This Morning's Exercise: None, Day Off!!!
Yesterday Evening's Exercise: Bowling (We lost, again! But I am getting a little bit better. I am consistently hitting the head pin with my first ball, though I think I got 10 splits in my first 2 games. Seriously. I didn't know it was possible to get so many splits. And no, I didn't pick any of them up! Right now I am the 3rd most improved player on the league. I think I can get that most improved title if I keep on practicing!!)
Yesterday's Calories: 1525
Vitamins: 1-A-Day, D, B-Complex, Calcium, Glucosamine
Plateau? What plateau? This isn't a plateau, I'm stuck in the middle of the lowlands of the Great Plains. 1500 feet of elevation and 1000 miles to go to get to sea level. At least that is what it feels like. Check out the flat line over the last TWO AND A HALF WEEKS!!!!
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| 12/6/2012 Chart: After 2.5 Weeks Between 159.4 and 158.6 |
Hmmmm....shake loose....that sounds like a plan. Does anyone have one of those old belt thingys that you stand on and the belt vibrates, shaking your midsection? My mom used to have one of those. Maybe I can shake some of this stubborn fat into submission. I'm ready to try just about anything!!
Jen suggested nourishing my soul. This is what she had to say in response to my frustration with plateauing for so long;
"I can hear the frustration at the unexpected slow down (and the acknowledgment that it's normal with the last few pounds, etc), and I wonder if you've considered other ways of taking care of yourself as a supplement at this stage. Your diet and exercise plan have been incredibly successful, but I'm wondering about other self care to add that little spark to it all - a mani/pedi? Massage? New hair color (I saw a blue streak in a woman's hair the other day and had the urge to color mine for the holidays, but then again, I live in Berkeley)?
Something nurturing for your body that acknowledges this really successful, long journey. Not a reward in the incentive sense like shopping for new jeans, but really nurturing your soul."
Her suggestion made me pause for a minute and think. "Nurture my soul? What does that mean, really?" I haven't thought about it in those terms. When I think about what makes me happiest, I gravitate to thoughts of hiking and camping. Being outdoors, away from it all, where the beauty of nature surrounds me without all of the sights and sounds of the modern world. Our vacation to Maine was just like that. I loved it!! I know going on hikes on the weekends is one of the things I can do to reorient myself and recharge my batteries. This time of year it is a little more difficult. Perhaps if it is not raining this weekend we will need to make a point of going on a 2 or 3 hour hike.
I am also thinking about embracing the spirit of the holiday rather than hiding from it. We have our tree up, with the lights on it, but we still need to decorate it. We'll probably hang the ornaments this weekend. But that is not enough. There are many festivities in Kansas City, surrounding the holiday, which I have always ignored. Tonight our quaint local shopping area has a Christmas festival with music, refreshments, and the shops staying open late. We decided this morning that we will go to that. Tomorrow evening is First Friday in Kansas City, when all of the art galleries stay open late and have open houses. I think we will go to that, too. Perhaps getting a little more engaged in what is going on in and around our community will help me feel more balanced. Winter is rough for me. It gets dark so early and all I want to do when I get home is go to bed. 6:30 or 7:00 is a little too early for bed time. I wonder if my body not losing weight has something to do with the shorter days and my desire to just eat and hibernate. Perhaps I am just responding to the natural rhythms of nature's cycles. Anyway, sitting around in the evening doing nothing isn't working. I am not a TV watcher, so when I am bored I just harass Jack while he is watching TV. That's not a good plan. I am in a non-reading mode. I go through cycles with reading, I'll read a bunch and then I don't feel like reading for a while. I have read a lot of books over the last six months and lately I haven't been able to settle down and read more than a few pages at a time. Now I've got myself thinking about hobbies. I like to sew...perhaps I should start sewing. I've always wanted to get into wood working and start making things. I love making things. And with wood working I get to buy power tools. I love power tools!!!!
