Baby Steps

Baby steps are how I need to proceed in my efforts. 

Baby step # 1 – Eat Breakfast. 
I now have a good set breakfast/snacking option in the morning for work days – 30 almonds and 6 prunes.  They are strangely satisfying.  I have actually been doing that for almost 2 full weeks now.  It's not a sexy meal, but it is one that I can commit to while at work.  So that's baby step #1 complete.

Baby step #2 – Drink 8 or More Glasses of Water a Day. 
I have been pretty consistent lately with drinking my water.  Adding a little flavoring helps quite a bit I have found.  I drink my minimum 8 glasses a day every day. I am working on upping my water intake to 10 to 16 glasses a day, but I am happy with what I have accomplished so far.  Baby step #2 is done.

Baby step #3 – Exercise Daily. 
I am still working on this one.  It is the hardest one for me by far simply because I hate exercise.  But I am trying to suck it up and do it.  I am starting to walk at home by going up and down the stairs in my building or by walking in place while watching a tv show or by using the Walking Away The Pounds dvd I have in my collection.  I think I just need to come up with fun walks for myself in the neighborhood.  Baby step #3 is in progress.

Baby step #4 – Track Calories In.Well, this one is really easy for me.  I track my food on SP using the Nutrition Tracker.  It works great.  If I do not have access to a computer I just pull out a notebook and write down what I am eating (before I actually order or eat it) so that I can input the information later.  It really helps!  This was probably the easiest one for me to do as I always have a notebook with me (if not 3) and I remember that when I had previously successfully lost weight it was through tracking my food intake.  So this baby step is done as well.

Baby step #5 – Tracking Calories Out.This goes along with Baby step #3, but I wanted to put this one separately as it is a separate issue.  First I need to get off my butt to do the exercise.  Then I need to record it honestly.  What I think is extreme effort is probably only mild effort in reality.  So I am making sure that I track how long I did whatever exercise and the true exertion level.  I am tracking this well just like my calorie intake.  Step #5 is done!

Baby step #6 – Don’t Sweat The Bumps in The Road.I am starting to deal with this one.  I was pissed at myself for not doing as much exercise as I wanted to the past few days, but I did do some.  So it wasn’t exactly right, big deal!  I am trying not to beat myself up when I goof on exercise or overeat.  The fact that I actually am tracking what I am doing is a big improvement over how I was a month ago.  Step #6 will continue to be a work in progress.

So the Baby Steps that I have are being conquered, but the consistency that I have established in tracking my calories in and calories out needs to be brought to the others as well.

What Baby Steps are you taking towards your goals?
Be well,
      Buttercupp