Friday, October 11, 2013

I'd rather gain 5 pounds... (Evaluation: Week 6)

Last Weigh In: Saturday, 5 October 2013
Weight Information -
      Weight: 443.2 lbs
      Weight Change This Week: -1.2 lbs
      Weight Change To Date: -10.0 lbs
      Weight Gauge: *sigh* (I actually lost weight)

Current Goals -
     Number Goal: 430 lbs
     Distance to Goal: 13.2 lbs
     Feel Good Goal: Not freak out as much over the work necessary to get out of house
     Distance to Goal:
          Based on thoughts: quite close
          Based on feelings: quite far
     The Y: Go to the Y once next week.
     Distance to Goal: It's on the calendar and MBWM will be taking a class while I swim.
     Weight Watchers:
          Use the paper tracker every day this week including calcualting points
          Make a meal plan with the PPV's worked out for two days
          Use 56 for my daily points target
          Avoid using the 49 weekly points. Daily points have 15 left over. That's 105 per week.
          Attend at least two Regular meetings this week, most likely Thursday and Saturday
     Distance to Goal: This is gonna be a much better week
     Overeaters Anonymous: Attend one meeting this week
     Distance to Goal: Made 1 last week. I will make one this week.

EVALUATION:
There was success in this week. First in the numbers, I managed to keep moving in the right direction. And in spite of all of the stress and lack of point following, I listened to my stomach's signals, my brain's input, and my heart's desires. I managed to do okay for myself. But there is a warning coming: I cannot rely on this form of momentum for continued success. I need to apply myself rigorously to boost up my success once again.

IVCUFI:
I have found the way (IV) for this last week, almost: 
I have found the way once but I have not found the way twice. I fear the week ahead. I know fear is a killer. But the reality of finding the way once under one set of circumstances does not mean that you will find the way again under a different set of circumstances that includes so much more stress. But the way must be found for this 10 pounds of success to be expanded to 20.

I have not seized the road (CU) for the most part for this last week:
There is success, but I seized too many calories as well.

As for enjoying the journey (FI) for this last week:
I am not enjoying it. The stress is killing me.


Post Number: 28
Days of Tracking: 1/7
Days of Points Calculated: 1/7

To my faithful followers (you know who you are), I offer my apologies for not making the time at all this week to blog. The apology is as much to me as it is to you. I know I would have been better at my food choices had I been reviewing them as I do every time I sit down to blog. I may not discuss the individual food choices, but I mentally review them. That is empowering. But I have been at PHALT.

There is a phrase from AA, HALT: Hungry / Angry / Lonely / Tired. This has been used in reference to many things, shopping, going out on the town, etc. The common phrase I heard was, if you're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired: HALT. MBWM adapted the phrase to: Don't go shopping or you'll be at PHALT. The P here is Pain. I work to keep it in mind that I should be more careful in my food decisions or I'll be at PHALT. And it works. Some of my worst decisions food wise have been when I've been in Pain (physical, emotional, ...), Hungry (from lack of food or because of a craving), Angry (or frustrated or confused or anything that triggers anger), Lonely (especially for MBWM), or Tired (Exhausted works, but we've been using PHALT instead of PHALE for quite some time). I have been experiencing quite a bit of the pain. The first order of business was to make room in our current house. That involved filling a 10' x 10' storage unit. That led to daily pain of a scale on par with swimming at the Y. Now we have the space to be able to sort. I haven't felt any joy in eating the wrong foods, so that's been nice. I've even felt queasy after eating something greasy or rich. And that's good. But I'm not willing to pay attention to the tracking and the points calculating. I'm in pain, so I don't sleep well. I don't sleep well, so I'm easily angered. I am easily angered, so I don't want to deal with the reality of the minutiae that is involved in tracking. Which puts me at PHALT.

That being said, there is an influence that still resonates from when I was tracking. I had nachos today for lunch. Tortillas chips, cheddar cheese, salsa. High fat enough that I knew I'd be queasy when I was done. As I was pouring out the chips, I had maybe 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chips. I could have eaten 4 cups easily not long ago. There was this idea of if I were counting points, I'd have to be very careful with quantity. I need to reinforce this by returning to the rigor of tracking. We shall see. The stress level of moving, finding work, and many other things is keeping me wondering how I can settle into a comfortable routine. Because I don't want to PHALE.

We shall see, because tomorrow is my Weight Watchers meeting. I am predicting a weight gain. And I am already writing off this week as a less-than-stellar performance. As I write this, my entire family is out picking colors swatches for their new rooms, assuming we get a place that will approve painting the rooms and the color choices. I am going to meditate and concentrate and pray right now and through the weekend to be able to prepare for the stressful week still ahead.

I'd rather gain 5 pounds and attend my Weight Watchers meeting that lose 5 pounds and miss my meeting. The good news, it is possible (although not this week) to lose 5 pounds and attend my meeting.

So there it is, the hope of the moment, moving on.

Yours,

Eliot

P.S.:
This Space For Hire


NOTES
Weight Watchers, Saturday, 5 October, 2013
True or False? Habits take 21 days to form. FALSE!
Why?

  • Depends on the person
  • Depends on the habit -
    • New habits are easier than changing a current habit
    • To kill an old habit, need to undo the old and then replace with a new one
  • Pick a habit to lose weight successfully
Tough time of year to lose weight. Summer is behind us. Holiday seasons are ahead of us.

This month's routine. Know what you're having for lunch

Fact: you made approximately 6000 food-related decisions in September
How did your choices impact your confidence?

What did you commit to last week that succeeded? (Eat better)

Why are habits so powerful when it comes to lifetime success?
  • Good habits continue the success
  • Habits mean you don't have to think about it
  • It's come normal. Shoot for, "This is my new normal."
  • You're not dieting, your living healthy
What is the trick about automatic, repeated behaviors?
  • Out of your element
  • Unconscious
  • Complacent
  • Tricky can be turned into a good thing, 
    • Store water in front of soda
    • "Boy, what a neat trick."
Secrets of transforming habits
  1. Address the whole habit sequence
    • Trigger - what prompts the behavior
    • Behavior - the habit
    • Benefit / Reward - why behaviors repeats
  2. Sidestep will power by going laughably small 
Examples:
  • Triggers
    • Stress
    • Family
    • Boredom
    • Emotional situation
    • Flavor (aroma)
    • Saw it
    • Social
    • Celebrate
    • Commercials
  • Behaviors
    • Over eat
    • Poor eating choices
  • Reward
    • Always a pay off, even if guilt follows the pay off
    • Soothing
    • Comfort
    • Something to do
    • Accomplished something
In a reward, pick what's good for you.

Habits get in the way of success.
  • Identify behavior
  • Locate trigger
  • Determine reward
  • Replace behavior to achieve same reward
Good habit to start developing
  • Trigger: 
    • Make a move towards the goal
    • Ex.: Starting a jogging routine
      • Set alarm
      • Put on sneakers
      • Does these always ahead of running so do them anyway
  • Need concrete rewards
    • Attitude of success
    • New shows (for completing first exercise class)
    • Build friendships
    • Improve relationship
    • After photo (ignore the before photo)
  • Do this for you
What will you definitely try doing this week. Pick small so it is definite.

This week, pick one new habit to try.

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