Thursday 13 - Change Needed

Do you ever take a physical assessment of yourself and come up with a plan for change? Here's my self-improvement plan...

1. Straighten my teeth
2. Whiten my teeth
3. Lose weight
4. Get fit
5. Get my hair cut and highlighted, or something
6. Lasik surgery so I can lose the glasses
7. A new wardrobe
8. A makeover and lessons on makeup
9. A pedicure
10. Something to eliminate bad breath for sure and forever
11. Time in my schedule to keep myself looking fit and good every day
12. A belly ring
13. While we're at it, breast implants, and maybe a face lift...

And that's just the outside. Can you imagine all the changes needed on the inside? And all the changes I want to make to my surroundings? Where do I start?

Thankfulness

First of all, checking in on my "Enjoy That Cheesecake!" post from last Monday. I've been trying! Not perfect, but trying...

And I am down from 11.8 pounds to 8.2 pounds to lose by June! Wahoo! I even did one evening of yoga - the first since I was pregnant with my toddler! We can do this...

Then I wanted to jump in with At the Well's assignment today - listing things I am thankful for about my husband. Here we go...

1. He checks out for my safety. Today I left home on a road trip, and just before I left, he got the car cleaned out and checked the oil.
2. He cares for our daughter. She is the highlight of his day; the light of his life. I love watching the two of them together.
3. He lets me know what he thinks. This has its pros and cons, of course! Today I choose to focus on the pros. No guesswork involved.
4. He is intelligent and interested. It's nice to converse with someone who gets what I'm saying and has opinions about it.
5. He's physically fit. Though he moans about his disappearing youth, he remains in shape and can beat just about anyone half his age with physical competitions.

There's more, of course - just saving some stuff for next time...

Enjoy That Cheesecake!

The scale keeps shocking me, and not in a good way, either. I need to figure this thing out, right away...

I am determined to be 11.8 pounds less than the scale measured me at this morning - by June, bikini season. I am relying on you, dear blog, to hold me accountable.

On New Years this year, I made a resolution to enjoy each bite I took - to savor and relish everything I ate. No limits - cheesecake and ice cream are okay - but I have to enjoy each bite I take of them. It fits my goal of enjoying the moment, finding joy in the simple things that surround me every day.

I haven't kept that resolution by any means. I need to navigate the obstacles somehow.

Obstacle #1 - Multitasking. I'm constantly trying to fit eating in between baby care, reading, blogging, housework, errands. In fact, when I've decided to eat something, I'll deliberately look for something I can do while I eat, like reading that education book I've been putting off.

I need to get over this mindset. So I'm setting up a couple of goals for myself. First - only eat while sitting at a table. Not in front of the TV, the computer, or while driving. If I'm starving, I can afford to stop and find a place to sit.

Second - make my primary eating place attractive. Keep the dining table free of clutter, so it is open and available when I'm ready to eat. Use things I love as the centerpiece. Keep the windows washed - inside and out. Play music there. Get plants to put in planters outside on the patio, so I can look at them while I eat. And then work on the rest of the yard so it looks relaxing and doesn't distract me, either.

Obstacle #2 - Trashcan Mentality. I'm sure I'm not the only parent who finishes up what the kid doesn't eat. And if that's not bad enough, I also force myself to eat the leftovers or scraps - the patties that were a little burnt, the potatoes that were overcooked, the beans that weren't such a hit and are in danger of going bad if no one eats them, the produce that we're just not eating up fast enough.

I just can't stand the thought of food going to waste when there are so many people starving in Africa.

But my eating it isn't helping them, is it?

So - dishing up very small portions for my kid, giving her seconds if she finishes the first, is in order.

And I'm going to get over my issues with throwing food away. If it's not good enough for my family, it's not good enough for me, either.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some things to work on...