<p>You will never get off the carb train until you see and feel the positive effects of staying away from them.</p>
<p>Once you see and feel the bloat go away you will quickly recognize the difference of you go back to them. </p>
<p>Not saying NO carbs, but you have to start a trend to get rid of the garbage carbs. The white bread, brownies, chips, cookies, bagels. just let them be the exception in your day rather than the rule. Raise your hand if you want to look in the mirror and NOT see tummy bloat ??!</p>
<p>Please don’t kick me off this thread … But I say these things because I’ve lived it too…!!! </p>
<p>To own it, you have to get on the scale anyway. You made the choice to eat too much, or eat too much bad stuff or to sit in front of the TV all day - or whatever. To own it and face the facts of making the changes you have to own up- step on the scale, put the tight pants on, admit to feeling sluggish cause of too many bad carbs - whatever - own the consequences of your choices and then your motivation to make changes will become yours.</p>
<p>Bad pun, but don’t candy coat your choices. :)</p>
<p>Some years back I ran a Bed and Breakfast. I had a couple regulars who would eschew my beautiful baked goods and breakfast casseroles and asked if I would just scramble them each two eggs. I did, and later bought smoked trout and a few other things they’d eat, but inside I was shaking my head. I loved pasta and bread too much to even consider cutting back on them. Of course, at the time I was younger and fit and maintained my weight with no special effort.</p>
<p>Fast forward a few years-- menopause, stress eating and drinking while dealing with elderly parents, not sleeping. Over a few years the pounds added up. After much trial and error this winter found what works for me. Of course, you know what it is. I must say it would be harder to eat this way without eggs being back on the “good” list, greek yogurt and the “post-tuition” budget that allows me to buy a lot of seafood and whatever I want in Wegman’s produce department.</p>
<p>I am just back from a long trip to Boston for my son’s PhD hooding ceremony. Celebratory dinner in the North End (followed by Mike’s cannoli), birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant (followed by birthday carrot cake) and Pepe’s pizza on the way home. I was especially mindful of what I ate the rest of the day and always started dinner with a salad. Happily it was harder on my wallet than my weight. I did run the fastest 5K that I’ve managed in a couple of years! (Was going to add “that’s not saying much”, but refuse to beat myself up over things that I can’t change now. ) </p>
<p>I am of the belief that eating habits are a way of life, and that there really should be no difference between being “on” and “off” a diet, per se. If we choose to eat more at a celebration, then so be it. It isnt about restriction or punishment. That doesnt work. So if I had champagne and a few bites of the cake at the wedding, and the scale went up a lb, as it did, then I will adjust this week. Getting on a scale right after one has take a few liberties is , IMO, punishment, and there is no need for that.</p>
<p>To me restriction means, “restrict” - to limit. I feel you must restrict. Punishment - no, no need for punishment! Is stepping on the scale punishment or just accepting consequences or facing facts or even motivation to move forward with better choices the days ahead? </p>
<p>I FULLY support occassional eating liberties! However if someone should find that there are more times they’d rather not get on the scale, rather not exercise, rather not make a better food choice or amount to eat - then the circle to lose weight/feel better/get in shape never ends. </p>
<p>I think whatever works for you is fine. I don’t mind knowing that I somehow gained 4 pounds this past weekend. From weighing experience, I know 3 of those pounds for sure will be gone in 2 days and the other one will be gone by the end of the week, unless I have parties mid-week. If it bothered me I wouldn’t hop on the scale. For me just hopping on first thing every morning no matter what is the easiest.</p>
<p>I did end up getting on the scale Sunday and today, but like you, mathmom, knew that the weekend blip would readjust. We do not have to be slaves to the scale on a daily basis . Many diets recommend weighing once a week. Thats perfectly reasonable.</p>
<p>I am like Mathmom- I know the weekend upswing will be gone by tomorrow morning. When I am in the right frame of mind I weigh myself almost daily. If I weighed myself once a week I would be frustrated if the day I picked ended up being one of the few days I am always up. By weighing daily I can see how I can easily go up and down a few times in a week. I judge my weight by what I weigh on Thursday. That is usually my most accurate day. If I am eating out a lot that week it is usually a tad up or the same. If I am deliberate with my meals I will see a down trend. When I start seeing that Thursday weight slowly edge up I know I am not practicing good eating habits.
