I find that I can stick to a plan of eating well and exercising for only about a week and a half. I do really, really well during that week and a half, but then something happens and I'm thrown off course. My goals immediately evaporate, I lose hope, and I not only write off the day, but often the week and beyond. It is so hard for me to get the momentum and hope back.
I met with a dietitian at WSU's fitness center today, and our meeting was very helpful. Unlike the very trim and fit 20-something personal trainer I met with a few weeks ago who flippantly told me that she is so lucky she's never had to worry about her weight or what she eats, I felt like Julie had a grasp on the emotional relationship between us and food and exercise, and how everything gets more difficult when you get older!
I lose hope easily, get bored easily, and am very impatient. These are some basic strategies I want to put into place:
- Choose time on the weekends well. Make sure not to commit too much so that I still have time to go to the market and get staples for the week and enough ingredients for at least one dish to make and refrigerate and freeze for the week. Since most of my commitments are fun, social commitments with friends I want to see and be with, maybe we could cook together instead of going out.
- I feel hungry all the time if I don't eat snacks throughout the day. Eat something within one hour of getting up and eat every 3 -4 hours. I feel more energized and less hungry when I do this.
- Prepare portions. For some snacks, I'm nervous that I'll go overboard, like with various kinds of nuts. They are high in calories and I don't want to eat too many so I often avoid them all together. If I portion them off into smaller containers and have them ready, I won't eat too many.
- When I get home from the market, if I wash my fruits and vegetables, and cut up vegetables for snacking then, I'm much more apt to eat them throughout the week.
- Since I get bored, I need to experiment with recipes more and not try to eat the same things. I got a bunch of recipes today from Julie that I'm excited to try out.
- Above all, and this is the hardest of all for me: after I slip up and eat more than I should, I need to let go of the guilt and not think it's all over. I need to make the healthy choice directly after that and not lose my momentum.
-Sarah
I buy the snack baggies ( about 3 X 5 sized) it is perfect for 1/4 to 1/3 cup portions of nuts and high energy snacks. I always thought these small portion sizes would not be enough, but they really work when the snack is high protein. If I have a good supply in the car, then I can maintain a steady eating pattern through the day... not the ups and downs I used to experience.
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