New Direction...overcoming obstacles.

by Angie Fykes
New Direction Weight Loss Champion

This past week has been one for overcoming obstacles for me. One obstacle that I overcame was a planned obstacle (a trip out of town for the weekend with numerous meals eaten at restaurants) and an unplanned obstacle (a family member having major surgery resulting in being constantly on the go). Combine this with day to day activities, and in the past I would have completely fallen off the wagon. However, I did exactly the opposite because I planned out what I was going to eat prior to going to the various restaurants, I packed healthy snacks for the road, and when I found out that I would be spending a lot of time at PRMC, I stocked my refrigerator and freezer with quick and healthy meal options that would allow me to stay within my calorie goals. I have been doing the New Direction program for five weeks, and I have lost a total of eighteen pounds! One thing I have learned from this program is the importance of preparation, whether it is food prep or scheduling time to get exercise. Now, the exercise portion of this past week has been my downfall, and I realize that I need to take that hour for myself a few times each week, because exercise is my stress relief. I never thought that I would be one to say that, but I find myself in a much better mood if I make the time.

The keys to my success in planning are all contained within a single folder on my phone. I use My Fitness Pal to journal all of my food and this allows me to create favorites that I know that I can always fall back on when life gets hectic. I also have a Fit Bit that syncs to this app that allows me to view how many calories I burn throughout the day. Another resource that I constantly refer to is the Eating Well mobile site and magazine. This has been such a valuable resource, as the foods and lifestyle options are realistic and you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of expensive foods to make dishes that are healthy. If you get a chance, check out the Veggiestrone soup. The nagging craving I have been having for a good Italian soup have been well taken care of by this healthier version, and I have plenty of bags in the freezer that I can just grab and reheat whenever I want! Here’s to hoping next week will be a little less hectic, but overall, I am happy with how well I handled these obstacles. If all goes to plan, I will be in my kitchen on Sunday doing meal prep for the week, and ready to kick off a new week while having plenty of healthy options that I can grab and go with if life gets hectic!