First of all, using the Weight Watchers points system is definitely helping me be more disciplined. True, I’m not keeping to my allowance – I should be allocating myself 28 points a day, using the old points system. I have a book for that one, so I keep to it – I know it’s outdated, but for me it’s about keeping track of my food and moderating myself more than sticking to someone else’s rules. It encourages me to be sensible.
When I’m counting points, I CAN (and do) limit myself to, say, one piece of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, or one McVities Jaffa Cake. When I’m not counting I tend to eat a few. Yesterday I went over my allowance, and I’m already over today’s before we even hit evening meal time – although that’s because, in the early hours of this morning after a girly film night we got take-away. A cheese burger and chips equated to 16 points. That doesn’t leave much wriggle room.
But the action of having single piece of a Chocolate Orange and then returning it to the cupboard is great. I work best, personally, when the act of NOT doing something is still DOING something. Choosing not to have more chocolate means I give myself a lower point score, so I’ve not gone quite as far over my allowance as I would have if I’d eaten more, and that’s an achievement. I’m giving myself something else instead of chocolate, and that helps in my case.
I’m not trying to lose weight. I know it’s not something I can realistically worry about just now. But I’m still encouraging myself to slow down and think more about what I am eating. It’s a little too easy to tell myself that the medication will make me put on weight regardless so it doesn’t matter as much. I’ve had a period of letting that reasoning rule, but with my dose a little lower right now it’s time to try and get back on track.
The record journal has been great. I write down what time I take all my medication, and everything I’ve taken – so I know when I last took pain killers, or if I’ve needed an anti-histamine. I write down everything I eat and drink, with the points allocated to each item. And I record the exercise I’m doing, like yesterday when I used my peddles for 5 minutes while drying my hair, and today’s trip to the shops when I went to buy a photo frame for a piece of artwork I’ve been making (which I will photograph and post when I find my camera charger). This kind of “nothing gets left out” approach is helping me stay organised and disciplined.
A great choice of film for me to have watched yesterday was The Devil Wears Prada. Really fits in with the theme of this month’s resolutions. I don’t usually pay much attention to fashion, admittedly. But I am curious to know what’s in season and what isn’t. I might start trying to take notice.
When I say I don’t really pay attention to fashion, it doesn’t mean I don’t try to dress well or select my own style. But I know things go through phases of being popular, and those trends tend to go over my head. Well, with this month being focused around image and style, it might be a good time to investigate.
I’ll add it to my list of things to do. But it’ll have to take a back seat to my chores right now – I have a few things to be getting on with.
Hope everyone’s having a good February!
Kirsty
Rosemonkey Diaries 