FOOD

Good morning friends. As promised earlier in the week, today we are gonna talk about food. Specifically - we are gonna start talking about my food choices and what I have learned.

41 pounds weight loss - from a size 22 pants to the 16's I have on today. I can wear some 14s, but they do not look good. We will talk about attire another day.

The trigger for the weight loss decision was a photo taken at an art workshop last May. It has taken me 10 months to lose those 40 pounds. That works out to about a pound a week average, but folks that is not a real picture. Early on I lost a lot one week and not so much the next. There were weeks (long stretches) where I didn't lose anything at all.

I AM NOT JILLIAN. I AM NOT SEQUESTERED ON THE BIGGEST LOSER RANCH WITH TRAINERS AND DOCTORS AND DIETICIAN AND CHEFS.

I AM A 44 YEAR OLD WORKING MOTHER OF A COLLEGE STUDENT AND A SOFTBALL PLAYING TEENAGE DAUGHTER. I SIT MOST OF THE DAY AT MY JOB. I WATCH A LOT OF MY GIRLS ACTIVITY (SITTING AGAIN). I AM A WIFE. I AM ACTIVE IN MY CHURCH. I AM AN ARTIST. I AM A REAL PERSON WHO DECIDED TO BECOME A REAL AND HEALTHY PERSON. MY DAYS START EARLY AND END LATE. THERE IS STRESS AND JOY AND TEARS AND LAUGHTER IN MY DAILY LIFE. I EAT ON THE GO A FAIR AMOUNT.

BASICALLY PEOPLE --- I AM JUST LIKE YOU.

Expert - NO.

Willing to share my experience - YES DEFINITELY. Take what you want from it.

This is my bag of snacks for today. For breakfast I had a strawberry smoothie type of thing. I put is together in the amount of time it would have taken to fix a bowl of cereal. Plain yogurt - a tiny bit of 2% milk - ice - and 2 spoons of polaner all fruit. Just two of the spooons that I use to eat cereal (no complicated measuring). I use flaked ice that I get from a friend who has an ice machine, and therefore no mixer needed, I just shake it in a jar, but the mixer would be almost as quick. Real food bought at a real grocery store with my real money.

THERE YOU GO - TRICK NUMBER ONE - plan for time crunches. Know what you are gonna do.

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I don't eat out of a big box or bag at all for snacks. I put it in baggies. Read the nutrition information on the package - ONLY one serving in a baggie. Fruits and veggies as far as I am concerned are fair game in small portions. Look above. Nature Valley nut clusters (6 of them in that bag) - strawberries - baby carrots - a low fat cheese stick - and a prepackaged granola bar. Again - real food bought at a real grocery store with my very real money.

TRICK NUMBER TWO - eat often, but plan for snacks. And plan for sweet ones, salty ones, high protein ones, and something that might pass for "junk food" in your easily trickable brain.

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Food is fuel for your body. It is the way that nutrients get into the system. The right mix keeps everything running smoothly. There are things needed for all the little systems that need to function. Water is the carrier for all those goodies. I know when I am struggling with my asthma, even when I have used my inhaler, chances are good that I am underhydrated. Leg cramps during a run - not enough potassium. Fatigue setting in early - low on B vitamins. Learn it. Study these things. The experts are out there and they make big bucks to publish informative stuff for you.

Do not fall prey to the latest FAD publication though. Been there myself - tried the high protein low carb thing - my kidneys hurt me constantly. Severe calorie restriction - not even - my body held onto weight like no other time - plus I was not nice.

I eat real food - I'm going out to eat for lunch today. I did yesterday. And the day before that. I'll eat a salad - or a grilled something. Yesterday - I had a spinach quesadilla and chips and salsa verde - and a great conversation with LBF. Real food - purchased in a real restaurant - with his real money. I go out for lunch because eating in my building is stressful - I need that break every day - sometimes I brown bag, but not often.

I also eat some prepackaged meals - healthy choice and weight watchers are my preferred ones.

Later we will talk about cooking - and challenging situations - and cravings. I'll also share more tips and tricks.

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It is not magic. It is not difficult. It just takes planning. It takes discipline. It takes good decisions over and over and over again. Not a pill - not surgery - just old fashioned food pyramid based eating and exercise.

I will tell you that I thought I would be hungry. Reality - I eat so much food everyday that I can honestly say I have not been hungry.

The key is smart planning - lets take a look.

3 oreo cookies is approx 140 calories. That bag of carrots above is less than 25 calories. For me the carrots satisfy sweet and crunchy cravings and that bag is a ton more filling. Do the math - you would have to eat 46 of those baby carrots for the same calories - plus the potassium in the carrots helps with heart function and keeps my leg cramps down when I run. Those three oreos -- not much they do for my nutrient levels and limiting to 3 of them will just piss me off - I want like 10 when I get started.

You can do this -

I am open to any questions that you might have for me. Ask me anything - I try to answer it or find someone who can.

Have a wonderful day.