Appreciation Tuesday

So a friend of mine stopped me this weekend at the agility trial.  Out of the blue she said to me, “Vici, someone said something to me that totally made a shift in my thinking.  He said if we substitute appreciation for expectation, it makes a big difference.”

That thought has stayed with me.  I’m often at odds with my expectations and gratitude.  I find myself disappointed in myself.  I become disappointed in people when they don’t live up to my expectations.  

I’m often not fair to myself or others when expectations aren’t met.

My new thing is going to be when I find myself having these expectations (real or imagined), I’m going to work hard to change that expectation to appreciation.  

Today I looked at my photo of me and Fin on the podium.  I expected to see me looking thinner and honestly was so freak’n disappointed that I didn’t look that good.  Instead of dwelling on that, I want to say that I am grateful to be there, I am appreciative I could share it with my friends, and gosh darn it, I got down on one knee and then got back up without help and making an embarrassing scene….my exercise is working.

I am incredibly grateful for my life.  Even on the tough days.  I am grateful that I have friends and family that I can depend on.  I’m truly grateful for the gifts of companionship that I have.  Today I’m most grateful that I’ve been able to make a shift in my thinking about how I eat to enable me to follow an eating plan that is working.  

I’m out of my Friday funk.  Olive was awesome this weekend giving me really great attention and focus.  Fin was the bomb and I even danced Sunday night.  Humor, laughter, and good friends.  

Tomorrow, up early for a walk.  I’m exhausted!

We are on day 5 of our month of September!  100% tracking so far.  What are you doing to make your September a success.  What are you grateful for?

Not Making Headway Friday

I feel fat today.  Not sure why.  Doing what I need to do.  Was really hard to get my steps in even though I was out setting up for agility.  Body not feeling sprite and light.  Body is feeling sore and tired.

Sometimes the day just doesn’t go as planned.  Or even the planned day doesn’t live up to expectations.  What has to happen is I have to move past it and keep plugging away.  Take Advil and know that the aches and pains are a part of life. 

Most importantly:  Don’t let other people determine how I am going to respond to their behavior.

Long term goals.  What are they?  How do we meet them?  By not giving up what I want long term for what I want today.  Today I was able to fight my evil demons that wanted me to give in to my dark thoughts.  Tomorrow I will wake up feeling refreshed and enjoy a wonderful day with friends and my dogs!  

How about you?  What do you do when the day just brings you down?  How do you respond?

I’m thinking of each of you every day and the fact you are out there struggling along with me makes me stronger.  

Suck it up Buttercup is my motto and I’m going to live it.

Re-Committement Thursday

I ended my month with a BANG! lost 2.8 pounds this week!  That brings my total for when I started July 30 to 17.6.  Although I wish it were more, I can’t believe that I have turned this corner and am committed to the behavior change that is creating a better me.

Today is the first of the month.  Weigh yourself today or tomorrow morning.  Write down that weight.  We are starting fresh.  

I commit to tracking my food every day for the Month of September.    It is only 30 days.  I can do this.

I commit to 12000 steps 5 days of the week for the Month of September.  It is only 30 days.  I can do this.

I commit to dragging my butt to a gym and find out about joining (at least trying the gym out for free).  It is only a gym.  I can do this

What are you committing to for this month?  Think about what you can do to make this journey more accountable. You don’t have to do the weight watchers app.  There are plenty of free ones for your phone:

• Myfitnesspal.  
• MyPlate calorie tracker
• Loose it!!!

I know that accountability is hard.  I know that having to write everything down is a pain.  I also know that because I’m writing everything down, I am accountable to myself for the results that I attain.

Contemplate.  New month.  New goals.  Or the same goals.  

I know it isn’t about the number.  But actually it is about the number.  I want that number to be less!  It is our choice to make that number less than it is today.  

Good luck!

Last Day of the Month Wednesday!

Here we go.  Tomorrow September one starts a new day.  Finish today strong!!!  

Today I'm tracking my food like a rockstar!!!  I'm adding tons of veggies to my food plan so that I am completely full.  Yesterday I ate so many veggies for lunch I couldn't finish it.  Whoa!!!!  When is the last time that happened?  I do not know. (I bet if lunch was french fries I could'a ate the entire plate...but veggies, well when I get full, I get full.)

Tomorrow I am starting off early taking a walk along a nice trail and headed to weight watchers for my meeting.  I really don't expect a huge loss. I've been the same pretty much every day this week.  But there will be something there.  I know I'm doing well because I actually wore jeans and a really nice shirt to my meeting today.  Haven't been able to button that shirt since I purchased it.  Yes, the jeans were a little tight, but heck, I wore them and didn't feel uncomfortable at all! 

So the month of September.  A new start.  The weigh in tomorrow will be my starting weight.  Then we will see what can happen in a month. 

Life is good, tremendously complicated and fraught with emotion, but good.

