The 10 Commandments

So it’s been a few months since I’ve updated this blog and the scale has been going all over the place. I’m never on a consistent downward path and I’m never on a consistent upward path. But for the most part I’ve managed to fluctuate between the same 3-4lbs range. Well, this past week for what ever reason I’ve gone outside of that range and I can’t accept it. My pants are feeling tighter, my thighs are touching and I’m not happy about this. I really don’t want to be one of those people that lost a ton of weight just to gain it all back and then some.

So, like I promised. If I didn’t start seeing a positive trend then I vowed to do something drastic. OK, I’m not going the vegetarian route, but I am going to implement stricter goals. For the next few weeks until November 16th (the day after the Richmond Marathon) which is approximately one month away, I am going to do my best to stick to the following 10 rules. So here they are.

1. Limit snacks. In the evening, I tend to eat more than my share of deserts after dinner. Unfortunately, I cannot survive without snacks. That would be considered deprivation. So, I picked my top 5 low cal treats and will limit myself to no more than 2 per day + 1 Sugar Free item optional.

- Trader Joe’s 100 Cal Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Trader Joe’s Fruit Bars
- 100 Cal Hostess Cup Cakes
- Sugar Free Applesauce (Optional)
- Sugar Free Pudding Cup (Optional)

2. No Alcohol. I don’t know when I became a fan of wine w/ dinner, but I usually drink more than the respectable 6-8 ounces. And the calories are starting to add up.

3. No eating after 10pm. I’m usually good at this one, but when I eat after 10pm it’s usually never because I’m hungry.

4. Two servings of fruit/veggies each day. I’m also trying to force more healthy foods into my diet. I think this is a feasible start.

5. No Starbucks except on days when I workout 1 hour or more. I just came up with this one while trying to think of my other bad eating habits.

6. Avoid fast foods. This means I cannot eat at any establishment that has a drive-thru window. If I do, I can only order from the salad menu. Not sure why in the last few weeks I’ve been pulling up to these high fat windows, but I’m putting a stop to it right now.

7. No added cheese. While I’m at it, if cheese is an option on anything I order when I eat out then I’m going to leave it off.

8. Limit Carbs to whole grain or high fiber. I haven’t really figured out what this means. But I’m going to avoid things like chips and crackers which I think I covered under #1, but I just want to reinforce it here.

9. Keep a food diary. This will probably be the toughest goal. I like the Daily Plate, but I can enter calories until the cows come home and not lose a pound. I usually end up going over, anyway. Stressing over calories and what to eat, makes me want to eat more. This food diary concept will not involve counting calories. I’m going to start with just documenting what I’m eating and make notes on my good days and bad days.

10. Workout 5 times a week. To qualify, a workout must last for at least 1 hour. This isn’t hard for me since I like working out. But with the winter coming, it won’t be easy. We’ll see what happens.

That’s it for now. I have established a radical new set of goals, which I’ll refer to as the Ten Commandments. My intention is to follow these rules until November 16th at which time I will party like a rock start. My only other cheat day will be October 31st, Candy Binge Day. I only allow myself to eat candy on 3 preselected days each year and Halloween is of those days.

Unofficial start weight: 174.4lbs

This is what I weighed on Monday. I will report back after the 16th to let you know how everything went.

Wish me luck.

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