The End of Diets

On my new journey to a fit and healthy life I have not only changed my habits when it comes to exercise, I have also changed my habits and view on food. I will be the first to admit, I love food. But, no matter how much I love food there is no way I could have lost 20 pounds in the past 5 months by just increasing the amount of exercise I was doing. My way of eating was not only bordering on unhealthy, but was also unsustainable. I am a carb lover; pasta, bread, cereal, cookies, pastries and so on. I was a sucker for Mom's homemade mac & cheese and secret family recipe chocolate cake. Also like most Americans I had lost my sense of portion sizes. To me a bowl of cereal was not the 1/2 cup or cup listed on the box, but inside the size of the big blue bowl in my cupboard.

 My problem with the love affair with carbs was not only exaggerated portion sizes, but also that I would often and almost always choose a them over things I needed like protein or veggies. It isn't that I don't like vegetables, I love them. But my craving for carbs (and sugar) always won. This caused me not only to gain weight, but also to feel tired, sluggish and feel constantly hungry. For a while I also thought that I had a gluten intolerance. Come to find out, I just wasn't getting enough fiber. At the end of some days I would realize that I had only have 1 serving of vegetables or worse, none.

I had tried dieting in the past. These "diets" consisted of me giving up chocolate, ice cream or desserts. I tried Weight Watches once for about a day. I've also bought diet pills from the pharmacy, but been too freaked out to take them (who actually knows what that stuff does to you!). During college I lost weight by measuring everything I ate for an entire summer. Although that worked back then, I really have no patience for it anymore. Instead of cutting out certain foods or measuring what I ate, I changed the way I looked at food.

Eating fruits and vegetables made me feel better. I had more energy when I ate less heavy processed foods. I also started eating 5-6 small meals a day instead of 3 big meals. I also have taken on the mentality of the say: "Eat dinner like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper." My first meals of the day are larger and dinner is no longer massive (and if it is, it is mostly vegetables).

What I Eat:

Breakfast - is all about fueling up for the day.

• Instant Oatmeal - Maple Brown Sugar (lower sugar) with a cup of blueberries
• Banana
• Stonyfield Farms Yogurt Smoothie
• On days I go to the pool or workout in the morning this is my pre-workout fuel
• 2 cups of coffee with french vanilla soy creamer

Snack - something that I can take on the go that will hold me over until lunch (which is usually closer to 2 pm than noon).

• 1 cup of raspberries or blackberries
• 5-6 VT Smokehouse Pepperoni Peices
• 5-6 peices of Cabot cheese

Lunch - my last big meal of the day - it gets me through any afternoon. Cutting out carbs at lunch has helped me to not get that sleepy sluggish after lunch feeling.

• Green Smoothie
• 2-3 cups green spinach
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 frozen bananas
• ~1 cup unsweetened  almond milk
• 2 spoonfuls chia seeds
• ice
• Put this all in a blender and blend until somewhat smooth. It usually makes a quart sized mason jar full. It tastes really good and fills me up all afternoon.

Snack - fuels me up for my afternoon or evening workout.

• 2 brown rice cakes with peanut butter and nutella 
• baby carrots or an apple

Dinner - is really all about portions with everything except veggies. My plate is at least half full of veggies (if not more). I tend to eat later, so don't want to load up on heavier foods so I can get to sleep easier.

• Protein - usually grilled chicken, steak or pork chops
• Veggie - this summer has been a lot of fresh veggies, either steamed or grilled. 
• Carb - if I have any, I have a half cup to 1 cup of brown rice, egg noodles or whole wheat pasta

The one thing I haven't done in my healthy eating make-over is deny myself the food I love. I don't say no to chocolate or ice cream or pasta. I just don't say yes to it every day or every time I have a craving. I stock up on things like dark chocolate covered almonds and dried fruit. Something with a little bit of sugar to satisfy any craving I'm having.

Overall I have realized I just have to listen to my body. I know when I have a "bad food day" because I am tired, sluggish and have no energy. I focus on what foods make me feel better and try to eat those.

Water!

Water, I drink lots and lots of water. I rarely drink other liquids, sometimes Honest Green Tea, milk (chocolate after long runs) and wine or beer occasionally. But water is key. Most people don't drink enough of it.




My 2 Cents
Listen to your body! Eat foods that make you feel your best. Avoid foods that make you tired and sluggish. Eat fruits, protein and as many veggies as you want and drink plenty of water!