Congrats 1moremom- I would also have enjoyed the Italian food and the pizza. I can enjoy it knowing that I won’t have it again for awhile. My most delicious meal on my last San Francisco trip was a calzone in North Beach. Pasta is one of the old meal staples that I have eliminated from the weekly home menu. I can also do that because I no longer have kids at home and a lot of mouths to feed. I also have now made my H who is a disciplined eater stand in line at two different ice cream places in SF on different trips. At home I almost never eat ice cream. I do have friends who have totally eliminated gluten from their diets. I don’t feel I need to do that to stay healthy. I can’t have it daily and when that happens the scales shows it but a few meals a week is okay.
I have done my sit-ups and planks for the day. I will head out this afternoon for a good long brisk walk and listen to one of Snowflake vermont podcasts. </p>
<p>Yay to all you celebrators! That is my kind of living. I love a good meal and an ice cream, and I know I can’t splurge like that every meal, but it is fun to splurge a little, and certainly one weekend can be made up for in a week.</p>
<p>For myself, I am find that on the days when I run, I carve out at least 2 hours of my day once I add in the prep, changing, meeting, running, chatting, and getting back home to shower. Prior to running, those 2 hours could have been snacking or munching or other mindless eating/drinking. So as I continue to run with people 3x a week, I am also doing stupid eating less. I never eat junk in the car after a run, but instead eat an apple or drink water … Again, a pretty good habit.</p>
<p>So, next week I go on vacation. I will certainly eat more, but I will be moving even more than usual, maybe doing a yoga class with my daughter, running with my family, walking with my podcast friends etc., but I will not be counting calories or carbs. I already have a grocery list of healthy stuff to buy and make, but I am sure I will find a local ice cream place, a nice bottle of wine, and maybe even waffles for breakfast.</p>
<p>Last, even if I get on the scale when I return, I won’t let it bother me until it doesn’t budge for a week.</p>
<p>Just wanted to send some encouragement - I have started tracking food again as my eating habits were going to veer off into “bad eating” again. I am a stress eater and work has been such that I was ready to go buy a dozen donuts and eat them all myself. Once that happens all bets are off! Having that accountability can be a huge help. I’m one of those people that weighs daily but doesn’t focus on the daily fluctations - if at the end of the week my weight is up, I know something needs to change. </p>
<p>Snowflake, enjoy your vacation! Have some waffles. Carbs are good for runners. </p>
<p>What jym said - up, down, up, down. DH is going to be away for about 10 days which will help. (He likes to bring home ice cream, taco chips, etc. and with my lousy will power, it’s a struggle.)</p>
<p>Sabaray- I can do the same. I have been known to eat almost the entire batch of cookies or muffins.
I feel like I am at a positive place. I am feeling the good of eating well and moving more.
I heard something today about not bringing the chips, cookies and ice cream into the house. If they aren’t there it is harder to eat them when a craving starts if you actually have to get in the car and drive to buy it.
Marilyn- hope you are all healed. </p>
<p>Thanks mom60, just about - I still get some stiffness and pulling across the top of my foot, but have the bounce back in my step. Haven’t tried long walks yet but am again doing the 20 minute Wii fit routine every morning and can do most everything I want to in general. Perhaps by the one year anniversary of the break (July 12), I won’t notice any difference between the two ankles. (Knock on wood)</p>
<p>I made cookies since my son is home and found I have to protect myself from my own old bad habits. I used to have 2 cookies with my coffee before breakfast, and then often would run out of time to have a decent real breakfast. So now, I only cook enough to ensure my son has 2 for each day he packs his lunch for work, and I keep the rest of the dough frozen. H doesn’t even know it’s there, so it is better for him, too. He can easily down a dozen, but he won’t if he knows my son needs 2 each day for his lunch. </p>
<p>I finally creeped below a number I was trying to get to on the scale. I think it is taking me longer, despite healthy eating, because I am forcing myself to eat whole fruit (usually apples) or fruit smoothies with yogurt, and that is a lot of carbs, however, by doing that I am more likely to exercise (run) and my legs continue to get more tone. </p>
<p>Next week is bathing suit time and for the first time in 5 years I am not petrified. Now I will choose on my own whether to wear that little swim skirt over my suit or not, I won’t feel required to wear it to cover my wiggly bits.</p>
<p>Congrats, snowflake!
My challenge has been late night snacking. Ive been good all day but then nibble on too much popcorn or something. Still at the same weight I was in mid March… Grrr</p>
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