Biggest Loser would be appalled.  20 pounds in 20 weeks?  Those people lost 20 pounds in the first week.  It may seem that one pound a week isn’t all that ambitious, but the whole idea is to lose the weight gradually by taking small steps.  Other methods have worked for me in the past — but the novelty always wears off and I put those stinkin’ pounds right back on.  So this time, I’m aiming for permanent changes to my lifestyle that will not only make me thinner, but healthier and happier. 

There are several goals associated with this whole effort.  I want to be able to run for 30 minutes (a bit faster than a 10-minute-mile pace), I want to be able to do 20 real pushups.  I want to eat mostly whole, real food. I want to stop associating food with fun (right now, even an outing with my baby ends up with a yummy cookie or a dish of ice cream.. with candy mixed in).  I want to stop using sweets to treat stress (peanut butter m&ms are magical).  But most of all I want the confidence that comes with accomplishing all of those things. 

Each week, I’ll be making little rules for myself. – ”do” rules. I’ve found if I say “don’t eat dessert” — all I want is dessert.  Rules will be small — something I can do without thinking much about it.  Every week, I’ll add to the previous rules.  So for this week (which officially started Friday), my rules are: 

• Do brush my teeth after each meal and again during those times when the candy is calling (tends to reduce the sweet craving and just might lead to healthier gums!). 
• Do run/walk for (at least) two 30-minute sessions per week.  Total running time should be 10 minutes out of 30 this week (I’ve been trying to run/walk off and on for a while, starting with 4-5 minutes of TRT). 
• Do eat a healthy salad for lunch at least one day M-F (avoiding the mayo-ridden, cheese-covered sandwich I usually have).
• Do 20 (knees-down) pushups every day.

So far, so good.  I do my pushups in the morning in the baby’s room while he peers at me through the slats of his crib — cracking up that mommy is grunting and panting.  I’ve already logged my run/walks this weekend (tough to do during the week right now).  I’m being good without going crazy.  I know me well enough to know that if I go crazy, it’ll all be short-lived.  And this way, I still get a treat every now and then (like that yummy cookie I had last night).  Trust me, I’ve been treating myself often enough that there are plenty of opportunities to cut back without feeling deprived.  Just one pound a week sort of takes the pressure off.  It’s OK to take it slow. 

I can do this.  And it’s about time.

Written by Cheryl on Sunday, August 9th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Filed under Cheryl.
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