Thursday, February 28, 2008

A Pause For Reflection

It has been a couple of days since I made an entry here, and I'm thinking that four blogs is perhaps too much to maintain with any regularity. My attention has also been distracted from my purpose here, in the first part of this week, by a deadline for my podcast, "The Art of Outrage" on Artscene Visual Radio. That in itself has taken a good deal of my time.

But, truthfully, there's something else at stake here. Things have not been going as well as I had hoped. Weight-wise, I mean. I last stepped on the scale on Sunday, I think, and there has not been significant change since the first week of this project. And my good intentions for the use of consciousness to keep things in check have been slipping. I'm slowly getting back to the old, comfortable but essentially mindless habits. When pressures mount, clearly, it's easier to resort to old habits than to be constantly mindful. And currently, along with the four blogs and the podcast, I have two full-length books to read and respond to, I have the IRS to satisfy, and a lecture to prepare for. The latter is not until June, but it's already on my mind. All of which sound like excellent excuses. And they are.

There's another factor at play: I'm a creature of habit, and my meals follow much the same pattern day to day, week to week. I get bored with hearing myself repeat that I had a cup of tea with milk and sweetener at seven in the morning and a bowl of porridge with nuts and dried fruit at nine. Still, I need to recognize that boredom is yet another way of burying precisely that awareness I claim to be trying to maintain. It's not exactly exhilarating to return every day to my meditation practice, but I do it anyway. It works.

So anyway, let's consider this a pep talk to self. It's worth the effort to continue. I'm thinking about adding some "new rules" to the game. A few more ways to eat well, practice mindfulness, and shed a little of that excess weight at the same time. Enough for today.

4 comments:

TMB said...

I hope you do continue your diet blog. I have been reading it, although it is perhaps surprising that following your diet is of any interest to me. I am trying to be more aware of my own eating habits, and to reflect more on them. This seems valuable, not just for weight loss reasons. I guess this is why I have been interested in following your blog. So, I hope you keep going.

dragonflyfilly said...

I'm not going to comment on the food aspects of this Blog right now, as it is late...12:55, and I should be in bed.

BUT...i want to leave a message for you because i was just visiting James' Blog (have not been there in ages!)...was intrigued by your post there...anyway, what I thought was funny was that I have just a few minutes ago found the Huffington Blog, and signed up there! Had not heard of it until tonight...then I come over here and see that you visit there too.

Anyway, you might not think it worthy of comment...who knows...

cheers for now,
pj

Romeo Morningwood said...

I am so glad that you dropped by. I see that you are a man of many talents and the REAL Bush diaries sounds uber cool.

You blog at the Huff! I noticed that it is the most influential blog in the world...

Arianna is my favorite reformed socialite and I adore her accent...
she sounds like Eva Gabor in Green Acres. SCHWING!

Alright I have some catching up to do with your stuff...see ya soon.

ablokecalledbloke said...

Hi Peter,

One piece of advice I'd share from my own experience is that the change in eating won't work if it's a chore, eating should be fun.

For example, I always thought vegetarian food would be boring, but now I've made the change fully and started learn to cook it, I realise that there are very tasty and healthy meals.

I tend to use low fat humous and a little pitta bread as a snack, and quinoa has a great taste (good for breakfast, but can also be eaten for lunch).

The GI of you food can also affect how it affects your weight loss, low GI foods are better for weight control.

Rich.