HAPPY NEW YEAR .......may it be the one ........

Well it is time to get back to business and get healthy and happy in 2011.  I've been doing a lot of thinking about all that has gone on in my life in the past 12 months and just how poorly I have managed not only my weight but events that have occurred.  Poor management leads to stress which leads to eating which leads to gaining with leads to more stress which leads to more eating and around and around the circle goes.

I was thinking about how I could handle things better and still manage to live a "normal" life and eat like normal people.  I remember a while ago I wrote about the stomach only being as big as the size of a closed fist.  So I sat and looked at my closed fist and pondered how much food would the size of a closed fist be.  It looks to me to be about a cup or 8 oz.  Now if that is the size of my stomach what the hell am I doing to it by pushing cup after cup of food into it?  Obviously the answer it stretching it and making myself uncomfortable.

So I have dug out my trusty kitchen scale and decided that I am going to eat three meals a day that weigh no more than 8 oz combines with 3 snacks a day of no more than 4 oz.  That's 36 oz of food per day.  Now before you decide to tell me that is not enough food to live on I must tell you that it is plenty depending on what you are eating.  8 oz for breakfast will give me 4 oz of yogurt, 1 egg and 1/2 slice of toast, etc.  That to me is more than a sufficent amount of food for breakfast, nice and nutritional as well.  I have planned out some very nice meals all at the 8 oz amount and they are more than you would think.  Now if I should decide to have a dessert I must include it in the 8 oz.  A small piece of cake is 2 oz so that definitely takes away from the amount of good food I can have.  But it is my choice and one that I have to live with.  Is the piece of cake worth it?  Will have to wait and see because I know that there are times when I am going to want that cake. 

Hubby bought me a new kitchen scale, it is a really slim model that can fit into a small tote bag or even my purse, for when we go out to eat.  Will I feel foolish weighing my food in a restaurant?  I don't thnk so because I know that I am going to be a winner when all is said and done.

So there you have it, my New Year's resolution.  Not only am I going to keep to my 8 oz per meal I am also going to maintain my blog with posting my foods, get some regular exercise every day, and start back to my OA meetings. 

I have determined that I cannot do an OA meeting every week, it is just to hard with TOPS on Mondays and OA on Tuesdays.  The part I need most from OA is the first meeting of each month which is a Step meeting.  So I will attend those and do my workbook as part of my program.  I need to see if my sponsor is still willing to be my sponsor if I am only going once a week.

The other thing I am going to learn to do is say "NO" and "No thank you".  "NO" to those that want to take advantage of my good nature and always try to get me to do something I just don't have time for.  "No thank you" to those that offer me food over and above what I am allowing myself.

Water is going to start and play a big part in all of this as well.  I have managed to come up with a method of having my ice water at work so that it is always available.  Can you believe it was as simple as taking an ice cube tray to work and making my own ice....duh, how simple is that.

Now comes the best part of all........a challenge.  I hereby challenge any one that is interested to see if we can weigh in with a lose every week for 2011.  You don't need to lose a big amount just have a lose.  Just half a pound a week is 26 pounds in a year.  Think about it, it a really simple concept.

I wish each and everyone of you a happy and prosperous New Year.  May all your hopes, ambitions and dreams become a reality!!!