Curves complete–Day 1

Today is Day One of the new Curves Complete program.  It’s a change of diet for me and hopefully the start of some good changes in my life.  Tomorrow I will go back on the Curves Smart workout which will keep me consistent and improving in my workouts.  I have been feeling a little lacklustre with them lately, so this will keep me on my toes.

I’m working hard to stay positive today.  I knew today would be difficult for me.  I am giving up my food addiction.  My brain is hating me and I am hungry – not just physically, but also for the emotional comfort and shutting down of my brain that compulsive eating brings.  Like any addict, this is a tough time.

So, the first thing I did when the cravings began was to go to today’s motivational video on the curves complete site.  It was helpful and I felt a little more settled.  Then I turned to the free food list and enjoyed chomping on a cucumber.

Next, to my list of positive things to do.  Blogging.  Perfect!

I seem to be able to pull out of the tough thoughts and replace with light, positive and relaxed thinking.  But I am really struggling to work today though.  I can’t seem to move into that place.  My focus is not clear and directed.  I think just starting this today is all I can deal with.  Fortunately I don’t have a lot to do that is urgent.

After getting in 7000 steps this morning, it’s time for a refreshing shower and then to address the afternoon.  One step at a time (no pun intended!).

A new beginning

And to start this post off today, is a link to my current post on my other blog – New Mum Over 40.  Because life is about to change and I need to find ways of pulling myself out of the old life I have lived and am living right now and into something new.  Something that is no longer self-destructive.  Something that is no longer full of self-loathing.  Instead, a life of love and positivity and self-nurturing.

So…

I need a list.

A list of positive things I can do when the destructive and negative thoughts and behaviours surface.

• Go for a walk.  It doesn’t have to be my usual exercise walk.  Just a stroll.  Anything to change the pattern.
• Look at my shopping app.  See if Dave has left me any wonderfully loving and positive words of support.
• Go outside.  Pull some weeds.
• Blog.
• Spend some time updating and redecorating this blog.
• Put some music on.

 

Our nurse told us about these playlists you can get, especially for women going through IVF.  We are going to get those and Dave is going to design a special playlist for me full of happy, positive music!  God, I love that man.

So, this is a beginning.  I will see how the list goes.  I will report on it.  I will add to it.  I may even have to take some things off if they don’t work!

It’s a beginning.

Bushwalking

For our latest bushwalking adventure, click here!

Definitely the absolutely best way to make me happy and peaceful!!  I come alive when we bushwalk through any kind of nature.

Aaaaahhhh…..

A sign

I started to realised this morning, that I like coming home from work and watching my favourite show and snacking.  I have spent years uncontrollably overdoing this action and not wanting to do it.  This was always my addiction, the thing that I needed to change in my life.  The activity that I would completely stuck in and not be able to claw my way out of.  But now that I am feeling my story beginning to change over the last few days, it dawned on me that I my attitude behind this activity is starting to change.  Coming home and chilling for a while is my downtime after work.  And now that I have focused goals though my charting activities, there is always something that I am keen to do after an hour (or one show!) 

So I realised that instead of stopping the snacking that I enjoy, I simply need to swap what I eat.  I have enjoyed getting colourful, healthy food prepared and ready for a photo and this is all I need.  I can still enjoy this time and not feel guilty about it.  Things are changing.

And then the freakiest thing happened after work while I was watching a recorded TIVO show.  A new advert came on TV.  Normally I fast forward through the ads, but I was distracted with something else and heard this.  “You don’t have to stop it, swap it.”  What was that???!!!

It was an new advert for healthy living, saying exactly what I had concluded just a few hours ago.  What the??!!  Talk about receiving a sign.  This just confirmed for me that it is okay to indulge in this relaxing.  It is good for me, it is what I enjoy and it’s okay now because my attitude behind it has changed.  Enjoy beautiful food – good enough to be photographed!

I am quite flabbergasted by this turn of events.  I just love receiving signs. 

The end of the week

I started a new little project today – photographing all the food that I eat each day and then turning it into a collage.  It certainly makes you accountable for what you choose to eat. 

Do I really want to photograph that?  No?  Well I can only eat what I photograph, so no eating that! 
How can I make this plate look really nice?  Add some lettuce and tomatoes.  Looks much better and healthier!

On reviewing the day’s foods, I realised that I need more vegetables during the day.  This project will be great for me and hopefully another way of finally achieving my goals and becoming happier and content with my life.

