Another eating lesson from my 13month old

My thirteen month old has this marvelous mechanism: she eats when she is hungry and she stops eating when she is full. Radical, I know! Her momma lost that fine-tuned ability (for the most part) years ago.

As I ponder how to regain understanding of what my body needs when and how much, one theme emerged: my daughter knows there will always be more food. Now of course I know (and am grateful) that we don’t worry about where the next meal is coming from. But when I eat food, especially food I really like, I eat as if I will never get a bite of it again! Even the most special treat, say a piece of birthday cake, is not a once-and-never-again event. There will be more birthdays, not to mention the leftover cake for the next day haha!

As I work through calorie counting and food experimentation to find the balance that works and feels best in my body, thinking about these mental/emotional behaviors around food is helpful too on this journey to finally lose the pregnancy weight. Baby steps brought to me by my healthy baby with healthy eating habits!!

Daily Menu: Monday August 20, 2012

Here’s tomorrow’s menu:

Breakfast:

Oatmeal, Yogurt, Blackberries, Flax seeds and oil

Snack:

Apricot, Almonds – 50% portion rule in effect

Lunch:

Grapes, tuna fish sandwich, carrots

Snack:

Orange

Dinner:

Salmon, Salad, Veggies

Dessert:

low fat ice cream – 50% portion rule in effect

What are you eating tomorrow?  Are you setting yourself up tonight for success tomorrow?  When we’re overly hungry and unprepared, will power breaks down!

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!

Daily Wrap-Up: Sunday August 19, 2012

Here’s how I think I did today on the traditional grading scale of A-F:

Sleep: A:  Slept when baby slept.  Going to bed early.

Water: A:  Drank at least 8 glasses.

Food: B:  Skipped church coffee hour.  Snacked on 50%serving of almonds and apricots but 100%serving of dark choc covered acai berries.  At lunch had 100% serving of chips (but normally would have 200%!!!)  50% serving of ice cream.  Stressed out and didn’t want to cook.  Had pizza for dinner.  A small miracle occured: I only had two pizzas and they were small slices!!!  I am noticing that I did have a fair amount of junk food today however, and that doesn’t feel great.

Exercise: B:   Walk with hubby and baby.

Vitamins: A:  Will take tonight

Journaling: C:  Forgot this morning.  Will do tonight.

Final Thought of the Day:  I remember that when I lost the 100lbs before it was because of consistency that was reinforced by ample support.  I had plenty of people to call if I wanted to eat my meal too early, eat too much of something, eat something I shouldn’t, etc.  I feel pretty alone in this struggle (since hubby doesn’t have a weight problem).  I know many of my friends are struggling with weight issues too but at the age of 34 it doesn’t seem appropriate to call a friend and whine about how you want more pizza…  I am going to continue to think about how, in the spur of the moment of a craving, I can talk myself through it like a friend would…

How did you do today with your healthy living?  I hope you are kind to yourself, no matter what.  Life is too precious to spend it living in regret and self-loathing.

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!

Daily Menu: Sunday August 19, 2012

Here’s tomorrow’s menu:

Breakfast:

Milk, Blackberries, Kashi cereal – 50% portion rule in effect

Snack:

Church coffee hour – 50% portion rule in effect

Lunch:

Grapes, PB&honey sandwich, carrots

Snack:

Apricot, Almonds – 50% portion rule in effect

Dinner:

Salmon, Salad, Veggies

Dessert:

optional-depends on what I eat (it I do eat) at the church coffee hour – 50% portion rule in effect

What are you eating tomorrow?  Are you setting yourself up tonight for success tomorrow?  When we’re overly hungry and unprepared, will power breaks down!

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!

Daily Wrap-Up: Saturday August 18, 2012

Here’s how I think I did today on the traditional grading scale of A-F:

Sleep: A: A for effort only.  For some reason I have insomnia when the baby sleeps.  It is nuts!  But, I still lie down and try to sleep.  And read.

Water: A:  Drank at least 8 glasses.

Food: D:  Portion sizes creeped up.  Had several sweets (emotional eating) – 2 scoops of low fat ice cream, handful of dark chocolate covered acai berries and two cookies.  That sounds a lot in print but frankly, that was restrained believe it or not!!  Healthy, balanced meals.

This meal reminds me of when I was preggers and always wanted food that was just one color!

Exercise: C:   Walk with hubby and baby before picnic lunch.

Vitamins: A:  Will take them tonight

Journaling: A:  Did this morning and will again tonight.

