Of Garbage, Scales, and Things That Go Crunch in the Night

Day 21

By eating healthier, I am not only doing good things for myself, helping out others, but also doing my part to protect the environment. Here's how: In the past I filled at least a tall kitchen garbage bag a week with containers, bags, etc. from the processed and fast foods that I was eating. I am now at a week and a half, and the bag is not even half full. However, this has made me stop to re-think my waste removal practices. One of the delicious benefits, other than the yummy LEAN protein shakes, is that I can eat seafood--I LOVE SHRIMP! (In fact, it's my protein snack for tomorrow.) upon entering my apartment this evening, I was greater by the stench of dead sea things wafting from the kitchen. You guessed it! GROSS! Shrimp shells. Believe me, my apple scented Glad bags were of no help! If that's the worst thing I have to deal with, I think I can manage it!

I will admit something to you. When I embark on new diet or lifestyle plan, I become obsessed with the scale. And it has happened again. It is the next addiction I must break. I know I only need to weigh myself really only once a week. I, however, weigh in the middle of the night when I wake uo to use the bathroom, first thing in the morning, after my shower, sometimes at school, when I get home, after supper, and before I go to bed. In fact, I had weighed so often last week that I knew how much it would appear that I gained throughout the day and how much I typically would lose over night, and be right within two tenths of a pound. So this afternoon I weighed myself, and it appeared I gained ten pounds, which if I go by the trend I observed last week, or Ignite cycle, I will have technically gained six pounds. If two days of being "off" means a six-pound weight gain, then I need to rethink my off days. However, it could be the universe letting me know that I need to quit obsessing with the scales. I also know it is about more than the pounds, but I need to lose so much, that I need to see the pounds trickle away. I just need to quit with the weighing.

Finally, in this rather disjointed post, another confession. I crave crunchy things. I was pleased to find that I can have nuts and seeds. However, like I used to do with potato chips, I find myself that whenever I go to the kitchen, I grab a handful of roasted soy beans, edamame, or sunflower seeds. Like when I used to go into our school's media center and head straight for the candy jar without thinking, I'm not hungry when I do this. It's a habit. Another habit I must break. When I didn't know that I could eat such things, I didn't miss them; I didn't go in the kitchen and grab a handful of anything. It's something that will take a little bit of will power, and will moreover take a presence of mind, and being fully present, not on autopilot, to stop. I can do it!