed, I go there...I will use that feeling too to drink water or other healthful beverage~NEVER sugary stuff...b/c I have placed that item in the den or bedside.  I NEVER drink juice b/c it's totally a FAST SHOT of sugar that has little fiber and drives UP blood sugars...I don't need FAST, but rather the fiber of fresh whole fruit metabolize on the slow...and make for more consistent energy...I NEED that...in so many ways....

So change has been something that as I've gone along, has helped me to stay motivated in my efforts...sometimes my 'results' are elusive...I don't weigh daily or even once a week.  I don't need anything to pull my attention OFF the process and plan.  I must stay focused on the every BITE concerns and counts, rather than the eventual goals of normal weight numbers and improved health~these are just BY PRODUCTS of my solid healthy eating that will be consistent over the long haul...and this is the secret~or just a key, b/c the REAL secret is my spiritual journey.

The Lord has sustained me in all sorts of situations where I consciously refrain from turning into the food for my life~all those things food can be that brink on the negativity to destroy me.  FOOD MUST stay in it's rightful place in my life...and I don't tolerate it rearing up it's ugly head to try to move into more prominence.  NO WAY! I refuse to allow people or events to change what's working...no tossing about like a ship tossed in a storm...I believe with God's help, I must stay firmly affixed to the task of making sure that I am nourished properly each and every time...no changes here, for me.

I don't allow myself BREAKS from my food plan. I stay with it, no matter the reason OR the season.  Birthdays, holidays, events, celebrations,...or whatever...NO MATTER. FOOD IS FUEL and nothing more! I really don't even desire 'special' foods on these days, but truly desire the solid stable routines I've established. Unfortunately I have ppl in my life that without FOOD celebrations would and do feel LACKING...they don't feel the GREAT way I do b/c they consistently change from no or little sugars to gobs of sugars and so their metabolism is constantly under attack...not so for me...after deciding over 9 mos ago to give up the toxins of over processed sugars or fast metabolizing sugars and starches, I FEEL GREAT! Albeit that right now it's way way to early in the morning for breakfast and b/c I'm awake, my 'guts are growly!' LOL...oh boy, better wrap this up and drift back off to a more acceptable time near my routine. Falling asleep in my recliner has its challenges too.

I also attept every night to GO to bed and also go at a reasonable time. . . THIS IS ANOTHER change for me...I could go on and on...but I will go on now, and get myself settled back down for a few more zzz's ...it's way too early...LOL...

HOW do you stay on the course long term? Are you? GOT changes you need to make? I'm still praying over mine...and I am 'evolving' all the time! Give me a shout out!
SisterT ;-))