Another week in the can! I have less to say this week than in my Week 1 wrap-up thoughts, but there have been a few updates:
-In terms of the 30-in-30, I am getting a bit...restless with my limited choices. Part of it is my own fault for not choosing any dresses or skirts (not that I had any at this size) -- I am tired of my one silhouette of pants and cardigans. I see other bloggers really mixing it up, and I feel like I am wearing the same thing over and over. I am hoping this short week at work and then the rest in Arizona in casual outfits gets me out of the slump.
-I did do another switch this week, swapping out an unworn purple layering top for the purple cardigan I had swapped out the first week. I still have one more piece, a white long-sleeved layering top, that has yet to be worn in the challenge. I am going to put together my clothes for Arizona today and will see if I need to do one last swap. After that, I will have worn everything so there will be no more wiggle room. (Swapping is probably against the rules, but I figure it's better than dropping out altogether or going on a big shopping spree, both of which crossed my mind this week.)
-As for Medifast, the week's events threw a bunch of challenges at me -- two going-away parties for the top boss, a couple of afternoons in meetings with no discreet way to get to my food, dinner out with Shopping Friend and Hubby last night -- and I made moderate choices for each. The first party was buffet-style dinner at an Italian restaurant, where beyond the iceberg salad the *best* choice I could make was a couple of squares of vegetable pizza. The second party was cake and pastries on a looong Friday afternoon, and there I did indulge in one delicious homemade moonpie cookie. Dinner with SF was supposed to be at my house with roasted chicken and veggies, but I punked out and we went for Mexican again. Knowing that getting a tortilla topped with even just plain cheese and mushrooms (one of their best dishes) was pushing it too far on the carbs after the other indulgences this week, I went with a great chopped salad with chicken, cheese, cukes, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, and a zesty lime-cilantro dressing.
Even with those not-quite-on-plan choices, I am still down another 3 or so pounds, proving once again that moderation is the smartest choice to make when faced with any eating challenge. I don't know why that is such a difficult concept for me to embrace all the time; I know in theory it works, and when I do manage to achieve it I feel a true sense of accomplishment and satisfaction (and I still do get to eat something I really want to), but in day-to-day non-dieting meals, I just suck at it.
That's one of the skills I would really like to learn now and when I am done with the Medifast phase of my weight loss; I need to learn that when I do have an indulgent food at one meal, the other meals of the day should be moderate. Or that even the indulgent meal doesn't have to be over-the-top indulgent in every capacity. Maybe if I have a big meal it doesn't HAVE to include wine and/or dessert. Or if I eat greasy lunch on the run at Portillo's, my dinner should be soup or salad. I need to learn to remember that when I practice moderation, I am happier about my choices, my feelings of being in control, and my flipping pants fit. Why would I not want that to happen more often?
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Hunh, reading back this post, I suppose even the clothes-swapping instead a more extreme response is a form of moderation too. I guess it really was the lesson of the week.
Now I just have to figure out how to make it stick.
I've done one switch out of a blouse and need to do another do I can wear warmer shoes. It's turning cooler than I expected. It will only be in the 60s for the next week around Tucson and it's really cool in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on feeling like all my outfits look the same. I love seeing what you have done to vary yours I know I've varied mine in some ways but my profile of pants with jacket or cardi has a great sameness about it. I only wore a dress once and have another dress on my list that I haven't worn. Part of it is just not having any occasions to wear a dress. I think I just need to put on a dress more often even though I may be the only one not in pants.
That salad at the Mexican restaurant actually sounded better to me than a tortilla any day (but adding mushrooms to the tortilla does make it sound pretty wonderful.)
ReplyDeleteI never got tempted to organize my wardrobe for the challenge. It's all I can do to keep the collection clean, pressed and on the hanger!
Moderation is tough if you're impatient to lose weight. Who isn't?? I gave up losing weight really quickly. In fact I wrote a post last night about finding it more effective to eat with conscious attempts to cut down but not out. We'll see how this works! Hey, whatever works, right?
It is a challenge to go to social events where there is food when you're sticking to a strict diet. I think you know any number of strategies for coping with it, now's the time to dust those off as you look over the next 6-8 weeks of what's likely to be non-stop social eating.
ReplyDeleteI've found that dropping the wine works for me because it tends to leave me thinking oh this is just a little bit... and the next thing that happens is I've popped any number of little goodies into my mouth.
I love sweets so the prospect of half a dessert later will get me to order a Diet Coke or Iced Tea when it's time for drinks.
I swapped 4 items yesterday, and I've definitely seen others do it. I don't think it's against the rules because you're still staying within 30 items in 30 days.
ReplyDeleteEating out is always a huge challenge, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI love that writing all of this out for you is helping you see patterns of behaviour - blogging is good for you!