New Start Tuesday

I was headed up the hill for agility class and chatting with Laura.  I proudly commented that I was on day 31 and looking forward to day 60.  During this time, I was mentioning that I wanted to up-the-anti on my weight loss next month.  This month was about planning and tracking.  Being accountable.  I’ve been 100% accountable even when I stretched the limits of what I should eat a little.  I still wrote it down.

I want to keep my accountability, but I feel like I’m ready to add a new dimension.  I feel like I need to up my exercise next.  Just get out more.  Train a little harder.  I’m pretty overweight so I can’t get crazy.  Don’t want to injure myself.  But I do want to increase my metabolism a bit and start to get stronger.

Then the idea hit both of us.  Why not reset September 1 and start fresh.  Rather than day 33, September 1 will be day 1.  So instead of trucking along, I’m starting a whole new month.  Going to rock this month!!!

I’m recommending that you start fresh September 1.  Put last month behind you on Thursday.  Celebrate it, but It is in the past.  Fresh start Thursday as we are setting the clocks anew.  No more trudging along….leave that to later in the month.  September 1 is exciting, it is new, it is a chance to improve.

Now don’t go crazy on me.  The old Vici would say…well, I should have potato chips to celebrate and restart on Thurs.  NOOOOOOOO!  We have to finish this month strong!  Do good meal planning to end out the month heading to ONEderland.  We all want to be there.  Let’s get it done.

Then onThursday, what are you doing to start your new month out right?  Pick one thing that you will add to help you reach your long term goals.  For me, here’s what I’m doing in September:

• Committing to 12000 steps a day.  Each day.  Not average.  Right now I’m averaging just about 12000, but my weekends are making up for the weekdays I’m not getting there.  I am doing it.  12000 steps a day.
• Joining a gym.  I need to get on the treadmill and do interval training.  Absolutely need to do that.  Joining the gym and committing to 2 times a week in September.
• Doing something for myself.  Going to a new art class (glass fusing) in September.  Something just for me.  Truly looking forward to it.

So, end this month strong and reset the clock Thursday morning.  We are going to truly Rock this month.

Lastly, I have to talk about my lunch.  OMG!  It was fabulous.

Hot pan, spray with Pam.

• crumbled cauliflower
• mushrooms
• onion
• bell pepper
• garlic
• salt and pepper

Saute

Microwave small bag of noodles (ramin) do not use seasoning packet (sugar)

Once veggies are nicely cooked add 1/2 pack ramin noodle and 1/2 tablespoon of your favorite sauce..I used Korean BBQ.

Stir and set aside.

Make meat or fish (I used pork) I pan cooked (with 1/2 tbsp Korean BBQ) using pam for sear then steamed with water.

Mix in some shredded cabbage to veggie mix.  Put in bowel, top with meat and enjoy.  I could not eat it all and am VERY full!  Yum.

Great Expectations Monday

Well it is Monday.  Last night I had a dream where I was looking at myself in the mirror and saw ribs.  It was sorta like that selfie shot you sometimes see on FaceBook where someone is showing their abs, but it was from the side.  I could see my ribs and as I looked it seemed I was getting smaller and smaller.  It was a nice dream.

I don’t know about you, but I have expectations.  Expectations that often aren’t met.  I’m still wondering how after all this work and 30 days of food management I still look fat in my videos.  I guess my expectations are very high.

A few things I have to remember:

• No one said as I gained weight: “OMG you are getting so fat!”  I have to remember it takes time to show on the outside.
• It is already showing on the inside.  I am a healthier person.  Much healthier.  I ran better this weekend.  Yes I pooped out at the end of the day.  Yes I’m feeling that my legs and feet and knees are burning up, but gosh darn it, I had so much more energy this weekend then in the past month.
• Time.  It just keeps ticking.  30 days ago I decided that I was done being fat.  That doesn’t make me instantly a thin person…even though that’s what I really want.  It takes time.  I could be the same or more today, yet I’m not.  30 days from now I’ll not be the same as I am today.  Time just continues and I have the power to change who I am and it only is time.  The trick is, that time happens whether I use it wisely or not.
• Earning it.  I feel I have to earn this weight loss and fitness.  It was me who got me into this black pit of unhealthy behavior.  It is me that is going to get out of it.

So I’m learning to manage my expectations and match my expectations to my output.  I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t have the most high expectations of myself, but rather than getting mad and focusing on the negative of expectations not met, I am measuring my expectations to what is actually possible and still reaching for the stars, but accepting my earthly foothold.

So work on reviewing your expectations today.  Make sure you are not setting yourself up for disappointment.  Manage your expectations to balance with real possibilities.

Sunshine Saturday

I'm just plugging away at life and my diet.  Wore a top I haven't worn in ages and feel pretty confident.  

Find something to be happy about today!  Stay focused and we will live happy lives!

Congrats on the accomplishments!!  

Today I hit 17 pounds!!!!!  Now to keep it up.