Million Calorie Weekend

Ever been at your lifetime dieting-best and then, for some horrible reason, a 3-day weekend comes and it's like you've never seen food before in your life? Yeah. I have.

Hello, binge-eating...I've missed you.

I know that binge eating can be a result of something emotional or hormonal, but honestly, my stress level hasn't increased at all and I'm no hormonal than usual, lol, so I can't pawn off my bad behavior on an excuse like that either. I just stopped caring. Period. Which is really sad because now I feel like I have gone from this:

To this:

I resolve to banish binge-eating!

I resolve to eat small, healthy portions!

I resolve to limit my sugar intake!

I resolve to meet my weight-loss goal of 15-20 pounds by the end of march!

I resolve to get strong, get healthy and respect my body!

10 Strategies for Overcoming Binge Eating

• Manage stress. One of the most important aspects of controlling binge eating is to find alternate ways to handle stress and other overwhelming feelings without using food. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises.
• Eat 3 meals a day plus healthy snacks.  Eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism in the morning. Follow breakfast with a balanced lunch and dinner, and healthy snacks in between. Stick to scheduled mealtimes, as skipping meals often leads to binge eating later in the day.
• Avoid temptation. You’re much more likely to overeat if you have junk food, desserts, and unhealthy snacks in the house. Remove the temptation by clearing your fridge and cupboards of your favorite binge foods.
• Stop dieting. The deprivation and hunger of strict dieting can trigger food cravings and the urge to overeat. Instead of dieting, focus on eating in moderation. Find nutritious foods that you enjoy and eat only until you feel content, not uncomfortably stuffed. Avoid banning certain foods as this can make you crave them even more.
• Exercise. Not only will exercise help you lose weight in a healthy way, but it also lifts depression, improves overall health, and reduces stress. The natural mood-boosting effects of exercise can help put a stop to emotional eating.
• Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're bored, distract yourself. Take a walk, call a friend, read, or take up a hobby such as painting or gardening.
• Get enough sleep. If you're tired, you may want to keep eating in order to boost your energy. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.
• Listen to your body. Learn to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger. If you ate recently and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving time to pass.
• Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, when, how much, and how you're feeling when you eat. You may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between your moods and binge eating.
• Get support. You're more likely to succumb to binge eating triggers if you lack a solid support network. Talking helps, even if it’s not with a professional. Lean on family and friends, join a support group, and if possible consult a therapist.

Fail

What is it about 4pm? 


4pm takes all my motivation and throws it out the window. And also, what is it about grocery stores? Really. Before you know it you've bought two dozen donut holes and a bag of deep-fried jalepeno poppers, then you're home shortly after and have justified eating all of it. I wish that was just an example, but that's what actually happened yesterday. In fairness, I ate about a dozen and my boy ate the rest. 


...See what a good example I am to him?


SNACKY. Why do I have to feel so snacky all day? And why are the afternoons so brutal? I can hold off and do fairly well all day - and then late afternoon hits and I turn into the human equivalent to a wood-chipper, just shredding through the food and the fat and the calories.

I went over my calories yesterday and so, in regular fashion, I didn't track any foods from 4pm on - and that helped me justify my poor eating habits. "I already ruined my diet today, so I might as well eat what I want." Why do I do this? Do I not realize in the food-frenzy of the moment how absolutely stupid that line of thought is?

And so, I resolve to TRACK. When I track I'm more mindful. So yes, even if I go over by a dozen donut holes - I will freaking TRACK it, then feel gross and be determined not to EVER have a dozen donut holes in one sitting again. Everything in moderation - that's my new motto.

So here comes day 2 of the new me - and let's hope that I can keep things under control. 

The D Word

I've never been a particularly good diet-er. In fact I've never followed a fitness regime either. I've been petite with a high metabolism, who could fork away all the food I could dream of with little consequence. Don't get me wrong, I've never been even close to model-esque, and I've had a pudgy belly since always.

It's just that I'm slipping into my thirties now, with a slower metabolism, and that pudge has been building up and making me feel just...like a slug. I've started journaling my health and habit changes on the precipice of getting older (and maybe a bit wiser, eh?) and realizing that I have not, in so many ways, been healthy. I've been lucky - and that's about it. 

So, enter: diet. And I hate, and I mean hate, dieting. Of course, I've never given it an honest shot, either. So here's my plan: nothing funky, no crazy deadlines or requirements, but just honest, healthy, low-calorie and fat and (cries) sugar diet. I will track my calories on www.everydayhealth.com because that keeps me mindful and accountable and I will give my very best effort to stay beneath my calorie limit. 

For week one, I will stay (as best I can) at around 1000 calories. At the end of that week, I will allow myself the daily recommended calories for my size, which is around 1300. My goal is to be open to habit change, and determined to do my best. Around week two I will up my exercise as well.

In short, this is going to stink. Lol.

So I better make the payoff amazing, right?

Right.

Diving In

I guess this first post requires an explanation, no? I'm an all-around food lover and eater-of-much. I'm a thirty-something spunky mother of one. Yes, I'm private about my personal life, so there will be no details about my home life, no pictures of my kiddo with a macaroni-orange-face, no bragging about how my hubby and little fella are the most amazingest ever (though they are, which maybe ought to be stated just this once, lol), and no mushy-gushy emotional goop. If you're looking for that, then I'm sorry, too-personal how-my-day-went blogs are a dime a dozen and I'm sure you'll find one that suits you just wonderfully.

As for my blog, though, I intend to stack it with helpful, motivating and fun ways to not only get fit, but get healthy overall. This blog will also track my progress because, shoot, it motivates me to write my feelings, accomplishments and even failures all down. To keep myself accountable, you will be hearing if I ate an entire cheesecake (which, oh my gosh, I hope never happens). I resolve to be a healthier version of myself, to lose a little weight through diet and exercise, to get tone, and to take pride in my reflection - and not just because I look smokin' (which I intend to, for sure), but because I know I have made good changes in habit and attitude!

Here's to a better me, and a better you! Here's to a healthier lifestyle!
Ready? Set? Go!