Attitude Adjustments

I feel better when …

When Prior Fat Girl Jen put up a great post about her little reminders the other day, it got me thinking about the things I knew once, but keep forgetting.

Why is it I seem to have to learn and re-learn the simple things? You know, things like the importance of drinking water instead of diet soda … or moving it to lose it … or tracking/food journaling every bite … or even that Atkins works for me where other plans haven’t.

Over and over again, I have to remind myself of these simple truths:

— I feel better when I drink water. Diet pop might have more flavor (and caffeine), but water is more hydrating (and cheaper).

— I feel better when I move my body. Exercise doesn’t take that long … and it provides a burst of energy I can put to good use doing other things (like writing).

— I feel better when I follow a low-carb lifestyle. My cravings are gone, leaving ME in control.

— I feel better when veggies figure prominently in my low-carb meals. Yes, bacon and cream are OK (and they’re filling). But a nice salad can be just as satisfying.

— I feel better when I keep track of what I eat. Knowing what goes into my mouth makes it easy to know when to stop eating … even if I’m not as prone to overdoing it on Atkins, tracking helps.

— I feel better when I spend time away from the computer. There’s more to life than work (and Starbucks, even if some of the baristas greet me like an old friend).

— I feel better when I blog regularly and stay connected. I might not have thousands of readers (or even hundreds), but someone’s reading my posts … and that’s good enough for me!

Easier said than done

When I pledged to make 2012 my best year yet, little did I know my resolve would be tested so quickly. Yet that’s exactly what happened when I got on the scale Tuesday morning for the last Romance’s Biggest Winner weigh-in.

I was actually looking forward to WI, expecting to see some good progress. Boy, was I wrong.

The scale said I was up — 1.4 pounds up, to be exact. After two days of tracking every bite (and consuming less than 20 carbs a day), I couldn’t believe it. So I let the scale reset, then hopped on again.

Same result.

I considered letting it get me down. That’d be my usual MO: Scale = mood.

But this is a new year. Instead, I took a little extra time in the shower, luxuriating in the massaging spray. Then, when I got to Starbucks for writing time, I took my time savoring my drink.

I also continued tracking everything I ate — and didn’t eat anything I’d be ashamed to report.

A few hours later, at work, I discovered the reason for my weight gain: TOM strikes again.

Bleah. Oh well — at least I should see progress next week. Not in time to help out my RBW team, but that’s just the way it has to be. TOM waits for no competition.

Workplace temptation — busted

After being on vacation for nearly two weeks, I went back to work this afternoon. Guess what was waiting in the break room:

That’s right: Ice cream … and all the fixin’s for sundaes or floats.

Now, even before the Boyfriend’s cake was gone, I was doing pretty well at giving up carbs. I did have a small sliver a couple of nights after I got to his place — but after a few days, it didn’t even smell good.

Today, in the face of a freezer full of ice cream and tables full of toppings, I didn’t succumb to temptation. Truth be told, I wasn’t even all that tempted.

Did I complain a little that I was snacking on salad while everyone else ate ice cream? Okay, yes.

Did I look longingly at the the bowls full of ice cream and stuff my coworkers carried past my desk? Maybe just a little.

I admit I might have felt just a wee bit deprived. But did I wander into the break room to check out the spread while the ice cream was being dished out? No.

Did I sneak some later, from the leftovers for the night crew (of which I am technically part)? Nope.

There was a time, not so long ago, when I’d have probably done both: Had some in the afternoon and gone back for more later. And I’d have tried to tell myself it was okay, because it’s fine to eat anything in moderation — even though we all know two bowls full of ice cream in no way resembles moderation.

In other news, I also ignored the chips and salsa up for grabs in the newsroom. That’s a welcome change from the times I graze on such things all afternoon and into the night.

And that, for me, is the magic of low-carb dieting. It gives me the willpower to just say no. And if I don’t take that first bite, I won’t be tempted to go back for seconds … or thirds … or fourths.

It’s just the way I’m wired, I guess.