Doing Something New and Taking Care of Myself

Today I started doing something new.  I began using this program basead around an online community of people trying to get fit and trim.  You can share as much or as little as you want about yourself.  I am sharing just enough to allow helpful interactions with other users who only know me online. On the other hand, telling a few people in my life about it creates an additional reason to succeed. Who likes to fail at something like this? Nobody!  Telling a few people in my life creates an awareness and a spotlight that creates accountability.  I can work with this, knowing that at least a few people are paying attention.

So, this is the program and how it works, in a nutshell. You keep a food diary, listing every single thing that you eat every day.  The diary breaks down your food intake to include the basic nutrients you are taking in, and details include calories, fat (total, saturated, and trans), cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, protein and calcium.  The program also makes recommendations for your calorie limit for the day. The site has enough interactions with users that it keeps you focused on where you are going and why.  For instance, to move from the first levels (Bronze 1 to Bronze 2 and 3, and then on to Silver and Gold), you have to complete certain tasks. These tasks include listing barriers to healthy eating and triggers for junk food eating. On the flip side, you create short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals and motivators. The program regularly fires off emails to you to get you to participate so that you can advance and stay motivated. 

My initial reaction is that this really can work.  But it only works if a user commits to doing this, and I mean, really, really commits to it, day in and day out. When you log your food on a diary, it causes you to be accountable and to really think, not just about your calorie count but about how you view food and eating.  It creates a "big picture" mindset and make you consider the food you eat... or overeat.  The program doesn't hound you if you exceed your calorie recommendation for that day. For each participant, it is your program, and your gain or loss if you are not sticking with it. I am trying to view this as the beginning of a new mindset about food.  I want to stick with this for a long, long time... at least until I rewire my mind and body to stay fit and strong.  My sons are growing so fast, I will not be able to keep up, so I need to kick it into gear!