A New Day

It's day 5 of the exercise and diet regime. I've lost 3 pounds and am CRANKY. I can deal with the exercise now, but the diet! It will take some getting used to. Mostly veggies and protein, some carbs. I am in the "FAT SHREDDER" phase of the diet. When I feel like offending (i.e. eating something not good for my body) I just think "fatshredder, fatshredder, fatshredder". I like the way it sounds and feels when I say it. I like the image it projects. Whatever works!

My husband is doing it also. He has lost 4 pounds. I am so glad we are doing it together. It really helps to have somebody go through it with you.

For the first few days we tried the planned menu approach, but we didn't like what was on the menu. Fortunately, they have a portion approach, which is working out better. Since I work with felt, I have quite a collection of it. I've created a chart that has color coded felt squares that corresponds with the different food groups/portions you can have each day. They are velcroed to a piece of paper and stuck to the fridge. Whenever I prepare a meal, I take off the appropriate felt square and put it in a bag. At the end of the day, no felt squares are left on the paper and you start over the next day. I know it sounds crazy and may be (aren't we all a little crazy?) but it works. You have to make it work for you or you won't stick with it. Another upside of this great diet is that when you eat something that you would not have considered eating before you started the diet (a chocolate flavored mini rice cake for example) it taste WONDERFUL! Who knew....

On to more interesting items. I've just finished a great book. "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff. A "must read" for any parent with children, whether young or old, whether touched by an addiction or not. It's about a father's journey through his son's drug addiction, which started in childhood. It was a real eye opener and I am so glad I read it, for my children's sake. I don't think most parents realize how widespread and insidious drug use is in today's society.