Wednesday's Word -- Diet

Lose It!

Why is that when I stop exercising, I come to a COMPLETE halt?  Why is it that when I make bad food choices, I go WHOLE HOG (well, not actually, because I'm a vegetarian after all)?

Well today I have the word "diet" on my mind because as much as I completely revolt against budgeting of any kind (whether dietary or financial), I'm not enjoying the extra few pounds that have crept up on me in the past few weeks.  Note that I just finished a pack of peanut M&Ms while typing this.  Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?

I don't mean to suggest that I have a weight problem, but I do have a go-to-extreme problem.  And right now I am on the extreme end of the spectrum inhabited by people who blog while eating M&Ms and skip their morning runs for going on three weeks straight.

So here's the word.

Diet means "the usual food and drink of a person or animal."  (In my case, peanut M&Ms, vegetarian sushi rolls, and cheetos.)  It also means "to eat or drink according to a regulated system."  (In my case, to stop eating all of the above, except the sushi rolls, drink a whole lot more water, and stop acting as the garbage disposal for my children's leftovers.)  "Diet" actually comes from a root meaning "to live one's life."  (In my case, I better get back to living my life according to the usual rules.)

When I was younger (before we had computers, or at least before we used them for anything other than playing Lemonade Stand and The Oregon Trail), I used to keep a journal of foods I ate (my own particular neuroses are outside the scope of this post . . . .).  Now, technology lends all sorts of help.  One little application that really works for me is Lose It!  Have you tried that one?  It helps you track your goals, food intake and exercise.  I've never used it for anything more than losing a few pounds here or there post-baby (or post complete derailment of all that is healthy and good for my body), but I imagine it would be effective even for long-term weight loss.  If you need a little kickstart and accountability, you might give it a try.

{P.S., While randomly and wistfully checking the FedEx package tracking for my iPad 2, I saw that it was actually (somehow!) to be delivered today.  That gadget made good time from Anchorage!  Well, I high-tailed home to be there to sign for it.  Wow did it help motivate my 2nd grader to study for her math test on the way home from school (with an application called MathBoard).  After I reclaim the thing from my three kids who are on 15 minute rotations ala the kitchen timer, I'll load up the Lose It app so I can stop the insanity.}