It's HYC Tuesday!

And for the first time in months, I'm looking forward to writing this post.

I'm 100% back on track again. That is, back on track for me. I've definitely come to the conclusion that I'm a "slow and steady wins the race" sort of a gal. I know that if I went hog wild I could probably lose this weight all in one go, in a comparatively short time, even. But I'm not that kind of person. I dropped 25 lbs and then stuck around there for a while. Now I'm back on track and on my way to dropping another 25 lbs. I'm actually having fun this way. I'm gradually changing the way I eat, and gradually doing more exercise, but I'm really not one of those people that can go all gung ho and change their lives in one go.

There's a reason this blog is called "a single step". About a year before I actually started writing here, I registered the name in preparation for doing just that - taking one single, giant step and changing my life. I read all kinds of books - and boy are there some crackpot weight loss/ lifestyle books out there. I geared myself up to start, and then I realized that however great I might feel after I was done with this ordeal, I'm really not the right person to change my life with a snap of my fingers and live differently forever. I just couldn't do it. It wasn't me, and pretending to be anything but me makes me miserable. Plus I just can't stand self-help books.

So, when I at last came to my senses and gave away every single one of those stupid self-help books, I didn't think I'd be using this blog. Not that I wouldn't be doing anything for my health, I just couldn't think in terms of that one great leap anymore. And then I was ready - ready to start. You have to be ready - I don't think there's a weight loss blogger out there who doesn't know that. Everything else is just empty promises. So I started, and I thought once again about blogging. I looked at my empty (well, there was one post there) blog. I deleted the post, and I got blogging. And I found that I am a "single step" kind of person - I'm a single small step at a time kind of person. I have to be ready to take the next step, and I think between Christmas and now I wasn't ready. I know - it's terrible to wait so long between steps, but I'm happy. I'm making it work my way, which might not be everyone's way, but I'm happy. And I'm ready, and I'm losing again. I fully intend to lose 25 more pounds and then chill out for a while, until I'm ready to lose the next 25. Hopefully it won't be so long next time, but hey - who knows?

HYC Check in Tuesday!

And I'm proud of myself! Yesterday was perfect - I just need to string about another 500 days like that together and life will be great!

OK, back to reality - yesterday really was perfect, but I'm trying not to think about the other 500 days. I've got my plan for today and I'm sticking with it, and that's all I need to think about right now. Of course, today is the test - it's easy to eat well when you've got an insanely busy day and you had to plan food out anyway. Today is the day I have one class, and that's not until 2. I have all morning at home, and home is where the bad habits are. Luckily it's also where the Wii Fit is, so that's the plan - less bad habits, more wii fit. Hopefully in another week or so enough snow will have melted that I can actually go for a nice walk in the sping sunshine.

So there it is - I'm started again, and I happy about it.

HYC Check in Tuesday!

So here I am, and I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself - I've regained control this week. I've stuck to my goals, and even though I gained a pound at weigh in on Saturday I really know that I deserved much worse the last few weeks (when I'd actually had losses). I'm actually not so bothered about the gain - The control is far more important to me anymore.

I'm back on track. It may not be a super fast track, but it's a track. What do I want to do this week?

I want to continue blogging every day. It helps me sort out my goals and follow my plans.

I want to make sure I'm drinking enough water. That's been a bit iffy the last few days.

I want to get into a good exercise routine again. I've exercised, but not in a routine kind of way. Now I have a brand new weekly routine, I need to fit regular exercise into it.

I want to cut my calories down to 1750 a day for the week.

So - four more goals for this week. Let's see how I do.

HYC Check in Tuesday!

And one very important update - as of yesterday (and two seperate trips over to the college because their online registration was down), I am a full time student! I'm so excited! Classes start next monday, so I'll actually be busy and not be sitting at home dwelling on my life (or lack of it).

And now on to the less exciting HYC stuff.

