Many people use a reward system to help them stay on track with their weight loss goals. This can be something simple for each 5-10 lbs lost or you can wait until you have lost a major amount, say 50 lbs.
I haven't tried it yet but it seems like a good idea. After all, many of us used the reward system for our children, either for chores, or school work, with great success, didn't we?
So I'm thinking that I may give it a go to help me stay off of cigarettes and help me stay on my diet. Every time I want to buy a pack, I'm going to start putting the cigarette money away instead. The idea being that when I reach a weight loss goal of 25 lbs I am going to use the money I saved on cigarettes to buy myself something.....probably something related to photography or weight loss.
I realize this may only work until the nicotine cravings have finally gone away but it should see me through the worst part of those because I'll be looking forward to whatever new gadget I plan on buying, and should also help me stick to the diet for the same reason!
At $9 a pack, 3 or 4 times a week, this should add up pretty well in the amount of time it would take to lose 25 lbs...which at 2 lbs a week would be 13 weeks, give or take. If I do the math at $27 a week x 13 weeks I get $351...WOW can get a lot of things for that..or one really big thing!
Getting excited thinking about what I will buy already..LOL. Maybe there IS something to this reward system after all!
What would you reward yourself with when you meet a goal and what would your goal be to earn that reward? Also, do you think the anticipation of the reward would help you stay on track?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
hanging in there!
Ok, so didn't do that great last week, managed to get below 250 for about a day and then gained back some ozs to put me back above the 250 line.
But you know what?
It's OK!
It doesn't mean that I failed and should give up, it means I keep going cause I still have my mini goal of weighing 220 lbs by May 1. 30 lbs in 15 weeks should be doable.
Anyone that's following along (waves at Robin!) and struggling (or breezing along) towards your own goals...I know we can do this! As a dear friend says, "Even an elephant can be eaten one bite at a time" may not be the exact words but it's something along those lines (thanks Vicki!)....in fact that fits here exactly..LOL
I know we aren't as big as elephants, but the concept is the same...our fat can be eaten away a little at a time...oz by oz, lb by lb, sweat drop by sweat drop :-D if we just keep at it.
And won't it be great to be able to do things we can't do now? Wear clothes we can't wear now? I for one am looking forward to being healthier, being able to tie my shoes, buy my clothes in the normal section and wear stuff that fits right, and so many other things.
What are YOU looking forward to doing when you have lost your weight?
But you know what?
It's OK!
It doesn't mean that I failed and should give up, it means I keep going cause I still have my mini goal of weighing 220 lbs by May 1. 30 lbs in 15 weeks should be doable.
Anyone that's following along (waves at Robin!) and struggling (or breezing along) towards your own goals...I know we can do this! As a dear friend says, "Even an elephant can be eaten one bite at a time" may not be the exact words but it's something along those lines (thanks Vicki!)....in fact that fits here exactly..LOL
I know we aren't as big as elephants, but the concept is the same...our fat can be eaten away a little at a time...oz by oz, lb by lb, sweat drop by sweat drop :-D if we just keep at it.
And won't it be great to be able to do things we can't do now? Wear clothes we can't wear now? I for one am looking forward to being healthier, being able to tie my shoes, buy my clothes in the normal section and wear stuff that fits right, and so many other things.
What are YOU looking forward to doing when you have lost your weight?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
short 'n sweet...
This morning the scale tells me that I only need to lose .6 more lbs and I will be out of the 250's!
Doing a teeny happy dance in anticipation of that!
Doing a teeny happy dance in anticipation of that!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Healing the inner self..
While watching The Biggest Loser tonight, seeing some of the contestants talking about WHY they had gained all the weight and kept gaining it even though they knew it was killing them, I started thinking about my own "whys". I really believe that is the first step to truly overcoming this weight issue.
I have changed so much in recent years, well not recent, it has been an ongoing process over the last 8-9 years and I don't expect all my problems to disappear overnight simply by laying them out here for the world to see,or at least the few folks who follow this blog, but putting them down will at least, I don't know, cleanse my inner self maybe, and help me begin the healing process. At least I hope that's what will happen!
I was always an outgoing person, with lots of friends, I liked to dress nice and took care of myself and my appearance.. For too long now I have hidden away in my house, shying away from social contact. I also haven't given 2 figs about the way I look. I have used my weight as a wall to hide behind and to keep folks away. When you are obese you tend to become invisible and that is what I wanted to be. Invisible.
Three failed marriages pretty much destroyed the old me, including my self confidence, my beliefs, made me afraid of letting anyone close enough to hurt me again, and taught me that I couldn't trust anybody but myself,and not even myself half the time.
So I hid, I ate, I let myself go and except for several brief (failed...mostly due to my own self doubts btw) attempts to rejoin the world, told myself that this was how I wanted to be. Alone with my kids and safe.
But you know what? I was lying to myself. Sure safe is a wonderful feeling and I do love being with my kids. But this is NOT the life I envisioned for myself or my family. It is not healthy for any of us. It is time for me to put the past where it belongs, behind me. To stop hiding behind a shield of flab and begin living, before it's too late. To pursue certain goals that I have had my whole life.
I need to begin seeing myself as a person of worth if I want to change the way my life is heading, to find ME again. In the long run this will not only benefit my emotional and physical health, but I know it will also benefit the lives of my kids and my grandson.
Will it be easy to rid myself of all the baggage I've been carrying around for years? Nope. But it sure will be worth it and I am eagerly looking forward to meeting the woman I know I can be!
I have changed so much in recent years, well not recent, it has been an ongoing process over the last 8-9 years and I don't expect all my problems to disappear overnight simply by laying them out here for the world to see,or at least the few folks who follow this blog, but putting them down will at least, I don't know, cleanse my inner self maybe, and help me begin the healing process. At least I hope that's what will happen!