It will also be an opportunity to sort out some more photography skills.  Some of today’s shots were a bit blurry – I’m used to photography outdoors not indoors, so I looking forward to getting better at that.  Turning my plates into works of art is also an interesting way of eating well and bringing more colour and visual appeal into my meals.  This is fun! And it covers my creative activity for the week.

I’ve continued to work on my table, with some more weeding, hedging and cut up fruit and veg.  It was also great today to feel well enough to get back to walking.  There are a few things I haven’t done and need to do tomorrow – sanding and the cross trainer.

Being in the two-week wait (see pregnancy blog), I’m a bit nervous to go to Curves, just in case. Probably irrational, but there it is. I’m not taking any chances.

The activity I am most pleased with is the weeding and hedging. It is so great to begin getting on top of these tasks.

The activity I am least happy with is the fruit and veg. But I’m excited about my new food project and believe that will help a great deal!

Overall, this new project is beginning to give me a sense of getting on top of my life, of being the person that I want to be and feeling pride and a sense of achievement.  I am grateful to be in a place in my life where these things are working for me.

 

ACTIVITY	ACHIEVED (week starting 5/9)
Weeding	Tuesday, Saturday
Hedging	Friday
Curves	Not this week (2 week wait)
Walking	Saturday
Cross Trainer
Non-regular household chore	Monday
Sanding (painting preparation)
A creative activity eg. Scrapbooking	Saturday
Blogging	Monday, Tuesday, Saturday
Keep cut fruits and vegies for snacks	Monday, Thursday, Friday
Geocaching	Getting to know how to do it – Tuesday Finding some - Saturday

Two more beginnings

Today I got out in the garden to do the weeding. It wasn’t necessarily a good idea, still being sick. It was cold and windy out there! But I ended up doing a good hour. It’s funny how you always know that once you get started, you just get into it and keep going. I’m grateful that this new plan of changing my story has brought about the motivation to get started!

I don’t think I will be doing anything else on the list today, but to have made a start on the weeding is great.

I have added a new activity to the chart today. Geocaching. If you don’t know what it is and are curious, here is the website. The activity is right up my alley and I have been meaning to do it for months. I have gotten organised on it today and have planned a few nearby caches to look for. Once again, the goal is to find at least one cache a week.

Yesterday’s non-regular household activities was cleaning all the bathroom doors, tops of the tiles and all the hard to get to places that the mopping misses. Of course, in doing those activities, I saw so many more non-regular activities to do! Lots more opportunities to change my story.

I find myself disappointed with today. I have no reason to be. The weeding and finally getting ready to geocache are big steps forward. I think it’s about the need to get back to exercise and to always eat the cut fruit and vegies. I’m about 80% better now, so I should be able to get back to regular exercise soon. I’m sure that will make a big difference.

 

ACTIVITY	ACHIEVED (week starting 5/9)
Weeding	Tuesday
Hedging
Curves
Walking
Cross Trainer
Non-regular household chore	Monday
Sanding (painting preparation)
A creative activity eg. Scrapbooking
Blogging	Monday, Tuesday
Keep cut fruits and vegies for snacks	Monday
Geocaching	Getting to know how to do it – Tuesday

A beginning

Due to still being sick, I haven’t been able to begin today as I would have liked.    However, there has been some small progress.

As I wondered around the house tidying, I found myself being grateful for things laying around the house so that I had the opportunity to put them away.  At times I can get annoyed at continually having to tidy up and having to clean up after others.  But today, I was grateful.  These things give me the opportunity to begin to change my story.  In the case, to one of the joy of taking care of my home, of making it a continual journey of cleansing and activity.  Things laying around mean activity and the pleasure of keeping it keeping it neat and tidy.  Of gratitude for my home and the beautiful renovations that we have done.  Activity and the peacefulness I am looking to find within that.

And I have been doing my best to keep eating cut up fruit and vegetables.  It has been intermittent.  Yet, as I write this, I feel inspired to continue to do so even more. 

I also feel inspired to find one of those non-regular household chores and do that.  Just a little one, but one that I often see and mean to do but don’t get around to it.  I’m off to do it now.

Writing today’s post has been a blessing and a motivation.  I am grateful.

 

ACTIVITY	ACHIEVED (week starting 5/9)
Weeding
Hedging
Curves
Walking
Cross Trainer
Non-regular household chore	Monday
Sanding (painting preparation)
A creative activity eg. Scrapbooking
Blogging	Monday
Keep cut fruits and vegies for snacks	Monday