No Sugar Headache

Meant to stop by yesterday and report on the weekend, but I had such a headache I only did what was necessary. I'm going through sugar withdrawal. Its not that I never plan to have sugar again, but it is one of the things I know triggers me to eat more than I need, and I've done that yo-yo bounce back where I've gained back the five pounds I'd lost. So for now, I'm not eating sugar--no dessert, snacks, drinks, etc. if they have sugar.

Last night I attended a writer's workshop and was asked to bring cookies or something. I made a pan of chocolate brownies and a pan of butterscotch brownies and I didn't even lick the spoon! Plus as I cut those moist goodies into serving size pieces and all the gooey delight clung to the knife--instead of going into my mouth it went into the trash. When I take steps like this I realize all the extra calories I tend to put in my mouth unconsciously.

The writer's workshop was good. An interesting speaker who is an editor and author by the name of Chris Roerden. She talked about submitting your work and how to get it past the first "gatekeeper". She didn't offer gimmicky tips, but reminders to take care to watch out for the bad writing pitfalls that get your manuscript tossed into the reject pile.

I'm so glad I attended even though I had that headache. As an added bonus, I met new people and it looks like I may have an opportunity to do a book signing at the Harris Art Center. That would be great. It would be my first signing since the release of the revised edition of Pumping Your Muse with its new cover, and the first since Beyond the Fifth Gate came out!

Tips to Stay on Your Diet for Halloween

With Halloween a little more than a month away, now is the time to make your plan to help you through that time when extra sweets may tempt you to forgo your goals to eat healthier and/or lose weight. For me it isn't much of an issue. We haven't had trick-or-treaters grace our front porch in years and I've quit buying candy under the pretense that we MIGHT have a child or two plunge their candy sack my direction. Just in case someone might think to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood, we have started a new tradition--we go out for dinner.

But for those who know they will have those little goblins, princesses and other costumed kiddies ringing their doorbell here are a few tips:

Tips to Stay on Your Diet for Halloween

*Put leftover candy in a hard-to-get-to place
*Wrap it in your swimming suit
*Place sugarfree gum on top to provide an alternative at the time of temptation

Another idea, buy low-calorie sugar-free treats when you buy your Halloween candy so you have another option. Other possible treats to have on hand could be:

*fresh berries
*sugar free popsicles
*sugar free jello, or pudding
*apples
*Crystal Light
*Swiss Miss Sugar Free Hot Chocolate

You get the idea. We have time between now and October 31st. Let's make a plan. I'd love to hear any other ideas people have out there to help avoid the Halloween candy pitfall.

All or Nothing Mindset

We had guests for the weekend and lots of getting together with others...including for meals. All kinds of food sent my meal plans and good intentions flew out the window. Well not all of them, but most of them.

In the past, my all or nothing mindset for my diet plan would put me in a tailspin and it could be a month or more before I'd get back on track. However, that's not a healthy mindset. I've learned that each day is new...well I knew that, but to take hold of the fact that failing one day doesn't mean I'm doomed to fail the next is huge. This is a new day, and I plan to get back on track.

On the horizon, I'm still considering running/walking the 5K race on September 30. We'll see if that happens or not. It's at 6:30 in the evening on a Tuesday. I originally thought it would be on Saturday. I'm also planning another cleanse for October. Especially with all this eating I've done recently. I'm ready to reset my body's digestive system.

So instead of getting stuck in a loop of regrets of what I should of done and how fat I am, I'm going to plan for better health for the future.

Eating...and Eating

My guests left yesterday morning. The weekend was filled with visiting with people I haven't seen for years and plenty of eating...and eating. I started out with good intentions, and even enjoyed smoothies for breakfast each day, but going out to buffets and all the pot luck scenarios did me in. Even with that, I did exercise. So while I did not stay the course, I also didn't wander from it totally. And now, it's time to get back in the groove.

I've decided to do a cleanse in October. I don't know exactly what I'll do yet, but I'm leaning toward the Master Cleanse as the last time I did that I had more energy than I do now, and it is not as expensive as a regular juice fast. We'll see.

