Healthy Habits Checkin

In my January 9 post, I resolved to:

*each week print of 7 days of Alan’s diet
*each day of the week circle my meals on the sheet and note any deviations.
*report on how I am doing every Monday

So how’m I doin?

*each week print of 7 days of Alan’s diet Check.
Piece of cake.

*each day of the week circle my meals on the sheet and note any deviations. Almost check.
After doing this reliably for 16 days, I fell of the wagon this weekend. I had a non-routine weekend largely due to a photo shoot that went into the wee hours of the morning instead of wrapping up at the usual time. It’s easier to do routine things when they are part of a routine.


*report on how I am doing every Monday
Buzzz!
I clearly have not done this. I would have written three Monday post by now. The original recommendation was to report back to my witnesses on a daily basis. I now see why. It’s not to be held accountable so frequently. It’s a way to force yourself to reflect on the new behavior you are generating on a daily basis.

Some thoughts:
I didn’t lose any weight. This was not a goal but had I followed the diet to the letter, I would have lost a few pounds. Instead my weight would drop and then climb as I would “somehow” manage to eat the calories needed to get me back to the original weight. This could include everything from incorrectly eyeballing portion size (looks like 6 ounces to me) to consuming extra calories from drinks during “special occasions”. Also each time my weight would drop my anxiety level would increase. When I snacked my way to the heavier weight I would get calmer. These powers of self deception and emotional manipulation fascinate me and fill me with a new found respect for those invisible systems in my body that keep me at some homeostasis of its own design.

On a related note, it’s pretty clear to me that choosing this goal was a “Head Fake” ala Randy Pausch Right now I’m learning to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea with a CPAP machine. This is a little like strapping a leaf blower to your face every night before you go to bed. I believe that focusing on a diet has been distracting and gives me the illusion of control we all crave. I measure food in clear well defined units and eat it at defined times. I get results as long as I follow THE PLAN. Tricky Brain. I am amazed by your mysterious ways.

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