Checking in for the day...
vatblack
Posts: 221 Member
Hi, how is everyone doing. Here I am trying to get motivated and do what needs doing. One of my biggest problems in life are that I don't want to do what I have to do. That part of me has never grown up, so I've decided that children needs to be treated like children and not adults. (And I mean that with love and caring, I am not being mean to myself).
So, I got this success chart book meant for kids. I write 6 things I want to accomplish in a day on it (including things I don't want to do e.g. no more than 1hr TV a day). If I manage to get a tick next to each one of those, I get a motivational sticker (came with the book). When I have 7 stickers, I can go for a pedicure at a local beauty school where it does not cost a lot of money.
This far this week, I managed to get 1 sticker. So, I do not stick to the blocks each day. However, unlike the chips at OA - which demotivates me rather than motivate me, the success I do have on some days accumulate. I don't have to have 7 stickers in a row. I can just have a total of 7 stickers. It does not feel like I'm losing when I don't manage one day to keep to everything.
It is amazing to see myself trying to stretch the rules (and sometimes doing so) and then trying to convince myself I can still earn my sticker. But I am being child and parent in one, and I am not allowing myself to "cheat" myself by getting sticker when I don't deserve them.
This is new. I have only been doing it this week, but I feel a bit more in control of my life and that the addiction to food does not rule me as much this week. I hope to slowly but surely cultivate good habits this way and stick to them.
What tools have you used lately?
So, I got this success chart book meant for kids. I write 6 things I want to accomplish in a day on it (including things I don't want to do e.g. no more than 1hr TV a day). If I manage to get a tick next to each one of those, I get a motivational sticker (came with the book). When I have 7 stickers, I can go for a pedicure at a local beauty school where it does not cost a lot of money.
This far this week, I managed to get 1 sticker. So, I do not stick to the blocks each day. However, unlike the chips at OA - which demotivates me rather than motivate me, the success I do have on some days accumulate. I don't have to have 7 stickers in a row. I can just have a total of 7 stickers. It does not feel like I'm losing when I don't manage one day to keep to everything.
It is amazing to see myself trying to stretch the rules (and sometimes doing so) and then trying to convince myself I can still earn my sticker. But I am being child and parent in one, and I am not allowing myself to "cheat" myself by getting sticker when I don't deserve them.
This is new. I have only been doing it this week, but I feel a bit more in control of my life and that the addiction to food does not rule me as much this week. I hope to slowly but surely cultivate good habits this way and stick to them.
What tools have you used lately?
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Replies
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I really like your plan! Great job!
The tool I use most right now is MFP's food diary. I log every bite, and staying under my calorie goal is part of my food plan. Once I log a meal, I forget about it. No beating myself up about it if it was a bad choice, no celebrating with a binge food if I made a good choice. I log it and move on. End of story.
This way I am tackling one CHOICE at a time, not a whole day. It's too easy for me to say, "well, I had a bad breakfast so now the whole day is shot. And since I am losing a whole day, I might as well live it up!" By doing this one choice at a time I am not overwhelmed and discouraged.
I hope you fill up your stickers fast!
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Thanks for posting! I know what you mean when you talk about doing the things that need doing in a day. It's such a hassle but it's so necessary! I like your idea of charting your progress. I found a website that helps track that kind of stuff and even keeps a streak for good habits.
www.goalforit.com
Bringing myself to be honest with others on MFP when I binge is something I need to do.0 -
Great idea with the chart and stickers! What ever works! I am trying to use MFP as my food plan. I recently joined an online OA group and was trying to create a food plan but just could not seem to get one. I get easily overwhelmed. Also I can't tell myself I can't have something or I want it 100 x more!! I also tried to get a sponsor but 2 people I approached were too full. I've been lurking in these MFP forums for years off and on and also in WW off and on several times. I don't have the money to throw away anymore. I figure this is just like weight watchers but better. I'm trying to put myself out there and get serious. I need some MFP friends for support and accountability. Today my goal is to stay within my calorie goal. I have scheduled exercise in my calendar 2days a week. It is an appointment with myself. So far this week I did good in that area. Thanks for listening.0
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There is an OA pamphlet (Dignity of choice) with suggested food plans which is what I follow plus I went to a dietician because I can't make that decision by myself. I was told based on my age and height how many calories to consume and I have to measure my food too. Anytime I try to measure my brain tells me it is not enough food. When I measure there is no argument at all. I eat 1200-1400 calories a day and exercise 30-60 mins depending on my routine. I create my food plan in the morning and follow it. It works for me. I met my sponsor at a face2face meeting. Online was hard to find someone to help me.0
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I like what you said about the stickers. I, too, find myself with some child-like behaviors that when I examine the "don't wannas" have a lot to do with food. I'm working on a food plan that works for me and I think it has to be calories with a plan, period end. Thanks for posting!0
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Thank you for all the replies. I love how we each find certain ways to help ourselves. I will check out that website kimimila86 - thanks.
Last week was a total loss. I did not use the book or stickers at all. My daughter and I got sick. Some days was old habits back and feeling bad, other days I remembered how good it felt to do what has to be done. However, I did not use the sticker book at all. I am only at 2 stickers. Most of the first week, I managed to do at least 4 out of the 6 things. The thing I'm the strictest on is watching TV - no more than an hour - that is the reason I was missing most of my stickers the first week.
Today I get to have another sticker, because, despite still being sick, I got up and did a fair amount of house cleaning. I paid bills, and I logged my food. Even thought I did watch 2 shows, I've decided to reward myself anyway, because, when I got up this morning, I wasn't going to do anything, but I somehow motivated myself anyway.
So, I feel I deserve a sticker today. I'll see how it goes tomorrow.
I know many OA don't like gray areas. When I started my program, I really tried not to have any gray areas, but that sets me up for failure. I am glad to be at a point where I realize that I'll probably never manage to get chips in the program, but that it doesn't matter. For me, it isn't quite like quitting cigarettes and alcohol. I never had to quite the latter, but I did quit the former and have never, ever, had one again. So, I know I can do that if it is something I never have to have. However, with food, the fact that I'm always around it, cannot control what comes in the house due to my husband and children and because I have to eat everyday, I have made peace with the fact that I'll be gray programmer and not a complete abstainer.0
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