Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Here's what helped

...  to get me back in the groove  (and I have to admit, right now it's a shallow groove - very easy to bounce out.   I'm concentrating on bouncing back in as soon as I bounce out)


I've been reluctant to establish and follow a weight management plan.  I should say re-establish.   However it is time.

What do I know about weight management:

1. It must be sustainable
2. It includes accountability
3. It includes calorie restriction
4. It includes moderate exercise
5. It includes mindfulness
6. It includes support from others

What do I want from weight management right now?

1.  Ease of execution
2.  Not feel punitive
3.  Overnight results
4.  Be transparent to others - not impact D

OK - number 3 is the desire for the magic pill and I threw it in there to be honest.  However, it is overidden by the first tenant of successful weight management: it must be sustainable.

So - I want ease of execution.   That is truly what made Optifast work so well for me.  I didn't think about food all the time.  I didn't have to worry if I had breakfast, lunch or dinner - or snacks.  They were all 1 envelope away.  It worked for me.  And it worked well.  It freed up my brain to think about other aspects of my life.

How can I make real life - no Optifast - work?  

No thinking about food choice.  I eliminate choice for 3 of my 4 meals each day.

Breakfast - 300 calories
yogurt and sweet potato with wheat germ
yogurt and blueberries with cereal or almonds

Lunch - 400 calories
1 peanut butter sandwich
carrot sticks

Snack 150 calories
Yogurt with strawberries

Dinner - small portions except salad

OK - that is easy enough.  Is it doable?  yes.  Is it sustainable? I think so - especially if I make this my 'week day' plan.  And allow some flexibility in my 'weekend plan.'   I will be aiming for 1500 calories per day.

So here's the plan part:

1500 calories per day.   
Repeat breakfast, lunches and snacks.  
Very small portions for dinner - start with salad.  
Mon-Thurs - no alchohol & no sweets (except 1/2 beer w/dinner).  
Fri- 1 drink after dinner
Sat & Sun - a little more relaxed,  Harder to plan, but keep the calories down as much as possible.   Choose fruit for the most part when getting dessert

Exercise: 30 minutes a day 4 days a week, 1 hour once a week.   Exercise is either Leslie Sansone or walking  

Accountability: Log my food in MFD and post the totals 

Does this plan meet the requirements:

Sustainable - I think so
Accountability  - yes
Calorie restriction - yes
Exercise - yes
Mindfulness - not sure
Support - yes - MFD

Ease of execution - I think so
Not feel punitive - I think so
Be transparent - for the most part





2 comments:

  1. Hey Maura, I am really glad to see you back in the groove. Your plan looks great! I particularly keyed into mindfulness - not sure. But, the meal that is 1 packet away is very appealing and to keep it in terms of food you like and can grab as easily as tearing open a packet is all about making food choices "mindless". I have about 3 favorite things to grab and go - they make my life very easy. I know they are nutritious too. Sometimes I beat myself up because that's all I like to eat and geez couldn't I be a little more creative? But, then I do something different for dinner and save a portion for lunch the next day. Then, BAM back to the tried and true favorites. :)

    So your post validated my simple choices for my early day meals. Thanks! Polly

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like your idea of planning ahead. Can you throw in a non-food reward?

    ReplyDelete

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