What works for me

I'm listing these things not so much as advice for you, but as a reminder for me. If you happen to think these things might work for you, then feel free to join me. My New Year truly starts January 2nd, as New Year's Day is devoted to ribs, kraut, hoppin' john and carrot coins – all eaten for good luck in the new year – and football with snacks. All this food is eaten cheerfully and without guilt.

I hope all the food I eat in 2008 is eaten with the same attitude.

Now on to what has worked for me in the past …

• Menu planning
• Exercising daily
• No evening snacks
• Lots o' water
• Monthly progress photos
• Daily – or almost daily – blog posting
• Daily weigh-in
• Food journaling [I use CalorieKing software for this]
• No sugar

That list includes just about every suggestion offered by every diet program out there, and then some, doesn't it? Listing isn't enough, of course. I'll be working on my follow-through. And I'm betting I won't be alone.

This year will be different because Mr. Shrinking Knitter has retired and will be here all the time. He expects at least one meal a day. [He manages to feed himself for breakfast and lunch, if he wants food during the day, but does enjoy having a nice, home-cooked dinner.] When he was working out of town, I had three nights where I didn't have to eat at all if I didn't want to.

Obviously, when I look at my lack of weight-loss progress in 2007, I wanted to. Heh.

Here's what weather.com told me this morning:


I have a dentist's appointment late this morning, an hour's drive away; not sure if I'll make it. I will make it to the treadmill today, and the weight bench as well. My shoulder/arm/bicep still hurts, but I need to do some strength training or else!