Food For Thought...About Food

As I sat and ate my breakfast this morning I noticed just how MUCH food I had put on my plate. I was alarmed.

It made me think...when did I start eating so much?

I'm not going to go back all the way to when I was a kid in high school. I ate like a horse, but I was exercising a LOT too. Plus, I was a kid. Let's just skip that phase...

On to college. I was exercising fairly regularly, and eating just as I always had. Honestly, I didn't think at all about it. I exercised because I enjoyed it and I ate when I was hungry. Period. I didn't even own a scale!

And then I met my hubby. I started to cook for the two of us...but I made the mistake of serving myself just as much as I was serving my 210 pound boyfriend! Big surprise, I started to feel "bloated". I was convinced that I was retaining water since my pants didn't fit, and that had always been the reason. But then I bought my very first scale and realized I had gained 20 pounds! That ain't water!

I still find myself eating as much as hubby. I just love to eat. I love how it smells. I love how it looks. I love how it tastes. I love the feel of it in my mouth. I love the feeling of a full tummy.

But this morning during breakfast? I had a revelation. There are two thoughts in my head about food that I need to change:

1. Clean my plate
2. Save the best bite for last

The "clean my plate" thing...everyone knows that's no good. And I don't think I clean my plate out of guilt or not wanting to waste. It's more of an excuse for me. I WANT to eat all that food, and "I don't want to waste" is a convenient excuse to convince myself that I should.

Combine that with "saving the best for last", and I have a real problem. Now I have actual, real motivation to eat every last bite!

Does anyone else out there save the best for last? I pick out the most yummy, perfectly done, ooey, gooey bite...and I eat it last. Sort of like the grand finale or something.

But the problem with that is this - by the time I get to that last bite, my mouth has usually HAD IT with what I've been eating. I don't even enjoy that scrumptious bite as much as I should! But leave it on my plate? When I've been saving it? When I've been eating (and eating, and eating..) to get to that last bite? Impossible!

So I'm going to try and change my ways a bit.

First, I'm going to just decide RIGHT NOW...I'm leaving a few bites of food on my plate. There. Done. Decided. If I'm still hungry after a while, I can always go back and have more or finish my plate. But only if I'm hungry.

And I'm going to pick out the very best bite....and eat it FIRST. It will be yummy and perfect and satisfying. I'm going to eat it slowly and really enjoy it. That way, if my body says "I'm getting full here!", I can stop without feeling like I'm missing out on that last bite. After the "best" it's all downhill anyway, right?

Besides - what does "save the best for last" teach my kids? Granted, there are some things in life worth working and saving and planning for. But most things...most are best enjoyed right NOW. Who knows what tomorrow brings anyway?

I don't want to become obsessive about this though - that's not healthy either. So why worry about it? It's not like I have a "weight problem"...I just want to lose a bit. Some reasons to make change:

1. I'm heavier than I should be for optimum health.
2. I'm not pregnant or nursing anymore. Ever. Oh my (sniff). I've been pregnant, trying to be pregnant, or nursing for over 7 YEARS. I can't eat like I did during those times...or I'm gonna start to LOOK pregnant!
3. I want to be a good example for my kids.
4. I want to enjoy food more. Half the time I'm scarfing down my meal trying to get to that last, best bite...or trying to eat quickly so I can take care of someone else. I'll enjoy it more if I truly savor it. I can eat just as long (from a time perspective), but I don't have to eat quite so MUCH.

I'm tired of talking about food. It gives me a crazy craving for chocolate, and I don't have any in the house! Sugar...that's another topic all together!

I'm A Real Runner Now!

Oh, the things I tell myself to get motivated :)

Hubby and I ran a 5K race this past weekend. I had one expectation of myself: run the whole way. Even if I ran at a snail's pace (as running goes), I was NOT going to walk at ALL.

I did it!

And I did it while running at my best pace since high school. In high school I could run a 10 minute mile for 5 miles and barely sweat. Ah, the glory days.

Not really. You couldn't pay me to go back to high school.

A 5K equals 3.1 miles for us backwards folks. And I ran it in 30 minutes, 28 seconds. That translates into an average rate of 9 minutes, 49 seconds. What can I say, I love a good excuse to use my calculator :)

I was going to just make it a slow jog, but my competitiveness got the best of me. Every time someone passed me (which was plenty often), I got a little mad! I found myself kicking pretty hard at the end.

And now...I'm hooked! As we got in the car to go to the race start I was thinking, "This is dumb. We could have just gone for a 5K run and saved our entry fees!" But it was so fun. There is a big difference between going for a run and being in a RACE.

Hubby enjoyed it too. I found him on line searching for training programs for half marathons! I don't know if I'm quite ready for that...but maybe a 10 K :)

Saving Some Fat & Calories

So I've been thinking about oatmeal chocolate chip cookies all morning. I wish I could say I've been thinking about being strong and NOT stuffing my face with them...but mostly it's been just the opposite. The ooey gooey chocolaty goodness of those little nuggets of temptation are evil, I tell you, E.V.I.L. !

