Random thoughts while eating....

I was sitting at my table today, eating a ton of fresh fruit, and thinking about how delicious fresh fruit tastes. I was eating fruit that I would not ordinarily eat. I was eating blueberries and raspberries. I like things flavored with blueberry and raspberry, but I just don't typically eat them alone. Anyway, it got me to thinking. 


A few years ago, you would have never caught me sitting at my table eating fresh fruit as part of my meal. I've always loved fruit, but I used to never think to eat it as part of a meal. I started thinking about my changes I've made because of meal plans, food choices I've made over the past few years, and how those choices have changed to more healthy options. 


My meal plans were and are designed so that I can eat what I want. I just have to make sure my food follows guidelines; such as calorie content, protein, and fat. As long as I'm in those bounds I can eat what I want. I've never been told that I have to eat certain foods for certain meals. If so, I would have quit this before it even started. 


When I started these meal plans almost two and half years ago I still ate some high fat foods; I just ate them in moderation. I ate certain proportions and I ate at certain times. As my plans have changed and different things have been added into my meal plans, I've made different choices. Basically, I've cut out some of the bad foods on my own and I have made better choices. No one told me that I had to eat fruit and vegetables to lose weight. I followed a calorie limit and I did the rest on my own. 


For example: I used to eat a lot of Lean Cuisine frozen pizzas because they were in my calorie, protein, and fat limits, but that was all I could have for an entire meal. Now, I like to eat meals, so I don't eat the frozen pizza. I make low cal, high protein options for my food. That way I can eat fruit, veggies, and maybe another side with all my meals. I love it so much better this way. 


I've met and spoken with people who try to lose weight and they cut out everything they love. They try to eat all fruit, veggies, low fat everything, and then they end up unhappy and quit. They go right back to their old ways. 


I try to let them know that in the beginning it's not so much what you eat, but how much you eat. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose you can just cut back on the serving size or how many servings you eat at one time. Don't eat the whole pizza! Eat 2 slices and save the rest for another 3 meals! That one pizza can go a long way! 


As you lose more and more weight you will naturally want to try different things and make better food choices. I believe that to be true, because it happened to me. I never thought I would enjoy eating grilled chicken, hummus, and fresh veggies more than I enjoy eating a big greasy, deep fried meal, but one day I realized it had happened. No one told me to even make the change. 


So, really my random thought led me to this overall thought: Make small changes. Don't make a huge, sweeping change at one time. Start small. Once you are comfortable with one change and you know you can handle and maintain it, make another change. Before you know it, you've lost 125+ pounds and you're craving fruit instead of greasy food. 


These days I blow off anyone who tells me that counting calories doesn't work. Those people are stupid in my book, because I've counted and counted calories. I've lost a ton of weight. I try to tell people that I'm proof that calorie counting works. I'm proof that working out works. I'm proof that people can make a change and stick to it. 

How many calories do you eat?

Everytime I start a new meal plan people will ask me how many calories I eat per day. I tell them how many calories I eat, and then I tell them this:

My meal plans and how many calories are based off of how much I weigh, how much lean mass I have, and how much activity I do in a day. I am never hungry because I eat every 3 hours. I trust the person (Zach) who helps me determine how many calories and grams of protein to have with my meals.

That is my little disclaimer to people because they will typically ask me this:

Can I follow the calorie count that you do? (Please refer to the statement above....I'm not telling anyone what they can and can't do for a weight loss program)

Do you get hungry? (No)

Do you have days where you eat what you want and don't follow your plan? (No, even though I have in the past, the answer is no. I can eat what I want. I just eat a specific times and I have to follow the calorie and protein limits and what not. I can typically find what I want to eat and find a way to make it fit into the plan.)

Do you ever crave junk food, ice cream, sweets, etc? (Um, hell yea, I'm human. I want junk food all the time. I dream about it. I eat it too. Just not a bunch. I will plan a meal around having that cookie, or scoop of ice cream, or whatever. I don't get to have a lot, but just enough to stop that craving. I'm sure that's why I don't flip out and pig out on junk food if I'm having a stressful day.)

