Weight loss | BulgingButtons

September 13, 2015
by BulgingButtons 5 Comments

Tidying Up

I’ve been slimming down. Well, perhaps that’s an overstatement, but I have been watching what I eat and I’ve lost a few pounds. I still have a long way to go to get to “slim” and frankly, I don’t know that I’ll ever reach that status, but I am making positive changes.

The decisions that I’ve been making have been based on what works for me, and they are becoming a little bit easier to make. Yes, I still have some bad habits, after all they are deeply ingrained, but I’m making progress. I like looking in my refrigerator and seeing things that I know are good for me.

I like having a pantry with items that provide me with strength, not empty calories.

A super tidy closet. Disclaimer: not mine!

I feel empowered by the control I have over my environment.

Except that I don’t really feel that I have control over my environment at all. The other day I looked around my house, and nearly every flat surface had stuff on it that didn’t belong. I knew it was time to clean it up, in a big way. Imagine how glad I was when the online library I use informed me that The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo was available. People have been buzzing about this book, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

First of all, it was a really quick read. The tone is conversational and it’s easy to follow. There is a lot of content about her own history of learning to “tidy” and her way of thinking about the objects a person has. She believes that our things all want to serve us, but we often have so much that we don’t take care of what we have, or even use it. We should make choices about what to keep and what to discard based on one simple question, “Does this item spark joy?” Just reading that question brought to mind many items that do not spark joy, and even cause irritation. Why am I hanging on to those things?

Her method for “tidying” follows a specific order, and since she’s the expert and I have no desire to argue the point, I decided to try it out on the first item on the list: shirts. The idea is to take them all out of their hiding places (drawers, closet, wherever you keep them) then pick up the items one by one. Each one should “guide” your decision, either it sparks joy or it doesn’t.

I suppose I have a lot of shirts. I have t-shirts and tanks that I fold on shelves, I have blouses that hang, I have long-sleeved t-shirts folded on a different shelf, and I have a few jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts. So far I’ve only gone through the t-shirts and tanks. I kept about half. I feel lighter already. Tomorrow I tackle the long-sleeved t-shirts. Who knows, I may even finish the tops tomorrow.

When I walked into my closet tonight to get my pajamas, I felt the difference. The t-shirts I kept were happier because they weren’t squished and they had more of a chance to be worn. The whole closet is starting to look and feel a little lighter and better. I can relate!

Just like my weight loss, it will take time to go through the steps necessary to make long-term changes, but it can be done. I’m looking forward to living with less, and enjoying my space more. As Flylady always says, “You can’t organize clutter.” Amen to that!

September 5, 2015
by BulgingButtons 1 Comment

Ten Pounds Down

Imagine walking around with this strapped to you all the time.

I’m thrilled to report that my last meeting with the nutritionist yielded this wonderful news. I’m delighted that I’ve been able to lose ten pounds, and so far at least, it’s been relatively easy. The best part about it? I can once again easily reach around my back to unhook my bra at the end of the day. Sounds silly, I know, but those last ten pounds made that task extremely difficult.

A second small success is the relative ease with which I’ve been getting in and out of the car. I hadn’t noticed how much of a struggle that task had become. Again, ten pounds might not seem like much, especially when I have many multiples of ten to lose, but those small victories are victories all the same.

I’m looking forward to each of the ten pound milestones and the small successes that go with them. I’m actually pretty sure that when I get on a plane again in October I won’t need the seatbelt extender. If I do, so be it, but again, it’s just one of those situations where life is a little easier if I don’t.

I’m trying to celebrate each little success along the way in this long road that I have to travel. One small one yesterday was a noticeable shift in my brain. I was at a training for several hours with my colleagues and on the table was an assortment of candy. Normally I’m the girl who eats all of the chocolate and stashes the wrappers somewhere inconspicuous so nobody gives me that look (although I’m sure they all know anyway). Well, yesterday something wonderful happened. There was one small bag of Hot Tamales (six candies) and I took that. Nothing else. Ok, so I mooched two yellow Skittles from my friend too, but really, that’s it. Not bad, huh? The best part? I didn’t even want those other candies. I didn’t give them a second thought. Yay, brain! You’re evolving!

I’m rewiring my brain in terms of its perception of food, and my taste buds are going along for the ride. By cutting out a lot of junky foods and eating more real foods (you know, like fruits and vegetables) I’m relearning what tastes good. It’s a process, for sure, but I’m committed, so I might as well enjoy it.

On a final note, if you ever want every Facebook friend you’ve ever had to respond to a post of yours, tell the world you’ve lost ten pounds. The outpouring of encouragement was overwhelming. I’m glad I wear my heart on my sleeve, it allows me to share in life’s big (and small) moments with wonderful people around the world.

August 29, 2015
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

I Might Not Starve After All

Monday marks the end of week two in my latest journey into the world of mindful eating, and I’ve gotta say, so far, so good.

I started off at about a 7 out of 10 on the motivation scale, but after my first meeting with the nutritionist, I walked out of her office at about an 8. These last two weeks have kept me in the 8-9 range, so I’m not hating life. In fact, I’m starting to notice a few small positive changes.

First off, I feel good about the things that I’m eating. Am I perfect? Not by a long shot, but I’ve made many small changes for the better, and I feel good about that. I still have a couple of Hot Tamales candies most evenings, but instead of an entire box, I eat about 7 or 8 of them. There were a few boxes in the pantry when I started, so I opened them all into a jar so I wouldn’t have the “finish the box” syndrome, and it’s working. I enjoy my treat, then move on.

I’ve also realized that there are other foods that work for me, instead of against me. Who knew I would enjoy V8 so much, or natural almonds? And the Clif protein bars? Yum!

I’m still eating dinner with the family, but we’ve been having good home cooked meals (swordfish, anyone?) and even meals out have been carefully chosen. I’m feeling pretty good, and I’m hopeful that this time I can keep up the momentum.

One of the things that I’m focused on right now is limiting carbs, and it isn’t because of calories. The thing about carbs is that they turn to sugars and then the body produces insulin to process them (at least that’s the way I understood it, don’t quote me, I’m not a medical professional). The body I live in needs to produce less insulin, so fewer carbs (and Hot Tamales candies) are the order of the day.

I can honestly say I’m looking forward to my next visit with the nutritionist. I’m feeling energized and positive, and I’m interested to hear her feedback, as well as step on the scale. Even if it didn’t move, I know that the changes I’m making are having a positive effect on my body, and that’s something to feel good about.