Entry 321: Back to the basics...

I have been struggling and with that I have decided I need to go back to the basics and do what I did originally on day one. The first thing that I really went full force with was my portion control. In doing that I bought lean cuisines, healthy choice meals, etc... I know they are not the "healthiest" but they are great for getting back on track with portion control. I think of it like having training wheels, ha! When I feel that I am ready to get off the frozen meals and trust myself enough to make my own portions I will then start preparing my own food with fresh ingredients & get back on the lean and green wagon. (Hopefully that wont take too long) -- I plan to pick up frozen meals the next time I go to the store. I also plan to pick up bananas! I used to eat bananas like crazy in the beginning. It's nice to be able to grab a banana for breakfast instead of having to prepare something even if it is just my 90 sec oatmeal; there are days where I just don't care. The banana is a great grab it and go item. I am also going to pick up lemons and start back up on that. I have kept up with the lemon water somewhat but have fallen off the routine of doing it EVERY MORNING. I have to start back with baby steps and treat myself as I did on day 1. This week I am cleaning out my fridge/cupboards and getting rid of ANYTHING that may tempt me. I am also preparing myself mentally. I need to start fresh.

This is my plan starting this next week:

• First thing to do before I eat or drink anything in the AM is take 1 half of a fresh lemon squeezed into 1 cup of warm water. (I have gotten many questions about this and I have found an easier way to down it and that is to take just the lemon juice mixed with a tad of warm water and drink it like a shot. I then fill my glass up with 1 cup of plain warm water and down that. It seems to work better for me and saves me time from taking little sips lol)
  
  
• I love coffee and I know it isn't a bad thing BUT it is for me. When I drink coffee I become dependent on it and have to have it to the point where I exclude my green tea and make it obsolete. SO in weaning myself off of coffee I will replace it with green tea and get back to drinking AT LEAST 5 cups a day. Coffee will then become a treat. (I have also gotten many messages about what kind of green tea I use and I DO NOT drink any pre-bottled stuff. The best stuff for you is the tea bags and I usually get whatever is on sale. I make it 1 cup at a time and drink it straight.)
  
  
• My breakfasts will be 2 eggs with wheat toast (cooked with my olive oil spray), a banana or my instant oat revolution BetterOats oatmeal (sometimes both banana and oatmeal depending on my mood).
  
  
• My lunches (if I can force myself to eat lunch!) will be a Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice meal, etc...
  
  
• My dinners will be the same as my lunches.
  
  
• Count calories, count calories, count calories! My daily max will be 1,200.
  
  
• WATER AND GREEN TEA ONLY (w/the occasional black coffee)
  
  
• OLIVE OIL ONLY; NO BUTTER (I found olive oil spray at Dollar General and it works great! It really helps with not using too much. I also have a bottle of extra virgin olive oil that I can use but for pan frying stuff I have found the spray works the best.)
  
  
• I will also resist the urge to salt my food. Too much sodium can mess things up for me! It can make you retain water weight and throw off your progress (at least for me it does) and if I am going to be eating frozen meals I know they have a good amount of sodium already in them.
  
  
• ABSOLUTLEY NO FAST FOOD
  
  
• NO EATING AFTER 7PM
  
  
• A 30 minute workout EACH DAY (I have yet to decide a time). Since I have somehow re-hermited myself I plan to start back up with my basement routine and hopefully spice it up with walks. I have really fallen behind with my walking.
  
  
• By the end of the day I should have consumed a minimum of 75oz of water & 5 cups of green tea. I also want to get back to posting every day like I used to and be held accountable for each day, good OR bad. 
  
  
• And last but not least I need to remember; POSITIVITY IS KEY!

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<-- I got to a strawberry before the critters did! I think that lavender trick I talked about in a previous post worked!

I also finally went for a swim this past Sunday! I can't believe I waited so long to go to the lake. I loved it and I was completely in my element. I went around 8PM and it felt like I had the lake to myself. I was the only one at the beach otherwise there were a couple boats out. I swam some laps and it made me realize just how out of shape I have let myself get! To just think if I would have kept up with things where would I be at right now?

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