FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE OF SELF

[Anna Green]

kk, don't throw away the snap. Freeze in servings till you forget about the sick association. Then one day when you are running out the door to work and need something you will grab it.

You are looking good.

[kkrichar]

Oh that's such a good idea!!! This whole freezing thing is so new to me. What kind of containers should I put it in?

[kirstykay]

Kelly,
You are doing so great! I'm so excited for you! I love reading your journal everyday, and hearing your enthusiasm and your success! Hey, GREAT job on training for the fitness test! What a great idea. I went back to my strength training class after taking almost a month off and feel like a whimpy little baby girl! Terrible how quickly fitness dwindles...but I know it will come back almost as quickly, so I'm not too discouraged!

I'm jealous of your bulk purchases from the Amanas. It might be worth a trip out to see my Dad just to go shopping there!

I've frozen blueberries when they go on sale in the spring. They're great! I like to buy cranberries and freeze them when they go on sale around the holidays, too. And I stock up on canned pumpkin in the fall when they have it at Aldi for like 79 cents a can...I buy the stuff by the case, and get really strange looks from people!

Have you ever read Brain over Binge by Kathryn Hansen? Nettie recommended it on another thread, and it sounded interesting so I downloaded it to my Kindle. If you have, what do you think of it? Just curious to hear your thoughts. I'm finding it extremely helpful in quieting my unwanted cravings for off-plan foods, and have been able to stick to MWL almost effortlessly for the last week!

Glad you're doing so well! 4 weeks is truly AMAZING!!!

[bunsofaluminum]

mmmm, cuties! I haven't bought many this year, but the stockings each had a few at Christmas time. Pomegranates have been my go-to seasonal fruit this year. And grapefruits. Yum!

I wanna go to Costa Rica! In fact, I shall make that a goal for 2015. I can start saving, eh? mmm, wouldn't that be just the best?

come back all tan and happy. Yah!

[Anna Green]

kk, you have some options. You can use plastic- hard is better. Or you can buy the treehugger plastic freezer bags that don't have some of the bad stuff in them. Not sure how good they are but I've used them. I've been trying to buy more glass containers because they work ok in the freezer if I leave room for the food to expand as it freezes. I love having stuff in the freezer that I can grab for work when I'm having a lazy or too busy week to cook. I don't freeze potatoes as I don't like how they come out. Rice seems ok and most veggies and beans.

Costa Rica. Wouldn't that be something. I can't imagine justifying it when I can't pay for the kid's college but maybe one day.

Hope your day went well.

[kkrichar]

Anna, I put the SNAP in the freezer! Thanks for the help.

Buns, I LOVE the idea of setting the 2015 goal for Costa Rica. I live in a cold climate so I would like to do the Feb. trip. Between the cost of the stay and airfare I think I need to save at least $4000. It'll never happen if I don't set the date. I'm going to do it. Anyone else want to join????? I have lots of friends who are not wealthy who go on trips every year because they plan and they save and they make the commitment to follow-through. I can't wait to enjoy all the fun with absolutely no worry about food. Woo-hoo!!!

OK, today is day 1 for 100% MWL. The regular plan is too much of a slippery slope for me and I want to dive right in. I haven't been willing to do this in the past. I've read a number of journals recently written by people finally willing to do it. I see the Star McDougaller's put in a lot of time on MWL and some still follow it. They are happy, joyous and free from food obsession. That's what I want and I have to face my fear that I will feel deprived in some way. I have a 5K race in 4 weeks (Feb. 23rd). I want to be as fit as is reasonable given the time limit. If I just do the right thing each day I'll be the best I can be on that day. The weeks will pass regardless. Why not do everything I can to be fit and healthy and free from food obsession?

On that front, I decided to put my scale in an inconvenient place to reduce the likelihood I will drag it out again. I want every decision I make to be based on messages my body is giving me. Not messages my crazy brain is telling me based in its interpretation of the scale. I don't want this WOE to be about weight loss. I need to remove that as part of the deal. It will happen automatically. It doesn't need to be part of the goal. My current plan is to weigh myself race morning. I want to keep a record of my race times and weight throughout the year. I've run regularly in the past but without weight loss and my performance has improved but only to a point and then I start to injure myself. I'd like to see if weight loss changes that pattern and to what degree.

Breakfast: oatmeal, blueberries and banana
Lunch: taco salad
Snack: Clementines, some potato and veggie soup
Dinner: stir fry over brown Jasmine rice

I am meeting a friend after work for an hour or so and then I need to run. So, I won't eat dinner until around 8pm. I want to make sure I don't get too hungry. That's why I'm adding the bowl of soup before I leave the office today.

