The Four M’s
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Last night I was thinking about what I wanted to write today. I thought I would take a moment to cover what changes I have made to try to improve my health. There haven’t been that many, but I am seeing some positive results, so I wanted to go through the list.
Moisture. I am drinking more water every day. I used to drink water only rarely or when it was a part of tea or coffee. Now I drink it straight, and though I can’t quite hit the mark of half my body weight in ounces (164 is a LOT of ounces), I think just the increase overall is helpful.
Movement. I haven’t started working out yet; I still think I’m quite a way from that, but I have been going up and down the stairs at my house more (instead of asking kids to) and just trying to move around more during the day. This is especially important now that we are in summer and I am not going to work to roam the hallways every day. Again, I could be doing more, but for now, this is a good start.
Medication. I am taking the drugs prescribed by Found faithfully. So far, I can report no ill effects, and they have helped me with some of these other changes.
Mindfulness. I am thinking before I eat, and considering several key questions before I just shove another bite into my mouth:
Why am I eating this? I used to eat from boredom or just loving the flavor of something.
If I’m just seeking flavor, do I have to have so much?
If I’m actually hungry, what is it my body is telling me I need?
Have I had enough? Just because I ordered and paid for it, doesn’t mean I have to eat the whole thing.
I want to delve into the details of the mindfulness and food just a little bit more, as there’s a bit more to it….
How I previously approached food and eating and such was very different than how I see it now. I used to just eat when it was time to eat or if there was food nearby or if I was bored, etc. There was no real purpose or thought put into it. Now, anytime the inclination to eat hits me, I stop to think whether I’m actually hungry or just bored. I ask myself if it’s just that I want the flavor of that thing or if I really need something to sustain me right now. Truth be told, I don’t know if I could tell you the last time I was actually and truly hungry. Now, I have to have something with my pills in the mornings, or I get nauseous, so I usually have an Atkins shake with my vitamins and prescriptions each day. But then, when anyone around me begins to get hungry or mention food, I take stock. If I’m not hungry (feeling a bit empty-stomached since I don’t think I really know hunger, per se) yet, I won’t eat anything. If I am, then I will eat.
But there’s also much more thought here. I used to always have very large portions of whatever I was eating. This is, in part, because industry standard sizes keep increasing. It is also in part because I have had little to no self-control when it comes to foods I like. I love fries, so I should order the large so I can have more of them. I don’t know where that mentality came from. I look at it now and it was almost like hoarding; I wanted to make sure I got the absolute most I could. Now, however, I consider that just because I like something doesn’t mean it’s good for me. It also doesn’t mean I have to have a ton of it. I can get the taste of something and satisfy that aspect of wanting without stuffing myself silly.
So, to that end, over the past week, I have been eating mindfully. Instead of the large fry, I would get a small or split one with my husband. Instead of the biggest burger on the menu, I would get the kids’ burger. I haven’t really changed the items that much simply out of convenience; if the whole family is eating from some particular place, I just find something from there I’ll like, and have a reasonable amount of that thing.
For example, one night this week, the family wanted a dessert. Rather than try to deny myself and fight a battle of willpower over Oreos, I had some. Over the course of the full evening, I had five. To some people, that may seem like a lot, but when you consider my old eating habits, that’s pretty darn impressive. See, used to, when we would sit down to eat Oreos, I would have a whole row out of the package (or more) to myself and a huge (think 32 or 40 oz.) glass of milk to go with them. Looking at that now, I think what could have ever possessed me to think that was okay??? But it was never okay, and I always knew that. It was, however, my customary practice.
So, during this past week, I’ve had burgers, fries, tacos, fried chicken, pasta, cake (for my daughter’s birthday), cookies, and ice cream. But it was still a successful week. I still count it firmly in the W column.
Why?
I lost 7.5 pounds since last week!
Now, I realize some of this was likely water weight/bloating. I realize that this is not a normal amount to lose and be healthy and keep it off. I don’t expect that rate of loss to continue. But it was a good win this week. One I needed mentally. (Last night was fried chicken and cole slaw and mashed potatoes—and more of them than I probably should have had—first time in a week I’ve done that, and made me really think about social eating, which I’ll consider more in the coming week…. but I was definitely worried this morning’s weigh-in would be affected.)
So, for now, this is my plan. I will continue to follow the Four M’s and see where that takes me. If I can sit steady at 2-3 pounds a week for a while, that would be fantastic, especially because I don’t feel like I’ve denied myself anything to get here. I don’t feel like I’ve been restrictive or anti-social or troublesome to meet my dietary needs. I just feel normal—well, healthier and maybe a bit happier, too, but not like I’m saying, “Hey! Look at me! I’m dieting over here!”
This is incredibly encouraging to me. Doing well motivates me to keep doing. This loss was sort of unexpected, but I have felt better, I have rested more easily, and I just truly feel like I’m finally on the right path. There’s still a ton left to do, of course, but here we go…. I know I can do this!