I'm pleased with my progress. I've lost four pounds in ten days... that is, since July 1. I am especially pleased because I'm trying to get away from spending "half my life" looking up calorie counts. But one reason I can be freed from doing that is because I did it before and wrote down calorie counts for what I ate. And, for the most part, my tastes are the same.
I read one time that most families have a standard number of meals they routinely prepare, rarely departing from them. The number of different meals wasn't very high-- maybe about ten. (Maybe they throw casseroles with chicken into one number :) Not sure about that.) But anyway, leaving that aside, I know that I'm not really big on variety when I fix for myself. So it wasn't hard for me to write up a list of "Breakfasts" I usually fix and their calorie counts, "Snacks: I usually eat and their calorie counts. And so on.
The one thing I am going to try to avoid is "burnout". I did well before when I ate a sandwich with veggies every day for lunch at work, but after three months a sandwich with veggies was the last thing I wanted to consider eating for lunch when beginning another "planned eating" journey. So I'm going to work at not eating the same thing so much that I burn out on it. However, having said that, I have possibly set myself up for that because--in my planning-- I've decided to eat a large salad as one of my main meals most days... It won't be exactly the same, because I've stocked up on CANNED chicken and tuna and will use them and sometimes just cheese or maybe have ground beef (as in taco salad). So hopefully, that will not be such a same-ol'-same-ol' that I'll get burned out on it. Eating a salad regularly should be part of my ongoing "lifestyle" anyway, even if I don't eat one daily.
I made out a two-week check list for grocery shopping. (Two weeks because I get paid every two weeks. ) On it I put all the things I need to be sure I have on hand at home so that I'm not lacking for the right kinds of things to eat when eating time comes. On Monday, I finally had time to go to the grocery store and buy those things I didn't already have on hand.
I had meant to write down what I ate every day.... Notice how I started off "Day 1" and got to "Day 2" before that attempt was foiled. The 4th of July holiday, plus a birthday party and my brother coming from to visit and to have lunch, left me with very little time to sit down and write out what I was eating. But, I did (kinda) keep a running record in my mind. That's not usually as accurate, but at least I was counting instead of just eating whatever was in my pathway. (Mostly I'll have to say "no" to the goodies my co-workers bring and leave in the breakroom. Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Cupcakes. Those are actually easier for me to pass up than the spinach dip or cheese balls.)
But, I'm on my way. I've lost four pounds at least... My scale wants to be erratic in its readouts. One readout actually showed me down 5.5 pounds, but I felt that was just an enticement for me to KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I have committed myself to this course--finally-- and I need to stay on it. I need to add exercise -- which I plan to do-- and learn to drink more water.
