one day at a time

If I don’t start tracking my food, like today, all the hard work I’ve done over this past year is going to disappear. Isn’t it amazing how fast you can put on weight and how long it takes to lose it? Right now I have a muffin top. In two weeks it will be a bundt cake. Why is it so hard to get back on the wagon once you’ve fallen off? Every night I go to bed and say, “I’ll start tomorrow.” Then the morning comes and the day seems so daunting, and all I want is a nice muffin or scone or croissant. Greek yogurt does not pair well with coffee, and it certainly does not make me feel warm and cozy.

I had the best pumpkin muffin and Fair Trade coffee at the original City Feed and Supply today.

I’m still struggling with the extremes of being on or off a diet. I just stopped mid-sentence because I was going to write that I don’t know how to go from dieting to making a lifestyle change. Then I laughed because I’ve TOTALLY changed my lifestyle to include exercise. And I did that by taking one step at a time, being consistent, and not beating myself up if I missed a workout. Huh. Maybe this applies to food too…

My breakfast buddy – some random totally adorable dog. He likes muffins too.

This makes me think of my friend Jessie who recently lost about 18 lbs. He and I were trapped in the car for almost three hours this weekend, taking our lives in our own hands as we drove through torrents of rain (the remnants of some tornado weather). During that time we talked about his weight loss. He’s been using MyFitnessPal (the online calorie counter) for the last few months. I’ve used this same site in the past. It’s easy to use but it obviously has not worked for me. His secret? Well, like most things, it doesn’t work if you don’t use it. He fills it in even when he’s fallen off from his plan. He fills in the Buffalo wings with bleu cheese. He fills in the Oktoberfest with the sugared rim. In other words, he looks shame in the face and he spits on it! When I “cheat,” I pretend the day did not exist. If I don’t fill it in, then the calories don’t count right? “No, no, no,” says the evil fat fairy. They count just the same, except it’s worse because you feel guilty about it to boot. Then the cycle of guilt and regret begins again. Well you know what shame? This is what I have to say to you.

Are you talkin’ to me? Are you talkin’ to me?

So, as of today, I’m going to start filling in MyFitnessPal, even though I’ve eaten like absolute crap. My goal is to fill it in everyday even when I go over my calorie limit. But for now, one day at a time. Thank you Jessie for being such a source of inspiration!