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Week 13: Food Woes Revealed, Mar. 23-29
By Cindy | April 1, 2008
I love food. For many years (all 30), I convinced myself that I could work harder to enjoy the extra hour of running it would take to void out that doughnut. I don’t have that time anymore. For the exercise that I completed the last few weeks, my body composition has only shifted slightly (and I have plenty of room to drop some fat), but I am doing an injustice to myself with the choices I make at the dinner table. I have no excuse. Mostly, it is laziness and a little smidgen of defiance. I really want to justify eating that extra slice of coconut cake.
I know what I need to do and that is to eat in moderation healthy, wholesome foods. I must kick the fast food habit and focus on eating proper portions. I’m not a nutritionist, but I have a basic understanding of a healthy, well rounded diet. Why is it so hard to follow then?!
In my first newsletter, I mention that we all must experience a mental trigger–that moment in time when you decide, “This is it. I see what I must do and I am doing it.” The application applies to our exercise experiences, professional lives and dietary lifestyle. My shift from so-so exercising (after babies) occurred last year, December 31st. I knew I would make exercise a priority and running my focus. I’m very close to experiencing a mental trigger for changing my food habits. I haven’t gone through the house and purged all chocolates, candies, snacks and processed foods (yet), but I am confident that my desire to convert my so-so eating habits to stellar (most of the time) choices is near.
Here’s how the week fell:
Sunday: 2 sets/15 reps full body dumbbell routine-lunges, squats, 1-arm row, pullovers, bench press, flys, lat raise, lying tricep extensions, tricep kickbacks, standing bicep curls, abdominal crunch, standing calf raises. I used a stability ball for any exercises that required a bench or lying support for an extra umpf!
Monday: Motivated to run in the morning, I completed my 4.5 mile run and fifteen minute abdominal routine before the house stirred. Of course, it was the only day I drug myself out of bed early. I felt so good that I completed a one hour step class at the Y for my cross training routine as well.
Tuesday: Dragged myself to the swimming pool to complete my second cross training session. I swam and moved for 30 minutes in the water! It wasn’t too bad.
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: The weather has been wonderful. I ran 4.5 miles around the neighborhood and cooled down with stetches and 15 minutes of abdominal exercises.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday: Another fun run around the neighborhood for 7 miles and another 15 minute abdominal routine.
Where I stand after a week of Nutritional Analysis
I wrote down everything I ate this week and it was an awakening. The week started out heavy with all the Easter trimmings and coconut cake (I ate small slices, but I didn’t avoid it) and tapered down by Saturday. Writing everything down certainly changed my thoughts as I looked around the kitchen to prepare meals or drove by food establishments. I didn’t plug everything in until yesterday. At first, I was dreading the process of entering numbers into the computer, but after the first day’s entries, the flow became easier because Fitday offers a recently added list of foods. It still took about 3 hours with child interruptions and phone calls, but I did it. I need to track more often in Fitday, plus the reports are pretty nifty. My average weekly totals are as follows:
- Calories: 1725
- Fat: 49 grams (27%) with 18 g. (10%) saturated
- Carbs: 239 grams(52%) with fiber totaling 21 grams
- Protein: 83 grams (20%)
- Alcohol: 4 grams (2%)
I plan on writing down this week’s intake as well. Now that I have my exercise routines firmly established, I need to focus on my dietary shortfalls. Calories weren’t too bad in relation to the workouts I completed this week, but the source of the calories can be better focused. I want to shift some of those fats and carbs more toward proteins and increased fiber. It’s time I start shedding the fat!
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Topics: Personal Journey |
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thanks for taking the time to share all of this.
man it IS a daily thing (battle) huh?
signed,
a woman who knows more than anyone should about increasing protein and fiber due to one of her jobs so feel free to ask away
You managed the week really well, especially considering that it was Easter and all! It can’t be very easy to do that with little kids around.
Good for you and writing down what you eat! I found that to be very helpful! I try not to be hard on myself when I view everything I’ve eaten. If I overdo it on sweets, I try to figure out what triggered the overeating, why I did it, and how I can avoid the same incident in the future.
I think you’re doing really well!
Wow, your nutritional mix is almost exactly what sparkpeople recommended to me! Good for you for being mindful of it and tracking it!
I am reading your post saying “me too!” I totally get where you are coming from, although I have not been disciplined to keep track of it. (I am scared!!)
and congrats on running 7 miles!
Thanks ladies. I’m really trying to reign in that sweet tooth.
I think you are doing well. The nutritional analysis thing is a good idea, I probably should do that. I don’t think I want to face up to what I really eat tho. It wouldn’t be pretty!