Shape Up

I have been all over the map when it comes to my food intake.  As a child, I probably took in more protein from biting my nails than actual food. I was exceptionally anxiety ridden.  Yes, there was a lot of conflict in my house, mainly due to the fact that my mom’s moods were totally unpredictable.  I never had a clue which mother was waiting for me on the other side of the door when I got off the school bus.

I didn’t have much of an appetite nor much appreciation for my mom’s meager skills in the kitchen.  Until I moved to New England, I thought everyone ate Chef Boyardee spaghetti.  Scrambled eggs made me throw up every morning.  I still can’t eat them.  Needless to say, I was ridiculously skinny.

So much so that my mom took me to the doctor and tried to follow his recommendation:  a milkshake mixed with an egg nightly.  Couldn’t even drink half of it.  When I was actually hungry, I’d down a family size bag of potato chips in one sitting.

All of this to say, I never knew much about nutrition except what I learned through my high school home economics classes.  I did pick up cooking later and can do it well, but I’ve never been a huge fan of cooking and now with so many options, I wonder, what’s the point?

My own kids will tell you I made nightly meals, until I became a principal and then I was so exhausted, we either ate out or ordered in.  Sad to say, we set the record for most pizzas ordered from Domino’s in Columbia, Maryland.  Miraculously, they are all amazing cooks who serve nutritious meals daily!

I never weighed over 100 pounds until I was in my mid-30s, after my last two were born 20 months apart.  By then, I was a pretty happy person, calm and steady as a rock, anxiety a thing long forgotten.  Never having to watch my weight was a blessing until I hit 40 and then it was a curse.

All of a sudden, I couldn’t lose those last 10 pounds no matter how much I worked out or paid my money to Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.  They all say you’ll feel full if you just follow their diet.  Nope.  All wrong.  I was hungry all the time and that is not a good thing at 10 o’clock at night.

On someone as short as me, just over 5 feet tall, a few extra pounds is equivalent to DUMPY!  My grandmothers, both as short as me, never lost the weight. This is my heritage.  Even my oncologist years ago told me to lose the weight.

Fast forward thirty plus years later and I’m still at it.  Okay, I know I’m not obese, but God knows I’d love to shed those last ten.  My cousin, Jay, has been doing this intermittent fasting thing for at least three years now and the last time I saw him I told him to start eating.  Maybe misery could use a little company here.

It works for him because he is disciplined. I am not so disciplined.  This past year was the worst.  We were traveling much more than usual so my usual routine went right out the window.  Eating out is not smart.

Last week, we were on a cruise.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!  Eating is what cruises are all about.  That and spending money on high end excursions and shops. I am not crazy enough to buy a Coach bag on the Allure of the Seas.  Needless to say, I ate like a queen.  Salmon, lobster tail, steak, potatoes.  Yes, I threw in some fruit and a few salads with blue cheese dressing.  But, not nearly enough to offset the all but certain weight gain.

Got home Sunday, weighed myself early Monday morning.  And, there it was, in black and white.  A few more pounds and I knew I'd have to assert myself.  I had to dig deep into that well of discipline, but I am determined to get it off asap!

Here’s the plan.  I write down everything I eat in my Lose It! App including my daily exercise routine.  Go back on the intermittent fasting which commits me to a maximum of 500 calories three days a week.  And, most importantly, I go back on my No Chips, No Fries, No Booze diet.

So far, so good.  I’ve lost 3 pounds in 4 days.  How long I can stay on this is anyone’s guess, but I’m inspired by my cousin’s success.  I’ll keep you posted!