It Sux To Be Fat –

If you did not have a chance to read Tuesday’s post…do it, now!  I will wait…

So, you know that my friend Heidi asked me to not eat sweets with her for a while.  Of course I was hesitant at first but then, once the decision was made, the decision was made.

Cold Turkey

It is truly the only way to go off sweets – for me.  I don’t do moderation.  I don’t do “One a day.”  There is too much leeway.  Too much freedom.

You want freedom?  Make a decision and stick to it.

This past weekend, I had so much freedom knowing that I WILL NOT be eating anything that has added sugar to it.  Period.  It tastes the guesswork out of decisions.  If it has added sugar, the answer is no thanks.

That seems so simple.  So trivial.  It is until you hear about what, in one day, I turned down with a simple answer.  In one day last week, I turned down homemade chocolate chip cookies (120 calories…IF I only ate one), a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg (170 calories and my absolute FAV!), and several Dove chocolates (200 calories).  IN ONE DAY!!!!!!  In one day, I turned down 490 added calories that without the simple word, NO, I would have eaten.

One decision…the decision to say no…saved me almost 500 calories.

I had a VERY stressful day yesterday.  The workday started off bad and ended even worse.  Normally I would have come home and devoured something bad and then more bad later.  A bowl of ice cream, a sleeve of thin mints…you know.  Hundreds of calories!  Instead of stuffing my face, I came home to find some really great mail, sat on the couch in the dark and cried.  I cried over my day, the lack of support I felt, the frustrations that come with a classroom of 25 children who are all fired up about going on an overnight trip to Jekyll, the love and support I have gotten lately from so many people, the intense feelings of wanting to win this raffle on Saturday so badly…and the list goes on and on and on.

I cried and felt better.  I did not eat.

The power of the word, “NO” led me to this weigh in:

Yep…that’s right.  A loss of 2.8 pounds.  The power of the word, “No”, making commitments and sticking to them led me to a loss.  Can I get an “AMEN?!?”  It’s amazing how this weight loss stuff works!

Last week, I set goals for the week.

• I wanted to track at least five out of the seven days on My Fitness Pal.  Did that…with flying colors.  Stayed under or around my calorie goal for those days.  I actually ended up tracking five really well, one kind of well (with a little guestimation), and one not at all.  That’s how it goes sometimes!
• I wanted to plan my meals – Did that.  Ate at home most of the week and did well!
• I also wanted to walk – Only did two out of the three I wanted but had a few long days in there and when I left home at 6:40 and got home at 7:30, exercising was the last thing on my mind.

Pretty good job sticking to my goals this past week.  This upcoming week is a little of a different story.  I am headed to the Cade Foundation and RBA’s fundraiser on Saturday where there will be wine and hours d’oeuvres (and hopefully a winning raffle ticket to allow Jason and I the gift of IVF).  Then, on Monday morning at 4:45 a.m., I head out with 80 fifth graders to Jekyll Island for three days.  With these snacks we bought at Sam’s this afternoon:

Lord help me.  Jacynta and I came up with a plan (she is an amazing health coach who encouraged me to have a plan) and I feel good about it.

So, here are my goals for this upcoming week knowing the challenges that lie ahead of me:

• TRACK – This is so key for me.  It is key for anyone who wants to lose weight.  This week, I will continue with my five out of seven plan.  If I bite it, I write it.  If I snack it, I track it.  If I nibble it, I scribble it.  Even guestimating is better than nothing.
• BE MINDFUL – Whether I am at a social event or on a field trip, I need to be mindful.  No mindless snacking.
• Saturday’s Fertilivine Event – Have one glass of wine, one of each appetizer they are passing around and no sweets.
• Jekyll Island Trip – Pack my own snacks and protein bars.  IF I choose to eat  a snack the kids are having, I must track it.  NO sweets.

There are my goals.  I left off exercising because for the three days we are gone, we go from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.  I don’t think I will be lacking in the exercise department.

So, I had a successful week last week and I want nothing more than to have another successful week this week.  In order to do that, I have to stay focused and anchored.

The power of the word, “No!”  It is freeing and will free you if you will just make the commitment and decide once and for all…

No more…

(c) It Sux To Be Fat – Read entire story here.