Day 284: Exercising Restraint
A weird thing happened to me a couple of days ago. I went thrift shopping and exercised restraint.
I know. Doesn’t even sound like me, does it? There were two reasons. Firstly I have in the back of my mind that
I am three sleeps away from my holiday/thrift-shopping-extravaganza in the US.
Secondly we were introducing a friend to the wonderful world of thrifting and I wanted to make sure
she was getting a quality experience and so I was not in that deep esoteric zone usually required for
a full store, item-by-item analysis. If you visit here often you may know that recently my photos are
showcasing items I am clearing from my closet in the (vain) attempt to make room for the treasures
I am going to find Stateside. I was trying to get rid of fourteen items and managed, under the strict
eye of B——, to offload twenty-one items. Yesterday I picked up only seven new clothing items
(two of which will go into ‘fit into later’ storage boxes) and (eek) two pairs of shoes. So I have lots of
theoretical room left to fill.
List_Addict Irene
And to get back to two things in that last paragraph and take them in a different direction—restraint and the ‘fit into later’ storage boxes—I wanted to share with you a plan I have for the continuing struggle with my stubborn chubbiness. The chubbiness that refuses to move itself. It seems, once again, that I need to make some actual changes to what I do in order for things in that department to change. I am trying to lose twenty-five kilos before the fourteenth of the fourth next year. I pledged to give away money to people I don't like if I didn’t. That money is looking awfully unsafe. Last time I got on the scales I had twenty, twenty-one to go. I went through a stage of trying the five-two diet. It is psychologically sound in that you don’t have to deny yourself everything for more than two days a week, but that got hard too. (My main issue is shopping and food storage: I don’t go food shopping often enough and I don’t have enough room to store it if I do, and so I don’t eat and then eat terribly and ‘fast’ because I am starving.) So this is the next two-pronged plan: a Fitbit and hypnotism.
I bought a Fitbit in the Apple store. It's a bracelet with shiny little lights which works out how many steps you take a day, how many minutes of active excessive you do, how long you sleep (and how many times you wake up or get restless), and your calorie burn. You can input calories eaten too and get a balance. It makes moving fun. For as long as the novelty lasts at any rate. I am trying to be good and input food but it gets down to Internet connections. At the very least it does make me aware. The steps seem to mount quite quickly so I have upped the ante to try and aim for a realistic ten thousand by working towards fifteen each day. The fun-est part, and what will probably keep me going is that it works out a cumulative step count. Knowing my self-competitive streak, I will work on at least getting to a million steps (so a million-five because I want the real count). I wonder how long it will take?
And when we return from America, I need, not want, need! to go and get hypnotised. Hypnotism seems to me to be a semi-realistic form of being careful what you wish for. I am thinking of asking for 'the desire to eat well and not want to have foods that are bad for me'. But I have to make sure I know the full repercussions of that wish. If, like they did to a friend of mine, they can make you feel physically ill to do what it is you are trying to avoid (eg if I have a chocolate biscuit) will that mean I can never have anything? No birthday cake, no special occasions. An action like this is all or nothing. I can't be hypnotised to eat well every day but fridays for example (I don't think—if they can, then I'll have that option, thanks). I have to be sure I want this. If it works? But I suppose the whole idea is that I will not care that I can't have these things if it does work, so it will be a mute point. I have to weigh up the two special things: a chocolate biscuit; fitting into all the amazing clothes in my stash. Which one tips the scales?
The Outfit
Clearing the Closet: It’s time to go grey bat-wing top that I like but never wear
Top (eliminated): Op-shopped
Pants (Pjs): Target
Bracelets: Gifted and Junk Jewellery Shop Somewhere
Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens
Photographer de Jour: Moi
Who wore it better?
Getting linky today with:
And to get back to two things in that last paragraph and take them in a different direction—restraint and the ‘fit into later’ storage boxes—I wanted to share with you a plan I have for the continuing struggle with my stubborn chubbiness. The chubbiness that refuses to move itself. It seems, once again, that I need to make some actual changes to what I do in order for things in that department to change. I am trying to lose twenty-five kilos before the fourteenth of the fourth next year. I pledged to give away money to people I don't like if I didn’t. That money is looking awfully unsafe. Last time I got on the scales I had twenty, twenty-one to go. I went through a stage of trying the five-two diet. It is psychologically sound in that you don’t have to deny yourself everything for more than two days a week, but that got hard too. (My main issue is shopping and food storage: I don’t go food shopping often enough and I don’t have enough room to store it if I do, and so I don’t eat and then eat terribly and ‘fast’ because I am starving.) So this is the next two-pronged plan: a Fitbit and hypnotism.
I bought a Fitbit in the Apple store. It's a bracelet with shiny little lights which works out how many steps you take a day, how many minutes of active excessive you do, how long you sleep (and how many times you wake up or get restless), and your calorie burn. You can input calories eaten too and get a balance. It makes moving fun. For as long as the novelty lasts at any rate. I am trying to be good and input food but it gets down to Internet connections. At the very least it does make me aware. The steps seem to mount quite quickly so I have upped the ante to try and aim for a realistic ten thousand by working towards fifteen each day. The fun-est part, and what will probably keep me going is that it works out a cumulative step count. Knowing my self-competitive streak, I will work on at least getting to a million steps (so a million-five because I want the real count). I wonder how long it will take?
And when we return from America, I need, not want, need! to go and get hypnotised. Hypnotism seems to me to be a semi-realistic form of being careful what you wish for. I am thinking of asking for 'the desire to eat well and not want to have foods that are bad for me'. But I have to make sure I know the full repercussions of that wish. If, like they did to a friend of mine, they can make you feel physically ill to do what it is you are trying to avoid (eg if I have a chocolate biscuit) will that mean I can never have anything? No birthday cake, no special occasions. An action like this is all or nothing. I can't be hypnotised to eat well every day but fridays for example (I don't think—if they can, then I'll have that option, thanks). I have to be sure I want this. If it works? But I suppose the whole idea is that I will not care that I can't have these things if it does work, so it will be a mute point. I have to weigh up the two special things: a chocolate biscuit; fitting into all the amazing clothes in my stash. Which one tips the scales?
Who wore it better?
Getting linky today with:
Restraint and thrift shopping - say it ain't so!
ReplyDeleteHave you read Stephen King's Thinner? I read it quite a while ago and your idea about losing the weight via hypnotism reminds me of that.
ReplyDeleteI am lame lame lame about being restrained when thrift or consignment store shopping. I know I'll never see that item again.
I'm so excited for your trip! : )
bisous
Suzanne
Hope you're enjoying America! Can't wait to hear all about it.
ReplyDeleteLove the pants!