I lost two pounds last week. I'd be excited about that but I know that I totally didn't deserve it. My eating hasn't been in control for a lot of time lately and I just didn't seem to find time for any exercise other than pacing back and forth stressing about stuff. It's time to start over.

So, my aims for the next week?

1) Control my food intake!
2) Get some exercise - anything!
3) Figure out some lunch ideas. The college has a cafeteria with a fairly wide menu, but I'm thinking I've probably spent enough money at the bookstore already that I need to pack lunches. I might even start eating a bigger breakfast (since I have more time in the mornings) and a small lunch and a snack for the ride home.
4) Blog every day. I know I'm boring as hack at the moment, but blogging helps me stay on track. And I promise it'll get more interesting.

OK - four easy things, right?

So today:

I've eaten well. My food is planned, and so far I've stuck to it.
I've walked for 45 minutes.
I've considered the fact that I'm going to need to figure lunch out at least two days a week for the foreseeable future.
I'm here and blogging.
So yay! So far so good. Six more days to go.

I'm almost scared... HYC Time

That is, I'm almost scared to post. The last few times I've written a blog post about how I'm doing OK, I've then gone and screwed up within a few hours. I feel like I jinx myself every time I post that things are going well.

I weighed in on Sunday (since I forgot to on Saturday). I'm still where I was before. Standing still wasn't part of this plan, and especially standing still because I haven't worked hard enough to lose anything!

It's been hard to get properly back on track since my parents left. There, I've said it. I've been good at half heartedly getting with the program, but to be brually honest, I'm not going to get anywhere if I continue carrying on like last week. This week so far I've been better, but lets face it, it's only Tuesday.

Yesterday was awesome - since Iz and Chris were off, we decided to go bowling and we all had a blast. I ate great, because I wasn't bored and I was happy. But I'm not always going to be busy and happy. In fact, days where I'm both busy and happy are few and far between. Today, I've been busy, but I've also been stuck at home since Chris accidentally ran off with my car key. There are a few things I need to get but since the stores I need to get to are over 10 miles away I'm doubting that I could walk it and still be in time to get Iz off the bus. On top of that, I seem to have pulled a muscle in my butt. No, I have no idea how I did it either but I can really feel it pulling whenever I go up or down stairs.

So far, this week has been awesome. I hope to report next Tuesday that I've made it a whole week (and a bit) sticking to my plan. Oh, and I'd love to report a loss, too :)

HYC Update...

And even this is a day late...

And I'm typing it in stages. Busy has not been the word for the last week, I have not stopped since last Thursday. My paretns are here and I'm doing OK, food wise. I've fallen into a fairly good routine and managed to lose another pound last week. That's pretty good since I usually abandon all pretense of good eating habits when my parents get here and bring all kinds of goodies, so I'm considering that a voctory. The goodies are still in the cupboard, ready to be tasted at Christmas. The hardest thing with this arrangement is remembering that Christmas does not last a month, just because my family is here.

The other good thing I've leanred this week? I've learned that even out of my usual routine, I can still stick to my plan, just a bit more a rough version that previously. Usually I'm someone for whom a routine is essential. This last week I've actually been flexible.

Things to work on this week? Exercise. I need more of it. I'm pretty active at the moment but I could use some formal exercise. Other than that? I'm actually doing well. For a crazy month, that is!

HYC Weekly round up

So here I am again - and I'm not sure what's going on. I'm sticking to my plan fine, but for some reason I'm just not feeling it this week. I've been losing weight, but it doesn't totally feel like it yet. Sure, my jeans, which I could barely slide on when I started this, let alone button, are actually starting to look baggy on me, but something in my mind just isn't working as far as this goes.

Does anyone else have this feeling sometimes? I feel like I'm just going through the motions - like I'm some kind of diet fraud or something. The scale continues to move in a vaguely downward motion, but part of me thinks that it's just that the scale is broken, and that my jeans have somehow stretched - that I'm just not really achieving what it seems like I'm achieving.

