Please press X to respawn

[Rachy87]

Alright so I was off day dreaming, found myself way away from the designated play area and didn't get back in time so the game sent me into limbo. All I have to do is press X to respawn.

 

I was thinking about hanging out in limbo until the match was over and jump back into it again with everyone else (what that means IRL = giving up the next 6 week challenge, not the 1 that started yesterday but having a 6 week break) . Until this weekend came along and those on the NF Women's Academy FB group would have seen my post about pants. It went something like this:

I brought a pair of pants that I really wanted back in October-ish last year, I barely fir into them enough to walk out of an acquaitence's house with them on (she had ordered them in for me and I was too embarrassed to say that the largest size wasn't big enough). I popped a button off the back pocket during the car ride home (I thought that sort of thing was made up comedy not IRL stuff). Since then every so often I try them on hoping 1 day they'll look good. On Sunday I put them on, yes they were tight, yes I had some serious muffin top going on but I could sit down in them without losing the ability to breathe and my butt looked damn good in them. I was so ecstatic I was all like the way I'm going in a months time I'll fit into them enough to wear them in public.

I posted it and went about my day. Thinking later a month? yeah right Rachael good one. I checked FB and was hit by a wave of support - oh wow.

 

So here I stand faced with a choice: cruise in limbo and let down a bunch of peeps or press X and use their support to make me accountable...

 

Looks like I'm back in the game...

 

 

 

(game plan to follow later today)

[Rachy87]

Game plan as promised:

 

6 week challenges don’t work for me, I’ve tried them and I go ok to begin with but it’s so easy for me to lose focus or forget to check in or whatever. I need to send myself off on my own little quest and change it as my attitude/mindset/motivation changes.

 

80% is a grade to be proud of. It’s also how much diet makes up of the losing weight equation. So I am going to pour my focus into that to begin with. I’ve done my research and I should be aiming for 1200-1500cal per day, so shooting for 1200 which allows me some breathing space if I go over. Currently compiling a list of common dinner I eat to find out the calorie content is (I make a lot myself so it’s hard just to go myfitnesspal or whatever and get the figure I need) and how much of it would be a “serving†for me. I.e. what % of a cottage pie is equal to 400cal? This way I can make sure I don’t over or under (under does happen which shocked me) with my helpings.

 

Known barriers/issues/etc:

 

• Sugar cravings
• F it all moods
• Lazy

 

Ways to combat these obstacles:

• Sugar jar
• Make healthy easier
• Make unhealthy harder

 

Swear Sugar Jar

Every cent spent on sugary junk needs to be matched in the Sugar Jar. Buy a can of coke at work, place $1 in the jar. Each month records how much has been spent on sugar and then “invest†it. This could mean buying new workout clothes, “bridging the gap†between cheap unhealthy lunch and a pricey good for you lunch, putting it towards a fitness classes, or anything else which is an investment in my health

 

Making healthy the easy way out

Set aside a cooking day and make up batches of healthy meals, put them into containers but only put in 1 serving, noticing that a serving for me is smaller than a serving for Brent. Freeze them ready for lunches and dinners. Have special meals put aside for weekends (meals that should only be had in moderation and not every day like pasta).

 

Making unhealthy difficult

Don’t keep it in the house. Have healthy meals right there ready to go. Do up drinks in ready to go bottles.

 

So yeah that’s my rough draft as I set off on my own little adventure quest.

[Rachy87]

Alright so far I've accomplished:

 

Installed a spending tracker on my phone to record what I've spent on sugar (and decided to track the rest of my spending too). Since Tues I've spent $10.70 on sugar.

 

Plans for the weekend:

Big ol' cook up. Going to get some meals done up ready to go. Same with healthy (or healthier versions of what I'd normally drink) drinks, get them ready to go in the fridge

[Barfly]

Hi

Just a thought, but have you considered putting into the sugar jar the money you DON'T spend on sugar? It might help you to be more mindful of your purchases. My 2 cents.

[Rachy87]

Like a sugar budget where I get to spend the savings on fun stuff?

I might try that if this way doesn't work. The idea of bad things costing me twice as much as their RRP is quite off putting, we'll see how long it lasts...

[Barfly]

Something like that. Maybe even a bigger reward, like, every time you are about to buy a soda, but don't, or turn down a soda when offered, add double the cost to the jar.

[Rachy87]

Alright tracking money spent on sugar kinda flopped. Might have something to do with already having sugary snacks in the house, my partner buying sugar snacks and the sugary stuff I consume when visiting others. Combine that with forgetting to jot down what I buy

 

It was worth a shot. One of my mentors when doing sales (sales isn't for me btw, but I gave it a shot) told me that it's just as important to collect "no's" as well as "yes's". Sure it was about transitioning those "no's" into sales "yes's" but I think the same can apply to anything. The more things I find out don't work means the closer I am to finding something that does work.

 

So where am I with the making healthy easy and unhealthy difficult? I've been lazy. I need to make the time to make these things happen.

 

Moving on to plan B:

I've been behind with reading NF newsletters. I get them delivered to my work email, work has been crazy busy so my fitness folder has a backlog. I just read the one from the start of the year about going paleo and the things you need to know. I might not have taken away from it what was specifically intended but I did get motivated. The wade in approach doesn't suit me too much neither does the cannonballing into the deep end. I plan on sitting on the edge near the middle somewhere and sliding into the pool.

Rachael what does that even mean?

 

Mon-Thur = Paleo: jump in! with the following exceptions: 2 pieces of toast for b/fast, diary (I like diary and don't eat a lot of it anyways), juice (using it to transition away from soft drink, then will be transitioning away from it too), Berocca in the mornings (not sure if paleo but using it to replace the Red Bull I've been relying on each morning as of late). Beyond that no (other) bread, rice, pasta, potatoes (I don't like sweet potatoes btw), junk food, sugary drinks, etc.

Fri-Sun = Stress less: can still touch the bottom. These aren't "cheat" or "reward" days, these are days "casual free days" (those not familiar with the term at school and some workplaces where there are uniforms or dress codes they occassionally have days where you can dress as casually as you want to within reason). I can be relaxed with the rules but still mindful - trying this whole state of mind trick thingo. Cheat day = I'll have this burger and those chips, ma'am smother those in gravy I am feeling crazy today! Casual day = You know what I want my chicken salad in sandwich format... toasted!

Don't get me wrong I predict gravy coasted chips days in the future but by taking away the naughtyness factor of them over the weekend means less guilt and less appeal. You know how you really want something simply because you're not allowed it but once you're given it and the novelty wears off you don't really care for it?

 

This is my new plan starting as soon as I get to the shops. Which might not be until the weekend because this cold has sucked the energy out of me and I'm really not up to dealing with the car parks, the crowds and making healthy smart decisions.

[Rachy87]

Recent small wins:

Yesterday arvo: tried dubious looking apple before ditching it for a chocolate bar - was delicious so no need for junk food.

Last night: brought a sports drink instead of an energy drink to have at ice skating.

This morning: No red bull (giving it up hasn't been easy) and brought a salad for lunch

[Rachy87]

Alright so I was off day dreaming, found myself way away from the designated play area again and didn't get back in time so the game sent me into limbo. So here I am pressing X to respawn again.