Friday, February 28, 2003
Thursday, February 20, 2003
Simplifying
I've tracked my eating habits for quite a while now. I think I've basically got the balance figured out, and know what to do/what not to do. I may track myself for a week, here and there, to make sure I don't get off-kilter again, but I think I've learned everything I'm going to about my eating habits.
I don't want to obsess over calories, or protein/carb/fat balances. To be quite honest, it's a huge pain in the ass to continually track this stuff, anyway. Not to mention time consuming.
I know now that it's not really my eating habits that are an issue. It's exercise. As in, the lack thereof. I have good plans and goals, reasonable schedules and routines, but I completely lack the discipline to follow through. Given the choice between sweating for an hour, or watching That 70's Show, I pick TV every time.
So now I'm going to concentrate on getting myself motivated and moving. Which doesn't mean I won't continue to watch what I eat, I'll just be reasonable and thoughtful about it. It's impossible to *not* obsess over food when you're constantly counting calories, making meal plans, and figuring out how to eat every two hours.
I just don't think that whole "eating every two hours" thing is for me. I gained four pounds by following the nutritionist's advice (though I did pick up in energy, like he said I would). So now I think it's about balancing the meals I do have between carbs and protein, but I'm not going to eat three carb snacks throughout the day. I just think that's too much, for me. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner have always worked for me, so that's what I'm going to stick with.
Nor do I think such diets as all carb, no carb, high protein, cave man, grazing, vegetarian, etc. are really right for me, either. Every time I go to one extreme or another, I either end up gaining weight (or at least not losing), or losing energy. Balance, a low fat diet (but not obsessively so), and exercise are the key for me, I think.
I've tracked my eating habits for quite a while now. I think I've basically got the balance figured out, and know what to do/what not to do. I may track myself for a week, here and there, to make sure I don't get off-kilter again, but I think I've learned everything I'm going to about my eating habits.
I don't want to obsess over calories, or protein/carb/fat balances. To be quite honest, it's a huge pain in the ass to continually track this stuff, anyway. Not to mention time consuming.
I know now that it's not really my eating habits that are an issue. It's exercise. As in, the lack thereof. I have good plans and goals, reasonable schedules and routines, but I completely lack the discipline to follow through. Given the choice between sweating for an hour, or watching That 70's Show, I pick TV every time.
So now I'm going to concentrate on getting myself motivated and moving. Which doesn't mean I won't continue to watch what I eat, I'll just be reasonable and thoughtful about it. It's impossible to *not* obsess over food when you're constantly counting calories, making meal plans, and figuring out how to eat every two hours.
I just don't think that whole "eating every two hours" thing is for me. I gained four pounds by following the nutritionist's advice (though I did pick up in energy, like he said I would). So now I think it's about balancing the meals I do have between carbs and protein, but I'm not going to eat three carb snacks throughout the day. I just think that's too much, for me. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner have always worked for me, so that's what I'm going to stick with.
Nor do I think such diets as all carb, no carb, high protein, cave man, grazing, vegetarian, etc. are really right for me, either. Every time I go to one extreme or another, I either end up gaining weight (or at least not losing), or losing energy. Balance, a low fat diet (but not obsessively so), and exercise are the key for me, I think.
Thursday, February 13, 2003
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Breakfast: Two slices sprouted bread with 1.5 tbsp lowfat cream cheese. Coffee. Green tea.
Snack: 8 oz fat free vanilla yogurt.
Lunch: 2 cups chicken noodle soup, melba toast crackers, an apple, and 3/4 cup grape tomatoes.
Snack: Luna bar.
Dinner: A hoagie with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Four pepperocini peppers. A handful of chips. Wine.
Snack: 8 oz fat free vanilla yogurt.
Lunch: 2 cups chicken noodle soup, melba toast crackers, an apple, and 3/4 cup grape tomatoes.
Snack: Luna bar.
Dinner: A hoagie with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Four pepperocini peppers. A handful of chips. Wine.
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
Breakfast: Two pieces of sprouted bread with 1.5 tbsp lowfat cream cheese, coffee, tea.
Lunch: Hoagie sandwich with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Three pepperocini peppers. An apple. One cucumber, sliced, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Snack: Luna bar.
Dinner: 1.5 cups fettuccini with 1/2 cup alfredo sauce and 1/3 cup baby shrimp. Wine.
Snack: 1/3 cup raspberry sorbet.
Lunch: Hoagie sandwich with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Three pepperocini peppers. An apple. One cucumber, sliced, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Snack: Luna bar.
Dinner: 1.5 cups fettuccini with 1/2 cup alfredo sauce and 1/3 cup baby shrimp. Wine.
