As you might have noticed it has been awhile since I have posted and there is a reason, it's because I haven't had anything good to post. That's right you guys, I'm not perfect. Only a week and a half in to this whole goal thing and I failed. Yes, I am beating myself up because I didn't have to fail, I chose to.
Chris and I decided to take advantage of the long weekend and go stay up in Northern Utah for a few days, which means my schedule was thrown off and we had to eat out for most of 3 days. So I let my weaknesses of delicious food get the better of me and I ate pretty much whatever I wanted and didn't exercise.
A few moments for some excuses then I will get back to beating myself up.
1. I was raised, and Chris and I have continued this tradition, that food was a form of entertainment, a thing to be enjoyed. When we traveled/travel we always plan the trips around the food we are going to eat. It isn't just about eating to fuel our bodies but eating to experience different unique flavors, atmospheres and locations.
2. We have REALLY been trying to keep to a strict budget lately so when we are splurging for a special occasion I really struggle spending money on a salad when I could spend the same amount on something much more exciting and that has way too many calories.
3. Well...I just wanted that cinnamon roll...the size of Chris's head...covered in butter... okay...so...sue me!
Now for the reasons that these are terrible excuses and I should just get over myself.
1. Well, as much as I hate to say it, this lifestyle just doesn't exactly work for someone trying to loose a significant amount of weight. Really. If I am committed to this and really want it (which I do) then I need to stop thinking like this and focus on food as fuel.
2. Sure, it seems way cooler to get a stuffed burger instead of a salad but what is also cooler is feeling comfortable in your own skin and being able to do things you like to do so...get the SALAD ELLEN!
3. For this one, I just need to get over myself and my cravings. ha (Just so everyone knows we split this cinnamon roll over the course of two meals so not as disgusting).
So now what? What do I do now that I had a weekend where I didn't do anything I committed to myself and you that I would do. It is tempting to just wallow in self-hatred and give up, but I won't do it. I am jumping right back!
Yesterday, first day home, I made sure I was under my calories, made a delicious low calorie kale, turkey potato soup and went for an hour long walk. This morning I started the 5 day challenge from FitnessBlender with Day 1 (it's the best, I'm telling you) and made a delicious low-calorie Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joe for dinner. (Recipes below)
I also made a list of things I learned from my first (and sadly probably not last) "bad" weekend. Here are a few of them:
- I REALLY need to change the way I think about food (at least for the next 7-8 months). It needs to be about taking care of my body and not entertainment. I'm not sure how I am going to do that but it's at least on my radar.
- If we are going out to eat, I NEED to prepare so that I know exactly what I am getting when we get there (If at all possible). I think this will really eliminate the great temptation to get "what's really good" in the moment and stick to my calorie plans.
- I cannot let myself get in the mindset of "I already blew the plan with one meal I might as well go all out with the others." Which then turns into, "I already blew it yesterday, might as well forget it for today too." Not true. If I don't do well with one meal doesn't mean I can't do better for the next.
As far as I can tell I have not lost any weight. I am however not confident in this fact because I'm convinced my scale is useless. According to it I lost 3 lbs while is was sleeping in one night, then gained two back within a few hours, then lost 2 again. Doesn't seem right to me. I'm thinking I might need to get this figured out since my goals are centered around losing weight. Any recommendations for a cheap but accurate scale?
So now you know, I have been silent because of my shame but I will hide it no more! I am not perfect but I am trying and so should you. Here is to a better week/weekend! I CAN DO IT!
Philly Cheese Turkey Sloppy Joes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Serving (1/2 cup meat mixture + 1 slice of
cheese):
Ingredients
·
1 lb lean ground turkey
·
1 cup white onion, diced
·
1 green bell pepper, diced
·
¼ cup steak sauce
·
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
·
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
·
⅛ tsp salt
·
⅛ tsp black pepper
·
8 eight-grain slim buns
·
8 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese (Personally I feel that reduced-fat cheese isn't even worth it so I just got regular, but do what you want)
Instructions
1. In
a large skillet, start to brown the turkey on medium-high heat for about 5-6
minutes. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, or
until the vegetables start to get tender.
2. Stir
in the steak sauce, Worcestershire and beef broth. Sprinkle in the salt and
pepper. Get the mixture bubbling by turning it up to high. Cook like this for
about 3 minutes (most of the liquid will evaporate).
3. On
a baking sheet, layout buns, separating the tops from the bottoms. On the
bottom halves, spoon approximately 1/2 cup of the meat mixture and 1 slice of
cheese.
