Today I’ve got pretty much nothing to say. I know, hard to believe considering how I usually go on and on. But, it has not been a great week, challenge-wise, and I just got nothing.
My goals were:
- No mindless eating while reading books.
- Curtail evening snacking.
- Eating on plan all week.
Pretty much a bust all around – didn’t meet a single one of them. I have no excuses. I can’t even remember why or what was going on. Nothing big. Nothing memorable. Just not a healthy eating week. And, yes, I am kicking myself just a bit. But I am not going to dwell on it. Water under the bridge.
So… to focus on something positive, I did get several bike rides in thanks to some beautiful weather. Just shy of 90 miles over 4 days. So at least one thing was working for me in the whole healthy living department. And, one of my original challenge goals was to drink more water (or the equivalent) and I have been doing so well there that I don’t even have it as a goal anymore. Okay, two good things to report:)
This week I am going to add a new goal and see if I can get my rear back in gear. I am going to write down everything I eat. (Fingers crossed I remember, the writing part that is, not the eating part.) I have not tracked my food in quite a while and maybe seeing things in black and white will be just what I need to knock some sense into my over-snacking off-plan self.
Okay, another week frittered away here. Feel free to give me a nice rousing kick in the you know where. Go ahead, I’ll hardly feel it with all the padding I’ve got down there!
Waisting Time 
I think that you’ve done great this week with the bike riding and the water. 90 miles in 4 days is amazing!
I’m struggling to drink my water these days – it was no problem when it was hot out…
Let’s aim for an OP weekend.
I’m counting hot herbal tea! Right now I am drinking one of my favorites: Sugar Cookie Dough (or some such thing). But I really am trying to drink more plain water too.
Karen, as soon as I saw the word ‘tea’ I had to ask: what kind do you drink? I am a huge tea fanatic and am always on the lookout for new ones to try. It actually curbs my appetite and I count it as my water intake.
I count it as water intake too:) I do with all decaf. In the morning, boring, mild English Breakfast tea. Later in the day I love the Celestial Seasons holiday collection: favorites are Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride and Gingerbread Spice. I also like chai tea and Constant Comment (which has a hint of orange). I wish I like green tea… for the health benefits.
Actually Karen…no butt kicking! Just keep moving and paying attention…it WILL all come together…
Seriously Karen – I’m a big counter of the “little” stuff – cuz I have to (I’m not running a half marathon or ditching processed food the rest of my life). Every glass of water counts. Every minute of movement counts. And, uh… I don’t read much, so I love that you read! I’ve been thinking about adding that to my do lists….
When I write today’s update post, I’m going to type, “What Karen said.” Except no bike rides. I’ve had a crappy week other than my one day where I made it through binge thinking. I feel like shit about it, too.
I am sooooo laughing because I read your post before I read this comment. Too funny. Okay… next Friday we are both going to write twin posts again and the tone is going to be 100% different than today’s. You with me?
I can’t eat and read- at least that’s a plus for me- I wouldn’t want to get my book dirty- and now that I use my nook I wouldn’t want to damage it with food getting on the screen or something.
Maybe pick one goal this next week and stick to it- so make it okay to snack as long as it’s on plan?
I have literally had to make a conscious effort to not snack. My nightly routine has been this:
“Hm, I could use a snack…”
“Are you hungry?”
“No, I guess not, but I still want a snack.”
“Well too bad no.”
“FINE THEN- I guess I’m going to bed.”
“Go then, goodnight!”
lol yes I argue with myself- my husband watches me scowl to myself and calls me crazy. lol.
Funny you should say that about one goal because in my mind I was thinking I am just going to do exactly that – focus on writing things down and see what happens. So far so good:) Those evenings kill me!
As much as I adore you, I’m sorry you’re in the same boat as me.
50 days of getting it “right” and we can enjoy our boat much more.
I’m very busy kicking my own butt, but here’s a little one for you… “Come on!! Let’s DO this. Goals, Schmoals, let’s just eat better and exercise and have something good to report next week.”
Maybe don’t even diet, just eat less. Sometimes if I’m “dieting”, I feel so conflicted about the one spoon of peanut butter that I have to drown that feeling in many more spoonfuls. But, if it’s just living healthy, have a spoon and get on with your life. What’s going on here? We should be rocking this.