Snack: 1/3 cup raspberry sorbet.
Monday, February 10, 2003
Breakfast: 1 cup Kashi Good Friends cereal with 1/2 cup 2% milk. Green Tea.
Lunch: Hoagie sandwich with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Two pepperocini peppers. An apple. Three Oreo cookies.
Snack: Pretzels with cheddar cheese. Green tea.
Dinner: Small piece of cube steak on white toast with cheese, mayo and ketchup. Sprite.
Lunch: Hoagie sandwich with ham, fat free cheese, dill pickles, and onions. Two pepperocini peppers. An apple. Three Oreo cookies.
Snack: Pretzels with cheddar cheese. Green tea.
Dinner: Small piece of cube steak on white toast with cheese, mayo and ketchup. Sprite.
Sunday, February 09, 2003
Breakfast: Coffee.
Lunch: Salad with seared ahi tuna, lettuce, honeydew, pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, strawberries, and honey lime dressing. Tortilla soup. Iced tea.
Snack: Pretzels with cheddar cheese and pepperocini peppers. Green tea.
Dinner: 1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/3 cup raspberry sorbet.
Lunch: Salad with seared ahi tuna, lettuce, honeydew, pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, strawberries, and honey lime dressing. Tortilla soup. Iced tea.
Snack: Pretzels with cheddar cheese and pepperocini peppers. Green tea.
Dinner: 1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/3 cup raspberry sorbet.
Saturday, February 08, 2003
Breakfast: Coffee.
Lunch: 3/4 of a ham hoagie with fat free cheese, bread and butter pickles, onion, 1 tsp olive oil, and two pepperoccini peppers. One apple.
Snack: Five reduced fat Ritz crackers with pepper-jack cheese and summer sausage.
Dinner: One cup crocked chicken breast with one cup mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup gravy.
Lunch: 3/4 of a ham hoagie with fat free cheese, bread and butter pickles, onion, 1 tsp olive oil, and two pepperoccini peppers. One apple.
Snack: Five reduced fat Ritz crackers with pepper-jack cheese and summer sausage.
Dinner: One cup crocked chicken breast with one cup mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup gravy.
Friday, February 07, 2003
Thursday, February 06, 2003
Breakfast: 1.5 cups Kashi Good Friends Cinnamon Raisin cereal with 1 cup 2% milk. Coffee. Green tea.
Lunch: 2 cups vegetable soup, six melba toast crackers, one whole cucumber, peeled and sliced, with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp. balsemic vinegar, and an apple. Green tea.
Dinner: 1 cup Oriental stir fry with beef, green bell pepper, onion, water chestnuts, celery, and soybeans, with 1/2 cup of rice.
Snack: 1/3 cup blackberry sorbet.
Lunch: 2 cups vegetable soup, six melba toast crackers, one whole cucumber, peeled and sliced, with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp. balsemic vinegar, and an apple. Green tea.
Dinner: 1 cup Oriental stir fry with beef, green bell pepper, onion, water chestnuts, celery, and soybeans, with 1/2 cup of rice.
Snack: 1/3 cup blackberry sorbet.
Wednesday, February 05, 2003
Portion Control and Some Other Miscellany
So I figured out my problem. It's portion control. In this month's "Fitness Magazine", there's an article on what items represent a portion size. For instance, a serving of spaghetti is the diameter of a quarter (dry noodles stood on end). A serving of any meat is the size of a deck of playing cards. A half-cup of ice cream is the size of half of a tennis ball.
I looked at this article and I said to myself, "Now, really, how often is the steak I consume the size of a deck of cards? More like the size of a good, thick paperback novel." This is the mystery-that-isn't-a-mystery, which is preventing me from losing weight. Even though, for the most part, the things I eat are healthy. Even though I'm sticking pretty well to my exercise routine. I'm still sabotaging myself with the portions I consume.
I think I'm actually afraid of being hungry. Truly, being hungry makes me miserable. It's more of an emotional thing than a physical thing, I know. Like yesterday - I had a day straight out of Hell, so I ate my supreme comfort food - a meatloaf sandwich. Didn't particularly care about the dietary consequences. Monday was a "bad" day. So was Thursday. Getting myself back on track is my primary goal - starting with portion control.
I'm going to try this: Consider what I would normally take for a portion, then cut it in half. Even if it means putting it on my plate, then physically taking away half. Except for in things like veggies and salads. I hear that using smaller plates works well, too - it satisfies your emotional need for a "full plate" of food, without the large portion. Go without condiments if there is no fat-free version available (like last week, when I had regular cream cheese a few times with my bagel because the cafeteria was out of low fat). And quit the god-blessed snacking on cookies. What the heck is it with my cookie cravings lately??
