Been an interesting month

Well, it’s been a month since my dieting journey began and you’re probably wondering how I’ve done. There have been trying times, occasions when I have failed royally, and even times when I have managed to watch what I eat. The bottom line is I’m 8 pounds lighter than I was last month. While that might not seem like a lot for a month’s effort, I’m more than happy to take whatever victories — however small — I can get. I’ll admit there were moments last month when I failed to watch what I ate. Or I simply watched as I ate way too much. However, for the most part, I did what I set out to do: I tried to eat smaller portions and cut back on excess snacking. The result is I eat more often during the day (I used to skip lunch in favor of a larger supper), but I eat smaller portions. I also found some great aids. For example, I have a terrible sweet tooth. It seems I crave sweets (chocolate especially), and no meal seems really complete without something a little sweet at the end. During one trip to the grocery store I decided to check out those 100 Calorie packs in which small, crispy versions of some well-known cookie brands are packaged into 100-calorie servings. While there may not be much in each package — at least not as much as I was accustomed to consuming — these have proven to be perfect for a sweet snack or light dessert. I also have come across a couple of great Web sites — www.calorieking.com and www.hungrygirl.com. Calorie King lists just about any food you can think of and its nutritional statistics. The site even lists meals from restaurants, letting me know just how many calories I consume on my night out. I was shocked to learn that one of my favorite Mexican meals (dessert included) was 3,000 calories. Now, I never expected to become one of those calorie-obsessed people whom I thought couldn’t enjoy their food, but it turns out counting calories isn’t so bad. It simply helps me be aware of what I’m eating. I still enjoy my food, I’m just able to make more conscious decisions about what I eat and when. But probably one of the biggest things that has helped me get through the past month was support from others. I received several e-mails from readers. Kris shared her frustration about trying to resist all the food spread before us during the holidays (something I can totally relate to, Kris), and Joyce told me that she too was facing a few health problems before she joined Weight Watchers and lost 44 pounds (congrats, Joyce!). Then I received an e-mail from Lee Ann asking me to come speak to the local TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) group. I attended the meeting, gave a short presentation on my column and found myself receiving encouragement, support and advice from the others at the meeting. What people who have never had to lose weight do not understand is how important support is. Dieting and trying to better ourselves can be trying at times. Having the support of friends and family can make a huge difference. The support I felt from the people at the TOPS meeting convinced me to join. It’s important to have people around you who will listen to and understand your frustrations. It is just as important to have people who know what you’re going through and hold you accountable. I’m looking forward to getting to know my new friends better and helping them on their weight-loss journey, just as they have helped me. So, that’s my month in a nutshell. I’m trying to watch what I eat, getting the support I need and doing what exercise I can. As always, I’m interested in hearing from my readers. I invite you to write to me at Christine’s column, c/o the Sentinel, 64 Downtown Plaza, Fairmont, MN 56031, or e-mail me with Christine’s column in the subject line at news@fairmontsentinel.com. I hope to have more good news to report in March. Christine Rupp is the Sentinel city editor.