Pop Addict

I have a bad confession to make. I'm back to being a Diet Coke addict.

I thought I would have it under control. At first I just had it on mornings when I was more tired then normal and needed the caffeine to kick start my day. Then I threw it in when I went out for lunch or dinner. Now I'm back to 2-3 pops a day.

Will the madness ever stop??

What sucks about my pop addiction is that I know I should be drinking water. Instead of ordering a pop and getting a refill or two, I should be drinking water. But it just doesn't seem as satisfying anymore.

When I drink pop, even if it's diet, I just don't feel as healthy. I can feel the acid in my stomach and I know I should be drinking water instead. But I can't shake the need for caffeine. And I'm not about to resort to energy drinks or caffeine pills.

Maybe my goal in the coming weeks should be to get into a regular sleep habit. I've hard that's good for maintaining weight anyway. You need a good night sleep each and every night to regulate your body.

Of course this is all easier said than done. But aren't most things in life?

Fat Pants

I think I had one of the best and worst feelings in the world yesterday.

Sunday I went shopping for new jeans. My old knee brace, because of the vast amount of Velcro, ripped a hole in three pairs of my jeans. So on Sunday, I embarked on a mission to find new jeans to replace the old.

Yesterday morning I put on my new jeans and about mid-day, I was starting to get really frustrated with them. They just weren't fitting right and I just didn't feel as comfortable in them. Typically I need to wear jeans a few times to break them in, but more than anything, I just wanted to return the jeans.

Why?

They were too big.

That was a "WOW" moment for me. My weight has fluctuated in the last few years, but I’ve never really had the experience of pants not fitting right. I’ve had them feel tighter, but I’d never thought to myself, “Wow, I wish these were a smaller size so they would fit better.”

I always wondered if I would get to experience the joy of your normal size not fitting right anymore. You see commercials and ads of people who have lost weight, and they’re holding up their ‘fat jeans.’ I’d always wanted fat jeans. Not that these classify as fat jeans, but still.

The bad news? I spent $30 on jeans that are too big.

Gym Rat

Thursday was a big day for me. Why, you may ask?

Because I've been given the go-ahead to start working out again. I couldn't be more excited!

For those of you who are new to the blog, I actually tore my MCL back in July. Since then I've been going to physical therapy three times a week to get the strength and motion back in my leg. It's probably been the biggest challenge I've ever had to take on in my life, but I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thursday at physical therapy, I rode a bike. And for therapy, that's huge. I'm still not quite done with my rehabilitation, but just knowing that I can go back to the gym is an accomplishment and sense of relief in it of itself.

You see, while I have managed to lose 7 pounds and really evaluate my eating habits and emotional eating, I haven't been able to work out. And working out is such an essential part to the weight-loss process that I felt like I couldn't accomplish anything. But that's all about the change.

I do know, however, that I won't be back up to speed for quite a few months. I know I won't be running on the treadmill or biking for an hour. But every little bit helps. I'm sure we've all heard it, but something is better than nothing. If you can't carve an hour out of your day to exercise, that's fine. Try to get in 10 minutes. To lose weight, you don't have to be a gym rat. You just have to make sure you're getting the balance of eating right and exercising. This is not only the healthy way to lose weight, but also the best way to ensure that the weight doesn't creep back on.

So tomorrow (or perhaps even tonight), for the first time in 10 weeks, I'll finally be able to work out again. : )

Change the 'Tude

You know me. I'm always looking for new diet tips. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe people think that knowledge is power, and so the more you learn about dieting, fitness and healthy lifestyle choices, the better prepared you are to make a lifestyle change yourself.

These tips come from a dietian on Weight Loss Resources. They're mostly about attitude and perception, which I think is the root of all diets. Before you can even start off on a weight-loss challenge, your mind as to be in the right place and you've got to have the mindset. Otherwise you may find yourself facing more failures than successes.

2. Have clear motivations. Write down your reasons for wanting to lose weight. Having clearly identified reasons helps your feeling of commitment. Try to include reasons that aren’t just about appearance, for example, ‘will help me feel fit enough to do more of the things of I want to do’ or ‘will help my back pain’. Looking back on them can also be a very useful motivator if the going gets tough.

I won't lie. In the past I haven't always had clear motivations. It was typically things like, "Look hot in my prom dress." That's obviously not going to be an effective way to really make a valiant effort to get in shape. Now I'm focusing on my overall health. What can I do today to help me have a healthier tomorrow? More and more I notice the strong correlation between my weight, fitness level, eating habits and my mood. For the first time, I feel like I have a good motivation in place.

