Thursday Thirteen - Edition #1 - Thirteen Things I’m Doing to Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

Thirteen Things I’m Doing to Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

1. Participate in physical activities I actually enjoy!
I don’t think I’ll ever be a gym rat or a marathon runner however I really enjoy light hiking (either with a group or with just my IPOD) and Yoga. Right now I am slowly building my stamina back up for hiking and I plan on finding a yoga class I like this spring.

2. Parking my car WAY OUT in the parking lots when weather permits.
A sneaky way to get in some additional exercise.

3. Giving up desserts for Lent
I am a sugar addict.

4. Taking supplements religiously
I am currently taking a multivitamin, B12 supplements, Biotin (for my nails), a swig of Flaxseed Oil, and calcium chews each day. I have been really bad about doing this in the past.

5. Moving towards a plant-based diet
I started doing this last year when I was trying to figure out a way to get more veggies in my diet. I was filling myself up on meat and ‘forgetting’ to eat my vegetables. I decided to have days where I just wouldn’t eat any meat and you know, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Then I attended a vegetarian fair and I was inspired to make the change.

6. Staying off of the scale
This is a bad bad bad habit I’ve developed over the years. At one point, I was weighing myself 3-4 times per day. Now my goal is to weigh myself no more than 1 -2 times per month.

7. Making water my exclusive drink
When I moved back to my home state last year, I picked up my old ‘sweet ice tea’ habit.

8. Accepting that as I’m making this transition, hunger may strike at inappropriate times and I need to deal with it.

9. Meal Planning
One of the many good pointers I picked up from the Weight Watchers program.

10. Keep healthy snacks at my fingertips and the ‘bad’ stuff off the counter.

11. Breaking the movie popcorn habit.
I don’t need popcorn at the movies….nope, don’t need it. Instead I will smuggle in some extra tasty water…MetroMint

12. Accepting invitations to eat out only if the restaurant has some healthy choices that I will like. For example, a group of friends are going to a Brazilian Steakhouse. I passed on that one. I don’t eat steak and I’ve heard the salad bar isn’t really anything to write home about. Unfortunately I’m a moody eater so before I go out these days, I look online to make sure there are at least 3 or 4 healthier options that appeal to me.

13. Hanging out at the local farmer’s market like I use to hang out at the mall. I’m learning more about what’s in season and hopefully this will inspire me to cook more, eat out less.

Want more Thursday Thirteen? Go here!

I Scream for Ice Cream

I gave up desserts for Lent. Yesterday was particularly difficult as we were having the most beautiful weather and when that happens, I want ice cream. A simple ice cream cone from McDonalds or one of those delicious custard drinks from Rita's.

I know I can make it to Easter I just know it!

My goal after Lent would be to limit desserts to special occasions such as my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other events instead of having it as a part of my daily meal. Matter of fact, on Easter Sunday, I will allow myself to have *one* treat and then I just may not have another one until my birthday in JUNE!!!

I think I'll make that deal with myself.

Now Or Never

Look at that beautiful fruit! Yes, I think it is that time again. The "it's-time-for-fruit-and-rice-diet" time. Darling Lucy always laughs and rolls her eyes when I say I am going to go on that particular diet. I told her I went on that diet a long time ago (can we say in the eighties?) and was successful. True, I did cheat a little on Fridays when I went to Happi House in San Jose, CA and had rice, udon and the chicken salad with my good friend Sharon. I love Happi House! I wish they had those little restaurants here in the South..but alas, they do not. I can only remember the Happi goodness now.

Now, the Rice Diet is world famous and has been for some time. It all started in Durham, NC and people still come to dine on fruit and rice. It was originally designed for people who suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes. The doctor who started it all was stunned to discover it also helped people to lose weight. The initial diet is strict with only fruit and rice (maybe two weeks or so) and then you can go on to add other good foods, like vegetables and eventually beans and fish.

I will admit eating only fruit and rice did make me a little light-headed and a tad irritable once in awhile. I think taking vitamins while on the diet is a good thing.

Yesterday, I bought bananas, cantaloupes, apples and some frozen fruit. I do have some canned fruit in the pantry, like peaches and pears. I ate a banana this morning and okay, so maybe I would like a cinnamon and raisin English Muffin with butter. But, I will try and refrain from the muffin. For lunch and dinner, you are allowed 3/4 of rice and two fruits. That's it. I know that we should not restrict our foods - like "no carbs" or "no carbs", etc...but maybe if I can stick to this for at least a week, maybe I will feel better and possibly drop a pound or two.

In the meantime, I will think once in awhile about those fun, Friday lunches at Happi House.

Come to think of it, I may eat some vegetables, too. How bad could that be?

Darling Lucy's Transition to A Healthier Lifestyle

Hello everyone! My handle for the purpose of this blog is Darling Lucy.

This is a blog where my partner-in-crime and I can blog about our journey to lose weight.

First announcement:

I have decided to take on a new attitude for 2008. I have been using the word 'diet' for years and all I've done is gain more weight. So now, when people ask if I'm dieting or how is my new diet coming I will reply "I am not dieting. I am making a transition to a healthier lifestyle". Somehow when I put it that way, I don't have such a feeling of dread. It just seems more positive to me. I have failed at pretty much every "diet" I've been on so I've finally accepted that diets just don't work for me. I need a full overall, a permanent change. I need to find the way that I'm going to take care of my body on a daily basis for the rest of my life. Diet implies (to me) that it's a temporary and sometimes desperate measure while 'transition' is more final. It’s time for me to gradually leave my bad eating habits and my couch potato ways behind me.

Please drop by from time to time to see how we are doing.

Darling Lucy