Monday, October 30, 2006

Monday-9:15pm

Am excited!
I discovered a new website last night and have been spending as much time as possible at the computer since then!
I have been trying all year to eat healthier and maybe lose a little weight. I have been eating healthier than I had been, that's for sure--but I haven't lost a pound! I have been feeling kind of unmotivated and wishing for something to jumpstart me again. I think I have found it?
It is a free webiste for people who want to lose weight and/or be healthier or who have lost the weight and/or want to stay healthy. You can sign up for free, register your goals, track your food intake, join any of the many support groups or teams, make a webpage, put up photos, blog if you want to--all free. And this place seems to be really active! I guess it has been on the news, but I hadn't heard of it, of course--not being a news watcher--hehe!
What I love is that I can enter in everything I eat and it will keep track for the day--calories, carbs, fat, etc--automatically adds it all up and shows it right next to what your range for the day is supposed to be. You can follow their meal plans if you want to and enter in what your special needs or preferences are. There's even a weekly grocery list for you to print off if you do their meal plans--and you can make substitutions. Especially helpful if you need to watch your carbs or fats because of diabetes or high cholesterol--or if you are vegetarian, etc. There are articles to read and medical experts you can email with questions...can you tell I'm excited about finding Sparks? hehe!
Living alone--well, without human companionship, anyways--with more limited physical options, well, it's difficult to stay motivated. And it's especially difficult when I only order food once a month. Fresh foods are only good for a week or maybe two. I think I can find substitutions for later in the month when the fresh stuff is gone. And frozen can be an option, regardless--ha!
I was excited that they even had two fibro support groups, too! They have all age groups and a wide variety of interest groups (I found writers, crafters, cat lovers, women over 50, etc)--and you could start a new group if you wanted to, also. The site is pretty easy to navigate and seems very busy! I still have a lot of snooping to do!
I get up today and half awake I automatically grab a couple of Reese's sticks from the Halloween bowl for breakfast. (Not much around here at the end of the month.) I almost fell over when I found out those two little stick-bars were about a third of my calories for the day! Great start, eh? But it got my attention, that's for sure! I think I will remember tomorrow that I have to enter everything I eat, you think!?
I guess I will have to re-do my CashWise online order for the 3rd--hehe! The daily meal planner gave me lots of ideas as to what the options were that were in my range--just playing around with it. Three meals and snacks. I won't starve, that's for sure. Wheat crackers are a filling snack option. Actually making myself eat breakfast will probably help, too. My downfall would be the sweet cravings that drive me crazy!
Funny! My new friend Kathy (I met on Eons) and I were just emailing about Andrew Weil's book 8 Weeks To Optimum Health. We both have the book and were just discussing being support for each other and re-reading it together. In his program you work your way up over the weeks--a gradual lifestyle change.
In Sparks, you start out in the first phase, of course. They have you graduate up to more changes--and you have online support. Just what we were talking about! I started slow. Kind of have to--but this is the push I need to try to figure out some type of moderate exercise program that I can actually accomplish without putting myself out of commission afterwards. QiGong and walking probably. I'll probably have to commit to something by phase two I bet? whew!
So, this is what I am up to right now and will be settling into the coming week. I feel like the Universe just sent me exactly what I was wishing for!! :)

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