12. Beware ‘all or nothing’ thinking’. You know that feeling when you really overdo the chocolate or a night out and think you’ve blown it so may as well give up – and keep on eating… The blow out isn’t a problem, but your reaction could be. Lapses are a normal part of change. You can’t be, nor need to be perfect 100% of the time to lose weight. Doing well 80-90% of the time is great progress. Rather than feel you have failed and give up, look at what you can learn from a bad day or week and plan to do things differently in the future. Then forgive, talk positively to yourself about what you have achieved already, and get back on track.

I'm a HUGE victim of this. I always fall into this trap. The second I blow my diet, it's like it's all out the window. I feel like I blew my entire lifestyle change. I need to have a much more positive outlook and be able to accept the bad right along with the good.

30. Believe in Yourself. If things go wrong don’t panic. Learning new habits takes time. Think back to when you learned to ride a bike. No-one expected you to do it the first time. You no doubt fell off a lot and needed picking up, with help along the way. Step by step you took control of that bike and learned how to keep it on course. How you think affects how you feel, and in turn the actions you take. Believe in yourself every day. Focus on what you want – being fitter, healthier – rather than how unfit you are. Setting realistic goals and having positive expectations will make all the difference.

A close friend of mine always tells me that I need to think positive. "You WILL lose weight, Liz. You just have believe in it and follow through." Perhaps a major downfall when I embark on a lifestyle change is that I'm unfortunately more pessimistic than I am optimistic. But hopefully through these tips, and support from friends, I'll be able to do it right this time.

Tales from the Scale

I hate stepping on the scale. Isn't it silly how worked up we get over a number on the scale? I shouldn't be afraid of this little contraption...yet its affects can be huge, particularly on my mood and self-esteem.

Thankfully, I had a positive experience on Saturday morning. Right before my shower before I ate or drank anything, I loomed over the scale, knowing I probably wasn't going to like the number displaying back at me. It's been two weeks back at school where I can't seem to get in the swing of things as far as my health goes. I took a deep breath and braced myself.

Surprisingly the scale has gone down. About 2 pounds to be exact.

How does that happen? I looked back at my eating habits, and I think it's because I'm not eating as much as I really think. The foods I eat aren't as healthy, but I'm not eating as much as I did during the summer. During the summer I had the whole evening free to snack, but now that I'm back to classes, homework and organizations, I tend to keep myself busy.

I also think it's because I'm eating breakfast more continually and I bring around my liter water bottle to every class and meeting I have on campus. While I do typically have my diet coke in the morning or early afternoon to wake myself up, I mostly just drink water and tea, which is definitely a healthier option.

This week doesn't look to be as stressful as last, so I'm hoping some of my focus and attention can go back to eating right. I don't want to lose sight of my goals, and I don't want to give up on the Eat Right Challenge just yet. I've already lost 7 pounds on it. That's huge for me! People might not be able to tell, but looking down at the scale isn't as terrifying as it used to be.

I hope you are finding the same success as well!

Emotional Roller Coaster

One of the biggest challenges I find myself facing lately is emotional eating. I know it's sometimes an easy excuse for over-eating, but it really is a serious issue. Food really can bring about a sense of comfort. But food is the last thing I need.

This afternoon, after a stressful day of classes, work, homework and what have you, I came home to finally get a chance to breathe and put my feet up. Unfortunately, the only thing that seemed to help calm me down was an singles Double Chocolate Brownie Fudge ice cream.

I need to find another source of comfort.

Thankfully my guilt kicked in. After about four or five bites of ice cream, I put the lid back on and put it back in the freezer, and surprisingly replaced it with an apple. It definitely wasn't as satisfying, but I didn't have the "I can't believe I just ate that" horror when I was done. I hate that feeling.

To me, it's easy to admit that I fall victim to emotional eating. What's not so easy to turning off that switch. How do you replace other things with food, especially when you've relied on food for so long? I could talk to friends....but they can only get calls from me so many times during the day. I could read...but then I still want something to munch on. I could do homework, but the sheer frustration and boredom of staring down at a textbook immediately drives me to the kitchen.

Since those options don't work, I've devised my own mechanisms to hopefully prevent myself from falling into the emotional eating trap.

1. Chew gum. More often than not, I find that I mostly want something tasty or satisfying for my tastebuds. Instead of loading up on that chocolate ice cream, I could reach for my Mint Mojito gum. It definitely perks up the taste buds.

2. Drink water. And lots of it. I've really found that when I chug some water (especially water flavored by crystal light) my stomach feels full. Not only do I get the taste, but I also get a somewhat full feeling in my belly.

3. Organize something. Anything. This weekend when I was tempted to head to the kitchen, I started organizing my desk, which was just littered with school papers, supplies, folders and books. It kept my fingers moving, my mind focused and at the end, I felt extremely accomplished.