Run tonight on the treadmill. Do sit-ups/push-ups/stretching while I watch Biggest Loser!

[bunsofaluminum]

Yeah! the Feb 2015 Costa Rica McDougall Trip! Can I save $4000 in two years? Well, I'm gonna try, and by that time I'll have plenty of vacation days saved up at work, too.

I love it that you're putting the scale aside SCHMAHRT COOKIE and not letting yourself think of this as a diet or only about weight loss. I had to do that myself, seeing as how the scale only went down 10 lbs for me, and has stuck EVEN THOUGH I didn't go nuts at Christmas time. Well, it's much more about feeling good and being healthy and let the weight come off when/where/if it will.

and overcoming food obsessions, eh? which you ARE doing! so keep on and let's see about Costa Rica in two years.

[JohnLarson]

Awesome job on the sit-up. It is amazing how a little thing like a pillow enables us to get started on sit-ups. I think if a person only did the pillow sit-ups it would be better than not doing any. One can tell they are doing something. It is a good feeling to do a real one.

It is cool you are aiming for the fitness test. I think it will be fun, it also in a strange way reminds me of our troops and all they sacrifice. So that is something I did not expect. I think I will start thinking of a date when to do a pre-test. I have thought about running outside some. I just bought some exercise pants with the thought of doing that, plus doing sit-ups in jeans does not work. I have done most of my treadmill running in my jeans though. I need to establish my 2 mile time for the fitness test.

I really like your Costa Rica goal, that is very cool. $40 a week is all it would take, that is less than what most of used to spend on fast food. On my last vacation (and other vacations), I could not do some activities because I was over 250 lbs. I remember one place that had horse back riding they told me they had a scale. That stung a bit.

I really hope the avoiding the scale is not the craziest suggestion ever as a few people have done it, I credit (or blame) Uncle Buck for whatever happens. I have not been one to diet, but I can see how dieting itself could be an obsession. Diet is a four letter word. I really like WOE. My Aunt has told me that weight watchers or overeaters anonymous suggests not to weigh daily. That makes me feel better.

[kkrichar]

Hi JohnLarson! Thanks for stopping by. $40 a week doesn't sound that bad. I should think of it that way. I don't think your suggestion of going scale-free is bad. I've wanted to do it for a long time but just couldn't resist its pull. When I saw that you stuck yours in the shed I thought, "ah ha!" I can hide it where I hate to go!! Clever!

Buns, we're on!!

Day 3 of 26: MWL

So far so good. I've stayed off the scale and on plan. Yesterday I ran outside in the morning with no jacket on and today we're buried in snow. Crazy weather. All in all we've had a great winter so far. I've been able to run outside at least 1 day each week (except for 1) all winter. Can't complain about that.

I need to experiment with a new hummus recipe. I'm tired of my old one. Now that Cuties are the price of platinum I can't really afford to buy them. I got some cheaper ones at Super WalMart but they don't taste as sweet. I probably eat too much fruit anyway and need to up my veggie intake. I need to chop the veggies tonight. I already bought them.

I had my usual oatmeal for breakfast, SNAP for lunch, Cuties for a snack. I plan to have spring rolls and bean burger for dinner.

No running tonight but I plan to do some pillow-situps and modified push-ups tonight. Mostly I'll just take it easy and try to finish a book that's due back to the library.

That's all I got. I fought a tiny little craving at WalMart. It was really just context driven. I always grab something off plan at WalMart so naturally my head kicked in thinking it was getting something "good" as soon as it saw the store! I just told myself that saying no today would ensure that someday soon I won't have that fight anymore. It worked today.

Hope everyone is doing great.

[Anna Green]

kk, I love hearing how you think about things. You're doing good. i hope you are feeling that.

How do you make the spring rolls?

[kirstykay]

kk, I love hearing how you think about things. You're doing good. i hope you are feeling that.

How do you make the spring rolls?

DITTO!!! Inquiring minds want to know!!

I read a great quote in Jeffrey Schwartz book You are Not Your Brain:
"The more often you act in unhealthy ways, the more you teach your brain that what is simply a habit (a learned behavior) is essential to your survival. Your brain does not distinguish whether the action is beneficial or destructive; it just responds to how you behave and then generates strong impulses, thoughts, desires, cravings, and urges that compel you to perpetuate you habit, whatever it may be...Clearly, the brain can exert a powerful grip on one's life -- but only if you let it."

GREAT JOB NOT LETTING IT!!! You Go girl!

[Anna Green]

kk, I know opinions are like a-holes but I thought you might want to see this from an online fitness mag. Don't know what to think. I'm always feeling bad about not being able to do situps and when I do them they do kind of hurt my back.