I thought you should eat 1200 calories per day? You must be eating too many calories, Sarah! (My PERSONAL OPINION is that 1200 caloies is not enough. When I started, I was eating over 2000 a day. I was losing 2 pounds a week from the calories and workouts. I think 1200 calories a day is setting you up for failure, because you are not getting enough fuel to get you through the day and I've known people who try to eat 1200 a day and they BINGE whenever they get the opportunity. Again, this is my opinion.)

How long have you been doing this? Why didn't you have surgery? (Ok, it's been almost 2 years. I've lost all this weight on my own, well, with the help of workout buddies, family, and Zach and Janelle pushing me along and keeping me focused. Surgery is not for everyone. It was not for me. I'm insanely proud that I was able to do this the way that I did. Also, truth be told, I never tried to lose weight before this. I just didn't care. This was my first attempt to lose weight and changing my eating habits, drinking habits, and workout habits worked for me. Most people that have surgery have tried so many different plans, options, and whatever before going for surgery. Maybe if I had been spinning my wheels for years I would have had a different approach. Overall, I'm very glad I did what I did without surgery.)

So, these are the questions that I am most often asked when people talk about meal plans and my meal plans and what I'm doing. I repeat these things probably 10 times a week to people. Pretty soon I'm just going to print this out and hand it to people when I see them!

Temptations

             Eating every three hours is actually easy to do. I can plan all of my meals the night before and I know exactly what I’m going to have and when I’m going to have it! However, there are tricky times.

            When I walk into work and I realize that it is a carry-in day; my heart usually skips a beat. I panic a little because carry-ins have the best snack foods. People bring brownies, taco dip, meatballs, cheese balls, etc, etc, etc. I usually stare longingly at the food; thinking about what I’m going to eat and how delicious it’s going to be, and then I decide to eat none of it.

            Now, most people would be able to eat a tiny amount of these things and be ok, but not me. I know that if I eat a little, I will keep going back. It is like the snowball effect. It will just get out of control. I have to walk away from all of it and that is when I know that my self control is at a ridiculously high level.

It’s also a mixed bag of feelings after that too. I’m really proud of myself for passing up the temptation, but them I’m pissed that I can’t have any. I start to run through all the typical thoughts:

1. Everyone else can do it, why can’t I?
2. I’ll just have a taste.
3. Stupid meal plan…I should just go back to being fat and eating what I want.
4. Oh my god, why am I having these thoughts. I think I’m addicted to food!

I really think I am addicted to food. I love food, it’s no secret, but I even think about food when I’m not eating. Sometimes as I’m eating, I’m thinking about the next time I’m going to eat and what I’m going to eat! I think that’s insane behavior.

The worst temptation is when I’ve had a bad day and I really don’t want to cook; I just want to go get some delicious fast food. I just want to go home and do nothing but eat. Before the meal plan I would go get fast food and not worry about the day. Now, I have no choice, bad day or not I’m making my own meals, dirtying my dishes, and cleaning when I’m done. That does nothing but make my day worse. Who wants to clean when they’ve had a bad day? Not me! I just want to lie around and do nothing!

No matter what, there are always going to be temptations around, and for the rest of my life I’m going to imagine myself stuffing my face with delicious, fatty, deep fried foods. Then I’m going to have to snap back to reality and get on my way. I just don’t think a Whopper with cheese is in my near future.  

If Jared got Subway, I want Taco Bell.

            I love Taco Bell, and when I say I love Taco Bell; I mean I could eat it every day, for every meal, for the rest of my life. If you threw in ice cream for dessert, I would be the happiest girl in the history of the world. Now, I’m a realist and I know this isn’t possible. I know that I can’t have Taco Bell and ice cream for every meal, but I like to think I can; especially since they have that delicious “Drive Thru Diet” now.

