Back to the grind. Yesterday’s blog entry was all about my mom, her birthday, and the ways in which she has helped shape me into the person I am today. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Today is day number four. Officially halfway through my very first week of getting myself back on track again. It’s been a good week so far. I have made a serious effort to make better food choices, keep my daily intake under 2,000 calories, and keep myself active. I know that I have made these efforts because as I type this I am both hungry…and achy. Lol. Also, I have another observation that I would like to share with you. When I came to the conclusion recently that I needed to start all over again where my health and fitness was concerned…



…I knew that there would be a few similarities to the way things went in the first go-round. And of course there have been so far. But I didn’t really think much about the differences. One of those differences has become painfully apparent to me. See I have been working full time, in once capacity or another, since I was about 17 years old. Whether it was my first “real” job at Drugs Unlimited on Steinway St., the gleeful insanity that made up my time at Sports & Recreation, or the years I have spent as a proud staff member at PARENTGUIDE News. Those jobs all have one specific thing in common. I had to go to THEM. The way most people do. Having to physically go to work became a type of exercise for me. And more importantly it got me out of the house. Nowadays however, I work from home.



It has its perks, absolutely. No more commuting from the tail-end of Long Island into Manhattan every day is a blessing both mentally and financially. BUT, being in the house all day….just mere footsteps from my refrigerator and my cabinets….hmmmm. I really hadn’t thought about how much of a challenge that could be. Did you know that food can actually CALL to you? No kiddin…right through the frig door. Did you also know that the smell of something you cooked the night before still lingers the next day? If you concentrate hard enough. Add to that the fact that I am both an emotional eater AND a “picker” (a handful of this here and a spoonful of that there…all day long), this new venture may be tougher than I thought. Luckily for me I was taught long ago that tougher doesn’t mean impossible. It just means it will be worth it when you overcome it.



So to alleviate these cravings throughout the day, first and foremost I make sure there are only healthy choices in the house. That way if I am getting called by something during the day, it’s an apple and not an apple pie. Also, I make sure to get out of the house at some point during the day too. The avenue in front of my house stretches for about a half mile from one end to the other. So twice so far this week I have spent my lunch break walking to the end of Fire Avenue and back. It’s not all the exercise I need for the day, but it is something. It’s also a half an hour or an hour (depending on my motivation) that I am not sitting in a chair in front of my computer, wondering if the chicken I made last night will taste just as good the next day. That’s a trick question, too. It’s always just as good. Lol.



Little steps lead to big changes…



Starting Weight – 271 lbs

Goal Weight 199 lbs

A Life Worth Weighting For - Day Four by Donald McDermott

2/21/13