Lately I've fallen off of the positive health changes wagon.
And I'm slowly trying to pull myself back on. Triggered by the holidays, I was just too tempted to revert back to old eating habits. Since my January goals post, I've tried all kinds of methods to keep myself on in check:
1. Joined fat secret and started tracking my daily calorie, protein, fat, & carbohydrates intake.
2. Put myself on a 6 day on/ 1 day off desert & alcohol restrictions.
3. Started a daily journal tracking my daily workouts, progress with #1 & #2, and I also wrote a bit about how I was feeling each day.
How long did all of these things last? Eh...just a few weeks each.
So the question then is, why do I keep falling off the wagon this year when last year I had a full year of successful diet, workout, & weight loss progress?
The answer is simple & also complicated:
Simple- I'm sick of it. I'm tired of devoting so much time to worrying over every calorie both in & out. I'm tired of making it something I have to record and think about constantly. I just want to live without the burden of being on a "system" each day.
------OK, I give you permission to skip this part if you'd like;)--------
*Beer. We love beer in this house. Limiting myself to 1 drink/ week just isn't realistic. We are always trying new brews & let's face it: while alcohol is not central to a good time for us, it's just more often part of it than not. That's life.
*Dessert. Ugh. Don't get me started about my crazy sweet tooth! I'd go so far as to say I'm addicted to ice cream. And while I'm not great at baking, we always have ingredients on hand for cookies (since they just so happen to be the ingredients for fresh bread), so I often make batches of "emergency cookies" when I feel a craving coming on. No matter how late at night it is. *Yes I just admitted that.*
*Weird Schedule. I'm picky with working out. Let me interrupt myself to say I actually really, really DO like to work out. It's also easy for me since we have a treadmill in the house, various workout DVD's, and I belong to a beautiful year round pool. So the problem? My body needs first calories in- then digest time- then workout- then the ability to IMMEDIATELY eat afterwards. Call it a psychological thing, or maybe I really do burn crazy calories each day. BUT, that's just my body. So that means the usual situation is: I've eaten breakfast, then I'm fully engrossed in work & have to interrupt myself to go workout. It's hard to break away....
The Bottom Line: I just need to weigh what's really important to me against what's not and be totally, completely realistic & honest with myself!
1. I love to workout. I will figure out a great schedule, this will be no problem. I'm just in a weird spot right now.
2. I will continue to focus on my strengths: if eating a healthy breakfast, lunch, & snacks is a daily habit, then is it really necessary to make a federal case out of eating fried chicken once in a while for dinner? Mind you, we take the time to make it ourselves (in our deep frier- *yes I also admitted that*).
3. As for beer & ice cream: Eh. Can't a girl make her own mistakes sometimes? I could skim a few pounds off the top, but after last year's weight loss & maintaining in the general vicinity of that since, isn't a seasonal fluctuation forgivable?
Question: Have you been struggling with personal health goals lately?
12 comments:
Seems to me you are doing pretty well. It is so tough to eat healthy, work out, and still do everything else you need to do in a day.
The last couple of years were an "off the wagon" time for me. I'm slowing getting back at it and doing fairly well.
The problem for me are the meds I've had to start taking. I just went back to the dr. today and didn't like what the scale was telling me! Ouch!
And I'm with you...a little alcohol and dessert are an essential part of a diet :)
It sounds like you are doing fantastic to me! Everyone needs a little indulgence every now and again of something!
If you are working out, eating healthy at breakfast and lunch I don't see the issue in indulging in things you like and enjoy. Life's too short to work that hard and not enjoy the things you like.
Making exercise a part of my regular routine has been the hardest thing for me. I am great about it when the weather is nice. I thought it would be easier to keep it up in the colder months working from home, but since November, I just haven't been consistently at all. I haven't figured out how I'm going to break that yet.
I am definitely of the opinion that if you eat 3 healthy meals most days of the week, there is nothing wrong with an occasional not so healthy food. Almost all of my meals are at home and healthy so I don't sweat the occasional dinner out or pizza order that isn't so healthy.
Also, you have to be realistic about your food weaknesses. There's no point in denying the things that you love, but there a healthy moderation, too. If you love a few beers a week, find a way to take the calories out of your diet somewhere else (which with the way you eat, you probably already are).
There is no point in obsessing about food and diet all day every day. Do the best that you can and don't sweat the days that aren't perfect.
I wish I loved to work out! It seems no matter how much I try i can't get my metabolism up either
I enjoyed reading your post. It is refreshingly honest about this struggle. I am scheduled to start a three morning a week swim Monday, and already am coming up with roadblocks for myself - I don't know where to park, will it still be dark out? (6:30 am), I don't have a bathing suit I'm comfortable in, etc.
I have a sweet tooth too, and the only way I can control it is to not eat any at all for a time period (say between New Year's and my birthday in March). With me, it's all or nothing.
So I definitely understand your dilemma.
Sounds like you are doing great to me! I think working out is the key, and you are doing that and love it. I think depriving yourself of the things you love makes it harder to stay on track. Everyone needs a couple of beers and ice cream every now and then. When you find that balance of healthy eating, exercising, and a few treats, I am sure you will everything will work out.
Valerie
Everyday Inspired
I feel your pain, pally. I've gained this year and I feel like I'm a big giant slug.
I've become more sedentary now that I'm working more and home less. And when I'm home, I'm too tired to walk or go for a bike ride and I end up sitting on the computer catching up on the blogs.
While I like to swim, it takes a lot of time to do so. I have to get there, change, and then shower after--which takes a good 2 hours out of my day--2 hours I don't always have. I like swimming, I just don't like the getting wet part.
I'm in menopause. Add ten pounds right there and the change in my metabolism. It's awful. So, while I can cut back on alcohol (my problem too) and calories, I can't lose the darn weight without exercising.
I'm in a bad circle of lumpiness right now and I'm not happy about it.
My worst problem is that I want to eat everything on my plate. I don't know why I do that... maybe it from my youth and the "starving children in Africa." Don't really remember that. So I need to take smaller helpings or eat food with no calories. I love ice cream too. I get those itsy bitsy HaagenDazs cups if I'm going crazy for ice cream! {:-D
Most of us can relate to your struggle. We have to live lives that make sense. Constantly obsessing over diet is painful and usually not productive. Being overall healthy is most important. What's perfect anyway?
I recently read an interesting book called Feed Your Brain, Loose Your Belly.
There ARE all kinds of theories, aren't there?
I've lost weight on vacation when I hike a lot while eating more than normal. But one can't live a life like that all the time.
My little 'problem' is that I'm trying to put ON weight. Not as easy as you might think!
I need to exercise in moderation. Sometimes I don't eat as healthy as the doc advises, but nobody's perfect right?
Your healthy eating/regular exercise goals are tough to keep up with for a lot of us (me, too!). I am using WeightWatchers Online, but I admit I get tired of tracking stuff. Probably it's more realistic and doable to just watch my portion sizes, including the snacks.
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