My Only Goal This Next Week? Stay Strong!

So, after today, I would have officially made it through my first week of Atkins.  I will admit, I've stepped on the scale several times this week - and have seen some great progress.  That was, until this morning.  I was a little disheartened to see a bigger number than I saw on Friday.

There can be lots of reasons for that.  Even though I didn't "over eat" yesterday, I didn't eat dinner until much later than I'm used to eating.  I didn't track my food until this morning and realized that I did go over my carb goal by 3 grams.  I ate bratwurst for dinner, which are LOADED with too much fat...and I ate more than one.

I also walked quite a bit yesterday, haven't "cleaned out my pipes" (yeah, yeah, TMI), and my body could just be adjusting.

Whatever the reason, it was a little disheartening to see the number had gone up from Friday.

It was moments like this morning that made me remember why I'm only supposed to weigh myself once a week.... to avoid riding the roller coaster of daily weight fluctuations.

So, I'm not sure what the scale is going to tell me tomorrow morning - but one thing I'm going to keep telling myself is to just STAY STRONG and go with it.  I'm not going to lose everything in the first week...it's a process, and I just have to have patience, keep doing what I'm doing, and have faith that it will all work it's self out.

Staying strong with Atkins isn't the only thing I have to focus on this next week.

Last week was really tough at work.  I was grumpy almost every day with my kiddos.  In fact, all of the 4th grade teachers were grumpy and frustrated.  And it all stemmed from the fact that it seemed like all the kids had just switched off their care buttons and didn't give a flying patooty what we had to say or what we wanted them to do.

All week long we were sharing stories about how many times we'd gone over something or explained something or asked something - for it to never get done.  How we would give directions, and sit there and watch as most of the class just wandered off in to daydream land...and then do what they wanted to do rather than what they were supposed to be doing.  How I would give 2 multiplication problems to work for homework, and hear a list of excuses the next day about how they just didn't have time to work two problems between watching TV, playing their video games, or playing outside.

We finally decided, as a team, that getting frustrated, lecturing, and taking privileges away just wasn't really cutting it.  It was time we took a different approach, and start rewarding those few kids that were doing what they were supposed to be doing while the three of us teachers focused all of our attention on being frustrated at the majority who weren't.

So, we devised a plan to help instill some responsibility, reward those who do what they are supposed to do, and hopefully release us from some serious stress.  Hello - FUN FRIDAY!  Each kid is going to start the week with 5 tickets.  Those kids that still have 2 tickets left at the end of the week will get to participate in a fun activity like getting extra recess, watching a movie with popcorn, or playing games.  Something.  Those kids that don't have enough tickets will go on, business as usual, and work on whatever it is they didn't do that week - or an assignment that would have been given during that time.

We are all hoping that knowing that those kids who just did what they were supposed to do are getting to have some fun will spark something in those kids that are playing by their own rules.

I just want to STAY STRONG this week and not get all frustrated and upset and stressed over the lack of commitment and effort being given on their part.

Right now, however, I really need to STAY STRONG and get all of my work finished before I have to go and pick up kids from their various weekend adventures.  Oh, and do some laundry.  Oh, and clean and vacuum the living room.

STAY STRONG, STAY STRONG, STAY STRONG!!!

I can do this.