Operation Chunky Monkey

Dear Diary,

I’m sick and tired of these extra 10 pounds that are stuck to my body.   I feel like a chunky monkey.   I’m sick of the vicious cycle.  I do well for a while, and then I fall off my “healthy routines” horse and grab that cookie, in turn sabotaging all my efforts.    I figure if I don’t shake these 10 pounds now, they will continue to accumulate and then I will really be cranky.  It is time to make a real effort to shed the stubborn 10 pounds that are hanging around and create some healthy, long-term habits for myself.  I figure putting them here will help me stick to them.   I need encouragement!   And while I have darling friends that think I look good the way I am (thanks), it is all about how I feel and feeling like a bloated chunky monkey is just not a good feeling.  I’m not happy with my body and I want to lose the jiggle and firm up.  In all honestly, I might have a rock hard body under this 10 pound layer that is just waiting to shed its shell so to speak. 

The word “diet” completely freaks me out and makes me want to devour all of the sweets in the house for fear I won’t be able to indulge ever again.   The idea of depriving myself kills me.  I love food way too much.  So, in an effort to not set myself up for failure, I’ve decided to adopt a couple things to change at a time in hopes that they become a habit.    Here are my rules that I am going to start right now (you are my witness) and continue through the rest of the year.  

1. No eating while watching TV.   I tend to plan meals around catching up on my shows.  For example, I can’t watch the Bachelorette without a yummy snack and a glass of wine.  I think this rule is going to make a huge difference in my waistline and free time; as I’m sure I won’t watch as much TV if I can’t eat something while watching (I only average 30-60/day of TV, but still).  I honestly can’t think of the last time I watched TV without eating.   This is going to be hard.
2. No candy.   Leave it to me to make this rule right before Halloween to torture myself.  But the fact of the matter is, we don’t get trick-or-treaters so I eat it all myself.   If I am going to have sweets/dessert it has to be unprocessed and not come in a package with graphics.   
3. If I’m going to have dessert, it has to be within 40 minutes of my meal.  Dessert/sweets also have to be limited to less than three per week.  (This will be huge for me because I LOVE sweets and eat them daily).
4. Try to eat lots of fruits and veggies.  If I NEED a snack, it will have to be fresh fruit or vegetables.
5. Try to eat mostly REAL food – fresh and not processed (i.e. – more homemade foods from scratch).  This will be a fun challenge in the kitchen.
6. Eat smaller portions.  I need to be more feminine when I eat.  Seriously, I eat like a man.  I need to be daintier.   Maybe using a smaller plate will help?
7. Just say NO to seconds.  While seconds sound good, they are not necessary.  I already know what the food tastes like and I am usually already FULL.   No need to make myself uncomfortable and consume extra calories.
8. Cardio for 1 hour/5 times a week.   Need to sweat it out in my fat burning zone - now to find my heart rate monitor which has been missing since June.
9. Weights for 30 minutes/ 3 times a week.  Time to tone and firm up.  I see tank tops and mini skirts in my future.
10. Walk Miko every day.  It is starting to cool off which makes me unmotivated to go outside but this will be good for both Miko and me.  

There you have it.   I’m going to stick to these for the rest of the year – there are only 14 weeks left in 2010 which sounds manageable.    Hopefully these rules will become habits and continue into 2011.   Wish me luck – I will keep you posted.

FYI - I almost made rules about alcohol and fried food but visions of Champagne and French Fries danced in my head and I just couldn’t do it.  

Cheers!