With all this going on, my book Beyond the Fifth Gate was also released on Fictionwise yesterday. Normally I'd think of going out to dinner to celebrate. Right now, I'm just thrilled to have another book out and very happy to get back to eating for health rather than to celebrate or "feel good". That's progress!

One Day at a Time

Logic over emotion...for yesterday it worked. The rest of the week it will be a real test. Today friends arrive and Friday more friends arrive. Saturday I'm helping with a workshop, and with all that there is plenty of eating. But the thing I've learned over time is that there's always something going on and if I make exceptions for all of them I'm just spinning my wheels and lucky if I don't gain weight.

Yesterday, when I thought of eating chips, I made a couple of ears of sweetcorn. I even put some butter and salt on it. The thing is, it was a better choice than chips. That's the kind of changes I'm hoping to make. Not that I can never have chips, but in my case eating chips daily was not a healthy habit.

In the afternoon I enjoyed a fruit smoothie to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Today is a new day and will present new challenges. One day at a time, new habits can be established.

Practicing Healthy Habits

The ups and downs of practicing healthy habits logically should not exist. But the life process isn't always dictated by logic. Life is filled with circumstances that touch us emotionally and that colors who we are and how we act. When it comes to eating, if I can step back for a moment and look at my choices logically and not emotionally, I would make the right choice every time. This is what I'm going to do today. Before eating any snack I'll ask myself these two questions:

1. Is this good for my health?
2. Will this help me reach my weight loss goals?

If you answer "no" to either question, logically I should skip that snack and choose another.

Roller Coaster Weight Loss

Learning to eat right and actually doing it are not always the same. I have all kinds of knowledge, but for some reason I don't always put it into practice. And it's been happening again. Why? I've got all kinds of things going on. I'm excited because company is coming. Lots of company. Not all of them are staying with us, but some are. It does require extra work, but that part doesn't bother me. It's my attitude toward eating that bothers me. I'm excited and I have a lot to do. What better reason for putting aside healthy eating practices? It's so much easier to eat quick junky things...or is it. I mean really, how much harder is it to grab a healthy granola bar over a cookie? To make a smoothie instead of a milk shake?

When I logically stand back from it all, it is so easy to see when I make excuses. And who suffers from it? Me, my waistline., my health. I've lost some of the ground I've made, recently but don't plan to keep going this direction. For me eating right is a roller coaster ride, and for some reason gaining weight is so much easier like wildly speeding down a steep hill, while losing it is more like that slow climb to the top of the hill.

One of the Keys to Weight Loss Success is to Plan for It

I just walked in from exercising and thought I'd better stop by and say hello to all my faithful readers. Trying to get done with all the last edits, interviews, etc. that go along with the release of my next book, Beyond the Fifth Gate has slurped up most of my blogging time. Plus, I'm trying to work ahead on article assignments so I'll have time off to have fun with two different sets of company this month.

With that said, now you know I'm well. Still kicking, and still struggling to make healthy choices in eating. I thank God the No Excuses Work Out System is working for me. Now if I could just learn to harness my cravings. I start out each day with all kinds of resolve, but then it is so much easier for me to eat something quick and keep working. So for the coming week, I've decided to make a big pot of vegetable soup for lunch throughout the week. Maybe that will help. We'll see! One of the keys to success is to plan for it!

The Scale Tells Me So

Today is a holiday, but with all the news of hurricanes making landfall and others brewing, it doesn't feel like a holiday. It brings back memories of living through hurricane Charley and my thoughts are on many friends and family still living in Florida. I want to take a moment to remind everyone that it is a time to pray for those going through these difficult times.

As for my eating and exercise--I hope to get back to regular posting this coming week. I've stayed consistent with my exercise but my eating has been far from the ideal I'd like to reach for. My writing schedule has been rather demanding, but that's an excuse to eat more than I need and I know it. Why on earth I think eating helps to relieve stress I don't know, because it is so temporary that in a blink it is as if I never ate the comfort food...except for the fact that the scale tells me in reality I did eat it!

Enjoy your holiday, but pray for those in the path of the hurricanes.