Weighting...

Two weeks ago was my 30th class reunion. Normally, a reunion or special occasion where cameras are going to be everywhere would send my insecurities and desire to crash diet on overdrive. 

But I managed to stay sane this time! The slow and steady, focus on a healthier me approach to weight loss is working. Since I decided to give up the insane notion that there should be an easy solution that didn't require healthier eating and exercise, I've lost 9.5 pounds. That doesn't seem like a whole lot, but considering they were as tough to shake as a clingy toddler, I'm darned proud.

I'll admit, there are times when I'll start to feel like the process should be going faster and should be easier. I mean it's totally unfair how easy they are to add and how hard they are to subtract. Placing the focus on being healthier rather than skinnier helps quite a bit. 

What else helps?

Exercise. I joined a gym with a friend. Going together makes exercise more fun and it's harder to bow out when you have to be accountable to someone else for showing up. I'm not exactly a gym rat or getting totally buff, but regular exercise has helped improve my mood and I snack less. It's amazing how less appealing a chocolatey morsel is once you realize how far you have to walk on a treadmill to burn it off.  

Journaling. Counting calories keeps me mindful of what I eat. It also helps to see the connection between weight losses and gains with different eating habits. 

Eating. Have a bite when you're hungry. Stop when you're full. It seems silly, but nothing brings on binge eating quicker than feeling starved. The same goes for cravings. I had a craving for a Snicker bar. Instead, I had a banana. I still wanted that darned Snicker bar, so I had a yogurt...then a granola bar...maybe a few pretzels. My niece, who is a skinny thing, finally pointed out that I would have been far better off to have eaten a snack-sized candy bar a few hundred calories ago.