Weight loss Journey Starts Now - Today - Wish me Luck!

I have a family blog at Our Small World.  I blog there about being a stay at home mom of four boys and all of our adventures.  Come check it out!

But this blog is where you are going to see a transformation of me.
It starts today.

Avoid sweets and chips until I'm at my goal weight. (149)

That's my one goal.
That is the one thing I'm going to focus on.
I'm going to think about great meals - great food.
I'm going to think about travel and clothes and all the things that I love.
I'm not going to think about junk food - food that is not only bad for me, but it also makes me feel so sad about myself.  I really don't like it ever as much as I anticipate.  I guess it's like sin - it's appeal is big, but the truth is that is doesn't satisfy.

I'll check back in with you soon.

Starting weight - 168

Goals and Rewards

It has been said that joy is composed of three key ingredients:
1. Close relationships with God and man, and service to both
2. A worthy, deeply felt mission or cause in life.
3. Personal health and self-discipline.
If these are true measurements, Christ quickly qualifies as the greatest example of joy.

These are things I'm working on.

Number 3 is my nemisis. 
I will not make excuses.  I will only eat 3 meals and one snack a day.
I know what to do.  It is my choice.
Rewards-
August 6th - River Rafting and Zip-line with the girls
August 16th-19th - Education Week 1/2 Day
September - Hike the Narrows or Subway or Shakespeare Play
October - Disney Land!
November 11th - Time Out For Women with Sister-in-law, mom and friend

I've been reading Michael Pollan

What he has said rings true.
Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants.

That makes sense.  I can do that!

He also talks about eating things in season and meat sparingly.  I've thought the things he is talking about for a long time.  Yeah!

Are you making bariers to your goals?

Most barriers to your success are man-made. And most often, you're the man who made them.

- Frank Tyger

Think about something you want to accomplish, a goal.  Why are you not doing it?  What are your excuses?  Re-evaluate if you really want that goal.  If you do, find a way to do it.  If you really don't want it anymore, then stop thinking about it and move on.  It is okay to re-evaluate.  It is not okay to have a carrot dangle in front of you.  Eat it or get it out of the way!

Day 8 - 40 Day Challenge

I'm feeling pretty bad right now. I ate so much junk today. When I eat right I feel right. I have more energy and more optimism. This is not the case today. I didn't live true to my body. It was my youngest son's birthday and I went to town with the junk. Plus, a lady at church gave me some of her favorite Canadian candy bars to try. They were good and I ate a lot of them. One alone was 300 calories. That was my favorite, Mr. Big. Yum. For my son's cake, my husband made my favorite homemade cake, carrot cake. It was so good. I feel so stuffed. It is uncomfortable. My perception of my thighs is that they must be two inches bigger from today and my birthday three days ago, but I'm logic tells me they are not. Even if they were, I'm still getting back to my plan. I fell. It hurts. I'm a bit sad. When I eat this way I fee down on my ability to lose weight. When I eat right, I know it will come off if I'm patient and just follow the plan. We will be traveling for the next three days, but I feel like I can do it. It is easier to stay 100% true to the plan than to stay 98% true because then you start slipping.

So right now I'm getting back up because I'm a fighter and fighters always get up. It doesn't matter how badly they're hurt, they get up and that is what I'm doing.

Ding the bell, I'm back in the ring. Ready to Fight.

Goals

In 4 months (July 13th)
I weigh 138 pounds.
I have a habit of only eating one serving.
I eat every two hours during the day.
I do yoga/weights 4hrs and 40 mins a week.
I do cardio 4 hrs and 40 minutes a week.
I am productive and stick to my schedule.
I go on a date with Glenn every week.
I go to the temple every month.
I have my yoga certification.
In 1 year (March 13th, 2012)
I maintain my weight.
I run, cross-country ski, ice skate or snow shoe 3-4xs a week.
I eat organic produce.
I eat healthy meat.
I eat fish every week.
I eat raw dairy, milk, kefir, yogurt, cheese.
I eat farm eggs.
I eat sweets and savor it.
I play the cello.
I couple dance with Glenn twice a month.
I am good at yoga and practice daily.
I swim 2xs a week in a saline pool.
I have great friends and socialize with them weekly.
I support my my oldest two kids in 2 activities each.
Glenn and I go on a date every week.

