Working for the weekend

We here in the U.S. are gearing up for a long holiday weekend. This year our guests will be fewer in number than usual, but it still means menu planning, grocery shopping and food preparation.

Not so different from a typical week here in the Middle of Nowhere, really.

When I check in at eDiets every Monday morning to record my weight, I print out a new menu and shopping list. I'll add some snack-type items for a couple of teen-agers who will be here, and will probably make potato salad and some kind of dessert for the big cookout. I really don't see any reason why I can't just follow the plan for a larger crowd. I doubt that anyone even notices.

As long as I make sure to buy country ham for breakfast – something I don't care for anyway.

I've got a ton of stuff to do today and tomorrow, and our company arrives Saturday, so Shrinking Knitter posts will be short for the next few days. I do plan to take a progress photo to post on July 1.

I know you can't wait! Hehehe.

Edited to add: Do go read Jonathan's blog entry for June 28 called "How Much?" This part particularly struck me:

"Now. I realize full well that what this reader really wanted to know was "How much MORE food do you eat now, compared to when you were losing weight?"

And I understand where that question is coming from, having done my fair share of "dieting" in the past. But I would like you to consider for a moment, that you won't even care about the answer to this question when you are able to find a long-life approach to eating that leaves you feeling content and satisfied. In other words, if you believe that losing weight means you can't eat "enough" then try something different, and keep trying until you feel satisfied."

Maybe that last sentence sums up what's different for me. Of course I won't know if it's really different until I've maintained a loss for a significant period of time, but I feel so fortunate to have found a way to eat that satisfies me. And in the beginning, it's all about the eating.

This, of course, takes the whole emotional-eating component out of the equation. I still struggle with that, and still struggle with eating when I'm bored. But I'm getting better. The other day I spent an otherwise not-so-busy afternoon altering clothes. I didn't want to do it, but I made a phone call to transition from inactivity to activity, and that seemed to work. I added two pairs of pants and four skirts – all the right length – to the closet!

Okay, now I'm done.