TGIF?

Usually on Fridays I wake up with a bounce in my step, but then I realize with the weekend comes increased instances of eating out and unpredictable schedules. As a result, I am terrified of my days off.

I am convinced that I successfully lose weight during the weekdays (as shown on my scale) and then I immediately gain it back. I need to learn how to conquer this fear and these situations. Otherwise, I will never maintain success.

So, I turn to the world. How do you get through the weekends without sabatoging your success? Can you still be social and successful? Any ideas or tips?

Being Present

I had my monthy meeting with the nutritionist today. I wasn't too excited considering that the past three weeks have been a complete mess. Between being prohibited from exercising for 2+ weeks, a business trip chock full of cocktail parties and gigantic pile of work that won't go away, I gave into a "what the hell?" frame of thinking. I knew that I shouldn't have eaten an entire carton of ice cream (several nights in a row), but - hey, "what the hell?" Luckily, I only gained half a pound from these antics, but the harder part was facing my nutritionist and confessing to my willing attitude to fail.

So, how do I move forward and refocus? I need to de-stress, but not by changing the circumstances in my life. Rather, I will work on being present. I must remember that the past is the past and the future has not happened. I can only control this moment and in every decision I make, I must ask does this decision help me live the health values that I want in my life?

I like this strategy and I think it makes sense, but what if I decide "no it doesn't and I don't care"? Then, my nutritionist says I make a conscious decision to eat what I want to eat without becoming victim to the food. Have a portion that I want and throw out the rest, don't keep the carton around for me to dig my fork into all night. Eat a reasonable amount and get rid of the rest - easy enough.

So, this is my commitment to refocus and be in the moment. I am sure more issues will arrive over the next few weeks, but at least I am working on it. And, I am not working only on what I eat but WHY I eat.

Wish me luck!

Outing Myself

I just came back from the BlogHer '09 on behalf of my company, which shall remain nameless, where I was inspired by the thousands of women who share their lives and journey's online through their blogs. After a few conversations with some inspiring women, I've decided a few things:

1. I need to out myself and not remain anonymous.
2. I need to make a commitment to post once in a while.
3. I need to celebrate others who write about the same things that I care about.
   

So, let's start with #1...

Hi, My name is Lea and I live in California. I started this blog back in April and then for many reasons, or rather excuses, I quickly ignored this effort. However, I hope to share with you my daily struggles, triumphs and challenges in my fight against the bulge. I suspect more of my posts will be about my weaknesses, but maybe this process will lead to a little enlightenment.

National Iced Coffee Day

Oh, donuts. Their fluffy texture and sugary outside always wants me craving more. Luckily, there are no Dunkin' Donuts where I live and most other donut places don't compare in quality. I've never been a Krispie Kreme type of girl, they always leave me wanting more (which is very dangerous).

If you are lucky enough to live near a DD, be sure to pop in tomorrow, April 21 for Iced Coffee Day. Stop by your local U.S. Dunkin' Donuts on and turn 50¢ into refreshment you can feel good about. For each small Iced Coffee you buy on Iced Coffee Day, 10% of the purchase price will go to The Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation to support Homes for Our Troops. So, stick to your diet tomorrow, and get a coffee instead of a donut. However, if you decide to get add on a donut to your coffee order - do me a favor and have one for me!

Welcome! I am the infinite snacker..

If you're just landing on this blog by accident, you might wonder who am I? Well, the truth is...I'm no one special. I am just the average girl who happens to love food. Having faced a weight issue most of my life, I am a perpetual dieter who is never not on a weight loss journey. So, in my current attempt to set the record straight, I will share with you my new strategies, my constant weaknesses and my ongoing battle with the bulge--because this is war. Maybe one day I will figure out this thing called weight loss! But in the meantime here is a little bit about me in pictures and words...

• I love anything (and I mean anything) covered in chocolate chips
• I am obsessed with Spinning--even though it hasn't let to much weight loss
• Ice cream is my weakness (especially when filled with Oreos)
• I have a big butt and everything I eat goes straight to my thighs
• I weigh myself everyday and it determines whether I am having a good day or a bad one
• I suspect I have a distorted self view
• My battle with weight makes me want to pull my hair out, or at least kick and scream once and a while
• I am a professional women who finds it really challenging to juggle social situations while being "good"

Image sources: Cookies from One Whole Clove; Spin Bikes from NY Mag ; Oreos Ice Cream from Best Stuff; Butt image from Sonja Bailes ; Scale from Weight Matters ; Mirror from Geekology; Hair pulling from Julie James Hypnotherapy; Blackberry from Minnesota Public Radio