Apparently preparation is key to going out. Look up the menu, figure out what you are going to eat and then stick to it. If you know what you are going to eat before you get there, there is more chance that you will eat a balanced, nutrient rich, low calorie meal (or high fat, low carb if that is your preference). This has helped today to a certain degree because I did exactly that and had a really nice meal without too many calories.
What it doesn't do, though, is prepare you for the tea stop and the inevitable cake counter.
Now don't get me wrong, just because I gave in did not make me feel guilty in any way because, as you know by now, treats in moderation (for me) is ok. I'm really getting the hang of having one of something treat wise and then stopping. The more I do this, the easier it gets. However, today I realised that this watching what I eat and trying to make sure I exercise and get out and about and being mindful of the way I eat is also affecting other parts of my life.
Today I went to Stratfod-Upon-Avon, a real treat for an English teacher. I was left alone whilst the wife and kids went to see a play, but I already knew what I was going to eat for lunch, so that wasn't a problem. But spending was. I always seem to spend more than I should when I go out and I thought that this would be another one of those occasions. But I was wrong.
The new, healthier me that is mindful of food and thinks things through before I eat them was making the same decisions about spending in Waterstones. Instead of calories, I was counting pounds and pence and bought nothing. This happened throughout the day. My mindful, reflective me was being positive and asking me whether I actually needed the book...which I didn't.
This is something I've been doing with my snacking and cravings. Do I need it? Am I really hungry? Most of the time the answer is no, and so I do not eat it. Sometimes I do, you know that, but there are so many times when I could give in during the day when I don't. So my healthier lifestyle and eating habits are impacting on other parts of my life.
I'm seeing things differently too. I see having to take the washing basket upstairs as a way of getting more steps on my Fitbit, or I'm walking the dog more, or I'm walking to the shops instead of driving...things I would never have done before January 1st.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't all plain sailing. It's hard forcing myself to record food on MyFitnessPal and walking the dog for 45 minutes in the dark after I've spent most of the evening planning and marking, ignoring chocolates and crisps for most of the day and only eating one of something is hard, but the change is there and each day it gets a little easier.
Today I could've eaten loads and sat in a theatre. Instead I walked a lot and saw lots of Stratford. I had a cream tea but this was my only indulgence and my lunch was pre-sorted with the online menu. I knew what I was going to have and I had simply that.
The rest of tonight will be the hardest, I think. It's a Sunday and, like most of us, I really don't want to go to work tomorrow. Instead I'd rather have a lie in but I know it is the start of a very long week and this stresses me out. But I have the strategies I laid down in day one and so I'll be reading through that again later and reflecting on how I can stay on track with the Sunday night blues.
So if you are going out somewhere, this week, next week or beyond, I would highly recommend knowing the restaurants you are going to before you go, picking out what you are going to have to eat from their online menu and then sticking to it. It really does work.
If you have any other tips that you think might help me or others, please feel free to comment or email me.
Thanks for reading.
Stay Strong.
Sean.
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