I've been off of the L-Carnitine and chromium lately, I'm thinking I should go back on it again. I was trying to "flush" my system of all the different vitamins and whatnot I've been taking, and baseline myself again. Right now I'm taking flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, a multivitamin, and vitamin C. I shall add the other two to the mix and see if that helps with this weird obsession with food I've had lately.
So I figured out my problem. It's portion control. In this month's "Fitness Magazine", there's an article on what items represent a portion size. For instance, a serving of spaghetti is the diameter of a quarter (dry noodles stood on end). A serving of any meat is the size of a deck of playing cards. A half-cup of ice cream is the size of half of a tennis ball.
I looked at this article and I said to myself, "Now, really, how often is the steak I consume the size of a deck of cards? More like the size of a good, thick paperback novel." This is the mystery-that-isn't-a-mystery, which is preventing me from losing weight. Even though, for the most part, the things I eat are healthy. Even though I'm sticking pretty well to my exercise routine. I'm still sabotaging myself with the portions I consume.
I think I'm actually afraid of being hungry. Truly, being hungry makes me miserable. It's more of an emotional thing than a physical thing, I know. Like yesterday - I had a day straight out of Hell, so I ate my supreme comfort food - a meatloaf sandwich. Didn't particularly care about the dietary consequences. Monday was a "bad" day. So was Thursday. Getting myself back on track is my primary goal - starting with portion control.
I'm going to try this: Consider what I would normally take for a portion, then cut it in half. Even if it means putting it on my plate, then physically taking away half. Except for in things like veggies and salads. I hear that using smaller plates works well, too - it satisfies your emotional need for a "full plate" of food, without the large portion. Go without condiments if there is no fat-free version available (like last week, when I had regular cream cheese a few times with my bagel because the cafeteria was out of low fat). And quit the god-blessed snacking on cookies. What the heck is it with my cookie cravings lately??
I've been off of the L-Carnitine and chromium lately, I'm thinking I should go back on it again. I was trying to "flush" my system of all the different vitamins and whatnot I've been taking, and baseline myself again. Right now I'm taking flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, a multivitamin, and vitamin C. I shall add the other two to the mix and see if that helps with this weird obsession with food I've had lately.
Wednesday, February 5th
Breakfast: Two slices of sprouted bread, with 1 tbsp. lowfat cream cheese. Coffee.
Snack: Luna bar.
Lunch: 2 cups green salad with 1 tbsp. fat-free dressing, 1 whole wheat wrap with 2 tsp. lowfat cream cheese and 3 slices of turkey sandwich meat, an apple, 1 cup cottage cheese, and one oatmeal cookie.
Snack: Peach yogurt.
Dinner: Chicken chimichanga with sour cream, lettuce, and tomato.
Breakfast: Two slices of sprouted bread, with 1 tbsp. lowfat cream cheese. Coffee.
Snack: Luna bar.
Lunch: 2 cups green salad with 1 tbsp. fat-free dressing, 1 whole wheat wrap with 2 tsp. lowfat cream cheese and 3 slices of turkey sandwich meat, an apple, 1 cup cottage cheese, and one oatmeal cookie.
Snack: Peach yogurt.
Dinner: Chicken chimichanga with sour cream, lettuce, and tomato.
Tuesday, February 4th
Breakfast: Pumpernickel bagel with lowfat cream cheese, coffee, and green tea.
Lunch: Sushi.
Snack: One white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.
Dinner: Meatloaf sandwich (white bread, meatloaf, mayo, ketchup, cheese), and a glass of wine.
Monday, February 3rd
Breakfast: Kashi Good Friends Cinnamon Raisin Cereal with 2% milk, coffee.
Lunch: Chunky chicken noodle soup with melba toast crackers, an apple, and a small wedge of pepper jack cheese.
Snack: Vanilla yogurt.
Dinner: An oversized serving of spaghetti with meat sauce, and two slices of garlic bread. Sorbet for dessert.
Breakfast: Pumpernickel bagel with lowfat cream cheese, coffee, and green tea.
Lunch: Sushi.
Snack: One white chocolate macadamia nut cookie.
Dinner: Meatloaf sandwich (white bread, meatloaf, mayo, ketchup, cheese), and a glass of wine.
Monday, February 3rd
Breakfast: Kashi Good Friends Cinnamon Raisin Cereal with 2% milk, coffee.
Lunch: Chunky chicken noodle soup with melba toast crackers, an apple, and a small wedge of pepper jack cheese.
Snack: Vanilla yogurt.
Dinner: An oversized serving of spaghetti with meat sauce, and two slices of garlic bread. Sorbet for dessert.
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