A balance of Mind-Body-Spirit

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Being Intentional

So I am GREAT about posting when I am doing WELL, eating right, exercising regularly, etc. But I am TERRIBLE about posting when I have fallen off the wagon (I'm bad about that with WW too--I just like going when I know for CERTAIN that I have lost weight-it's the type A/control freak part of me...So I am posting, just to break myself of that bad habit!)

I decided that WW was too much for me to deal with right now, and I am just doing "phase 1" of the Best Life Diet (the extent of which is:

(1) no alcohol (not too hard, I don't drink more than 1 glass a month!);
(2) lots of water (again, easy!);
(3) increase exercise (I decided to increase it to 3x per week, which is not too hard, but I have been a bigtime exercise slacker of late, so I set myself a pretty low goal! Just getting back on it!);
(3) 3 meals a day plus at least one snack (not that hard, but I am trying to make everything intentional, not just grabbing something when the kids are eating, or giving in to the urge for junk food during the kids' naps); and
(4) stop eating 2 hours before bedtime (turns out that this is the lynchpin of my dieting woes!)

So I've been doing really well so far. Having some guidelines is forcing me to be very intentional about what I eat/how I prioritize exercise. But since the guidelines aren't an "all or nothing"/hardcore diet-y kind of thing, I've been feeling a lot more mellow, which makes me think that this can be a longterm thing.

A last point--you are all very inspirational. Thank you for letting me be part of this blog!

Niamh

10 comments:

mom2mpr said...

Welcome to "Best Life". I am starting again. Have been trying but never can get past this phase 1 :) In my defense it was a VERY busy year. I am re-motivated and want to be in Phase 2 by February. I have also increased my exercise and am recommitted to getting up at 6:30am to exercise before all the "little voices" join me. It just makes it easier for me. Anyhow, good luck and let us know how it goes!

Niamh said...

Good for you for starting again! I'm excited about it! :-) Phase 1 seems so doable! (or at least it did before I took the kids out to a faboo Mexican restaurant tonight-its hard to turn down hot, homemade tortilla chips!). Turns out the exercise part is the hardest to fit in. I think I'll start getting it out of the way in the early morn too!

Rachel May said...

Niamh, so great to see you again! Having a plan that you believe in is the best plan to me. I can't wait to see how it works out for you. So did you say no to the homemade tortilla chips?

Rachel May said...

Forgot to ask....what are you doing for your exercise?

Niamh said...

Rachel-Said yes to just a FEW homemade tortilla chips! :-) But only a few! And said NO to the homemade tortillas that followed! :-) I am using the treadmill for exercise and trying to set a goal--walk a 10K in March, or something like that. Turns out the best life diet is good for me (I've been feeling much more in control, and appropriately hungry first thing in the a.m., which means I'm not overeating the night before!), and exercise is DEFINITELY the hardest part. I just have never (as you know) been a natural exerciser. I can get into grooves where I am really good, but I am finding it hard to do that right now. 3x a week is not much! :-) How did you become such an excellent exerciser? :-) Advice Advice!

Rachel May said...

Hmmmm, have a husband who will do anything he can so that you can exercise? Bill is all about enabling me, but I go through phases. Phase I: Whine that I'm out of shape. Phase II: Get sick of whining and do something. Phase III: Get into a routine with something I enjoy.

Phase II usually takes white knuckle determination on my part.

Leonie said...

Good for you, with getting back to the healthy eating and being active as Bob Greene's programme suggests. I just started re-reading it recently - well, technically never really finished it, have jsut read bits here and there. I think focusing on nutrition and workouts makes good sense - I hate the dieting mentality that I sometimes fall into, only every works for me for a short time....

And cool to hear from you, too, Anne. I think we should all feel free to share our highs and our lows...

I find I need to have a Plan A and a Plan B and a Plan C etc when it comes to fitting in workouts, esp until I get to the love stage. I also think I have to be a bit selfish sometimes ( sorry!) - put myself and my health and fitness as one of the top priorities, even if it inconveniences others - I am a better person when I am fitter so I no longer feel guilty about this ( I am a bad wife and mum - I guess :-0 ).

Cindy said...

Hi Niamh-- This sounds great! The basic principles are so smart-- simple but good.

Yes, LIke you I don't post as much when I am not doing good. I just had rough last two weeks. Had a bad virus and have not worked out since it began 12 days ago.

I did ok with my eating, but then did really bad (chocolate, etc) I know because I was frustrated and wanted to 'feel better'. lol

OH well.. ready to get back on the wagon and hopefully can work out again soon.

It is all the ebb and flow of life... 2 steps forward and 1 step back I guess. :)

Leonie said...

Remember - its a journey and a process, Cindy! :-)

Cindy said...

Thanks, Leonie. You are so right!


A balance of Mind-Body-Spirit

Thought for the Day


"Good friends are good for your health."

~Irwin Sarason

"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy! And happy people just don't shoot their husbands!"

Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde