So last week wasn’t a completely derailed diet time, but I think it is time to rejuvenate my attitude and my focus! I’ve had several blog-reading friends recently tell me not to be so hard on myself. But as I’m writing, it’s funny, I don’t really feel like I’m being hard, just trying to be honest. Maybe I need to pay more attention to tone. 🙂 Anyway … when I think down the road to our amazing trip to France, a fat belly and shuffling gate are not on my wish list. When you briefly fail on a diet, it doesn’t mean a free pass to go overboard. Small failures are just learning moments – time to remember what you’re doing and why.
Unfortunately, a couple of fails and some yummy snacks can easily throw a diet by the wayside. In fact, did you know that when you gain one pound over one to three weeks, that weight sticks around even after six weeks? One little pound may not seem like much, but they add up quickly . . . and are they ever difficult to take back off!
I’m trying to void any guilt by revitalizing my diet and ultimately ditching the flab. So what can I do to bounce back to my better self? First: Get back to the routine. Just a reminder to prepare my morning snack and lemon water. Have a cup of something warm before bed. Go to bed early. Wake to my alarm at the crack of dawn. Head to the pool. Setting myself up for my normal day probably seems obvious, but on reflection, that’s the best avenue to get my mind and body back into fit mode. I also read that people who keep the same sleep-wake cycles are more rested and less apt to have their diets undermined (exhaustion = munchies). The plan is a positive routine, regular meals at regular intervals, well balanced intake, and calorie control. Routine, it is.
Next item on my list: Awareness of my food. Having fresh, healthy items in my fridge won’t necessarily ensure that I stick to my diet, but it definitely helps promote good eating rather than an indulgent path of bad eating. My roommate does most of the grocery shopping for us, and she’s really great about checking my menus and creating a grocery list that works for both of us. Now I just need to ensure healthy items are the most convenient foods in my fridge and pantry, which always makes it easier for me to make healthy choices. Bad foods out of sight and out of mind! Prepare, measure, bag . . . ready to go.
And the tough one: Don’t reach for the remote. When I get home from the pool (or anywhere else for that matter) it’s natural to want to relax. This is especially the case when my pain is up. But just because I’m tired from the pool doesn’t mean my first instinct has to be settling in for a long binge-watch. I read a study that found that the more TV people watched in one setting, the worse their food choices became. Uhoh. Perhaps I need to manage some TV surfing time limits; then look for other ways to relax – read a book, play cards, or just catch a quick nap. Okay, that’s probably not going to happen. I am a TV addict, no 12-step for me.