Since it seems to be beyond my willpower to avoid eating one (or 6) every time I walk into the kitchen, I've been doing two things. One - avoiding the kitchen...this is evidenced by the breakfast dishes still sitting out with syrup on them (evil...see?!). And two - figuring out how to make them a tad bit better for me.

What if I make them with Smart Balance spread and Egg Beaters instead of real butter and eggs, I wonder?

2 sticks real butter: 1600 calories, 176 g total fat, 112 g saturated fat
2 large real eggs: 108 calories, 7.4 g total fat, 2.2 g saturated fat
Total just from these ingredients: 1708 calories, 183.4 g total fat, 114.2 g sat. fat

Using Smart Balance: 1280 calories, 144 g total fat, 40 g saturated fat
and Egg Beater type eggs: 60 calories, 0 g fat
Total: 1340 calories, 144 g fat, 40 g sat. fat

Difference: 368 calories, 39.4 g fat, 74.2 g sat. fat

As much as I'd love to eat all 4 dozen cookies, even I can usually stop at oh, 2 dozen or so! Let's break it down per cookie:

By using Smart Balance and Egg Beaters instead of the real stuff, I'd save (per cookie):
7.67 calories
.82 g fat
1.55 g saturated fat

Hmmm. I'm not sure if it really makes that much of a difference. I'm not sure that it even made enough difference for me to take the time to fire up my calculator! Well, I guess every little bit helps.

I wonder if they'd taste any good. You know I'm forced to make a new batch, right?

I hate it when the "math" tells me that to really save on fat and calories I should just eat in moderation. I hate moderation. At least when it comes to these cookies...

Hittin' The Road

I have a new favorite workout. I NEVER thought I'd say this, but my new favorite? Running.

Just me and my music. And the fresh air. And the rustling leaves in the trees. And the occasional dog that chases me and scares me half to death. And the rather large rock I carry in my left hand to give myself a small amount of peace of mind against said dog. Hey, at least my left bicep will be stronger. Hmm, maybe I should alternate arms?

My hubby is so smart. He knows what makes me tick. Not like that...well, yes, like that...but that's not what I'm talking about! Ahem (blush).

I mean, he knows what motivates me. He signed us up for a local 5K race, and it's this coming weekend. So that's why I've been running. Now, it's for the love of getting on the road. But in the beginning? It was all about the desperate need to not be humiliated this Saturday!

Hubby's doing the race too. I don't know what came over us in the past few months. He looked at me one day and said, "This is not who we are, and we need to do something about it!" He went on to explain how he wants to have a future of fun and activity and full years...not a future of sitting on the couch, feeling and looking old and fat, and lots of doctor visits.

He has a great point. I wanna get old with him. Really, really, old and saggy and wrinkly. We can compare dentures and "regularity". We can go on long walks while I ask him what he thinks about my latest hairstyle (I've come to terms that I'll never be happy with however I've cut my hair, and it's just his lot in life to answer my stupid questions..."do you like it better like this, or this?"). We can visit our kids and grandkids (hey, maybe they can tell me what to do with my hair!). We can travel the world. Lucky him ;)

I hope he doesn't read this. If he suddenly loses his passion for a healthy lifestyle, I'll know he has...

Unpleasant

Nothin' quite like trying to squeeze into last year's jeans to motivate a workout...

It's All About The Bra

Yes, the bra. When I get up in the morning, I get dressed right into my exercise clothes. There's just something about wearing a sports bra that makes me want to take it off (not very comfy)! And I just hate taking it off if I haven't gotten a workout in.

Strange motivation, to be sure. But hey, I'll take anything I can get.

Still no change on the scale.

But the other day I was horsing around with Ben, and I flexed my arm muscle at him. "Whoah MOM, where'd you get THAT?!" was his very satisfying response. I love that kid. He's officially my favorite ;)

My baby boy turns 1 NEXT WEEK. I can't believe it. I'm hesitant to wean him just because I know this is my last time nursing a baby, and it's such sweet time with him. But I'm also feeling more and more like I'd like my body back. Oh, the constant push and pull that is motherhood!

I'm still holding out hope that I'll have an easier time losing some fat once I wean him. I just HAVE TO remember to cut back on eating after I'm done nursing. I've gotten pretty accustomed to being able to eat an extra 500 calories per day "for the baby"!

Oh, change is hard, don't you think? I think.

And One More Tidbit Of Sucky Motivation...

All three of my children who are able to express themselves with words have informed me lately that I...

"have a big tummy"
"have a baby in there?"
"look like I have a baby"

Lovely.

Why Change?

Someone once told me that no one ever makes a change in their life until it is too painful to stay the way they are. I think I've finally reached that point.

I gained a few pounds during my vacation. I came back and only have a couple of items of clothes that fit me.

I spent a bunch of money this past spring to buy new clothes. I was already dismayed to be buying a size that I know is bigger than I should be wearing. But after years and years of being pregnant, I had no summer clothes to wear. I bought them, and promised myself that they wouldn't fit for long.

Turns out I was right, but them being too SMALL isn't quite what I had in mind.

I'll be damned if I'm gonna go buy clothes that are, yet, bigger than my already "big" clothes.