4. Broil
open faced sandwiches until the top bun is golden brown and the cheese is good
and melty! Remove from oven and assemble and stack with desired toppings.
Nutrition
Information
Per
Serving (1/2 cup meat mixture + 1 slice of cheese):
Calories:
273
skinnymom.com
I'm ashamed to say that I did teach you to enjoy delicious food and have fun trying new flavors. I recognize that this can be done, but in moderation. For example: I WILL be eating at The Bombay House when we visit Provo, but I can eat only 1/4 to 1/3 or my dish and forgo the Naan and the Gulab Jamun... or maybe just have a bite lol. We can do this Ellen! Every day we get a fresh start.
ReplyDeleteYes, moderation, that needs to be my motto. :)
DeleteWhen Brian wrestled in high school, he had to weigh himself every day, and he said that you could weigh five pounds less in the morning than you do in the afternoon. Five pounds! So maybe try weighing yourself at the same time of day every day and then averaging it for the week? We don't own a scale, so I weight myself once a week at the gym at Brian's school...hopefully that's accurate... Also, I did that fitness blender workout you posted a couple blog posts ago (the awesome workout one) and dang, so hard. I love how many people you're inspiring, including me!!
ReplyDeleteOne time a couple of years ago I went two whole weeks eating a really great diet. I avoided sugar and processed foods, and ate tons of fruit and vegetables. Almost everything I ate was plant based. In only TWO WEEKS I lost weight, my skin was flawless, I felt better, and I stopped getting the headaches I seem to get every few days. Then I ate a salad wrap with some olive oil and salt instead of salad dressing, and when I was done I was so depressed. Joel was gone, and I asked him to pick up a pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food on his way home. I devoured that whole pint on the spot. And it was so yummy. And I haven't been able to diet like that since. Even though I saw results almost immediately, it was just too hard. So I feel your pain, and I understand, and don't beat yourself up about slip ups. A good diet is sustainable, and I think that means that we can have treats sometimes. I don't know the answer to being able to keep up a diet, but I do know that it's hard! Good luck with your goals!
ReplyDeleteI am going to agree with the comment above mine and say that you're judging yourself too harshly by weighing yourself too often! Your body can fluctuate 5 lbs throughout the day, and you always weigh less in the morning after waking up from a full night's sleep. Don't measure your success by the hour or even by the day. Pick one day of the week. Weigh yourself at the same time of day. That's the only way to get an accurate record of how you're meeting your weight goals. (I weigh myself every Wednesday morning as soon as I wake up, and I don't take any of my other weigh-ins too seriously).
ReplyDeleteYou should also take body measurements now because sometimes you lose inches and that's more noticeable than your weight. (Because if you're replacing fat with lean muscle as you're exercising, the muscle will weigh more than the fat eventually). So remember to track how your clothes fit and how you're feeling too. Losing inches is always exciting! And when I'm eating healthier and exercising, I can feel in it the amount of energy and my mood from day to day. I encourage you to track these other measurements too, Ellen. I'm sure you are having success, but don't be discouraged if you see your weight fluctuate from hour to hour or day to day.
I got fat on my mission, but a lot of it came off pretty naturally when I got back to my normal lifestyle. The biggest experience (most challenging) I've had with weight loss if after Dulce. Some of it came off easily, but the last 20 pounds were hard!!! After having experiences like you (doing really well for a bit, and then bad for a few days) I decided to take it slower with the weight loss. I made sure to exercise 5 days a week (because I liked to and it's good to) but I still let myself eat things more often than most "strict diets" would because I knew otherwise I would just binge on junk every few days. I also tried to drink water before meals so I didn't stuff myself with the carbs on the table. Mario and I (and Dulce) now eat vegetables at the beginning of most meals (even breakfast!). I lost weight slowly after having Dulce, but developed really good habits that helped me lose 10 extra pounds past the pre-pregnancy weight! It can be really slow going, but don't give up!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forblognesssake.com/ I observed this teacher last Friday and I became a little obsessed with her classroom and then found her blog and love it! Something that has also given me a lot of motivation is using a fabric tape measurer. Take measurements of arms, waist, thighs and all that jazz now and throughout this whole process do it again every now and then and compare the numbers to when you first started. I like this because at some point the muscle will outweigh the fat and it will be harder to see the difference especially if you start lifting and doing weight training. Good luck! If you ever need a walking buddy I'm in Provo!;)
ReplyDelete