It's Friday AND it's pay day AND it's the start of a long holiday weekend - YAY!!!! Does life get any better??
I'm in a very contemplative mood so if this post is long and rambling - feel free to skip it.
I just need to get some of these ideas into my journal so I don't forget them.
I've been back to work for a week now after my relaxing vacation. I'm getting back into my routines, which is causing me to see those routines with a fresh perspective on what parts of those routines are helping me and what parts are not helping me. This has been a real eye-opener - a good chance to take stock, improve things, and affirm what is working well.
In the mornings, I don't eat until I get to work. I love my breakfast foods! I have absolutely no desire to eat carby stuff for breakfast - I don't miss it at all. I love having an apple with peanut butter, yogurt, or when I've been cooking, egg custard or low-carb cheesecake. I look forward to breakfast. I find it satisfying and it usually holds me until lunch if I eat enough protein and fat. I don't need to make any changes here.
I also start drinking my water as soon as I get to work. I have no problem drinking water all day in the office. Again, I truly enjoy it and I don't go anywhere without my mug. I've been getting a cup of ice in the cafeteria and it lasts until lunchtime so my water is nice and cold, just the way I like it. Again, no changes - this part of my routine is working just fine.
I take my meds and vitamin with breakfast. As long as I have them with me, it has become so routine that I don't forget anymore. This is working great!
At lunchtime, I also am not tempted by carb stuff. I'm content with tuna salad or other low-carb food from home, a burger with no bun from the cafeteria or a low-carb Subway wrap. I like my lunches. This is working well.
In the afternoon is when I feel the urge to go to the EVM (unless the morning is REALLY stressful!
). I can always trace it to those days when I'm feeling stressed, when I feel like I'm not doing a good job or getting enough done. This is truly emotional eating because I am always still full from lunch. I know this and yet I feel almost powerless to stop it when it hits. I've tried eating more low-carb stuff, waiting it out, going for a walk, drinking extra water - none of this helps. By the time these emotional cravings hit, I think I'm emotionally too far gone to be satisfied with anything healthy. This seems so self-destructive and punishing to me and I'll have to explore the emotional feelings that get me to this point. This needs to change! On the days when I feel good about my job and confident of the work I'm doing, the EVM and all other carby junk do not even look good to me.
When I get home, I tend to cruise the kitchen for a snack. Again, my emotional state on the job tends to determine whether I'm happy with a healthy snack or if I'm prone to grab for junk.
Dinner is a pain! It is truly the meal most likely to throw me off, and it also seems to be determined by my emotional state. If I've had a bad day at work I could care less about "healthy" eating - I want comfort food! I also am generally tired by this time of day and have very little energy or motivation to cook even the most basic foods. I do best when my only activity that evening is making the meal or when I have used the crockpot. This tiredness in the evenings is minimal on Monday and gets progressively worse through the week. By Thursday or Friday, the chances of me cooking are slim and none! I should just accept that and plan for it. I can plan to use my crockpot more at the end of the week or cook more during the early part of the week and plan for leftovers for later or plan a meal from Wendy's or some other restaurant. I need to accept this pattern and use it to my advantage.
Once dinner is over, I have no desire to snack. Evenings are easy for me. Of course it helps that we don't eat dinner until about 7 or 8 PM and I'm in bed (on a good night) by 9:30 or 10 PM.
Exercise has not found its home in my routine yet. I've been going for a walk in the evenings (with DH, if he's around) but this can get derailed if there's some other appointment that evening. I think that I should start looking at my calendar for the week and putting exercise appointments at specific times each day. I already list what I need to do for my marathon training, but I haven't assigned any times. For a while, I did well with Pilates in the mornings but I got out of the habit. I got too depressed and tired to get up early and do it. Now that I'm back from vacation, I may want to consider this again for at least 2x or 3x a week. This needs to be scheduled too - not just hit or miss or "when I feel like it".
The idea of setting 3 goals per day has been working moderately well. I'm happy that on a work day, I list work as one goal. This takes a lot of physical, mental and emotional energy and I'm right to acknowledge that. If I'm cooking dinner, then that gets listed as another goal. This does not come easily to me. It costs me a good deal of time and energy to prepare a good meal. I know some people cook effortlessly but I'm not one of them and I may as well admit that to myself up front. Then I need to fit exercise in there and household chores and appointments and errands. Now I see why I become overwhelmed!
Nevertheless, I like the idea of 3 goals a day and I'm going to continue using it. DH and I have not talked much about our 3 goals a day this week - I'd like to change that and our evening walks are a good time to do that, when we get a chance to walk together. At least the 3 goals keep me focused on the really big things that need to get done during my day.
Yesterday, 1.5 of my 3 goals were met. I did work. I only did one load of laundry instead of 2. I never did do the menu planning. I seem to have a real block in this area at the moment! Still, the important stuff got done and I'm proud of that.
Today, I'll stay with the routines that work. I've taken my meds, have started on my water, have had a healthy breakfast, will have a Subway wrap for lunch and who knows about dinner. Exercise - today is a rest day, but I didn't get my exercise in yesterday so I'll be walking during lunch and at home tonight.
My 3 goals today - work, checkbook & bills, and shipping a package to a friend. These are all reasonable. The heck with planning menus! I'm giving myself a day off from thinking about them!
I'm tired but I'm still feeling sunny!
tone to your journal. . .it's feels uplifting as I feel the pull of the D-zone. I like your idea of "feeling" your success; I'm going to think about that one today. I don't know if I can put the scale away though.
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Have a great day.
Thanks for stopping by!
Doe! I am really really bad at menu planning. How do I know what I will be in the mood for next Tuesday? 
Good Luck to you! 
! I've been considering the idea of getting some highlights done to my hair. Haven't decided just yet. I agree with Amanda that it's hard to plan menus too far in advance. I like her idea of making sure you have some healthy options on hand 
