Friday, September 28, 2012

The times, they are a-changing

And speaking of time... it's time for the next Blogger Challenge entry, hosted by the lovely Noni;

If we want to transform ourselves we can't expect it to just happen - we have to make an effort and make changes in our lives.  This week's challenge is about the changes you have made to your life - whether you have been on this journey for three weeks or three years - or anywhere in between.

1.  What do you think were the three most important changes you have made so far?
All three of mine centre around nutrition.  Menu planning, shopping list and a once weekly shop.  For the first time in my adult life I feel in control of my food choices, and strangely enough, a lot more confident in the kitchen too.

Flahead fillets on stir-fried asian greens

2.  How have these changes to your food, exercise or mindset impacted on the rest of your life?
In every single way.  I'm more calm, centered and under control in every situation.  A lot more upbeat too.  The daily grind of coming up with something to eat had well and truly worn me down.  Now that "the man" has completely embraced our nutrition changes, it makes everything so much easier.

The JFDI mentality has an access all areas pass too.  I just get up and do things now, instead of sitting back waiting for someone else to do them.  And it doesn't even phase me (most of the time at least!)

3.  What did you have to do in order to make sure these changes happened?
When I first began I used to look forward to my weekly planning and shopping sessions.  then, as motivation waned, I began to resent it again.  One weekend I just didn't make the time - made 1,000 excuses to not do it - mostly out of spite, and as a result, my week was chaos.  Just wasn't worth it and didn't make a point to anyone other than myself.  Lesson learned, I now just suck it up and get the job done.

4.  What difference have these changes made to your body transformation?
The week I cracked the sads and didn't plan resulted in a gain of over a kilo.  I've worked too damn hard to let it slip, so this experiement demonstrated the importance of planning and eating good food.  If I eat well, the scales play nice.  When I get a little slack, the results are there for me on a Wednesday.  And there's no use making an excuse or justifying it.  You've just got to do what you know HAS to be done.  No excuses.  East well, and within your calorie range and you'll lose (or maintain) weight.  It's THAT simple!

5.  Have these changes been hard or easy for you to make?  Why?
Hard is a difficult thing to answer.  I've been so freaking motivated and in reality, have slipped up on very few occasions.  Does that mean it's been easy for me?  I don't know.  Has it been hard?  I don't know that either.  Hard for me, no.  But is that mindset related?  Probably.

6.  Would you recommend others make these changes to their lifestyle too? Why?
OMG YES!  I wasted 25 odd years in various stages of being overweight or obese.  If I live to 100, which I highly doubt, that's one quarter of my life.  So many missed opportunities; parties I didn't go to coz I would have been the only fat one.  Experiences I missed out on because I didn't have anything to wear, or didn't have the confidence to try.  And the days, weeks that I was completely house-bound with crippling back pain - ALL related to my weight.  Why would anyone want to do that to themselves? 

Now I live.  And until you've ditched the weight, or whatever other factor it is you've got holding you back, you would have no concept of what it is to live.  To truly be free of that self-hatred.  It's an amazing feeling.

Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef last week (holding some sea creature the guide handed round)

7.  What do you think the next thing is going to be that you will have to change?
My wardrobe (lol).  Even my shoes are too big!  In fact, and this seems beyond reality to write this, some of my size 10's are getting VERY loose.


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