Diet Overhaul

As of May 1st my baby girl was officially weaned! Woohoo! The only thing that I miss about it is the convenience of not having to fix her a meal. It was instant :o)
When I decided to start my "diet" I chose to use a supplement called Slimmetry made by Nutrilite and distributed through Amway. (You can get it from our business here.) It's one that can't be taken while nursing... which is why the push to wean before I took any action... also an excuse to put off something that I knew would be hard for me to do. So starting May 3rd my husband and I started our diet. I really don't like to call it that. To me, a diet is something that is not meant to last. It's one of those things that you start with every intention of doing well and then when it gets hard.... you quit. That is not my intention here. I know my goal at this point is two months, but I'm already feeling the desire to take it further. I've already made working out a part of my life. It's been nine months of 5 to 6 days a week (unless I'm sick) and I really can't see myself letting that go any time soon. I love it! I'm determined to work out through any future pregnancies also. I really don't want to let that set me back.
Thus far, I'm doing about 1600 calories a day with around 60-80 grams of protein. I drink a chocolate protein shake three days a week (which tastes great by the way) after my weight lifting sessions and that helps a ton in minimizing soreness and helping with recovery time. I eat a lot of whole grains, fruits and veggies, lean meats like chicken, tilapia, and a little bit of steak. I'm one of those people that does best when things are spelled out for me. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it. Give me a grocery list and a menu for my week and I would love it. My husband on the other hand is a rather picky eater and he could eat the same three things over and over again. I get so bored with it! So far we've done quite a bit of stir-fry over brown rice, grilled chicken, fish and veggies, and chicken sandwiches. My mom-in-law found these fantastic skinny buns that are only 100 calories, whole wheat and no high fructose corn syrup so we use those for hamburgers, sandwiches and other stuff like that.
I would say my main points for changing the way you eat are:
1. Track everything that goes in your mouth! If you're writing it down and reading labels, you'll pay attention to what you're eating.
2. Clean out the cupboards. If it's in my house, I'll eat it. I don't have things in my fridge, freezer or cupboards that I know I shouldn't eat. (unless it's for my 3 year old and I know I don't even like it.)
3. Plan your meals! Have things on hand that can make a healthy meal in a hurry. We have loved canned chicken around here. Tons of protein and you can do tons with it. Make a sandwich or a wrap, add taco seasoning and have a chicken taco or just eat it out of the can.
4. Portion control! Learn portion sizes and stick to it. A serving of meat it about 3 oz. which is equal to a deck of cards. Crazy hu? When it comes to your weaknesses, don't completely eliminate them. That's when it's easy to give up and tell yourself that you have failed just because you ate that piece of cake. It's better to have a little then to have an anxiety attack over wishing you could eat it. Just ask yourself how you will feel after you eat it and then stick to your decision.
5. Carry a water bottle at all times! Most of the time when we think we are hungry, our bodies are often trying to tell us it's thirsty. Drink a bunch of water first and if you still think you're hungry, eat something healthy.


I'm sure there are others but I'll just start with those. It's really been a great week and a half. My biggest disappointment was last Sunday (my treat day) when I made molten lava cakes and they did not turn out. What a waste of calories and anticipation! I was really surprised by how upset I was over it. I didn't eat much of it and still needed something to reward myself for a good week of eating well so I turned on the hot plate and made a smore. Wow... that was good! I've been out and about with friends a few times this past week and actually did quite well considering the fact that eating is my favorite thing to do on girls nights, besides tons of talking and laughing till I cry :o) I just learned that I have to plan for that and bring things that I know I can eat and not feel guilty about.

The most pleasant surprise I had this week came yesterday when I did my cardio workout. I had missed all cardio last week because I had a nasty sore throat and then female issues so I hadn't done my cardio in almost 1 1/2 weeks and during that time I had changed my diet. My routine was fantastic! I had a lot more energy and made it through it without feeling wasted and I was able to push myself harder then I ever have. I knew I was missing an important component to my fitness and I think that I've found it!
I've got to take some pictures of my progress and take my measurements. The last time I did that was March 1st and I think I've made some progress since then, at least I sure hope so!