Final Thought of the Day:  Doing the daily wrap-up and menus are kind of a drag, but I think they really keep me conscious about food choices so here we go again!

How did you do today with your healthy living?  I hope you are kind to yourself, no matter what.  Life is too precious to spend it living in regret and self-loathing.

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!

Tea, an Orange and Exercise

Today my Nanny died.   She had an amazing life, did so much good for so many people and was really ready to pass and leave all the physical ailments behind, but still, it is upsetting.

Tonight, after putting the baby down to bed I asked my husband if he wanted some chips.  I’ve already had more than enough food today, but my grief was causing me to want to eat (and pretend it wasn’t me doing it by offering to get some for the hubby).  Luckily he said he was full (a feeling I rarely feel).  I ate an orange, drank a glass of water and made some tea.  I was still feeling funky so I went on the rower for 20mins and then did a bunch of stretching.  Soon, I’ll head to bed.

Why am I sharing this with you?  Well, I know that today my portion sizes were too big (not 50%).  And, I know a lot of that was self-comforting.  But despite having a hard day personally and a funky day food-wise, I did not end up ending the day, splurging.  YAY!

Eat like a Kardashian to lose weight?

I am well into my first week of trying my hubby’s “50%” diet method.  I take the portion I normally would eat and immediately put back 50% of it.  It has been freeing!  No more guilt when I eat some dark chocolate, mac and cheese or some frozen yogurt!

And, it has got me thinking:  I always was amazed when I would see celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, the Real Housewives of New Jersey, the Kardashians (okay, I am clearly coming out of the closet as a trash TV watcher – yes, there you have it, I am…) and see them eating foods like pasta, ice cream, candy, etc.  I wondered, how on earth do they stay thin?

There may be a bunch of awesome genetics and personal trainers at work of course, but I wonder if they are already instituting (intuitively) the 50% rule.  They eat what they want but in small portions.  Like the French are rumored to do?

When food isn’t the enemy, the portion size is, I feel less anxious about losing weight and keeping it off long term.  And, that feels like a recipe for success.  We’ll see when I weigh-in if the “50%” method is working for me!

Hubby’s Weight Loss Plan

Amidst all my sadness, bewilderment and angst last night the hubby made some suggestions that I am going to adopt for the next week to see how they work for me.  The hubby has never had a weight problem.  From time to time in his life he may have had a extra pounds on him or was too thin for a time.  These times were all situational and few and far between.  For example most recently he gained maybe ten pounds during the pregnancy when I had all sorts of junk food in the house, but he lost it effortlessly after those foods were no longer around.

He has been through all sorts of weight loss roller coasters with me over the past ten years.  He has attended various diet programs with me (even though he didn’t need to lose weight).  He hasn’t said a word when I’ve spend countless dollars on weight loss web sites, on Weight Watchers, on Jenny Craig, on expensive tennis club memberships, etc.  He has endured my bad moods caused by low caloric intake or shame or frustration.  When I was 246lbs (not pregnant) he still told me I was beautiful.  Poor guy, he has had to watch the woman he loves struggle for so long and be so hard on her own life-giving body!

Last night he said that he thinks the reason he doesn’t gain much weight despite eating a lot (and boy does he, junk too!) is because overall he eats pretty healthy food every few hours.  My program thus far has been to just have three meals a day with an occasional teatime snack.  For the next week I am going to try his way.

He also suggested that I adopt a 50% policy.  That I should serve myself my usual potion of food and then immediately put back 50% of it.  Eventually when I am closer to my goal he thinks I should put back 2/3 of it.  Interesting suggestion, no?  I am going to try it this week and see how it goes!

Daily Menu: Friday August 10, 2012

Here’s today’s menu:

Breakfast:

1 piece of toast, laughing cow wedge, 1 fried egg

Mid-Morning Snack:

1 serving oatmeal with cinnamon, watermelon

Lunch:

1/2 c. brown rice, black beans (check serving size on can), salsa

Teatime:

carrots

Dinner:

Meat TBD, Veggie TBD, Salad

Dessert:

Frozen Greek Yogurt, blueberries

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!

Daily Menu: Sunday August 5, 2012

Here’s tomorrow’s menu:

Breakfast:

Yogurt, Strawberries, Flax Oil and Seeds, Oatmeal and Cinnamon

Lunch:

Spaghetti, Meatballs, Salad

Dinner:

Broccoli, Tofu, Orange

What are you eating tomorrow?  Are you setting yourself up tonight for success tomorrow?  When we’re overly hungry and unprepared, will power breaks down!

Thanks for reading this and I wish you much luck on your own healthy journey!