Maybe I'm just in an off mood these last few days - this weekend I was so thrilled with myself for reaching the 20 lbs lost mark, and the last few days I've been in denial that it's actually happening. That and I'm feeling a ton of stress from other areas of my life right now.

On a plus note, my parents arrive Thursday. It's going to create some diet issues for a month or so, but I'm also going to be able to get a ton of good dinner ideas from my mum, who is an awesome cook and who knows nutrition inside out. Plus, you know, my parents will be here - that makes everything a little better.

So if I can just hold out the next few days, maybe my mood will improve after that.

So there's my big HYC goal for this week - stick to it and hang in there!

HYC Check in Tuesday...

Hmmm - I'm really not sure what to write about this week.

I'm eating OK, I'm staying within my calories, I'm still kind of on track. I mean, I'm staying within my calories but I'm not making the best choices. A big handful of M&M's and a slice of pumpkin pie yesterday are not the best choices, even if I have the calories. Especially when I had the M&M's for breakfast.

BUT:

I'm just not feeling it. I'm not get-up-and-go about it like I have been. I'm worried that this is going to turn into an epic slide, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to stop it.

So here goes. I have to recommit. I'm going to just pretend I've already had the horrible binge and move on from here.

At least half an hour of exercise today. Sticking to the plan I've written down today. Every morning I write down a plan for food, counting calories to make a good total. Today I won't swap things out as I go. The plan I write is perfectly good. I should stick with it.

If I can do that day by day for a week, I'll consider that a success.

HYC Check in Tuesday!

Today, I am much less stressed than I was yesterday. I'm really enjoying the HYC because it gives me a spot to sit back mid week and be proud of how far I've come, and plan for the future.

So - the good things:

- Losing 3.5lbs this week! I'm still amazed that it happened, but I'm also glad, because I know that I did deserve to lose some weight, and it happened. This whole thing where my body actually cooperates is new to me.

- I've been really good about my calorie counting - even those few times where I did find myself mindlessly shoving something into my mouth ("how did that cracker get there?") I've written it down and counted it.

- I've managed to do this for 8 weeks now! In a row, with no screwing up! OK, I'm not exactly following the strictest set of rules (calorie budget and exercise) but hey - it's working so far!

And now for the things I still have to work on:

- Exercise. I got next to no exercise this weekend and didn't actually do any yesterday. Actually I didn't get to do any yesterday because I heard about a free H1N1 Shot clinic for the Izlet, and that sort of took precedence over everything else. We got there, and she got the first of her two shots - yay! Every other clinic in our county had been cancelled until yesterday. But no excuses for the exercise today.

- As ever - eat more veggies! Why can't I just do this?

- I've got to learn to control my emotions without food. Even though I didn't use food to help me feel better on Sunday, I really need to learn to control the emotions.

So anyway - that's my week. Here's hoping everyone has an awesome thanksgiving, whether that means having an ultra lean meal or a wonderful time with their family and friends. Or, you know, both.

HYC Weekly round up

Well, this week I'm quite proud of myself on several counts:

I've stuck to my plan, even when faced with three hours in a bakery. A really really wonderful bakery.

I've stuck to my plan even when I've been down and discouraged. For me this is probably the hardest one. I was actually quite emotional all last week (and I still have no idea why) but I didn't self-medicate with food.

I got in more exercise than I had in any week prior to this. Again, quite an achievement, since I sometimes find it hard to get up and moving.

I'm feeling like I've got some of my eating issues under at least temporary control.

Of course, as always, there are things I need to work on:

More veggies! I think this one is going to be on my list forever, although I'm getting better, it's still a very slow process.

Even more exercise! Really, it's not going to kill me.

I need to come up with an effective plan for Christmas, when my parents will be staying with me for a month.

Find some real "me" time. It's tough when there really isn't a spare cent to spend, but I'm sure I can figure something out.

All in all, last week was a successful week, even if it didn't actually feel like it, or reflect on the scale. One more week along a long road, but I'm on that road, and that feels good.