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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

It helps to be compulsive

I get up at the same time each morning, usually a few minutes before my alarm sounds.  I drink coffee, read the paper, walk the dog, bathe, get ready for work.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I ride my bike to work.  Otherwise I drive.  At 10:00 AM I eat my Greek yogurt.  At noon I have lunch.  On Mondays and Fridays I have a small mocha in the afternoon.  On Wednesdays I go out to lunch.  I always go to Café Yum! and get a small original Yum! bowl and a bag of kettle chips.  I count out 13 chips and staple the bag shut.  I go to church every Sunday.  Saturday morning I clean and afternoons I fold laundry.  I visit my mom every other Sunday afternoon.  I grocery shop every other Thursday evening after work. 

I never have to talk myself into exercising.  It is just part of what I do.  I like my routine.  When I was single I typically ate the same foods day after day.  After a while I'd get tired of something and switch it up a bit.  Some of my favorites were green salad with rice vinegar dressing and five saltine crackers and this yummy red beans and rice chili that they don't make anymore. 

There are certain things I do on certain days of the year.  Holidays have their own traditions, of course.  I always take one of my week's vacation over my birthday and the other one between Christmas and New Years.

I think you get the idea.

I am pretty sure everyone has a routine of some sort or another, but I'm also pretty sure that what I do is a little more extreme than the norm.  I don't think I have OCD or anything like that. What I've come to realize, however, is that in the weight-loss, weight-maintenance game, it helps to be a little compulsive.  I read a lot of blogs where people talk about wanting to work out, wanting to get back to their routine and really struggling to do so.  That's never happened to me.  I don't do a real strenuous work out right now (although I have at various times in the past), but whatever I commit to do, I do.  I'm the best work out buddy in the world!  Actually maybe my dog is the best.  He's so competitive.

So I am calling today, "Embrace Your Compulsiveness" day.  It is a day to celebrate the routine, the mundane, the ritual.  Our ambassador is Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory.   

What about you?  Do you have some inner neurosis that helps you stay on track?  Let's hear about it! 

7 comments:

Amanda said...

My whole life is one big inner neurosis.

Ya know I really don't have anything that helps me keep on track. Probably why I have failed at so many other diets before. I kinda fall off the wagon in previous times and just don't get back on! But I do find that nowadays I might have a few days where I am off and then I seem to just get there!

I might need to think about this subject further!

Rhonda said...

I WISH I had an inner neurosis. It'd make sticking to my exercise routine that much easier.

MandaPanda said...

I love it! Unfortunately, I do not have even a tiny bit of neurosis in me which is probably why I'm one of those people constantly trying to "get on a routine." I definitely see benefits of it. My girls are on a routine and without it, they're grumpy and all over the place. I just can never seem to embrace one. It always feels like "Oh. Now I HAVE to do this." Does that make any sense?

Cat said...

Yep...I claim to have CDO (It's like OCD but the letters are in alphabetical order as they should be hee hee). I seriously cannot get my regular workout in if I don't do it first thing in the morning. I like my routine and I definitely am more healthful when I'm in my routine. I also love BBT!

speck said...

Amanda, I thoroughly enjoyed your post. I think you are a talented writer.

There is one thing that stands out that I have always done without fai.

I've had a budget(handwritten twice a month) since I was 18years old.(I'm 47 now)(I know this is nothing weight related)My dad took me to the bank to borrow $400.00 for a tv. lol

Definitely one of the best things I've stuck to.

Thanks for a great topic.

Dani said...

I love routine!! I always go to the gym the same 2 mornings before work, it's almost like my clothes lay themselves out for it! I'm trying to become more flexible in other parts of my life cos I'm a bit of a all or nothing girl!! :)

Lady Lap Band said...

I love this post! I do have a bit of a routine but nothing as serious as yours! It would be a good idea to work on that though, so this is what I will do!! Thanks!

Thank you for your advice as well, I did ok with late night eating last night. Not as well as I wanted to but it was for sure an improvement!

Breanne
www.ladylapband.com