Week 17: Decoding patterns

Happy Easter to you all :)

What a beautiful day today was.  I so much appreciated sitting and playing outside with my kids.  I loved feeling the unconditional loving warmth of our sun, the song of birds in the air, the awakening dirt my kids so enjoyed playing in.  Spring is indeed here.  Thank you.

As I was sitting outside, I noticed myself munching on peanuts; and as I opened up the first peanut, my kids started running to me for one... then they would run a circuit and then return for another piece.  It was quite interesting how I noticed myself sitting there and eating the whole snack size bag of roasted salty peanuts even though I was not hungry.

It was recreational.

This week leading up the much anticipated Easter Weekend, I had allowed myself to eat some junk.  And when I say junk, I mean:  almost 4 shortbread cookies, a thumb size piece of dark Lindt chocolate and pieces of donuts from the Portuguese bakery.

It was really funny and how surprising when my husband offered me the Lindt and I accepted.  The surprise was in my six year old daughter's reaction:  "No, Mom!  Don't do it!  You want to lose weight!"  She was so right... have I been making "losing weight" a big deal?

Even when she pointed these things out, that eating donuts are bad for us, she would still do it.  We can't blame anyone else for our own behaviours.  If we do, we are giving away our power.

In the last week, I have noticed that FEAR has been holding me back... not just from the weight loss, but in other aspects of my life.  I am grateful to notice these patterns about myself and am willing to change.

This morning I weighed in at 159.5 - the same as last week.

The pattern I've noticed is that after Sunday, I tend to eat less, drink more water and start to take care of myself.  By the time Thursday evening rolls around (when I have less help at home), I tend to just cave in to overeating, eating things that don't support me in my desires like eating bread or pizza.  And when I am at home on the weekends, I tend to eat here and there throughout the day even with my intentions of eating only 2 or three meals a day.

So, really I ought to weigh myself on Thursday morning before I go into the stress eating mode by Thursday evening to see if there is a weight difference in the middle of the week rather than just on Sundays.

It's one thing to notice these patterns.  Now I must understand them and change my ways.

To the best you!

Week 16: finding patterns

CWell, it is now end if week 16 of my Challenge. I weighed in at 159.5 this morning. And to tell you the truth I was thrilled with that at all, but I accept it.

Everything in my life is a result of my past decisions.  I am responsible for everything that goes on in my experience.

This challenge has not gone the way that I had intended it to go, but I have learned some things.

I have learned that I eat under stress. When I eat under stress (such as my daughter demanding me to do something and my toddler climbing all over me as well as pulling my shirt up to drink), I eat too much and I eat too fast. Needless to say, it is my an enjoyable experience yet I do it.

It is after all a choice.

I can choose to do something else, but the default pattern when I am stressed, tired, bored or in need of a distraction, I turn to munching (as long a it is available).

During the week of my Four Day Short Home Cleanse, I was able to eat only 3 meals a day without straying. And last week I was also able to continue with that trend until yesterday while u wa preparing lunch, I had some raisins and peanuts. An again this evening while preparing lunch for tomorrow I had some peanuts and raisins.

Now that I notice it, I can make a plan to do something else.

Another pattern I have noticed is starting something and not following through. This is something I deeply desire I change.

Why?

Because I know I can grow and become someone inspirational and useful to this planet if I did that.

I think that this is a time when I reach out to fellow health coach peers for support. I want to be held accountable for my behaviour.

The truth is my current results are a cuination of decisions that I have made up until this point.

So far I have felt sleepy the last three evenings, eyes sore, nostrils feel like a suppressed cold is withering - yet when I get myself into a state of power, the whole world aroun me feels my energy!

Perhaps it is time I revaluation my motivation for becoming 25 pounds lighter, tighter and brighter in 5 months.

That will be the subject if next week's post.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  I send you waves of love and blissful blessings..

Kim

Week 15: 4-Day Short Home Cleanse

Happy Spring to you all!  It is still chilly out, but I am certainly enjoying the longer hours of sunshine and the wealth of water in the air and in the soil.

And as Spring is nature's New Year, it's also nature's time to clean up. So we have the term "Spring cleaning".

Last week I touched a bit upon Dr. John Douillard's book entitled The 3 Season Diet. Well, I have been following (slowly and with as little added stress as I can) the Weight Balancing Program. It is just four stages. I am working in the first: eat three relaxed meals a day, and no snacking in between meals.

Well, I actually started that three weeks ago, but only this past week did I start not snacking in between meals. So by last week Sunday I felt compelled to take it a step further and so the Short Home Cleanse.

I decided that on Sunday, and on the Tuesday morning I asked my mom to help me soak two cups of split mung beans. That evening, I prepared kitchari, a no fat rice and bean dish with Indian spices.

It was perfect timing. 

The first two days I felt awesome! Didn't feel drawn to eat between meals.

After eating nothing but kitchari for four days straight (11 meals straight), I was SO ready and appreciative of all the other foods I am able to enjoy.

My version of the Short Home Cleanse:

Day 1:  

Two teaspoons if melted ghee on an empty stomach

Days 1 - 4: 

Breakfast, lunch and supper all kitchari. I would chew a couple slices or raw organic ginger that had been sprinkled with pink salt and drenched in lemon juice just before eating. Following my meal I would drink a cup of dandelion tea.

So yesterday (Sunday) was end if week 15, and I weighed in at 158. No problem. I am sticking to my three meals a day and will be noting my progress along this path.

Thank you for reading! Join me again in my next post as I continue toward my goal of becoming 25 pounds lighter, tighter and brighter!

To your optimal health and happiness :)

Kim