(did you notice how I translated my analogy into your language, the language of peanut butter?) For me it’s chocolate or salty chips/crackers.
Well, thank you Karen for offering your rear for the kicking. I just talked myself into working out this morning.
OMG that cracks me up! Yes, I speak peanut butter:) There are a few of us in this boat together right now and while the company is great, we need to all find a way to get ourselves where we want and need to be. Thanks for the pep talk… or ass kicking. Let’s go!
I don’t think your week was a total bust at all! I never want to eat while I read (don’t want my nook dirty either!) but if we are watching TV- it’s a battle. I allow myself one snack, since we honestly don’t watch much at all, and it’s healthy. We made these bad habits, so it’s up to us to replace them with healthier ones. Maybe allow yourself ONE healthy snack while you read, and stick to it? Good luck!
Well shoot! Maybe I need to buy an ereader! Of course my mom keeps me supplied with hard covers so that would mean I’d have to find my own books to read. Sigh. I think you might have a good idea about the snack limit. I actually almost put a number out here on my evening goal.
Karen! Please don’t get discouraged, or kick yourself in the butt!!! You are doing fine because you never give up. You keep trying and getting back up when you fall, and that’s what counts!!!
I am finding it hard right now too. I am so used to gaining weight at this time of year it’s like my body is fighting all my efforts!
***Big hugs***!!!!
I have a terrible habit of mindless eating. I love to eat while watching TV, or just blog reading. I need to make a goal to stop doing that (notice I typed ‘need’….I guess that isn’t very decisive, is it?) It is so hard to break certain habits. At least you got in your bike rides. That’s great!
I don’t eat at all when I read blogs. Or am on the computer period. I keep telling myself that when I want to overeat or binge I just should go the computer and that would stop me in my tracks. Sigh.
Karen I am so proud of you that even though the week didn’t have the outcome you desired you were still able to find some things that you did do well!
Just build on those good things and add a little more of them for next week!
Journaling is a great idea. It always make a big difference for me.
Why is this battle so hard???????? Sorry you’ve had a rough time, but I know that if you keep plugging along it will get easier and you’ll forget about this bad week. Amazing exercise though. It’s been gorgeous weather here too!!!
Oh, and I wanted to tell you that I think the whole girlfriend/boyfriend embarrassment is a GUY thing. My daughter’s boyfriend’s family wants to meet her and he is horrified…coming up with all kinds of reasons why his family/parents/house is so embarrassing! I thought of your son! 😉
That is funny! We at least got to meet all his girlfriends since he is always broke and they often came here to hang out. But no meal and we were very careful not to talk to her for too long lest our son be mortified by us. Sigh.
I can’t kick you, because you’re in my way.(Give someone else a chance, why don’t you?)
SEriously? What I see here is…a week that didn’t go 100% the way you wanted it to. Nothing more, nothing less. Food journaling may be a good interim step. Something I’ve been doing along with that is to note the weather and my general disposition at the bottom of the page. We’ll see if that tells me anything. (Other than that I have far too much time on my hands.)
I actually started to make a table on the computer to put what I ate, how I was feeling, etc. Then I gave up and decided that I was making it to complicated on myself. Good old notebook and pencil. Oh – I also debated starting a new blog just to post what I eat. The thought of putting it out there was horrifying so might be a great deterrent to going off plan.
At least you have written goals! May you could try the “just for today” approach? SO much of what works for us depends on whom we are and how we handle things. Not to say we can’t change, but that change is going to take time and just because you succeed one week (or one day) doesn’t guarantee anything.
And congratulations on riding 90 miles … awesome.
Wow, 90 miles in 4 days – you rock sista!
Hope you have a great weekend! 😀
Karen, how wonderful that you got all that bike riding in & water drinking!! It could have been worse! 😉
I know I say this all the time but I so think there is something deep down there that is stopping you.. whether it is the expectations of others or the fear that you can’t do it.. or whatever it is BUT you can do it!
I do think logging is a really good thing for those that just can’t see what they are doing until it slaps them in the face. Now I do think you see it but this may help you AND you can always use your cell phone to take a pic or write a note in it to log later if you are out & about.
