Let’s
talk food today. I think about food A
LOT. Everything I put into my mouth is
entered into MyFitnessPal and I am always thinking ahead to allow for enough
calories for my daily cup of coffee (aka creamer with some coffee). Maybe this is a little OCD, but it’s been
working for me as I’ve consistently been losing about 2 pounds per week, which
is a great pace for long term results. I
am slightly really competitive, even with myself, so trying to eat good
food that I enjoy and stay within my goal caloric intake is a fun challenge for
me. Most of the time.
Yesterday
I was driving home from the zoo, where I had eaten a healthy packed lunch. I didn’t pack enough though and was pretty
hungry in the car. That is a dangerous
combination for me. In my previous lifestyle,
I would have hit up a drive thru for a milkshake or some French fries. Yesterday, all I wanted was an Arby’s roast
beef sandwich. I literally had an
argument with myself from downtown to the dreaded exit where I’d have to get
off to fulfill my craving. I drove past
it though, went home and had an avocado and tomato salad. This (not that exciting, sorry) story made me
think yesterday. Am I being too hard on
myself? Too strict? Will this backfire? My goal has always been to eat food in
moderation and not restrict myself, so do I feel restricted?
I
came to the conclusion that restricted is not the right word. I do feel like I have made food my
competition, or my enemy. It’s been my
goal to beat it everyday and lose weight.
I see something at the grocery store (usually of the sweet, cake like variety)
and convince myself that I’d rather continue to see progress than eat a
cupcake. It sounds crazy, but I actually
think I then get mad at that box of Betty Crocker! How dare she tempt me? Before you admit me to a psych ward, let me
give you two more examples. Last night,
I ran to Target for a few things and Andrew requested ice cream. I stood in the frozen section for a good ten
minutes trying to talk myself out of getting the kind I like. I ended up buying this…which actually has
more calories and sugar per serving than Andrew’s regular chocolate chip! (Note
to self.)
 |
| Yes, I recognize the irony here ;). |
Today,
I went through the Panera drive thru to get my favorite salad for lunch. Got home and realized they gave me the
grossest salad ever made instead…talk about depressing. I ordered Jimmy John’s instead and actually
got the sandwich with the delicious bread instead of a lettuce wrap. Even after enjoying it, I felt guilty. I’d say you could classify me as an emotional
eater.
I
was hoping by writing this out on here, I’d come up with some way of solving this
issue, but I think it’s going to take more than a half hour of typing. The truth is, for some people, food is not a
big deal and they don’t give it much thought (lucky ducks). But for me, and so many others, it’s tied to
our emotions, it’s fuel, it’s nourishment, it can sometimes be the enemy. I am going to choose to partner with food
instead of making it my nemesis. Ice
cream and French bread are both delicious and are not out to get me. I can eat them, maybe not everyday or every
meal, but it’s OK to have them. I can
honestly say I was satisfied sticking to one serving of ice cream last night
instead of the entire pint. And you know
what? I was still down another two
pounds this morning. Here it comes, that
buzz word…balance. It’s cliché, but
balance in eating and exercise really is key.
I am living an active lifestyle now and eating well more than 80% of the
time. I feel better than I ever have,
and am not afraid of slipping down a slope or going backward. I’m not working on a new lifestyle anymore, I
AM the lifestyle. And in this
lifestyle, there is no room for enemies.
No comments:
Post a Comment