I am not very good at motivating myself when it comes to my weight, eating and exercise. It's something I have struggled with my entire life. Just when I think I have a grasp on it, something changes in my daily life and it all goes out the window. Before I went on tour, I had lost quite a few pounds and inches from working out with my friend, Monique. We learned to run together and I found it quite enjoyable when I ran with her. Somehow, I find it hard to run on my own. I said I was going to keep it up when I left with the ACC, but that didn't happen - strange homes, strange neighbourhoods...you know, not really conducive to outdoor exercise. That being said, it was also very hard to control what I ate on tour. Now, I could control the quantity (which I wasn't always very good at), but I couldn't control the quality. You pretty much eat whatever comes in your lunch bag. I was just grateful to not have to make it myself. I don't know if I've ever eaten so much bread. The children burned it off with no problem, but me...it went right to my belly. Awesome.
So, I have joined Weight Watchers. At first, I was a little embarrassed by this tidbit of information - until I realized that it is okay to need a little help. I've only been going for a couple of weeks, but I've lost 2.6 pounds and already, I'm finding that my thinking is changing. They work on a point system, so everything you eat has a point value and your goal is to eat only your recommended number of points each day. I find myself looking at a food and saying, "how many points is that?" and after I figure it out, I think, "is it worth it?". For instance...I went to BP's with some friends. We had supper, someone ordered that lovely Chocolate Explosion. I looked at it, thought about it for a moment and passed, except for one tiny little bit. Got home and figured out the points value - 40. That's more than I eat in a whole day. Instead, I had a square of chocolate from my little stash - 3 points. Totally doable. Fruits and vegetables are 0 points, so you can eat as many as you want. Weight Watchers is a great program because it allows you to be realistic. If I don't like fish, I don't eat fish. If I don't like lettuce, I don't eat lettuce. I'm not craving things like I did before. I'm totally satisfied, not hungry in between meals, and am learning to be more aware of not only the serving size but what is in the serving.
Some days I do better than others, but it's a start. I feel proud of myself for taking this step. This week's goal is 10 minutes of exercise every day. You can earn points that way. It's like a little reward. 10 minutes. I can do it.
Good for you!
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