4. E-mail someone who understands your troubles. I have a core group of people who, like me, are concerned with their health and weight. It's easy to sit down and write an e-mail to talk about your struggles. It gets your emotions out about your health with someone who understands. When I'm feeling restless or bored, I try to e-mail my mom or a friend and talk about some of my weight frustrations, which almost makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

5. Start/Continue a diary or blog. Much like the e-mail suggestion, I found that trying to think of a blog entry or journal entry lets me air some grievances while putting some of my emotions down. It doesn't have to be anything formal or well thought out. Even just random thoughts help get the frustration/disappointment/stress or whatever emotion you may be dealing with out of your system.

6. Have healthy snacks on hand, just in case. Sometimes you just have to give into emotional eating. If that's the case, make sure you've got a healthy stash of food so you're not driven to the ice cream. If you really feel like you need that indulgence (and you have to admit that sometimes we do) make yourself walk around the block or even do laps around your home before giving in. I've found it doesn't add to the frustration of my emotions as much.

Hopefully some of the tips work for you. Those are just a few tricks I've found that get me through some tough situations. Some work better than others, depending on the day and emotion I'm dealing with, but it's a start. I still find comfort in food, but I'm learning to really ask myself why I need to have that cookie or high-calorie dessert. Trust me - eating is only going to make my mood worse, and that's the last thing I need.

If you want additional advice, here's more information on emotional eating, from recognizing the type of eating to possible solutions.

Still Trekking

I've been back at school for a week now and I'm still struggling to find a balance in my healthy eating. With a different schedule (one that doesn't allow me to go home and actually make my lunch unless I want to wait until 2:30) and seemingly limited food options (I'm a poor college student, after all) it's hard to get my butt back in gear.

Does anyone have any tips that have been working for them?

I do notice that when I start the day off right, with a bowl of Oatmeal Squares cereal and skim meal, and eat a fairly healthy lunch, I tend to continue on my path. Isn't it funny, or perhaps frustrating is a better word choice, that once you blow your eating for the day, you automatically throw in the towel? Instead of passing it off as a mistake and continue eating healthy, instead you use it as an excuse to continue eating crap?

I've also noticed that limiting my pop intake has helped. I don't know if it's a mental thing or if it really does affect my health. While I do drink my Diet Coke from time to time, it's not as refreshing and fulfilling. I don't find myself needing to drink 4+ cans a day like I did a month ago. When I started drinking pop on a daily basis, it was mostly for the caffeine. Now I've found a secret weapon to perk me up after my 7 a.m. wake-up call - Crystal Light packets. Last week I discovered an "energizing" Crystal Light flavor. It's Wild Strawberry, and more importantly, it has caffeine. So, I'm getting in my recommended water while still getting my caffeine fix.

One thing that I'm hoping to start next week is a food diary. I've heard of situations where they really do help because they keep you reliable. With my evening snacking habits (mostly out of boredom and to avoid homework), I think I forget that those calories count, too. I can do well all day, but then boredom hits and I find myself heading toward the fridge every hour or so. Not good. Perhaps by starting a journal I can keep myself on track better and really know whether or not I need those extra calories. Maybe for a day or two next week I'll even post my intake on this blog. That should really get me to be good!

Continuing the Challenge

It's hard to believe it's already Sept. 2. The Eat Right Challenge is technically over, but people are encouraged to continue it through the fall. I will most definitely be one of those people.

Since moving back to campus Friday, I feel like I've eaten nothing but crap. I'm sure once I get back into a regular schedule I can better monitor my eating habits, but it gets tough when you're in a new environment. I thought it would be a piece of cake making that transition...but I was wrong. Probably because I'm already trying to adapt to other changes in my life.

The biggest problem is that I've been eating out. Too much. I think I've only eaten one meal at home since I've been here. I've tried to be health conscious when deciding what to eat, but sometimes temptation gets the better of me. I did keep in mind the Eat Right Challenge fast food tips, and I actually ordered grilled chicken....but I also ate the fries. And I'm back to drinking Diet Coke. It just hasn't been a healthy weekend.

But I'm hoping that will change this week as I really keep the Eat Right Challenge in mind. What's cool is that I did find some success with the challenge. In August I lost 4-6 pounds (depending on the time and day I weigh myself) and I just felt better about my outlook on health and life. I've found (and I'm sure it's been proven somewhere) that when you really make an effort with solid, healthy lifestyle changes, you just feel better. It may be a physical or emotional thing, but I did notice a difference in my attitude and how I felt about myself.

Now I just need to get back on track.