Attitudes

Attitudes are contagious. I want to share happiness, enthusiasm, and optimism!

I have children. I want them to be excited about life. I need to stop feeling the drudgery of daily living and instead focus on the fact that it is a small step to get through to get to all the fun things in life.

This does not mean that I don't think I should share my feelings, but I do feel that I need to focus on these three things.

My children don't like living here. It feels so temporary to them. I need to make our home feel like a home.

Nothing is guaranteed in life, so make the most of each day and persevere.

This is something I try to remember. It encourages us to not sweat the small stuff. And reminds us that its all small stuff.

I used to be really good at this, but I have stopped. I stress about little things. I let little things get me frazzled.

This is my goal. Perspective and perserverence.

Sit Down

Today I'm going to add to my habit of writing everything I eat down at the first of the day.

New Habit:
ALWAYS sit down when I eat.

I know this will decrease the amount I eat. I often grab something, anything as I walk through our kitchen. This will make me work hard.

Yesterday we took treats to my son's kickball game. We had extra and I really wanted to eat it, not because I liked that particular treat, but because sometimes it feels really good to eat fat and sugar. I almost ate it and said it would be okay, but I corrected my self-talk and decided I can stick to my plan - no matter what. I'm so proud of that. I told myself that I could write it into my eating menu for today, but this morning I don't want it. I would rather spend those calories on something I really like.

Focusing on me, focuses on them

I have four boys under the age of eight.
We are building a new home and are acting as our general contractor.
My husband sold his business and is now starting a new job at a start-up company.
My one year old still does not sleep through the night.
I home school our children.
I eat when I'm tired, stressed and overwhelmed. (Things that happen often.)

So that is where I'm starting.

I am 5'6" tall.
I weigh 170lbs.
I want to weigh 140.

I want to eat more healthful foods.

The reasons I want to loose the weight are...

1. There are not many people around here that homeschool and they have a preconcieved idea that homeschooling moms are frumpy and weird. I would like to look good so I can be an example that home schooling is do-able and we're not weird.

2. When I eat under control I feel better about myself. When you feel good about yourself you are more patient and kind to others.

3. I love fashion and I would like to wear cute stuff that looks cute on me.

Here are the ways I plan on achieving this goal.

I need to be more regimented - this is something I did very well until I had children.

Each Sunday I will plan what I will eat for the next week (Saturday is when we do our shopping so I have to plan in advance).

I will also plan on the calendar -
weekly out time: visit the library and read, shop, shop on-line, blog on-line, go with friends, etc. (this helps me want to be thin - even if I'm shopping for books, kids clothes, or home decor and even if I don't buy anything - just regrouping)

weekly date: I long for a good relationship there - connection helps me not eat to try to get that.

monthly temple: this always makes me feel good

Each Morning-
I will exercise
Read Beck Diet Solution tips, blogs and response cards
Write down my food for the day
Get Ready for the day

During the Babies Nap-
Response cards, goals and pictures
I will read scriptures (20 min)
clean the house
do the laundry
cook dinner
then if there is time I will work on my 'to do' list and alternate it with
organization (10 min)
blog journal (15 min)
scrapbook (10 min) I put pictures in slip covers and every now nad then I type a story to go with a picture.
email
write - either for my blog, journal or scrapbook (20 min)
visit other blogs (10 min)
Read - if there is any other time which there usually isn't.

After dinner is reserved to do outside cleaning and tidy
Around 8:00 I will get myself ready for bed (teeth, face, pray). Then I will read or spend time with my kids. At 9:00 we will pray and get the kids ready for bed. Then I read my book of choice (10 min) and then my response cards, goals and reasons.

If I eat what is on my card I know I will lose weight. Dr. Beck says to weigh yourself every day, but I know that I work better if I don't weigh, but just follow my plan.

My goal is to be 145 by January 1st.

I have to do these things. I have to be strong. I have to be selfish. I have to look out for me. I don't want to be a fat person - that is not how I pictured my life.