I was always an outgoing person, with lots of friends, I liked to dress nice and took care of myself and my appearance.. For too long now I have hidden away in my house, shying away from social contact. I also haven't given 2 figs about the way I look. I have used my weight as a wall to hide behind and to keep folks away. When you are obese you tend to become invisible and that is what I wanted to be. Invisible.
Three failed marriages pretty much destroyed the old me, including my self confidence, my beliefs, made me afraid of letting anyone close enough to hurt me again, and taught me that I couldn't trust anybody but myself,and not even myself half the time.
So I hid, I ate, I let myself go and except for several brief (failed...mostly due to my own self doubts btw) attempts to rejoin the world, told myself that this was how I wanted to be. Alone with my kids and safe.
But you know what? I was lying to myself. Sure safe is a wonderful feeling and I do love being with my kids. But this is NOT the life I envisioned for myself or my family. It is not healthy for any of us. It is time for me to put the past where it belongs, behind me. To stop hiding behind a shield of flab and begin living, before it's too late. To pursue certain goals that I have had my whole life.
I need to begin seeing myself as a person of worth if I want to change the way my life is heading, to find ME again. In the long run this will not only benefit my emotional and physical health, but I know it will also benefit the lives of my kids and my grandson.
Will it be easy to rid myself of all the baggage I've been carrying around for years? Nope. But it sure will be worth it and I am eagerly looking forward to meeting the woman I know I can be!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Weigh in day :-)
Not too bad considering the week I had.
Managed to lose 4.8 lbs and I wasn't even really trying to eat healthy or exercising or anything.
Now watch, this week I will do everything right and gain weight...LOL
Of course, there ARE 2 birthdays this week, but at least only 1 cake, since I don't make one for myself and will just have a piece of my grandson's. I know there will be plenty left because our birthdays are only 4 days apart.
So goal for this week...keeping it real and saying ...a loss of 3 lbs...although if I happen to lose more I won't complain!
Three lbs will get me out of the 250's though and I haven't been in the 240's for at least 12 years!!
Besides, slow weight loss is better than no weight loss!!
Managed to lose 4.8 lbs and I wasn't even really trying to eat healthy or exercising or anything.
Now watch, this week I will do everything right and gain weight...LOL
Of course, there ARE 2 birthdays this week, but at least only 1 cake, since I don't make one for myself and will just have a piece of my grandson's. I know there will be plenty left because our birthdays are only 4 days apart.
So goal for this week...keeping it real and saying ...a loss of 3 lbs...although if I happen to lose more I won't complain!
Three lbs will get me out of the 250's though and I haven't been in the 240's for at least 12 years!!
Besides, slow weight loss is better than no weight loss!!
Friday, January 7, 2011
nice surprise :-)
Well, I thought I was going to be lucky if I just maintained my weight this week, but decided to see how bad it was by weighing myself this morning and to my surprise and delight I've lost 5 lbs!
I guess even though I have been eating kind of junky the past week I haven't been eating a LOT, so it has all evened out.
Official weigh-in isn't until Monday though, when I will change my photo also.
It would be so awesome if my weight is in the 240's by then. Going to work at it for the next 2 days and see if I can make that happen!
I guess even though I have been eating kind of junky the past week I haven't been eating a LOT, so it has all evened out.
Official weigh-in isn't until Monday though, when I will change my photo also.
It would be so awesome if my weight is in the 240's by then. Going to work at it for the next 2 days and see if I can make that happen!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
trying, but...
Despite the best of intentions life has been putting me through the wringer this week and as a result, my eating hasn't been as healthy as I had planned. I tend to turn to comfort foods when I am overly stressed and the past 3 days has been no exception, although I have been attempting to keep it to a minimum.
Also haven't been able to work out this week. Mainly because it has been one of those "have to wait for...." weeks.... daughter, UPS, oil delivery tomorrow....haven't really wanted to get into workout duds and get started just to have the doorbell ring.
I did get quite a bit of walking in today though, which is a good thing.
Running late this morning I didn't even notice my grandson didn't have his back pack until he ran back across the playground as they were heading in to tell me that he forgot it and begged me to bring it because "everything I need is in there Nana!!"
So what's a Nana to do....walked home, grabbed it, walked to the school and then back again. So a total of 40 mins brisk walking...brisk cause it was COLD! Then I had to go to the bank and store, so another 25 mins there...add a few trips up and down the cellar stairs for laundry too. So at least I got some extra activity in today!
Tomorrow I don't have to go anywhere and one of the major sources of stress has finally been resolved so I definitely plan on being very good in the food department and with any luck the oil man will come early enough that I can grab a workout too.
Hoping I see a small change in the numbers on the scale on Monday, still a chance if I can manage to get my butt in gear!
Also haven't been able to work out this week. Mainly because it has been one of those "have to wait for...." weeks.... daughter, UPS, oil delivery tomorrow....haven't really wanted to get into workout duds and get started just to have the doorbell ring.
I did get quite a bit of walking in today though, which is a good thing.
Running late this morning I didn't even notice my grandson didn't have his back pack until he ran back across the playground as they were heading in to tell me that he forgot it and begged me to bring it because "everything I need is in there Nana!!"
So what's a Nana to do....walked home, grabbed it, walked to the school and then back again. So a total of 40 mins brisk walking...brisk cause it was COLD! Then I had to go to the bank and store, so another 25 mins there...add a few trips up and down the cellar stairs for laundry too. So at least I got some extra activity in today!
Tomorrow I don't have to go anywhere and one of the major sources of stress has finally been resolved so I definitely plan on being very good in the food department and with any luck the oil man will come early enough that I can grab a workout too.
Hoping I see a small change in the numbers on the scale on Monday, still a chance if I can manage to get my butt in gear!
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