Be A.W.A.R.E.

(Sorry, no pedicure or even lotion or anything to make them look better!)

I get some of my best blog ideas (to me) when I'm running, or sometimes in the shower. One of those ideas or thoughts that came to me recently was about the word 'stress'.  Did you ever notice that 'stress' is in the word 'desserts' , but backwards?! Kind of sneaky, just like the pounds that seem to creep back on when I feed my stress with food? They seem to go hand in hand lately for me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE food. I like good food as much as I like junk food. Lately (as in the last several months!...maybe longer) I've just been eating WAY TOO much of both. This has had an adverse effect on my wardrobe (Oooo...too tight!), so I decided to get back to what I know works and that is where my second great idea came in. I started thinking about my success with Weight Watchers 3 years ago and what I learned from that experience. That's how I came up with 'Be A.W.A.R.E.'

Be

A.- ACCEPT that it's going to take time to turn it around. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither where my thighs. Also ACCEPT your/my body type.

 

W.- WATER...Drink plenty of it every single day. Stay hydrated. Especially hard for me most of the time, but especially in the winter. Sometimes I get creeped out thinking about how little I hydrate myself. I deserve to look like a prune!

A.-ACCOUNTABILITY...This is a must. This is where our friend, a good scale comes in, but only weigh  once a week. No more. Preferrably on the same day. With clothes and a heavy coat the first week, naked the second week. You'll notice results right away. It's a weighing trick some of the ladies I met at WW taught me my first week there. Then keep track of you progress.

R.-REALITY CHECK...You can want to change and even think you are going to do it, but if you aren't living in reality and write down what you eat, you'll be in the dark about what you're really taking in. This was the one thing that really helped me the most and will help me again to get back on track. Pretty soon, writing down what I ate made me more aware of my consumption and made me want to stay within my allotment every day, and look forward to eating my bonus points every week.  I even looked forward to weighing in.

 

E.-EXERCISE...Another must for my mental well being  as well as just the physical benefits...plus, (bonus: I can eat more when I exercise) I read a great little book on this whole general subject called, "Running with Angels" I highly recommend it. My running started the Monday after Christmas. 

So there you have it. My invitation to anyone else who wants to join me in Being  more A.W.A.R.E. in 2009 :-)

By the way, I came home from my run and ate two chocolate chip cookies. Mmm. 

Living in reality.