How to get thin in life. A new decision by Sarah Timms Thompson, based on a quote from Scrubs.
If you, like so many people in America, are thinking to yourself "hey, I'd like to lose X-number of pounds" then I'm sure you know what this blog is talking about. especially if that number is 10 or less. 5 or less and maybe I'm preaching to the choir. Because the less you have to do, the less you end up doing. Which sounds stupid, I know. But just hear me out.
Recently I decided to start tracking my caloric intake on my new favorite website called LiveStrong.com. Quick plug for LiveStrong.com: you just enter in what you ate, and they already have the nutritional information. You can even enter in a recipe and they will tell you how many calories are in said recipe. It's pretty amazing. Plus, you just enter how many pounds you weigh, your activity level and weekly goals (maintain, lose, gain, by how much) and they'll tell you how many calories you're supposed to have. And you off-set that number by physical activities, which it also calculates calories for - right down to mapping the route you ran. Freaking brilliant. Anyway, I've been doing this for two weeks now and I have to say, I am really liking it.
So, how do you get thin?
You just never, EVER look at yourself and say “hey. I’m looking pretty good today” because the MINUTE you do that, you are screwed.
Take, for example, me. Even with my doughnut on Monday, and my horrible (and so tasty) Pecan Crispie episode yesterday (what! They were still warm from the oven!) I stepped on the scale today to reveal an amazing number. Sure, it was probably a fluke of nature, but I took it. And I ran happily with it to work today.
And then went to Firehouse Subs (which is WONDERFUL and if you’re traveling and see one, stop and eat there) for lunch because when I looked at LiveStrong.com it said it was only 440 calories. On further LiveStrong inspection that was without cheese or mayo (who eats sandwiches like that?) so instead I ate 730 calories. PLUS a little root beer mixed in with my diet coke. PLUS baked lays originals, which I can not do without. And half a cookie because, darnit, I am worth it and I've been doing amazing work. What does this boil down to? You see a little success and then suddenly it’s like “well screw this! I must be so amazing I don’t have to still do that” and you DON’T.
The SECOND you feel good about yourself, you screw yourself over.
Take, again, an example of the last time I had a six-pack. And I mean a GOOD six pack. All it took was for someone to notice and appreciate, and then my gym routine went from “5 days a week” to being more along the “once a week” schedule (which, by the way, is about the schedule I’m on now… sad). And I have never had a smoking six pack since. Not because I haven’t wanted to, but more because… well… take the slippery slope of example the first and I’m sure you can imagine. (I'm not even going to tell you who said someone was, because it will just show how long ago my smokin six pack was).
So, take my advice friends. Be happy. But look forward instead of looking at where you are with goals. Because if not, you'll end up making homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner and ice cream sandwiches for dessert instead of something even vaguely healthy. (which, as it so happens, is just what I'm making for dinner tonight. Recipe complements Alton Brown's cookbook "Good Eats: the Early Years.")
2 comments:
Amen.
Honestly, I threw my scale out about 7 years ago. In that time I've lost over thirty pounds (let's be honest, closer to 40). Ouch! The less I worried about what I LOOKED like and worried more about what I felt like the better. (It also helped that I stopped eating processed and refined food, focus instead on eating plant based whole foods and eat meat maybe once a week...I'm just saying.)
Sarah, I love your blog. I shall now post an empowering SisterWomanSister-style message; please take it with fun!
Sarah, Sarah -- you must always, ALWAYS feel wonderful about yourself and never let your weight get in the way of a fantastic self-image each and every day! Because you are an amazing and wonderful person, who is blessed with a keen and INTERESTING mind (interesting!) and an exceptional sense of wonderment and an innate love of things that are fantastic in a way that perhaps only you can see. And that's OK. And being "thin" is overrated. BIG TIME.
HOWEVER - being in Shape is excellent. And you, Sarah, really like to be in shape! And you ARE in good shape! And if you really like the LiveStrong.com, please do keep right on using it - sounds like fun to me! And throw away the scale - but keep taking the dog for a run, hike with the husband, GO to the gym (at least twice a week, you know), and love the body you have. Your clothes will tell you if you're gaining weight, and your common sense will keep you eating the baked chips and diet soda.
Preach, preachy, preachily yours - James' Mom
PS - James has a six pack. We call it his "Juice Box Pack."
PPS - James is three and works out hard three days a week, plus all his playtime activities. We only weigh him to more accurately complain about how heavy he's becoming.
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