I'M NOT ON A DIET: I'M ON A VARIETY QUEST

I detest the concept of a "diet". It even has the word DIE in it!

It also gives the impression that there is an end. Not true. Healthy living is a choice, and I am all about choices. However, lots of diet foods and plans are boring and leave me unsatisfied. I still feel like I'm missing something. I don't think I've ever met anyone who has stayed on a particular diet and is still on it 25 years later. So what I have done is to "choose" to change the way I feel about food. I'm no longer going to look at it as something overly awesome or overly terrible.

Variety is key for me. It is the key to keeping me healthy, and the key to assist with losing weight. I am getting married in 6 months, so now is the perfect time to kickstart this new change. I am your average person. I work 8-10 hours a day at a sit down desk job. I also have my Etsy business after that. I barely have time to do my laundry and cook dinner, much less be a dedicated fitness person. And after a long day of work, I just want to chill on the couch with my little dog and watch Big Bang Theory with a glass of Reisling. Did I mention that I love food? I LOVE food! I even dream about food! But I can dedicate the time that I do have to a little bit of exercise and to plan good meals. The payoff is much bigger than what I will receive sitting on the couch. I can even watch Big Bang Theory while working out!

Here is the plan:

1. I work on the 3rd floor of a building. I'm going to stop taking the elevator.

2. I park in a huge parking lot. I am going to park as far away from my building as I can so that I will walk an extra way.

3.  Every two hours, I am going to take a trip down and up the stairs again for all three stories. I don't have to be Speed Racer. Maybe I'll work my way up to that, and do it every hour eventually.

4. I am going to work out for 45 minutes at least 3 days a week.

5. I am going to pack a healthy variety of food and I'm going to snack on it all day. No boring foods or teeny tiny portions allowed. And every Monday (with today being the exception, for today is Tuesday), I am going to show you what I am eating for lunch each week!

TODAY'S SELECTION:

Peanut Butter Sandwich (one slice of bread): 300 calories
1 cup of fresh blueberries: 80 calories
1 cup of frozen peas and carrots: 75 calories
Low fat 2% cottage cheese cup: 90 calories
18 pieces of cheddar cheese rice cakes:  70 calories

I can hear the fat sizzling as we speak....