Everywhere you read, Eat Clean, Clean Eating… etc etc. Well maybe everywhere I look because I follow a lot of “health” pages. So maybe it seems like I get brow beaten more than most. They make it look easy. They make it look tasty. It’s hard to eat well with tasty treats at every turn.
Since coming home from my weekend training in St. George, where I did the 70.3 Ironman course as practice. I committed to my trainer Nichole, NO SUGAR. We’d start together on that Tuesday. Which gave me Monday to eat an entire box of Gobstoppers and a peanut butter pumpkin I’d been saving since Halloween. (The Reeses peanut butter egg, tree, pumpkin, heart, you name it, it’s an addiction.) I buy them each holiday and hide them away like a squirrel who’s going without food for the winter. Think I am joking….. no way!! Better believe I’ll be stocking up on hearts for Vday and some Eggs at Easter. Ya never know they could go out of business like Hostess. That would be a sad day.
Oh yes… where was I, my sugar commitment to with my coach. The first day I was looking at labels and there is SUGAR in EVERYTHING! So my question was… was this commitment “No Sugar” or just No Sugar. What does that mean? What she meant was no treats, candy, cakes, cookies, peanut butter holiday goodness, etc. Okay, I can do that. No treats… no treats.
It’s been 2+ WEEKS without a single treat. I even went a birthday party and passed on Chocolate cake. Sugar is still in some things I eat, but it’s just in reduced amounts. I use my Greek Yogurt as my “treat” if you will. I’ve convinced myself it’s ice cream. Hey what my mind doesn’t know…. right.
Why am I rambling on about this? Because eating is something we do every day! It’s hard to eat clean. I was talking with my best friend Heather today about food and choosing to eat better. It’s hard!!
The Fitness experts say:
1. Plan ahead, prep your meals. I agree with this. We make a meal list every week. This way we buy only what we need. It also helps me not wonder into the pantry and stare… “what’s for dinner?”
2. Plan your eating day. This has REALLY helped me. If I am left to my own devices, I’d be eating Frosted Flakes for every meal. But when I know I am having eggs for breakfast, protein shake, etc, it makes it easier to look at the time and say YAY! my yogurt treat is now!
3. Eat Clean. I know this is the “buzz” but I look at more as eat smart. Make better decisions in the kitchen.
But sometimes, in order to achieve your fitness goals, eating is blah. I sent a text to my husband ,who was of town that I am fixing fish and left overs for dinner. His reply.
“Sounds gaggy”
It kind of was gaggy. But for every gaggy meal, there’s a few more pounds that are coming off and a Taco Bell run planned for tonight as a “cheat” meal. Whoohoo!!
I think it’s a give and take. No sugar for 2 1/2 weeks has been easier than I thought. Why, because I didn’t think about it. If you are always thinking about what you can’t have, you focus on it. How do I know this, I did have one day where I might of taken a bakery hostage in order to enjoy a tasty hot donut. Instead, I looked forward to chocolate protein shakes as my chocolate fix or my yogurt as a tasty treat.
Water has also been my best friend. I suck it down like a toddler with their sippy cup. But hey, it keeps me full, refreshed and feeling better!! 96 oz is my goal daily.
Don’t give up! Make little changes every day. I’ve been shocked how little changes each day in my diet has really helped me with my over all goals.
Good job Meagen!! You rock!