So, it is Friday and I have been on my new Quarantine 13 Diet for 5 days. This is a self-made diet to lose the 13 lbs of fat most people have put on since covid-19 (intentionally not capitalized). It’s the top of the morning and I am feeling some kind of way about these first 5 days as I drink my Skinny Water. During this Quarantine 13, I declared that I would eat healthier, start working out, yoga, meditation, and utilize any fat-burning techniques such as Laser/Ultrasound Lipo and Fat Burner Injections. I had hoped that I would have lost 10lbs by now (we all go on a diet and expect unrealistic results). The truth of the matter is, I did not weigh myself. So I am unsure of the weight I lost or perhaps gained. I’ve had a very hateful relationship with the scale. She or he has never been my friend. I seek the scale for advice and comfort, but I am always met with defeat. You sir, Mr. Scale is not my friend.
My Fat-Free Friday comes with a change in mentality. As I sit here and write these words, I realized that everything I love about food is what genuinely makes me happy. While, I will agree that I have an unhealthy habit of eating, I am genuinely in love with food. I love the newness of foods, I love the socialization of food and I’m re-loving the joy of food preparation. My husband became a vegan 3 years and it changed the way food was brought into the house. Me, being ever the rebel, I declared I WILL STILL EAT MEAT! Over the past three years that statement has changed. I’m 97% Pescatarian. The other 3%? I refuse to eat spaghetti with just sauce. It’s unrighteous to do so. I’m sure that is in the bible.
This week I realized that I have to change my Food Personality! Food Personality is much like a financial plan that I created 4 years ago called Money Personality in my program Financial Therapy. I need food therapy and I need to change my Food Personality. In order for me to fight this battle of the stomach. I need a whole army of Fat Fighting Soldiers. So I made it public. My War on Fat! Here’s my plan in action.
1. Find Your Formula
Each day I need research, meditate and adopt those things that I can incorporate into my day that keep me aware of my food personality. I don’t watch TV much, but I have to be careful about food suggestions and subliminal messages on commercials. I’m temporarily blocking all friends I know who are great cooks or are Food Enticers (people who post delicious foods). I will drop my credit card like a bad habit and some of the gifted women who have fat supported me during this pandemic with just good old fashion FOOD. As you see, I’m not in denial. I love food and I will until the day I die. I just have to do better so that my dying is later rather than sooner. Healthy cooking is not just enough anymore. I gotta move.
How do I move with the gyms closed? Each month I look at my bank statement with that gym membership charge and I say to myself, I’m going back ONE DAY. The truth of the matter is, that I probably will never go back into the gym and virtual work outs are not providing me the motivation I need when I was in a live, physical class with others. I’ve learned to drink lemonade without sugar, I will “suck it up butter cup,” and do the classes.
2. I have to Find What Works For Me
I’ve failed often trying to do what others do and doing in the manner that they have. I don’t want to be a gym rat. I don’t want to think about nor discuss working out. It’s just not my thing. So you won’t see any stats of calories burned, fat loss, miles trekked. That’s just not me. I want the weight gone, but I don’t want to talk about it each and every day. I will let you in on a secret. I have control issues. Not with anyone else just me. So in an attempt to not be compulsive, I will not weigh every day, not charting my times of walking, or plugging this many miles. I will just bask in the glow of others who do it and cheer them on.
3. Diet vs Lifestyle
There are as many reasons to eat a certain diet. There are so many popular diets to follow and many of those roads lead to weight loss. I need a lifestyle and not a diet. Remember, I am a rebel. I don’t do well with restrictive plans. I have morphed into a free spirit over the years and a diet plan seems so controlling. I like to think of ‘Fat-Free’ as a lifestyle choice wholistically. For example, to me it means using less fat in my cooking, getting rid of fat from my body, and taking the fat out of every area in my life. It may mean letting go of Fat Friends (friends who suck so much energy out of you) and making my home Fat Free (removing the clutter and reorganizing).
3. Fat Free Personality
I am best when I create a happy space in my head and my home. I know my body is a sanctuary but I don’t treat it like one. For me, my success to weight loss has to include changing my stinking thinking about what I put in my mouth. I have emotional triggers all day that can hinder me. I’m overly sensitive to others and quickly run to bear their burdens. These spikes of constant adrenaline lead to high cortisol levels and store fat in my stomach and other areas. I’m learning to do less of this and remind myself of the things that make me happy like reading and writing. I need daily quotes and reminders to love myself first. Yoga is helping me relax and meditation (well that’s still a struggle right now) will help to meet my goals. Some days I am better at those things than others, but my goal is to constantly improve at all of those things. I try to forgive myself if I make mistakes. Keeping a positive outlook on life keeps your hormones in balance at any age.
How do I love myself? Lately, it’s been falling in love with being home. The past two months of living in my own space has taught me so much. Although I’ve actually been more busier than I have been at my 9 to 5 during this pandemic, I’ve enjoyed being at home. I am also learning that my health is something that I HAVE to pay attention to so that I can give myself what I need to be a productive person and stay healthy. So, exercise, a good diet, vitamins, time with family, helping others, and crafting is my new FAT-FREE LIFESTYLE. Oh, and last but not least I’m having fun creating all the foods and drinks and supplements that keep me, my family, and my patient’s healthy
So now you know what I will be doing on Fat-Free Fridays. My rant about living life Fat-Free. Now go out and find your puzzle pieces, and get healthy!