FOOD!

I'm sitting here, 11:30 at night, smelling the chocolate cake I made for Amee that is cooling. So I thought, hey a blog about CAKE!!!! No just kidding. This is actually about food and my battle to overcome it.

As a kid and teenager, I was able to eat anything I wanted and still remained slender. I never learned how to eat properly. When I became an adult I started to realize this (especially after gaining so much weight with Amee). I didn't think I ate that bad, but really I was lying to myself. So here is how I overcame food, maybe it will help someone else :)

1. Stop lying to yourself! So very important, especially when trying to track calories, sugar, sodium, fat, etc. Be totally honest and think about everything you put in your mouth. Don't slam a handful of cookies and then tell yourself you have no idea why you can't lose weight. Get rid of the junk and start buying more produce. Try new things, find what you like (and get some really good, healthy, low cal dressings, trust me they will save your sanity).

2. Don't rationalize the junk. 3 things to ask yourself before you decide on that Big Mac and fries. Do you want it? Do you need? Can you live without it?
    -If you want it, ask yourself why, then see if there is a healthier alternative (even if it means just cutting out the fries or swapping them for apples w/ carmel)
    -Chances are you don't need it. If your hungry, eat, but make it good. If you're going splurge, make sure it is just a splurge and not a binge.
    -You need food to live, but you don't need junk food to live.

3. Keep a food journal. I kept a mental one, but some may find it helpful to write it down. Write down every single thing you eat, then record how it makes you feel. Do you feel bloated, irritated, tired? Do you feel full or stuffed? Are you hungry again in 30-60 minutes? Write it all down and evaluate what is working and what isn't.

4. "I can't live without my carbs" I used to say this too. You CAN live without your carbs, but you're addicted. Break the addiction. Go 2 weeks with no carbs (or at least no wheat) and see how you feel. I'm not saying you can never have carbs, but you can be smart about it. I still eat bread sometimes and we have pasta sometimes 2-4 times a month. I don't count carbs at all, doesn't even cross my mind, but I don't make them a main staple either. You CAN live without carbs, trust me :).

5. "I don't like (insert healthy food here)". Totally understand. I don't like fish, unless it's bear battered, fried and served with tarter sauce.  But don't make the assumption that you don't like certain foods right away. Detox the junk, then start trying new stuff again. Research on how to pick produce and try it several times (it can take up to 7 times to learn to like something). Once you clean out your system and your tastebuds have a chance to repair themselves, you may be surprised just how different everything taste.

6. Splurge! Find some healthy alternatives for the worst of your forbidden treats and allow yourself to have some others that aren't so bad (my indulgence is sugar free pudding and sugar free apple cider). Let yourself have treats. If you constantly deny yourself, you are setting yourself up for some serious binging later. Just remember, a splurge should be one meal or one snack, not the whole day (that is binge-ing, so is "splurging" everyday).

7. Do your research. I recommend reading the Eat This, Not That books and articles. They helped me so much. It's a huge wake up call when you find out that dinner out was equal to eating 10 Big Macs. They also give you healthier options and ways to order some  of your favorites in a healthy way. I can't even think about Cheesecake Factory without gagging a little now.

8. Read the labels. The whole thing! From Calories down to ingredients. If you don't know what the ingredients are, look them up (you'd be surprised how many different names there are for sugar and wheat). Also pay careful attention to serving sizes. A lot of companies try to make themselves look better by putting ridiculously small serving suggestions on the label.

9. If you didn't make it, don't trust it and all salads are not created equal. Basically, be careful of "healthy" sounding foods (like salad) that are loaded with as many calories as massive binge fest at Burger King. A lot of your favorite restaurant recipes can be made at home for less money and less trauma to your waistline. Also be aware of the "healthy" sounding stuff you may have at home that could damage your efforts. Again, read the labels. Does that granola bar really sound healthy with 20+ grams of sugar. Trade it for a plain yogurt (sweeten with Stevia or your own favorite sweetner, just not sugar) with low fat low sugar granola. Or have a smoothie. Smoothies made at home are wonderful for you (and they taste indulgent). And be very careful with dried fruits. A lot of them have added sugar and chemicals and think about this - how many grapes does that handful of raisins equal? It would be better just to have the grapes.

10. Move. Workout, dance with your kids, chase them down the hall, walk to the mailbox, park far away from entrances, etc. Just get up and start moving. If you feeling tired, try a workout and see how you feel afterwards. Don't push yourself to hard in the beginning, you don't want to injure yourself.

11. Getting upset is okay, just don't give up. I have had days where I come home from the gym and cried, but I keep going. I know what I'm doing is going to help me in the long run. Take your time. Results don't happen over night. Don't be too hard on yourself. Losing weight is hard and there are going to be speed bumps along the way.

12. Don't crash/fad diet. They don't work! The ones that do are only temporary. Once you go back to your old eating habits, the weight will come back. Change your lifestyle and the way you eat. You don't need to starve to lose weight. In fact, I eat every 2-4 hours (and good stuff too, no rice cakes or cabbage soup for me).

13. The most important one, at least for me. Get a good support group. Whether it's friends, family, a trainer, a weight loss group, etc., just get the support you need. People that will encourage you, but be tough enough to keep you on track.

14. Drink water! Extremely important. Cut out the soda too. I know it's hard. It took me about 2 weeks before I stopped having the "Man I could really go for a soda" urges. You can do it and you will feel better. Don't like water? Try getting filters for you tap, buying flavor pouches or bottles flavored water. Just get more H2O into your system. You're body will thank you!

Well, I know there is more, but now I'm ready for bed. Good luck and remember, beauty comes from within too.