I need more of them. My aim is to replace some of my existing bad habits and rather than focus on the negative I'm working on the basis that if I introduce some healthier habits they may just boot out the bad one! I have decided that each Friday I will choose a healthy habit to implement for the next week, starting on Saturdays.
To give me a kick up the bum get started I am going to start with 3 for the first week. I have no idea how long this will last but it can't hurt to give it a shot!
Week 1:
1. I will drink a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon when I get up each morning.
While I know not everyone subscribes to this, I don't think it can hurt and it seems to get enough positive feedback from people who are well-versed in these matters so I'm going to jump on the bandwagon.
2. 1.5-2 litres of water daily
I used to be a huge drinker of water - it was especially easy when I was working full time and I was able to refill a water bottle periodically throughout the day without any interruption. Most days I had drunk 1.8 litres by the time I got home from work. I've found it much harder to stay on top of my water consumption since I've been at home - you'd think it would be easier but it's not. I get distracted, pour myself a glass of water at 8am, go off to change a nappy or get someone breakfast and sure enough the glass is still sitting there, practically full, at midday.
3. Eat my 2 & 5
I'm not bad at getting my serves of vegetables each day. I actually love vegetables. But I am shocking at eating fruit. It's not that I don't like it, I will usually choose something else to eat first. I feel terrible that my 3 year old makes better food choices than I do. Tsk tsk. This must change! I should be providing the healthy role model, not a child!
So that's my first 3. Now, I'm off to get myself a glass of water.
I suffer from a rather common affliction of being my own harshest critic. I'm also very impatient. Neither of these are my friend now that I'm trying to get healthier and lose weight. I've lost weight before - which makes me a rather typical female. Once I even lost about 17kg and was well on my way to a far healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately a Christmas binge-fest that lasted for about 2 weeks did irreparable damage and the kilos piled back on. Two children and 6 years on and my body really needs some serious TLC. But all I see are faults. And let's be honest - fat. I see lots of fat. That serves to drain the motivation and coupled with the impatience to see results NOW, it does hinder me in really getting on track. Despite this, I think I may be getting somewhere.
I'm slowly trying to change my mindset. For possibly the first time since school I am attempting to exercise for at least the recommended 30 minutes per day - although have been having one rest day per week. I am trying to fake some positivity until I make it and am telling myself that I'm doing well.
It's an emotional process and I'm definitely an emotional eater. I allowed myself to fall off the exercise wagon a couple of weeks ago and I found myself sinking into despair and self-criticism. It's a tough practice to unlearn.
I've read many people talk of wanting to be able to run around and play with their children as being a motivator for losing weight. Yet I've never found myself really struggling to do that. Since having my daughter I do feel more conscious of providing a healthy role model for her. Not to be constantly worrying about my weight but to be leading a healthy and active life - to show her that it is normal to exercise most days and to eat well but also okay to have some foods in moderation. But to be honest one of the biggest motivators for this superficial blogger is the desire to walk into any shop and know that I will be able to try something on. For more years than I care to admit I have been returning time after time to the same shops for clothes just because I know I will be able to find something that fits. I want my own style but when you shop at only a handful of shops it's very limiting. There was a time when I was a goth. Purple hair, white face, black eyes and lips. Long velvet skirts with rips held together with safety pins. Then there was the skate-punk phase - cut off army pants over fishnet stockings, band t-shirts and lots of eyeliner. Then it slowly became a corporate look (what a sell out!!) but at least for a while it was my style. Now I wear simply whatever will fit and I'm not happy. The time has come for me to reclaim some style. I have no idea what it will be but I'm excited to find out.