Being pissed and miserable...not exactly my favorite kind of motivation, but effective all the same.

More On BMI

I've been thinking more about the Body Mass Index today. It bothers me a bit...assigning people to categories of "normal", "overweight", or "obese" based only on height and weight.

What about the ratio of fat to muscle? What about those with "large frames"?

I read a bit more on the site that I referred you to earlier (which had the wrong link. sorry. it's fixed now). They talk about measuring BMI in athletes with low fat and high muscle. I thought it was interesting. It seems to me that using the BMI doesn't apply to everyone.

If you want to read their FAQ section, click HERE. I found it interesting and entertaining...is "fatness" really a word?!

P.S. My spell-checker didn't pick up "fatness" as a problem. Maybe it is a word. Who knew!!

In Search Of Protein

Hubby and I were talking about making breakfast for the kids the other day. We've been out of one of our favorite staples: little smokies. Pop a couple in the micro, and viola! Instant breakfast sausage! He asked me what I do for protein without them.

It got me thinking...and label searching.

In my lay-woman's opinion, there are two things that are crucial to feeling satisfied instead of hungry all day: Fiber and Protein.

Fiber is bulky, so it literally "fills" me up. It takes up space in the cavernous abyss that is my stomach. Fiber is best found in...you guessed it...fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Why, oh why, can't it be found in Snickers bars and ice cream?

Protein has more to do with blood sugar levels. When I eat protein with a meal, it helps my body metabolize the sugar from my meal over a longer period of time instead of in one big spike...only to be followed by a crash characterized by shaky hands, feeling a bit weak, tiredness, and hunger. And in me? Grumpiness. Serious grumpiness....which leads to my eating handful after handful of m&m's. Not a good thing.

So, where can I find some good protein? I searched my pantry and fridge today for some options. Here's what I found:

1/2 cup dry oatmeal = 5 g
1 6 oz cup yogurt = 5 g
1 extra large egg= 7 g protein
1 oz cheddar = 7 g
1 cup skim milk = 9 g
Flat Out Bread= 9 g
1/2 cup black beans = 9 g
about 1/2 can canned salmon = 12 g
about 1/2 cup canned tuna = 15 g
1 scoop (24 g) whey protein powder = 18 g

Is anyone surprised? I was! I was especially surprised by how little was in yogurt and eggs, and how much was in oatmeal and milk.

You know all the recent ads about milk helping you lose weight? I think I might have just gotten to the bottom of it! Drink milk with a meal, feel satisfied longer, eat less, lose weight. Yippee!

As a side note, I've been bringing milk back into my diet recently. I took a break because it seemed to be a trigger for Thomas's eczema. But I'm drinking it again, and his skin is fine.

So I'm gonna start drinking it with every meal! And I'm going to be even more of a fanatic when it comes to making my kids finish their milk. Geesh...we already go through 4 gallons a week in this house!

Anyone want to contribute to my "got milk" fund? Email me and I'll let you know how you can send the cash! :)

P.S. You can buy a giganto-tub of whey protein at Walmart for about $30. It seems expensive, but it lasts forever. I add it to smoothies, oatmeal, and sometimes yogurt. I like the vanilla flavor.

Stuff I'm Sick Of

- Feeling like I need to walk around with my gut sucked in.
- Every time I sit down, I cross my arms over my impressive "muffin top". We're talking Costco sized muffin - muffin top. Yuck.
- Choosing which shirt to wear based solely on what "hides" best.
- Hearing about colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression...all in my family....and wondering what's gonna "get" me.
- Feeling old, inflexible, un-energetic.
- Setting a poor example of healthy living for my children.
- Not sleeping well, yet feeling tired all the time.
- Just the general feeling of not feeling good about myself. Exercise and proper eating doesn't really change me all that dramatically, but I sure feel better.
- Eating as much (or more) food than my 210 pound 6'2" husband, and blaming my weight gain or lack of losing weight on anything besides how much food I'm putting in my mouth.
- Putting of getting healthy...until Thomas is sleeping through the night...until Thomas isn't nursing anymore...until the kids are older and it's easier to fit exercise into my day...until whatever. Today's the day.

An Excellent Book

I'm reading The Abs Diet right now, and am learning so much! I highly recommend the book. I actually got the one specifically for women, which I really like (neon green cover). The success stories he highlights are all women, and there is stuff in there specific to women (like getting back in shape after pregnancy).

One of the statistics I read about this morning was this: we should be aiming for a waist size of less than 31.5 inches, and the average waist size is more like 35 inches. Remember my "before" numbers? I have some work to do.

So, why shoot for 31.5 inches or less? It's not about vanity, it's about statistics. As a persons waist size creeps above 31.5 inches (or, in my case, LEAPS above 31.5 inches), so does their risk for various health issues...heart disease, back pain, stroke, diabetes, sexual dysfunction, sleep apnea...even carpal tunnel syndrome!

I'm feeling motivated again. I find that if it's all about looking good in a bathing suit, I'm not very motivated. But living a long, healthy, energized life? That motivates me.