Anyway....

"Once a favorite of those seeking a flatter belly, situps have been given the boot by trainers. While doing hundreds of reps can certainly make your midsection feel like it’s getting a workout, this move works only about 20 percent of your abdominal muscles. Adding insult to injury, the move strains your entire back. Pulling on the neck while crunching hurts the upper portion; your lower back gets hit when as your hip flexors pull on the spine to raise your upper body off the ground. McCall’s advice? Don’t waste your time with this largely ineffective move and opt for a (well-done) plank instead, which works your entire body while carving out your core"

[kkrichar]

Thanks Anna. I do like planks. Well, in a horribly painful someone please kill me now, sort of way. At least I can DO them!

[kkrichar]

Anna, the spring rolls were butter lettuce, fresh basil and mint leaves, diced cucumber and avocado wrapped in rice paper and dipped in mild chili sauce. They are soooooooooo good but I'm off them for awhile so I can participate in the 28 day MWL challenge.

I'm finally, finally, finally making the commitment to do MWL. I can't really explain why it brings up so much fear in me to tell another person I will commit to this. I get so scared I can't do it and then my word will be worth less than it is now. Why I think I'll die if I commit 100% for a month is anybody's guess.

Kirsty, I looked for that book in my library and they don't have it. I'll see if they have Interlibrary loan. The library did have the book Erbse recommended to you called, "You Are Not Your Brain" by Jeffrey Schwartz. It's out right now but I put a hold on the next copy available.

I'm am super excited about this MWL challenge. There comes a time, and people sometimes refer to this as a "bottom," where the fear of what you're currently doing becomes greater than the fear of trying something different. Until that point arrives I do not change. Friday morning I felt the little click in my head or my gut that let me know I was less afraid of trying MWL 100% than I was of continuing the Kelly-modified MWL program. I'm still afraid. Don't get me wrong. Change usually scares me especially when change involves telling myself "no." I do not respond well to "no." I'm tired of struggling with urges. I'm tired of everything being a big pain for me like finding a restaurant so I can join my friends for lunch. You all know all the obnoxious things that one must except to fully embrace this WOE. I know it will all feel easy once I make the transition. The problem for me is the fear of how painful the transition is going to be. You have to mentally gear up for that if you know it's coming. I'm ready! I'm going to put my head down and plow through it until I'm on the other side. I'll just keep telling myself, "If you're going through hell. Keep going!"

I really want to add strength training to my exercise routine but, once again, it's a battle getting myself to do it. See the theme here??? I am the biggest, whiniest baby I know! Sheesh. Anyhoo, last night I got myself to do the Bob Harper strength training DVD. I tried the 1 hour super tough routine. I knew I wouldn't get all the way through but I wanted to do more than 20 minutes. I made it 45 minutes!! In the middle of push-ups I could not do one more. I just flopped onto the floor and layed there with my face in the carpet. My cat, Master Jenkins, ran over and poked me in the head to see if I was alive!!! Poor little guy. Thought his mommy collapsed!! When I got up this morning I felt like something had kicked the bajeebus out me!!! In a good way. Nothing feels torn or damaged just really sore.

I decided to set up a regular exercise schedule. I think I already said this but I'm saying it again since clearly I forgot.

Monday: off
Tuesday: run
Wednesday: Bob Harper DVD
Thursday: run
Friday: off
Saturday: run
Sunday: run and Bob Harper DVD

At some point I plan to add a 5th running day but not yet. Meanwhile, my 2 off days I will try to be more active. I will do laundry, clean, cook and whatnot after work instead of just sitting in front of the tube.

I brought a boat load of food to work today. Breakfast was oatmeal, blueberries, banana, and 1 Tbsp of chia seeds. Lunch is SNAP, snacks are Cuties, chopped veggies and black bean hummus. I really need to eat more green and yellow veggies. Like others on this forum, I'm not a huge salad person especially in the winter but I want to get some raw veggies in. So, I need to try some new things. I'm playing around with my hummus recipe using different spices and beans. I haven't quite nailed it yet.

Oh, one more thing, I'm trying to submerge myself in McD-type literature for awhile. I need to reawaken my passion for this WOE. Remind myself of why I want to live this way and all the ways it benefits me and the world I live in. So, I dug out my copy of the Starch Solution and am reading it again. I love that book. It's so well written.

Well, that's it for me today. Hope everyone else is feeling great.

[~Beth~]

I know you can do 26 days! Just keep journaling each day. That will help
I haven't tried MWL yet but I now that the more unprocessed I eat and the more potatoes I eat the more I seem to lose.
Good for you jumping in all the way for 26 days!