The Banana Republic Challenge

Last July I wrote about my shallow inspiration to lose weight - fitting into a Banana Republic dress. (http://havecatwilltravel.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/the-banana-republic-goal.html). This is going to be a repetitive blog, so I'm just going to publish but not share it. I'll share updates, which I'm determined to have.

I admit that I became consumed with other thoughts last year which upped my stress eating and also because so much of my shopping is impulsive and I don't think in advance about something I want to buy, it's been a fairly easy inspiration to set aside. However we're now hopefully going back to the US in 2014  it's occurred to me that I can now use the satisfaction I'd feel walking into the store, rather than walking past, head bowed with embarrassment that I don't feel good enough as a really good inspiration. (I feel this with any "normal size" store, I don't think Banana Republic is some super amazing designer store etc - they just really match my style.)

So, I have an actual goal now, with an actual timeline (15 months). It's also a good time to start, as my thyroid medication has just been upped as it wasn't working as well as it should have, so hopefully my very sleepy metabolism wakes up.

Realistically I'm not sure if I'll lose enough weight in that time, but I'll certainly feel fitter and healthier so that's great.

So, to the Banana Republic Challenge. It will not involve actual bananas, horrible, horrible things. It will involve me making more little changes to my diet and exercise, that I plan to increase and consolidate as things go on.

The first changes are:
- Drink more water, most notably swapping my extremely bad habit of a coca cola with lunch with water. I also drink a glass of cola with dinner each night, I'll look to cut down on that later, but baby steps with my caffeine and sugar!
- Eat more fruit and vegetables - it's occurred to me that I really don't eat fruit at all, and stick to vegetables as a side dish to a main. I really hate salad but I'm going to learn to eat it regardless.
- Bring snacks like carrot sticks etc to work, and have them prepped at home, because I don't actually snack enough, and when I do I find myself looking for chocolate or chips etc.
- The most important is to get more active. I'm having a separate health issue that's making me not want to exercise. However, I'm expecting that to settle over the next fortnight and in that time, I'm also expecting a delivery of specific exercise clothes I'd ordered from overseas. I'd planned to buy a treadmill but I think it's an expense I can't justify at the moment (as I'm diverting most funds to travel) so I'm going to pull out the Wii Fit and actually remember I have a backyard. (I can't walk in our neighbourhood easily because of limited footpaths and bad lighting.)
-I'm also going to log my food/drink intake in My Fitness Pal, I find that really useful when I see and think about food.

I'll report how I'm going in a month :)