This is Part 1 of my newest personal endeavor. Let me begin by stating that I don't think I'm fat. I'm not trying to lose an unhealthy amount of weight and I have no desire to starve myself into the size 25 MEK Jeans that all of the high school girls I teach wear. I just don't want to be so mushy. I realize that at 30 a little excess cushion is unavoidable, but there is no excuse for needing to wear Spanx under my jeans at this point. After babies...bring them on! But, right now the muffin top is completely my fault. When it comes to food, I lack any type of discipline.
Please note that my education consists of a BBA in Management Information Systems. The only kinesiology requirement on my graduation plan was KIN 101. Now, I did do well in that class, but the only thing I remember was the hot graduate assistant having to rub my hands to get me to bleed for cholesterol testing. Seriously. Hot. The information you are about to indulge in is purely opinion and based on no facts other than the random Yahoo Shine! article.
There seem to be two main rules to successful dieting. Watch what you eat. Watch how much you eat. I only watch what I eat to make sure I don't consume something totally despicable like onions or broccoli. I am pretty good at watching how much I eat...I watch and watch and watch. About a month ago I finally realized that any type of healthy weight loss was not going to happen without help. So I enlisted the help of my best friend Vanessa and her charm of a husband, Chase. They used some super fun gadgets to determine my resting metabolic rate (Click here for wikipedia explanation). I then had the joy of stepping on a scale, getting my measurements taken, and the ultimate embarrassment of Chase pinching my fat. After reviewing all of the information we nailed down a healthy goal weight. A diet was then created just for me. And so it began...
Let me just tell you that Chase and Vanessa accomplished something that has never been done before. With just one meal plan, they were able to make me dread eating. To their credit the food wasn't all bad, it just wasn't what I wanted to eat. Does anyone know what the heck Quinoa is? Me either. Luckily I had my trusty little iPhone on hand in the grocery store so that I could google it. I had no intention of asking. Also on the google list: gluten free steel cut oats. Surprisingly, there were also some things that I enjoyed but they were usually paired with something not normally found on my grocery list.
Here is a breakdown of the good, the bad, and the down right ugly.
Good:
SunButter (a lot like peanut butter but made from sunflower seeds, great for people with nut allergies)
Any of the fruits (duh...I could live off fruit alone)
Sweet Potatoes
Kroger Corn Tortillas (they are made fresh, anything else tastes like dried cardboard)
Ziplock Steam Bags (I don't like anything that comes out of them, but I do like the convenience of the bag)
Bad:
Raw Broccoli (Be proud Mom and Dad. I sucked it up and ate it, but I had to stuff in it with pieces of salmon)
Pico (as mentioned previously...onions = bleh!)
Ugly:
Everything, after eating it for three or more days in a row. I am a variety type of girl. Other than Chiloso (Best Place EVER), grilled cheese, and cereal, there are very few things that I can eat for days at a time.
You see the thing is, I don't eat in order to provide my body with the nutrition it needs. I eat because I enjoy food. When I eat a grilled cheese, I'm not thinking about calories or protein or sodium. I'm thinking about the crunch of the bread, the saltiness of the butter and the creaminess of the cheese. I eat for delicious not nutritious. Now, Vanessa will tell you that protein pudding is the best dessert ever but the girl has never eaten an Oreo cookie. Seriously, never. Relative to the other food she eats, her protein pudding probably is the best dessert ever. She eats for nutritious.
So how is it all panning out? I've stuck to the plan pretty well. There have been several moments of weakness and the occasional arrival at school with the realization that my food is not with me. You would think that I would be excited because that would be an excuse to eat off the plan, but the truth is, I am truly disappointed when that happens. Over the last few weeks, my body has shrunk and I feel so much better. My energy levels are up, my belly is flat. This nutritious thing actually has some merit. And on those days when the plan is just not an option, I don't run to the nearest Chick-fil-a or vending machine. I run into Kroger and by a piece of fruit and a handful of almonds. I've also learned to keep a little almond milk and protein powder at both of my schools. This will at least tide me over until I can get home and back on the plan.
A huge thank you goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Chase Banks. You guys have done something for me that I haven't been able to do in years...look in the mirror and not be totally grossed out. :)
Next installment in the Weight Loss Odyssey series: Sweat Yourself Skinny
