November 12, 2003--Day One

7:20 AM--Breakfast: 1 packet Quaker Instant Oatmeal in Cinnamon Roll flavor made with water with 1 T. strawberry preserves, a few sips iced tea

9 AM--Snack: 20 oz. Diet Pepsi

1:15 PM--Lunch: 1 c. lettuce with approx. 1/3 c. shredded mock crab, 1 T. light ranch dressing (normally I would have eaten full fat because there's lots of sugars in light, but that's all I had on hand), 4 oz. garden rotini tossed with extra virgin olive oil, pepper and garlic

1:50 PM. I feel good about today, and I am well aware that since it's the first day, I will have lots of pitfalls along the way. Any change in eating habits (I won't say diet, because it's not) is always easiest the first week, but then...You start to crave bad things, but I honestly don't know what to anticipate here. I've tried this before, but there was always that underlying feeling that it was just another diet. I've actually researched this, trying to eat by the food pyramid and stay healthy. Nothing is off limits, and that's kind of weird to me. When I did this before, the mindset was, OK, no chocolate, no fast food, no candy, nothing. Now, if I want it I can have it, but I haven't run into any cravings yet. Since nothing's off-limits, nothing should be causing that sort of mad desire in me. I'm sure everyone who's been on a restrictive diet before knows what I'm talking about. When you're on Atkins, you just want bread, or potatos, or pasta. If you're on low-cal, you just want a big piece of cake, or some salad dressing that isn't plain balsamic vinegar, or something that has some body to it. My cravings were usually Taco Bell, no matter what diet I was on. Now I only want Taco Bell fleetingly when I drive by one. I'm willing to bet there'll be a time when that changes.

I'm also trying to incorporate exercise into the program. As soon as I'm done here, I'm going to walk down to the library--probably about an hour's walk. I'm not planning on walking back, though. I'm going to have my fiance pick me up, because I know that I won't have the strength or the endurance to make it all the way back. Hopefully one day I'll be able to do that, but that day is not today.

November 25, 2003--Day 13

There are some dieting/healthy living tips I think I should put down in black and white before they escape my mind.

• Do one thing at a time. A famous trainer said this, and of course I can�t remember who it is, but it wasn�t me. He said to do one, one and a half things at a time max. If you try to stop drinking, stop smoking, start exercising and start eating right all at once, you�ll fall off the wagon. Try to start exercising and cut back on smoking or drinking.
• Pay attention to when you�re hungry as well as when you�re full. It�s important to stop eating when you�re full, but it�s also important to eat only when you�re hungry. If you�re bored and you wander into the kitchen and directly to the fridge, stop and listen to your body for a second. If you�re not hungry, get out of there as quickly as you can move.
• Set goals, but not with food. I�ve seen a lot of people�myself included�say �when I lose x pounds, I�ll get a cheeseburger, or a bowl of ice cream, or pizza, or something.� How counterproductive is that? Say �when I lose x pounds, I�ll go shopping and try on new jeans (but be sure you�ve lost more than say, 10 pounds, because you may not have gone down a full size, and there�s nothing more depressing than getting all excited over a weight loss and finding that you don�t fit into smaller clothes. It�s enough to trigger a Burger King binge.) or I�ll get a manicure or I�ll get to buy some little trinket that I�ve been wanting.�
• Set small, realistic goals as well as long-term goals. You can�t lose 10 pounds in a week and expect to keep it off. It�s water. So don�t set your goals hoping to do just that. A reasonable goal is 1-2 pounds a week, but if you�re changing your eating habits dramatically and exercising, you might lose 5 or more pounds in the first week, maybe even the first two. It won�t last. Don�t be disappointed.
• Weigh yourself often. For me, this is just a good gauge. I deal better with pounds than with inches. Of course, it�s inches that really matter, not pounds, but it�s easier to step on the scale than whip out the tape measure and take a ton of measurements. Weigh yourself two or three times a week (not a day) at the same time of day, wearing the same clothing. Naked first thing in the morning is best.
• Take your measurements. Weighing may be easier, but measuring can be a more dramatic indicator of change. Measure from top to bottom: Your neck, both your biceps, your chest over the fullest part and under your breasts, your waist, your hips, both thighs and both calves.
• Keep a journal. I have both a food diary and a journal, and it really helps. Write down how you�re feeling after a binge, or write before a binge to head it off. Write when you�re emotional, whether it be happy or sad.
• Keep a list of activities to do when you get a bad craving or emotion strikes. If you have a hobby like sewing, crafting, whatever, stock up on supplies. You�ll spend some money on supplies, but you�ll save on food. I have a list of 50 things, and if I suddenly get a craving for some food that I know I don�t need, I do at least 3, for ten minutes each. A lot of times the first one will get you involved in something else and you�ll forget about eating for a little while.

November 27, 2003--Day 15

I know that I will not be able to stick to my plan at dinner. That said, I can have some sort of game plan, but it�s hard not knowing what will be served. I�ll have 1 roll with margarine, 1 slice turkey, mashed potatoes, scalloped corn, green bean casserole, salad, and crudit�s. Lots of sides, but I�ll go a little smaller on the serving sizes. Oh, and tons of water.