June already!? School is out here; the weather has gone from unseasonably cool to unseasonably hot. It feels like summer.
May was a tough eating month for me. Lots of events, including my birthday. Lots of overeating. Even eating off plan. Somehow the month flew by in the blink of an eye while the hours of snacking temptation seemed to drag on endlessly. And it reminds me how fast summer seems to pass every year. If I buckle back down and get back on track, before I know it I will look back at a fast ten weeks of success. So that’s my plan:)
I learned a lot in the last month. Some lessons were fun and easy; some were harder. But I am telling myself they are all good; were all necessary. So now I am moving forward and applying what I learned. Here is a sampling:
- Bread is not my friend. Whole wheat, low-cal, doesn’t matter. Kryptonite. I do best when I just cut it from my diet. If I try to moderate consumption, I crave it and overeat. If I “just say no” then I don’t.
- Crackers are clearly related to bread.
- Getting back on my bike after months off was just like… well… riding a bike:) But… sometimes working out long and hard leads to eating more.
- I can find a new way to prepare a food that I used to hate and love, love the result. My veggie repertoire is growing as a result.
- I don’t hate my scale. I realize that I can’t control it; I can only control myself. Well, some days I can’t control myself either!
- When I eat crap at night I sleep like crap too. And wake up feeling like crap.
- It does not work to eat well five days a week and then eat horribly for two. Two bad days can more than outweigh (no pun intended but it fits) the five good days.
- Exerting self control can backfire. Sometimes I put all my effort into NOT eating something so I go overboard eating something else. Or I put all my effort into avoiding eating at a certain event so instead overeat later.
- Progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line and sometimes I take a tiny step backwards on my way. But still, it is progress.
I can’t decide if I am glad to be done with May or if I wish I had more time to do things better before moving on to summer. Doesn’t matter – summer, for me, is here, ready or not.
Waisting Time 
that is VERY true about progress not happening in a straight line….I can verify that by pulling up my weight loss graph on the WW site….there are ups and downs and hills and valleys and really no explanation as to why they are there! May has been a tough month for me as well.
.-= losingmore´s last blog ..Follow up visit today =-.
Seems like this weekend was particularly bad for many of us. So we can all move on together:)
That’s a lot of learning that you did in May. So many universal truths there, along with your personal axioms.
Summer is the hardest time for me. Less structure leads to no structure and that is Krytonite for me. Along with crackers.
Let’s see what June brings. My May was a whole lot of stalling. I need to be real and set some goals, not necessarily related to numbers on the scale.
As always, thanks for sharing!
Summer used to be harder for me when my kids were younger and I was stuck in the house. My big summer temptation is the fresh fruit. I know it should be a positive, but I can eat an awful lot of cherry calories in one sitting! I would also do better in the summer if I wore fitted shorts more and not my sundresses with no fitted waist.
May is hard month for me, too, with birthdays and holidays. At least it’s over.
“It does not work to eat well five days a week and then eat horribly for two. Two bad days can more than outweigh (no pun intended but it fits) the five good days.”
Wow, so true. I keep learning this lesson over and over again!
.-= Anna´s last blog ..Back to the real world =-.
But for some people, it really works to do well 80% of the time and then eat as they want the other 20%. Not for me though. Sigh.
Definitely–be DONE with May. Of all those on your list, #1 is the one I have to repeat to myself all the time. Bread is NOT my friend. It’s like crack. One sensible piece of whole wheat bread with breakfast leads to a sandwich at lunch and a basket of bread with dinner. Can’t do it. It’s better for me to just think of myself as allergic to bread. Happy June!
I am so glad it is not just me! I can easily live without bread all day until after dinner when I want it for a snack. That should tell me something right there!
Birthday near Memorial Day weekend for me has always been tough! I’m also happy to see June. School isn’t out until the 22nd here! Great learning list!!! I agree with it all!
.-= Diet Buddy´s last blog ..Spring Focus Week Three Results =-.
The tough one in June is Father’s Day. I am sure my husband will want something decadent. And we have a big party to got to and a weekend away with friends at the lake. I forgot about those:(
Luckily there is so much fresh fruit and vegetables available in the summer. It does seem like there are always food-related events going on during these months.
Related to what you said about eliminating bread. Have you ever tried using lettuce leaves to make a wrap? I like to make my version of a burger with a Boca Burger wrapped in lettuce. I put a little ketchup and mustard and pickle in the wrap. It really tastes refreshing using the lettuce instead of the typical sticky white bun too.
.-= karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..Making Memories =-.
I actually don’t miss bread for meals at all. I eat burgers with a fork and knife and make tuna melts with no bottom bread. I was mostly snacking on it. Which should probably have been a red flag.
Oh! We are diet-soul-sisters on this one. I was trying out multi-grain tortillas in May…now banned along with peanut butter. What was it with May? Bah.
.-= Brightside-Susan´s last blog ..HEALTHY SHOPPING AT COSTCO =-.
LOL I have not tried those yet. When I first ate my hubby’s sandwich thins a few months back I was very unimpressed. Funny how fabulous they taste to me now. And I have a whole post written about peanut butter. It will show up here some day.
