ah, the wonderful world of eating out. this, for me, can be one of the most difficult tasks to navigate when trying to be healthy and get in shape. one of the biggest struggles is that eating out is unavoidable. it is one of the primary places we socialize. we go out for a drink. grab coffee. meet up for lunch. get together for happy hour. go out to dinner. these are some of the places that i am most likely to see my friends and have a great conversation. the problem is that sometimes it is not fun. if my mind is so focused on what to eat or not eat, there is hardly much brain power left to concentrate on just enjoying my friend. i have decided that i need a game plan. i think i need to brainstorm some "safe" foods that i can eat anywhere i go out. these will be the foods that i can order without stress and research before hand.
today for lunch i went with a great friend to a diner. it was a spur of the moment decision. the problem was, when i got there i was overly hungry. it was 1:00pm and all i had for breakfast was dried fruit and nuts. so, i ordered what sounded good. french onion soup and a roast beef sandwich. the sandwich had cheese and it was served with french fries. i basically "put a snake in my cart" as my old weight watchers leader would say. so, i knew when i got my food that i was going to have to administer some self control. i ate only half of the french fries and skipped most of the cheese on the soup. i will say that it was a bad choice to order the roast beef. let's get real: i have never liked beef. i am not sure why it sounded good. so, the result was i ate the bread and cheese and not much of the beef.
now, i have choices to make. will i let this derail my entire day? in the past, i would be inclined to think: dang, i screwed up already anyway, i might as well eat some chocolate too. now that i am turning over a new leaf, though, i know i need some better thinking. i think i will say: this was not the best thing i could have eaten, but i can make better decisions for the rest of the day. i read a book that said, "make the next best choice." that is what i am going to do. i will still exercise, i will eat healthier for dinner. i refuse to believe that our excursions in eating out have to derail everything about our diets. another way to look at it is that the food i ate still had value: bread has carbs that our bodies need, cheese has calcium and protein, and beef has protein. plus, she refilled my water at least twice, so that was good for me!!
today i weighed myself and i plan to take measurements of my hips, waist, thighs and arms. i have been struggling with whether to put those numbers on the blog. honestly, i find them pretty embarrassing. i think that what i will do is tell you all when i have lost/gained in pounds and inches, and even how much, but i don't think it is necessary to put my starting numbers on here. maybe when i am a whole new person i will want to share that information. now, though, i am still starting out and i am still living in those numbers that i wish were smaller. thanks for your love and support!
-t
I love you friend! What a good plan to have some pre-chosen options at those places we so often frequent. I think I should do the same. I am proud of your decision today to make the next best choice...as a friend of yours for many years now, and also a partner in crime, I know that so often we have "thrown the plan out the window" and today you didn't! Praise God for your positive outlook and wise choices today! I love you!
ReplyDeletethanks sarah! i love you so much. you are a great friend and a pillar of support for me. :)
ReplyDeleteTerra,
ReplyDeleteAll your comments sound like you have read my mind. I have tried all sorts of diets and weight watchers would of been a success if I had been in the right mind set. As far as exercising I haven't found the one that is actually fun for me! Is there one out there that would be fun for a women my age and size. Possibly?? I think I may have found something that will work for me as far as my eating habits go. I just started this program at work that is called GameOn. It hasn't been too bad. Do a google on it and see what you think. I am on a team of other women and we compete against other teams. I have followed the guidelines to the T. And today is my free day and I actually found myself eating a breakfast of string cheese (protein). almonds (fat) and a orange (fruit/carbo).along with coffee and half & half (my free day choices). My weight struggle has been going on for not my complete life but for the last 25 years so maybe half of my life. I am beginning to think that it maynot be too late for me. So that means it it definitely not too late for you!!! Keep up the good work and don't let one day set u back. Love you! alicia's mom
The same thing happened to me today - starving by lunchtime and ordered what looked good at Friday's. Unfortunately I DID come home and have chocolate afterward, so you have a much better mental attitude - way to go!!!!
ReplyDeleteI see no reason to publicly post private measurements. Only a person with a swimsuit model figure wants people to know those.:) Do, however, let us celebrate your victories with you! A half-inch here, a pound or two there. We cheer you on! We celebrate with you! We join you in the battle!
ReplyDelete