Well, I imagine that everyone’s awake now after all of the partying last night;). Our New Year’s Eve was really laid back…our friend Shannon came over and we ate pizza, played Yahtzee, and watched the ball drop and that was about it. I wasn’t sad about it; Joey and I aren’t big “party it up” people. We really would rather spend an evening with just a couple of good friends having a homemade meal and watching some tv or playing a game or something.
Although 2009 was not a bad year at all, the holiday season usually drives me bonkers enough that I’m praying for the end of the year even if it was a good one. I was pretty thrilled to wake up this morning and see a fresh start in front of me; we’ve got another year to strive to achieve what God wants us to achieve. Past failures can remain past and we can kind of compartmentalize them and put them behind us. And, where food/fitness is concerned, I definitely want to do that.
One of my goals for last year was to be at my goal weight by July/August. It should have been totally achievable, and I didn’t do it. And I promise myself that I will not type that sentence again next year. I don’t know if I’ll be at my goal by July/August, but I will get there this year. I can’t afford not to. Here are a few of the things that tripped me up and what I’m going to do to combat them this year:
1. Trying deprivation-style “cleanses”: There’s a reason I’m so vehemently against them; for the person battling a dysfunctional relationship with food, “cleanses” just fuel that dysfunction. They create the mentality that deprivation is success. And they lead to bingeing later. And I imagine that I’ll hear someone say that they can be done responsibly. I’m sure they can, but for people who already have an unhealthy relationship with food, severe restriction doesn’t do much to help that. This year, I’m not doing any “cleanses” or “detoxes.” No gimmicks; no “eating programs.”
2. Patterning my eating after other food bloggers: I’ve noticed over the past several months of reading food blogs that most of the very popular ones are written by people who are incredibly athletic and in shape and who burn an extremely high number of calories each day. Because of that, their meals are often more dense and higher in calories than the average person who needs to lose weight. They’re not to be used as an example for someone who’s just starting in the food/fitness journey.
3. Allowing other food bloggers to dictate what I think is “healthy”: Coconut water, chia seeds, goji berries, maca powder, raw caco nibs. It’s very easy to feel like a failure or feel like you won’t be that successful when you can’t afford the latest and greatest in “food fads.” This year, I’m getting over that feeling; I love reading food blogs, but I won’t allow myself to feel like I can’t be healthy without eating the “cool” foods that would keep me from being able to stay within the grocery budget. What you’ll find on the blog this year is my journey to lose weight in a cost-effective, prudent, frugal way. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to go for the cheapest stuff, but I’m also not going to spend twelve bucks for a jar of almond butter because it’s what everyone else is blogging about. Life’s not that way.
4. Feeling like one setback is a failure of the whole journey: I sprained my ankle this summer. Because of that, I took a six month break from the gym. Seriously? Oh yes. This is a mental hurdle that I’ve always struggled with and that many overweight people struggle with; this year, I want to recognize a setback for what it is: a blip on the radar screen, a bump in the road, but not the end of the mission.
5. Not cooking: Oh, what a handicap not cooking is to the person seeking to lose weight! Cooking allows us to control the levels of fat and sodium that go into what we eat…it allows us to flavor our meals with the spices of our choice. I was “too tired” to cook for much of last year, which led to our “takeout woes,” which derailed my weight loss efforts. This year, we’re limiting our take-out/eating-out budget and cooking will come back to the forefront. I’m looking forward to trying new things!
Well, this was kind of a backwards way to do resolutions…pointing out what didn’t work last year. I didn’t mean it to sound so negative, because I don’t really feel negatively about it. Am I disappointed about not losing weight last year? Yep, sure! But I really do feel like I’ve learned some invaluable lessons last year that will help me to tackle 2010 with vigor and determination. I realize now that I don’t really want to “be like” everyone else in the food blogosphere. I want to be me, and I want to find out what works for and helps me to be as successful as I know I can be! Here’s to 2010, folks! Let’s kick some ass!!
No comments:
Post a Comment