eat healthier

I was doing so well, and then I reached that point where you start to think “I’m doing great! That means I can allow myself to slack a little.” But, moderation and I do not mix. I don’t have the control required to re-introduce “bad” foods in smaller amounts. I am an extreme person. I need to keep myself on a tight leash, otherwise I will over-indulge.

So, here’s yet another list of the things I plan to do to improve my eating habits:

1) Eat more greens

2) Eat more fish

3) Consume more protein

4) Eat more whole wheat products

5) Continue eating lots of yogurt

6) Continue to stay away from caffeine

7) Curb my daily intake of sweets

8) Go back to calorie counting

9) Utilize my food journal once again

I’m keeping it simple for now. I’ll refine my goals as I go along.

I have slacked off SO hardcore on this goal. I managed to convince myself that since I had finally lost all the weight I wanted to lose that it was okay to start eating crap again. and, while I’ve not seen any real change in my weight since I began indulving in previously off limits foods, I’ve started to generally feel worse. For instance, I often find myself feeling light headed and nauseated these days. I eat food because it’s there not because I’m hungry. I eat way more sweets and junk then I used to.

This must stop. I know I’ve said it before but it really needs to happen now. I must remind myself to…

1) Eat some friggin greens every. single. day.

2) Get my daily dose of protein through meat instead of protein bars which hold little to no nutritional value.

3) Make it a priority to drink AT LEAST three 8 oz. bottles of water per day. (One with each meal)

4) Eat only when I’m hungry.

5) Cut out most of the sweets that have found their way into my daily intake.

6) Eat a serving or two of whole wheat products each day.

7) Eat more actual food as opposed to wacky, processed supermarket crap that passes for food.

Game on.

Dear Self,

Please do me and favor and try to remember to only eat when you are hungry. Eating when you are not hungry, I.E. when you are full, will result in a flare up of your IBS symptoms.

Sincerely Yours,

Your Body.

I wouldn’t say I’ve fallen off the wagon, but I’ve been allowing myself a little too much flexibility. I’m eating way more then I should, and eating far more “bad” foods then I should. So, I need to get myself back in line, and my first step is to figure out exactly what I need to include in my diet every single day.

1) Protein

2) Fiber

3) Yogurt

4) Water

5) Greens

I like lists, can you tell? Now, I have to figure out how I can incorporate all of these items into my diet everyday without overeating.

Can I just say this whole ordeal with the spinach and the e. coli is driving me up the wall? Nature has horrible timing in this particular instance. I start eating greens and then my favorite and most often consumed one goes all deadly and all the supermarkets in my area pull it from the shelves. Crap. I hope to God this doesn’t go on for months, I was really beginning to like spinach :-(

I made a salad with spinach leaves!

Tonight marks the third night in a row that I have consumed a full salad.

I know it seems like such a little thing, but this is probably the largest amount of greens I’ve consumed in all of the 27 years I’ve walked the planet.

It’s such a big deal I’m kind of afraid to tell my family about it. I know they’ll tease me, make fun that I’m making a change. It would all be good natured, but I’m such a sensitive scardy cat I know even good natured teasing would make me feel bad and want to stop. Can’t risk that, so I’m going to refrain from spreading the news until I feel more confident in my new habit.

But, I’m really proud of myself.

REALLY :-)

I hate salads. I have always hated salads. I have never ever given them the time of day. But, today, I had one for dinner. And it was okay.

I do not like greens. I never eat greens. But, it has come to my attention that in order to boost my immune system and fight off the myriad viruses and infections my body is currently harboring, I’m gonna need to start eating roughage. So, I started this evening. Bought some assorted greens, some shredded chicken, mixed it all together and forced it down. It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. The chicken gave the lettuce some taste.

So, this is a first step. The first day of my new acquaintence with greens.

But I must learn to eat them. Well, maybe not all of them, but some. I need to eat SOME. So, yesterday I went out and bought a bag of baby carrots and am going to try to eat a few each day. Well, at least every other day. As I always say, baby steps, baby steps.

1) I’m consuming more fiber everyday and drinking enough water for it to achieve maximum effect.

2) I’m consuming more protein in the form of chicken and poultry.

3) I am eating more yogurt.

4) I am keeping each meal to 500 calories or less.

5) I am watching the calorie count of the snacks I eat.

Other things I would like to accomplish in this arena:

1) Get my fat, carb, and protein intake percentage to a healthy, nutiritious level.

2) Eat more tuna fish.

3) Start eating baby carrots.

Little changes. It’s all about little changes made one at a time :-)