Another rambling post coming up! First off, I had a great day eating wise (and just in general because every day is pretty much a great day:D ).
I am only a little way into the Beck book and have already found some great tools in there. Even though there is stuff I don’t need, like planning what diet to follow and how to add in exercise, I have learned a few things about myself already.
You know as time goes on, little things creep in and you really aren’t aware of them until your attention becomes focused on it. I think this is a good reason to sit down and re-evaluate your plan periodically, whether you are newly into a program, a long way into one, or maintaining. Take a good hard look at what you are doing and don’t let yourself skim over any details. What you think is an undeserved plateau may very well be self imposed. Whether you want to hear that or not.
One tip that really surprised me in the Beck book is her request that you sit down to eat, no matter what that is. I thought, okay – no problem. Nothing will pass my lips unless I take a seat. Well, wouldn’t you know it – I have been snacking way more than I realized, and nibbling while cooking or passing through the pantry, or free samples at the grocery store. It is especially noticeable while I am preparing meals. I tend to lick the utensils after measuring (hello extra nut butter calories). And those calories don’t always make it into my tracker. Oooops. This is how maintenance can go awry in a hurry. I bolded this for myself so I can reread it and remind myself. So my task this week is to continue to nix the nibbling habit.
Also, letting myself be hungry is okay. Not ravenous, because that is dangerous for me, but if I eat lunch, I don’t have to eat an hour later. Perfect example was today. After an afternoon latte at around 2:30, I was working and felt like I was hungry or wanted to eat. Normally, I probably would have, but then thought that I had just had a snack an hour earlier and dinner would be in a couple hours any way. But I kept thinking about it, and told myself I would take a break at 4pm and have a snack. Wouldn’t you know at about 5 minutes before 4:00, this happened (had my camera right there,too!):
and I just couldn’t make myself wake her up to get up and get a snack. And you know something? I survived the next hour until dinner just fine without being famished. So thank you, Pixie. She doesn’t even know what she did. I have to say that it is an extra challenge to do computer work with her there LOL!
So, the work day is done, and I have eaten my planned evening snack and know that I will not need to eat for the rest of the night – and it’s okay!
So – Sat and Sun were successful eating days. Happiness reigns supreme!
I’m glad you posted this today. I’m on one of those ‘self induced plateaus’. I’m just a pound shy of being at a 30 lb. loss but I just can’t quite kick it over. I’ve been in the same 1-2 lb. weigh range for a month.
I’m eating more than I thought I was. I tracked my intake today very carefully and discovered the obvious much as you have.
I just read “I Can Make You Thin” by Paul McKenna and while I don’t think it is, in and of itself, enough to be effective there is some good advice. He pushes you to ‘eat consciously’ and really focus on the food. No TV. No eating at the computer. Nothing like that. Eat and totally pay attention to what you are eating then stop when you’re full no matter how much is left.
So glad your Sunday was good. And your rambles are always fun to read and informative! Its fun to have new insights into what we sometimes think there is nothing new to learn about!
Another great post. Congrats on what you did. Thta’s inspiring to me.
I think I’m going to order the book. I had heard about it before, but thought it was just another diet book. I believe in cognitive behavior therapy and I’m anxious to give this a read.
While I’m doing well on my program and losing consistently, there are some things I need to admit and improve. This might help me bring them to the surface.
Thanks!
I love the idea of eating only when you’re sitting down. I bet that wouldn’t eliminate almost all of my munching!
I also have to learn it’s okay to be a little hungry. I think I sometimes have a tedency to have snacks when I don’t really need them. Great post!!
I love the rambles.
Insights into the blogger brain.
and I LOVE MORE that Happiness REIGNED Supreme.
love…
You did so fabulous staying on plan for your weekend! Great job 🙂
Cats are great diet aids don’t you think? Mine loves to come and sit on my arms when I’m using the laptop and then she just stays there and gets angry if I try to move! I reckon she is trying to help me!
Pixie is awesome! It sounds like you had a great weekend!!
I have a couple of afternoon snacks planned, as usual, and even Pixie couldn’t deter me. Hee hee. I just know myself and figure my snacks in everyday. I’m a bit of a grazer, but it seems to have served me pretty well!
Man, that picture makes me want to take a nap! How did you stay awake? 😉
I love it when the pets help me out – the dogs make me get active (I swear I can hear them say “Can-we-go-for-a-walk-now? Can-we-go-for-a-walk-now? Now? Now? Now?”) and it looks like I might need to recruit the cat to hold me down when I want to get up and snack. 🙂
I’m not yet at maintenance, but one of the most important things I’ve had to hold on to while I slooooooooowly loose my weight is that it’s ok to be hungry. At first, I thought just recognizing that when I was eating for emotional reasons rather than actual physical-hunger reasons would be enough to get me on track. Now that I’m getting better at realizing why I’m eating, I’m also realizing that just being peckish is also a bad reason to eat off-plan.
I don’t know why it seemed like such a revelation, but understanding that was a real light-bulb moment for me.