I just about have myself convinced that I need to start thinking of ways to be more actively engaged in some sort of fun activity in the evenings. I have energy (until about 8:30, anyway) yet I don't have anything to do. Jen...I think you are onto something here. I'm missing a piece that could bring some real satisfaction to daily life. I'll give some serious thought to what I can do with this couple of hours in the evening that will be fulfilling and enjoyable without adding stress (as in not adding unnecessary commitments that I'll end up regretting before long). Maybe the first thing will be a sewing project. I have the tools for that, I just need to think of something I want to make and buy the materials. Hmmmm....
OK...something new to think about. What are your thoughts, ideas, suggestions regarding "nourishing the soul?" I'd love to hear what you have to say!
I think Jen is brilliant. We ALL need a sense of abundance in our lives from somewhere, and especially while dieting (or choosing to be deprived in some other way). Christmastime floods the senses with this (bogus) message that life is a free-for-all and everybody else is getting every shiny fattening expensive thing in the world, so of course you should want, need, expect, demand the same! Silly that way. What about something like knitting with really extravagant luxurious yarn that is a pleasure to hold, or watching an absorbing TV or movie series you haven't seen, or indulging in some kind of beauty treatment that would be a treat for you? Whatever would make you feel special and beloved and cared-for.
ReplyDeleteAlso mean to suggest CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) capsules, it's a flax oil pill you take at the end of meals, 9 calories each, but for some reason that little extra hit of straight (healthy) fat at the end of a meal promotes satiety much longer than the calories are worth! :) Love C
I thought about knitting...all I can knit are scarves and I want to learn to do more. I bought a how to knit book last winter. I love some of the hand knitted sweaters I see some women wearing. They are just beautiful. I would love to get good enough at knitting that I could create beautiful things to wear for myself, and others. I used to crochet when the kids were babies, and I am a little better at crocheting than knitting. I used to cross stitch, too, but my eyes got too strained and the eye doctor said no more cross stitch until I quit working. Knitting or crocheting may be an option.
DeleteThe flax oil sounds like a good idea. Makes sense that a fat at the end of the meal would improve a feeling of satiety. And flax oil has lots of good stuff in it, too.
Movies and TV are pretty much out, as a way to treat myself. I don't mind an occasional movie or television show, but I don't get a real sense of pleasure or well being from movies or TV. They distract me for a minute, but then I just feel more restless when they are over.
Beauty treatment? The only things I really want require cutting and sewing and that seems so counter-intuitive to health and well being that I keep talking myself out of it. I thought about a spa day, but I'm not very comfortable with that sort of thing. I could use a mani-pedi. Haven't done that in a while, but mostly because I don't want anyone messing with my feet. I am subjecting them to a lot more abuse with all of the running, and the calouses seem to actually help when I run. I don't think dainty, pretty feet were made for running. :)
All interesting suggestions, though, and food for thought. I do dislike this time of year. I'm looking forward to December 26th.
Judy has been taking woodworking classes at a nearby college. She loves them and had since bought many power tools. I take an evening class at my community college most semesters. I am taking chemistry now, making up for skipping almost all of my high school Chem classes ~ Sorry Mr. Sutton! You definitely need something interesting and simulating for the evening, although you should reserve some time for harassing Jack.
ReplyDeleteAs for the last 8.6 pounds, you are experience what almost everyone I know has~ the last ten pounds are ten times harder than the ten before. We have evolved to survive periods of starvation. Your evlolved self thinks it needs about 8.6 pounds of fat in case your caveman husband doesn't bring home a wildebeest this month, especially since you have been running around burning more calories than your husband can catch for the past 8 months. Just live the way you plan to live for the rest of your life and you will eventually convince your body that it is safe to give up a little more fat.
Yes, yes! I must always have some time left for harassing Jack! I like the way you think. I'm going to check into wood working classes. I think that sounds like a lot of fun!!
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