Karen, you know you can do this. You have done it… find the things you can say to yourself to stop you…
Me, I know how my jeans feel when I am just those too many pounds over.. that can stop me but I can’t afford another pair of pants right now! 😉
That last paragraph is the very exact subject of a post I have drafted but not yet published! Maybe next week. Yep, I certainly have questioned myself this year, wondering why I so clearly know what to do, what works, yet don’t get it done.
I hate “frittering”! And I do it so well, too.
Good news–y9u are, at least, still IN the challenge. You did amazing with the bike riding and teh water.
It’s the eating thing. Go figure. I hate having to deal with the eating thing. sigh.
Find the secret; let me know.
Deb
Great job on the bike riding Karen!
You know, we all have bad weeks. Don’t let this ruin the next one. Dwell on what you did right and move forward. You can do this Karen!
LOL–you’re so funny Karen! OK, if you insist…*thud.* That was me kicking you in the butt. Though I should explain since you probably didn’t feel it. 😉 Keeping a food journal is probably the smartest dieting tool out there! Go for it.
Yeah, I REALLY need to work on the ‘eating while reading’ thing too. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I figure that these are two of my favourite activities so it only makes sense to combine them… forgetting, of course, that doing them at the same time reduces the pleasure I get to take in either of them.
I’ve *just* started using a food tracker on my iPhone to keep track of what I’m eating. I used to hate food journalling with a passion when I tried to do it with pen and paper, or a spreadsheet – but the app is actually kind of fun to use, bizarre as it is to hear myself say that.
I am low tech – no iphone or “I” anything for that matter. I used to track online ages ago but that is a hassle. So for now, paper and pencil. I don’t know quite what it is that makes me eat when I read; feels like a conditioned response – open a book, get a snack. Same when I turn on the ti TV.
ALMOST 90 MILES!!!???
Are you kidding me? That’s SUCH a great thing, it’s far from little. Victory!
Have you ever watched Buffy? Faith always said when someone asked her how she was doing: ‘Five by five!’ And here’s the great thing, Karen, you’ve got a ‘Seven by seven’ chance to keep working on your goals towards the new year. 49 days, 7 weeks. Look at the progress you’ve made just with drinking water. Building on the good you’re giving yourself is a powerful thing. Good luck, and don’t let the oopsies drag you down.
Never watched Buffy but 7 by 7 is a cool way to look at it. The year sure is rushing by. When I reflect back in 49 days they will have passed in the blink of an eye.
Woulda/coulda/shoulda…think we have all been there…but look at all that you did…90 miles in 4 days (incredible…I am so in awe!!!!) and you are conscientiously drinking the water…so that’s two huge things…I say that you rocked out two things…even if they weren’t the two that you had on your list!!! Way to go!!!!
Here in Arizona we had fall weather for about one day. Now it’s 45 degrees in the morning which, for us, is freezing cold. I’m still waiting for my husband to fix our bikes. It’s been eight or nine years so I’m not quite sure it’s going to happen.
90 miles on the bike in a week is awesome. If you say it in kilometres (144) it sounds even better 🙂
That made me chuckle and reminded me that when I read your blog I always need to drag out a calculator. I am sooo not good at remembering how to convert those numbers:(
That’s impressive mileage for any week – good or bad. I dunno how that doesn’t bump you into the mediocre week category at least! By this time next week, you’ll be feeling differently – maybe more up, and there’s always the chance you’ll feel more down (and then you’ll start to feel more up). Nothing stays the same, and that is sometimes a good thing!
Good job on the bike riding! You can do it!!! I love to snack while reading too!
Girl…
You don’t need a kick, you will do it when you’re ready. That’s what I’m learning. If I really “hate” where I am, that will be enough to push my butt into high gear. For me, I have been to comfortable at this current weight.
90 miles on a bike rocks! Or, rolls…..
You got nothin’ to be kicked over. Just get back on the bike and give it another go.
Have a great week!
i love your get-back-on-the-horse attitude, girl! and trust me, if anyone needs a kick it’s me. after our trip to New Zealand, the pants a feeling a bit tight…
hope you had a great weekend! 🙂
just checking back in on you.
holding out a pencil and a notebook for you and CHEERING YOU ON IN THIS WEEKS GOAL!!