A Few Nuggets of a Non-Chicken Variety ;)

What I have posted thus far was essentially how I got started in my weight loss journey.   I was surprised to discover that it's not just about working out, and even more surprised at how long it took me to discover this.  For me, there are many things involved when it comes to being successful in weight loss. I had to:

• Determine my daily caloric allowance.
• Learn how to read labels.
• Learn what "real" portions were.
• Drink more water. (It was harder than it sounded. LOL)
• Learn how to take care of my body, my mind, and my spirit. 
• Recognize what was happening when I wanted to lay into an emotionally-propelled binge.
• Educate myself on proper exercises that target all muscle groups and learn which exercises will give me the most "bang for my time."

It was very frustrating in the beginning, because I WANTED to go head-first into action. But I had learned from all of my previous "binge-changes" that doing it all at once was just a great exercise in setting myself up for failure.  I'd go buy all the right foods, and they'd expire (or rot...lol) before I even knew what to eat when and how to prepare it.  I bought books, exercise videos, joined gyms, and hit the floor running before I even knew what I was doing. I failed to recognize how my emotional eating and my negative attitude toward my ever-growing body was hindering my progress.  So, I started THIS journey by educating myself first, then I slowly made changes where I knew I could (portions, drink choices, etc.

I was incredibly overwhelmed when I read any type of "diet" meal plans, because frankly, who really eats like that??  Many of the diets out there are difficult (for me, anyway) to follow or aren't meant to become life-long eating plans.  (I don't consider any diet that eliminates an entire basic food group healthy.)  What works for me is knowing what foods I like and how to find the healthier choice.  For example: I love pasta. It broke my heart to think I had to give up pasta.  Then, I discovered whole wheat pasta, and there's very little difference in flavor or preparation, but a big difference in the nutritional value. I also had to learn how to eat properly so I can use this for the rest of my life.  After a basic study of food, I wrote down foods that I liked and were healthy choices in a little notebook, and I carried that with me everywhere I went. (I still have that, actually.)  It had meal plan options and caloric value, which made life much easier for me, especially when I was grocery shopping or eating at a restaurant. 

I encourage you to make a list of some of your favorite foods.  (Entree's, sides, breads, desserts, drinks.)  Google them and look up the nutritional value, then write it down somewhere.  You may find (as I did) that while a certain food may be low in calories or fat grams, the sodium or sugar per serving is outrageous!  You may find that your favorite sandwich is only 260 calories with the fixin's and then you'll feel EVEN BETTER about chowing down on it!  If you are an avid condiment user, take a look at the serving size and calories per serving.  Those little calories sure add up in a hurry. (This includes sugar/creamers for coffee, FYI.)

Have fun with it.  Think of yourself as a CSI agent on the prowl for clues to solve a big weight-loss mystery.  See if you can identify 200 "hidden" calories in your current eating plan that you were unaware of.  You're doing great!! Keep it up!

PS:
Tonight, after my workout, I found myself in the kitchen scanning the cupboards before I even realized what I was doing. (I was searching for something sweet, and a lot of it.)  I didn't have anything readily available which gave me a moment to stop and ask myself why I was feeling this way.  I was hungry, yes,  but what I was looking for wasn't a means of nourishment...I was on the verge of a binge.  I was angry when I got home because I failed to respect my calf muscle injury and played volleyball anyway.  I wound up injuring it again, and though it's not bad, it's still a set-back.  My frustration level was high, and subconsciously, I was about to self-medicate with bad food choices. So, I had a cup of Cheerios with skim milk (180 calories).  I'm satisfied, I've calmed down, and because I made a healthy choice, I won't be mentally beating myself up all night.  Win/Win!