committing to better health, one day at a time, day 1

[kareina]

Today is Thursday, 19 December, 2019

 

In an effort to bring my body back to its optimal state I hereby commit to these things for today:

 

Only mindful eating

• Take my bowl of food and sit in the rocking chair to eat it
• For each bite of food close my eyes and chew it thoroughly (or let is dissolve)
• Focus only on the eating

Only enough eating

• Take only a half-bowl, or, better yet, only a quarter bowl of solid food at a time
• After each session of eating drink a full bowl of water directly
• Drink at least one full bowl of blackcurrant leaf tea in between each session of eating
• Set an alarm and wait at least one hour before the next session of eating
• Record everything I eat in my food log
• Eat between 2 and 3 bowls of food total for the day, and aim for the lower end
• Eat only during the day time hours, when I am actually hungry

 

Only healthy eating

• Eat only home-made foods
• Try to aim my average food intake for the month:
• At least 15% protein
• At least 20% fruit
• At least 20% veg
• Not more than 25% starch
• Not more than 15% dairy
• Not more than 1% junk

For today, as of directly after breakfast (10:36), this means:

• I can still eat between 1.45 and 2.45 bowls of food between my remaining meals
• I am doing great on fruit so far (64%)
• No more starch till I have eaten other stuff (already up to 27%)
• My next meal needs to feature veg (currently at 0%)
• More protein will be needed later today (only at 9% so far)
• Don't forget to eat fruit later today--while breakfast had more than needed today, the month is behind on fruit
• I may eat a little dairy, but not much (the month average is 13% already, even though I have had none yet today)
• Update this section after every meal!

 

For today, as of directly after second breakfast (12:40), this means:

• I can still eat between 1.2 and 2.2 bowls of food between my remaining meals
• I am doing great on fruit (42% so far today)
• I am doing great on veg (30% so far today)
• My next meal must have protein (only at 9% so far today)
• My next meal may have dairy (only at 1% so far today)
• My next meal may have starch (only at 18% so far today)
• I am doing great on junk (0% so far today, and <1% for the month)

For today, as of directly after first lunch (14:07), this means:

• I can still eat between 0.7 and 1.7 bowls of food between my remaining meals
• I am doing great on fruit (36% for today, 22% for the month
• I am doing good on veg (24% for both today and the month)
• I am doing ok on protein (16% for both today and the month)
• I am doing good on starch (22% for today, and 25% for the month)
• I may have more dairy today (2% for today, and 13% for the month)
• I am doing great on junk (still < 1% for both the month and today)

 For today, as of directly after second lunch (16:02), this means:

• I can still eat between 0.1 and 1.1 bowls of food today
• I am doing great on fruit (32% for today, 22% for month)
• I am doing good on veg (24% for both today and the month)
• I am doing ok on protein (16% for both today and the month)
• I am doing good on starch (22% for today, and 25% for the month)
• I may have more dairy today (5% for today, and 13% for the month)
• I am doing great on junk (still < 1% for both the month and today)

 

 

Many of the above are normal things I do every every day, and have for years. Others, not so much so, but doing them will help.  As much as I love curling up on the recliner and a bowl of food, and it is pretty much my ultimate in "comfort eating", it is time to seek out other forms of self-comfort if I need it, and get off the path I have been following for the last year.  This morning the scale said 58.0 kg, which is still way lower than I was for much of my adult life before moving to Tasmania, but well above where I have been for most of my time in Sweden. At this mass I still appear generally slender, but my thighs start to jiggle, and my lower tummy has begun to protrude.  While these are not bad in and of themselves, if I continue to increase in mass problems will begin. Much better to resume a healthy lifestyle now, while it is easy.  It will be interesting to see how many days in a row I can manage to post such commitments. I don't expect to manage when travelling to events, but, perhaps I can make this a habit on other days?