Shrink Yo' Self in 2012

I've recently discovered a great online support group, The Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans.  It's a support site that offers forums, chats and challenges.  Like their "Shrink Yo' Self in 2012"

The Assignment

What’s a challenge {and a new year!} without goals? We want you to think long and hard about this one. What do you hope to accomplish during the next 8 weeks? What do you hope to accomplish during 2012? List your goals out. Think of ways that you will make these goals reality. Don’t just say you hope to lose 20 pounds or that you want to run a marathon. HOW will you lose those 20 pounds? WHAT steps will you take? Will you follow a specific eating plan? Will you attend meetings? Details, people, DETAILS.

What do I want to accomplish?

My primary goal is to lose my next 10 pounds, getting me to 220.

How will I accomplish that?

I need to write down EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that I eat.  Because if I don't, it's too easy to slip, nibble on this, snack on that and the next thing I know I've just consumed twice my daily calorie intake.

By writing down everything I eat, I also count my calories on the My Fitness Pal website. So my plan for these next 8 weeks is to ensure that I stay at or below my goal of 1690 calories a day.  And no, this doesn't mean eating 7 chocolate bars and calling it a day.

I will not however, deny myself treats.  The fastest way for me to fail is to cut out all snacks and deserts completely.  I fully believe that they can still have a place in my diet, as long as it's in moderation.

I will not allow myself to have money for the vending machine at work.  I know that I have no self control when it comes to this.  I take a healthy packed lunch everyday.  I have no need for cash while I'm sitting at the office.

I really struggle with snacking on the days that I work from home.  It's too easy and too tempting to have unlimited access to a cupboard full of food.  So I will still pack my lunch for those days.  This is going to be a tough one.  I may have to put up signs in the cupboard and fridge to remind me why I don't want to graze all day long.

I am not an in-real-life meeting person.  My Mom has attended T.O.P.S. meetings for more then 30 years.  I've gone with her a few times and I just can't handle everyone standing in a circle saying their pledge together.  But the invention of the internet has been great for me!  I LOVE forums, chat groups, blogs.  These are my "meetings".  When I need to reach out to someone, there is always someone on line.  I love to read other peoples success stories and their trials.  If they can do it, maybe I can too.

I MUST focus on my goals every day.  All day.  As soon as I stop thinking about what I'm doing, and why, I will stray.

No amount of dieting, calorie counting or wishful thinking is going to make my goals happen if I don't find a way to get active.  I suck at this.  It's January on the Canadian East coast, which means getting outside requires 20 pounds of extra clothing and then you have to creep along the ice and try not to break any bones.  We own an exercise bike, but it makes odd clunky noises with every peddle that just gets annoying. I have a yoga mat.  No idea what to do with it.  I like the Wii Dance games but never seem to do them. .  The problem is MOTIVATION.  I don't seem to have any.  Intellectually I do.  I know that I need to get moving, pump up my heart rate, get sweating.   I just can't seem to get going.  It's hard; it takes time away from other things I want to do; I would have to change clothes; it hurts; I'm too out of shape to get into shape.   I can make excuses all day long.  So this is going to be the one area that I really need to work on. If I could just get out of the chair and go start working on it!