It’s going to be an awesome summer for you! I imagine you’ll learn some more useful stuff along the way. If you’re lucky, that is! 🙂
.-= Cammy@TippyToeDiet´s last blog ..I Can See Clearly Now =-.
From your lips to someone’s ear! Last summer I was at goal weight and started gaining back in July. NOT THIS SUMMER!
I’m scared June for me will be like your May!
hahha! yes! The honeymoon phase is ALWAYS the best isn’t it!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin
.-= Bringing Pretty Back´s last blog ..Would you have an affair… Series! =-.
Oh Kristen… I am sitting here mid-afternoon in exercise clothes after physical therapy and so not pretty:( I should let you inspire me.
You are soooo sweet!!! Thanks so much for your encouraging words on my blog. By the way, I throughly enjoy your blog.! Every time I read it, I leave it thinking, “AMAZING!”
.-= Corletta Brown´s last blog ..The honest truth…post 1 of 4 =-.
Thanks… and you are welcome:)
So much in your post that resonates with me. One thing I will comment on is the relationship between sleeping and eating that you noted. If my sleep pattern is awful, so is my eating. I’m very aware that if I let my sleep pattern get screwy (longtime bad habit as a fruit(?) of my work), my eating will fall quickly into chaos.
.-= Sskar´s last blog ..FDA Warning on Diet Drug =-.
I have seen that “they” show a correlation between sleeping and weight loss. Not enough sleep is bad for it.
Bread and stuff like that is not my friend either! It just makes me want to eat more, and I am never satisfied until I’ve overdone it!
I’m impressed with how you are analyzing what is working for you and what isn’t and moving forward into June with this new knowledge of yourself. We are learning as we go along! You’re right, it’s never in a straight line, but it is heading in the right direction!!!
.-= Carla´s last blog ..Happy June 1st! =-.
I remember being impressed at you cutting out chocolate. Funny how I would have expected that to be much more of a problem food for me than darn bread!
hi Karen. Great lessons and boy did you strike a chord! i used to think that bread could at least be my “frenemy,” where sometimes we could coexist in harmony but no, she is just a backstabbing wench that needs to be avoided. And you’re so right about reinventing foods …Growing up, kale used to be one of those foods I would hide in my milk carton so I wouldn’t have to eat it. Now I have a recipe for crispy kale chips that is actually good. It’s funny how things keep readjusting, isn’t it?
LOL. I just mentioned to my husband that we need to try kale. We must have seen it on TV or something. I don’t remember ever eating it before.
Ug may was terrible for me also! I lost ZERO lbs 😦
I agree- bread is kryptonite! One weekend off too many carbs totally messed me up *sigh*
.-= beerab´s last blog ..The temptation of the weekend =-.
I am glad not to be the only one:)
This hit me like a ton of bricks:
It does not work to eat well five days a week and then eat horribly for two. Two bad days can more than outweigh (no pun intended but it fits) the five good days.
I know you were saying it to youself, but you might as well have tattood it on my forehead! Such wise words, Karen!
.-= Barbara´s last blog ..The cutting of the chicken =-.
Maybe a tattoo would be a good reminder for me! Or maybe I just need to write it on a piece of paper and hang it in my kitchen!
“Somehow the month flew by in the blink of an eye while the hours of snacking temptation seemed to drag on endlessly.” Well said and how true! I love your list, Karen! Lots of wisdom there… I also see compassion, optimism and forgiveness between the lines. May your summer be most magical!
.-= Peacefulbird´s last blog ..Little Temptations =-.
Magical sounds very nice:)
This was a great post with lots of insight. I have found that most months are filled with events and celebrations that revolve around food. I have decided not to use them as an excuse to over eat or eat badly. I just have too many of them ahead of me.
I am sure you can have 10 awesome weeks and look back at them with pride at your success.
Thanks Tami. Whatever else, the summer will be over before I know it!
This post cracked me up! I can totally relate to one and two…I cannot buy crackers…if I do I even just put mayo on them and until they are gone…so BAD!
.-= sian-girlgetstrong´s last blog ..Face it: Your Diet Affects your Looks =-.
Oh mayo on crackers might turn me off them for good! Ugh.
I absolutely love that you respond to comments, and maybe I didn’t realize you do that! I’ve read back through your last few entries and can I ever identify with where you are right now!
I’m going to make a point of checking your blog every day – I have to make sure it’s coming up on my blog roll when you post so I don’t miss anything.
I hope your spa vacation is restorative and fantastic, and I’d love to see some daily updates! But it’s your vacay, so do what feels right. I will be back!
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..Proceed with caution =-.
Thanks:) Short, sweet, to the point reply:)
I have learned that I do better with NO bread too. That door opened a crack is dangerous for me.
I also think that the 5 days on, 2 days off doesn’t work for weight loss. I can do some pretty major damage in 2 days. I dont even think it could work for maintenance, unless maybe I made the 2 off days weekdays and not weekends – and even then…
Yes, the bread has been my downfall for meeting my goal in your challenge. Sigh.