Hiking Mount Palomar--9.5 miles of playing on trails. Ugh! I don't know what it is about this time of year, but the moment my body senses fall has arrived it begins to crave calories like a 500-pound bear preparing for a winter hibernation. Only a bear tends to stuff himself full of nuts, berries, and insects...my nutrition of choice lately has been chocolate, pastries, and anything with high, empty calories. What is wrong with me? I cannot seem to get myself under control these days!
My saving grace has been tracking these binges and a consistent exercise routine. On Monday, I went almost 1,000 calories over my limit. Now if my food diary had been full of lean protein, quality carbs, and fruits and vegetables I would not need to worry. My big issue is that I am eating so much crap that it is cutting into the good food I should really be eating.
What is the solution? I think the number one thing I need to do is not put any candy in my mouth no matter how small. I know that chocolate in particular is a food that sets me off on my binges, but the problem is that I have already started, and it is so hard to stop. I do need to get the candy out of my house, but I hate to be "that family" that hands out toothbrushes and apples to the trick-or-treaters. So the solution might be to buy the candy I won't eat (which right now doesn't leave me much to choose from), and I should purchase it on Halloween night so I don't have it staring at me for the next couple weeks.
I have also been looking at trying to create comfort food with fewer calories. Maybe if I feel like I am splurging but the meals are really lower calorie, just maybe that might satisfy me. I always find delicious looking recipes on the emails I get from the Hungry Girl. This week she had a healthier version for French Onion Soup that looked delicious, and since soup is one of the foods I find comforting this might work. There was also a recipe for Creamy Kale Spaghetti Squash that might be a good substitute for a creamy sauced pasta dish. I really love spaghetti squash, but when I go on these binges I forget I actually love healthy food and that I find it very satisfying as well. How about dessert? Well, this week she also had a Pumpkin Bread Pudding that looked yummy and really easy to make. Or even a Cran-Orange Scone that could be used as a dessert or a quick breakfast alternative, and at 187 calories it won't break the calorie bank. If you have not subscribed to Hungry Girl yet, I really encourage you to do so. She has great tips, recipes, and new food finds, and if you sign-up you will get these resources sent right to you on a weekly basis. Hungry Girl Home Page
The problem is that I don't really know what I need to do to get myself under control. I am hoping that if I make the bad food less accessible and make healthier food more accessible I just might head back in the right direction. Luckily for me, I have some very support friends and family that make it very easy to exercise 5-6 days a week. So at times like this where my eating is out of control, I can at least balance that with the calories I gain from my workouts.
Thank you for allowing me to confess my eating sins to you this week. I hope that in the next couple weeks I can report back that something I tried worked to help me behave, and when that happens I will share it right here in my blog with you.
There is no such thing as failing. Failing is when you give up. Just move on and try something else.
Tara VanDerveer, basketball coach
My saving grace has been tracking these binges and a consistent exercise routine. On Monday, I went almost 1,000 calories over my limit. Now if my food diary had been full of lean protein, quality carbs, and fruits and vegetables I would not need to worry. My big issue is that I am eating so much crap that it is cutting into the good food I should really be eating.
What is the solution? I think the number one thing I need to do is not put any candy in my mouth no matter how small. I know that chocolate in particular is a food that sets me off on my binges, but the problem is that I have already started, and it is so hard to stop. I do need to get the candy out of my house, but I hate to be "that family" that hands out toothbrushes and apples to the trick-or-treaters. So the solution might be to buy the candy I won't eat (which right now doesn't leave me much to choose from), and I should purchase it on Halloween night so I don't have it staring at me for the next couple weeks.
I have also been looking at trying to create comfort food with fewer calories. Maybe if I feel like I am splurging but the meals are really lower calorie, just maybe that might satisfy me. I always find delicious looking recipes on the emails I get from the Hungry Girl. This week she had a healthier version for French Onion Soup that looked delicious, and since soup is one of the foods I find comforting this might work. There was also a recipe for Creamy Kale Spaghetti Squash that might be a good substitute for a creamy sauced pasta dish. I really love spaghetti squash, but when I go on these binges I forget I actually love healthy food and that I find it very satisfying as well. How about dessert? Well, this week she also had a Pumpkin Bread Pudding that looked yummy and really easy to make. Or even a Cran-Orange Scone that could be used as a dessert or a quick breakfast alternative, and at 187 calories it won't break the calorie bank. If you have not subscribed to Hungry Girl yet, I really encourage you to do so. She has great tips, recipes, and new food finds, and if you sign-up you will get these resources sent right to you on a weekly basis. Hungry Girl Home Page
The problem is that I don't really know what I need to do to get myself under control. I am hoping that if I make the bad food less accessible and make healthier food more accessible I just might head back in the right direction. Luckily for me, I have some very support friends and family that make it very easy to exercise 5-6 days a week. So at times like this where my eating is out of control, I can at least balance that with the calories I gain from my workouts.
Thank you for allowing me to confess my eating sins to you this week. I hope that in the next couple weeks I can report back that something I tried worked to help me behave, and when that happens I will share it right here in my blog with you.
There is no such thing as failing. Failing is when you give up. Just move on and try something else.
Tara VanDerveer, basketball coach
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