Weight: 245 lbsExercise: WATP for ABS 2 miles
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I've noticed lately that I am sort of off the South Beach Diet. I'm changing what I eat, I eat healthier, cleaner and leaner all thanks to the South Beach Diet. However, I've noticed that I've sort of slipped away from some of their rules i.e. eating only a certain amount of bread a day for one and other carb rules.
I have taken what I've learned from the plan and applied it to my new eating plan. Which plan is that? I'm counting calories. Now in the past I counted calories and it didn't work for me but I know why, you see I'm armed with knowledge which is so important in this weight loss battle. I know I cannot eat deserts like cake, cookies and ice cream. I simply cannot, they trigger binges in me and the calm, sassy Sassle becomes the binge monster and next thing you know I'm off to the local grocery store and I'm buying 24 donuts, a birthday cake and ice cream. Trust me on this, I know myself well enough to know that I am not ready to eat sugared desserts. I will eat jell-o, pudding and whipped cream, that's as far as I'm willing to go concerning sweets, because I have a handle on them (today).
I only eat whole grain bread, pasta and rice. I only eat lean meats but mostly are white meat i.e. chicken and turkey, though I might have lean beef on occasion. I enjoy vegetables and salads and most especially fruits like strawberries, oranges and bananas. All these things are thanks to the South Beach Diet and I'm not quite ready to say I don't follow the plan but I don't do it 100%. I find this is a good thing because its teaching me to eat normal while sticking to a diet plan at the same time.
My Fitness Pal says I should eat 1200+/- calories a day, Spark People says I should eat anywhere between 1200 to 1500 a day. I try to stick anywhere between what Spark People says even though I use the calorie counter on myfitnesspal (um.. did you get that?).
So that's my plan and I'm sticking to it and since we're the 1st of June I think I'm off to a great start and lets see how much weight I can lose this month whilst counting calories. I also know the importance of calorie cycling, so I can keep my body guessing and not have it count on a fix set of calories for the day. I know some days I'll go under and some days I'll go over but I will stick close to the allotted numbers.
A few weeks ago I had an AA conference to go to and I was sick the day before so I didn't eat, come the day of the conference I was sort of hungry. I nibbled a few things from different groups like a meat sandwich on white bread, a hot dog and the odd pasta salad, keeping in mind that I was there for 12 hours I needed something or else I was going to get a headache and I stayed away from ALL desert no exceptions and believe me there was cake, cookies and donuts everywhere I went. My point is even though I ate some things that were off plan I didn't go crazy, I ate them and moved on. I tried to choose the best things for my body with what was being offered and I'm proud because it's been 2 weeks since and I've stuck with my plan.
In the past had I "cheated" on plan I would have gone ape nuts and eaten everything saying/thinking WTF it's just one day I can eat all this, tomorrow I'll start again. NO, I won't do that to myself anymore (today). I am petrified of binging as though my life depends on it and it does because if I binge I may not be able to stop and if I can't stop I'll gain weight and therefore my body will be stressed and I might suffer from heart disease, diabetes, cancer or one of the other major illnesses caused by obesity. This is why it's so important to me to get and keep my head on straight. This is why it's important to me to understand what motivates me, what makes me tick, this is why I write this blog.
Being aware is half the battle and I credit God because he provided me with the awareness that I needed to get this far and he wants me happy, healthy and well.
Thanks for stopping by, may you have a healthy, happy, joyful and free June!
7 comments:
I think you've made some real progress! Well done!
This is AWESOME Sassle... You are totally right, awareness to what you are a eating, drinking, and how you are working out is the key to being healthy, fit, and loosing weight. Great job and keep up the work. you are doing great!
I think this whole diet/healthy lifestyle thing is one of progression - we see what works for us and build on that. I see a lot of similarities in what you and I are doing - leaning towards "clean" foods, no sugar, white flour or pasta - and YES, that sugar is a huge trigger for me, too!
I use myfitnesspal as well and love it...and I'm trying the calorie cycling too - gotta keep the body guessing!
Congratulations on your success!
I hope you have a good June too!
I learned so much from South Beach too. But I wandered away from the plan last year. I like calorie counting, it works for me. With South Beach I did learn to eat BETTER. But I think it's also essential to move on to the quantity after you learn about quality. I guess I am trying to say, for me, South Beach served it's purpose as a learning tool. But it's calorie counting that I would credit my long term loss to.
Anyway, just saying I agree with your choice/evolution and best of luck with the FNF challenge!
I am also counting calories, and so far it is working for me. July 1st will be one year since I switched to calorie counting, and I am down 60 pounds since then.
You have made awesome progress on your eating. Congrats!
That is so great! Way to move on after eating something you weren't planning on.
I have the same problem. . .eating a sweet treat and then bingeing like crazy for months even!
I read something (can't remember where) that I thought was a great analogy to this type of thinking.
It said something like: You eat something "naughty" and figure, Well, I've screwed up now, so I may as well just keep eating this way! That's like backing out of your driveway and accidentally hitting your mailbox. You don't keep pulling forward and backing into your mailbox, right? That would be silly (and a little crazy). No, you pull forward, straighten yourself out and proceed with your day.
And so now whenever I feel a binge coming on, I say to myself, "Stop backing into the mailbox!!" ;)
Good luck in the Fab by Fall challenge!!
Dana
Wow! This is awesome. Thanks for being so honest in all your post. I'm inspired by you and found you through the Fabulous N Fit for Fall challenge. Keep going and I'm on the road as well.
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