Eating with Purpose

Wow, what a crazy few weeks!  I've traveled all week, every week, since February 18th.  If you have kept up with me, you will know I have planned and organized my food as much as I could to stay on track.

Then last week traveled the entire week and couldn't plan ahead.

And STILL lost weight.

This week was even crazier, bringing air travel into the mix; way harder to fit healthy food into my bag when my shoes already make it hard to close.

Here's what I avoided this week with my travels that were all either put in my room or in front of me:

peanut butter crackers, Milano cookies, sandies cookies, oatmeal on the go bars, GIANT chocolate chip cookies, chocolate milk, chocolate mouse torte, s'mores over an open fire, candy everywhere, croissants, muffins, brownies, chips,grits, mystery dressing, WARM yeast rolls, butter rolls, pizza, lemon slushies and I am SURE I have left something out. 

All this in 3 days, a hotel resort, crazy meeting schedule and a theme park. I felt really strong.  One day the lunch option was a ham croissant, with pasta salad, chips, a brownie, hummus and veggies.  I ate the ham, veggies, a little bit of hummus.  I bartered my brownie for more veggies. 

I had also packed a few "emergency food" items - some Larabars (only the one with NO chocolate) since they are literally made of dates and nuts only.  I also had some grassfed beef jerky that was really tasty and a great protein/fat source.




Chicken dish at Chili's - minus the rice with steamed veggies.  So good!



Power Steak bowl from the HIDDEN menu at Panera!  2 eggs, steak, avocado and tomatoes.  SO good!

 

Stopped to grab lunch from food lion since no decent restaurants on I95.  Got a cobb salad (no cheese) with oil and vinegar, a large carrot (YES I ate the carrot later while driving) and fresh fruit. So good!

This is what all that healthy, purposeful eating equals.  Feeling fabulous in an awesome form fitting dress!  Worth it!

 I flew back into Augusta late Wednesday night, then grabbed a steak and veggies from Logans for dinner.  This was great except they put WARM YEAST ROLLS in my takeout bag.  These became a gift for the front desk at the hotel.  Out of sight and smell, out of mind!

Biggest learning of the week?

I'm not OBLIGATED to eat ANYTHING.  I hear so many people say "I just couldn't say no" or "I didn't want to be rude." 

Well...I don't care about how my eating will affect anyone else's mood.

Does that sound harsh?  It shouldn't.  Because MY health is about ME.  And my food choices directly affect my health. 

I have food sensitivities.  Not anyone's business that the main sensitivity I've found is that grains make me fat and bloated!

It's still a sensitivity.  And the people around you, if they truly love YOU and support YOU will not only understand, but will try to accommodate you.

Now, this doesn't mean you have to be a jerk to people, in fact, the nicer you are about it, the more accommodating others will be to your specific needs.

So the whole point of this rant is that if you eat with a purpose, to fuel your body, then the excuses go out the window.

Eating purposefully means planning, seeking out the best items on the menu, and being prepared.  Putting your health and nutrition needs above "pleasing the crowd."  This week on the Biggest Loser, the 5 remaining contestants got makeovers, then went home for 2 weeks.  So super risky!  We watched them all struggle at restaurants with their friends and families. 

Some were saying, "Well, you've been so good, just do it this once!"

Would they say the same thing to an alcoholic?  I think not.  Well, real friends anyway, right?

"Just once" turns into just today, then just this weekend, then just until the end of the month.

Seriously, been there, done that.

I got on the scale this morning a little curious.  Haven't run since Tuesday but lots of walking around and airports and lifting luggage.  I managed to pick up an icky cold virus somewhere so I didn't get much gym time in this week.  My body needed rest.

I got on the scale this morning and was down another 1.8 pounds from last Saturday.

At this point, I am losing weight effortlessly.  Because MOST of the effort was in getting into the habit of how I eat now.  And I'm in that habit and its easy to eat this way almost anywhere. 

I never lost weight this easily before.  I know as I ramp my workout out back up this week once my cold is better, I may see some movement on the scale as I build up more muscle again and that's ok.  My body is becoming very efficient at metabolizing what I'm eating.  This is a great change.

So when I eat, I am still enjoying food, you should know that.  I crave healthy protein, colorful vegetables and amazing sweet fruit.  But I'm definitely eating with a sincere purpose to fuel my body appropriately.

And since it is responding so well, I think I'll continue.  Thank you very much.

Clara