            When I started the meal plan I wasn’t sure I would be able to have Taco Bell anymore. I think I whimpered a little when I realized that the chicken grilled stuffed burrito had around 700 calories. I started looking at the web site trying to find anything at all that I could eat from there. I kept coming across the fresco style options. I wasn’t sure I wanted to try them, because who wants Mexican with no cheese or sour cream? Not me, that’s for damn sure, or so I thought.

            I couldn’t fight the Taco Bell craving one day, so I took a little trip to the Bell. I was sure this was going to be a bad thing and I was convinced that I was going to blow the whole meal plan. I was gripping my steering wheel, my hands were sweating; I wanted that grilled stuffed burrito super bad.

I managed to do ok though. I actually bit the bullet and ordered my soft tacos fresco style. I made it through and I tried something new. It took me a hot second to adjust to the no cheese and sour cream thing. Overall, it was pretty good. I’m now a fan of the “Drive Thru Diet”.

So, I think Taco Bell needs a real spokesperson, and I think that person should be me. I’ve eaten so much Taco Bell over the years that I even shorten the name to just TB. I think I have single handedly kept the TB in my city in business! I mean, if Jared became famous from walking and eating Subway, I want to be famous for eating Taco Bell to help me lose weight!

You are at the gym...put the soda down!

           When I think of the gym, I think of sweat, hard work, water, classes, etc. I don’t think of food, soda, candy, and coffee. Ok, I do think of those things, but only when do I get to have any of those things? What I mean, is food, soda, candy, and coffee aren’t the images brought to mind when I think of going to the gym. I’m apparently in a minority with those thoughts.

            The gyms I go to are full of food, pop cans, candy wrappers, and expensive coffee drinks. It’s only been the past six months that I’ve noticed this. Actually, I think Janelle noticed first, but promptly pointed it out to Ashley and me. We were on the floor doing something, and Janelle was like, “Gross, look at all that trash under the treadmill!” We all looked under the treadmill and there were chocolate candy wrappers all over the place.

            That made me wonder what the eff someone is thinking when they get to the gym. Is it something like, “Wow, I need to get on the treadmill today, but I really want chocolate. I know, I’ll walk on the treadmill and eat my bon bons. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.” I bet that person was really proud of themselves for coming up with that idea.

            After that, I started paying more attention while I was in the gym. I saw people drinking soda instead of water. There were people walking in and finishing fast food, and people walking around drinking Starbucks. There are people bringing candy with them and eating it while riding bikes or walking on the treadmills. It was really gross.

 I won’t even tell you what some of the employees eat and drink in plain view of members. I mean really, you are supposed to convince me that a healthy life style is the way to go and that you are happy and healthy. When you eat a fast food, wash it down with a Mountain Dew, and then step out for a cigarette, I’m having doubts that you know anything about anything and I think working at gym is the wrong career for you. (Just a side note: that does not apply to my Huber ladies. They would never do those things in front of members!)

It just makes me wonder what they are thinking when they come to the gym with all that junk. They are doing nothing to help themselves! Why even bother? On the other hand, I have to eat at the gym every so often. Like I said the other day, I have eat every three hours, no matter where, no matter what. I at least bring something mildly healthy, like Clif Bars and nuts. I have been known to keep going through my workout while eating too. One time I continued with the leg press while eating mixed nuts. I’m sure people were thinking I was crazy. Oh well.

            It’s not really eating at the gym that’s bothering me; it’s what people are eating at the gym. Don’t bring pop; don’t bring fast food or candy. Number one: I’m mad that you have it and I don’t. Number two: any number of other people in there might tackle you to get to that delicious junk food you are eating because they, themselves, have sworn off junk food and would kill just to get a taste of it. Number three: you just made yourself look uneducated for making such a stupid decision about snacks in the gym and I will forever file you under “Stupid People”.