5 days in...
I'm feeling good. Actually I'm feeling REALLY good. I've been very conscious of my eating and I've been doing great! My resolve has returned and the moments of "weakness" that were plaguing me last week are all but gone.
I will admit, there have been a few instances where cravings have struck but I've met them head on, examined where they were coming from and dismissed them. I don't feel deprived. I don't feel tormented and tortured by images of all the things I "can't" have. Actually, I feel strong. I believe my workouts since beginning my Whole30 have been more focused and effective. I think that my determination has improved all around!
Here are some musings on the past week for your perusal...
- If you don't feel confident using herbs and spices, get over it! Jump in with both feet and really start experiencing how fantastic and exciting whole food can be! Penzey's makes some great spice blends that make throwing together a quick, flavorful meal so much easier. Some of my favorites are Northwoods Seasoning with beef, Herbes de Provence with pork, chicken, eggs and vegetables, Fines Herbes with pork, chicken and eggs and Ruth Ann's Muskogee Ave seasoning on fish, chicken, eggs, veggies, etc...
- I could be perfectly content eating a big salad for lunch every day! There are sooo many options! I've started chopping up a bunch of lettuce, washing it, spinning it and keeping it in a gallon size bag in the refrigerator. Every morning when I'm making lunches all I have to do is grab a big handful or two, put it in a container, top it with whatever selection of veggies catches my attention in the fridge (usually carrot, mushroom, cucumber and cherry tomato) and pop the lid on. Then I drop an avocado and whatever protein I have left from previous meals into my lunch bag along with my handy-dandy mini bottle of balsamic vinegar and, Viola!, lunch is served. The pre-washed salad in the fridge also comes in handy as a quick vegetable side with dinner.
- I have problems with breakfast. My mornings are tight, mostly because I love to sleep and want to squeeze as much sleep out in the mornings as is humanly possible. That cuts into my morning prep time. Unless I have something prepared and ready to go, I feel a little frazzled trying to pull it together in the morning. Also, I'm usually not ready to eat breakfast until I get into work anyway. This week I'm going to try making up my breakfast items in advance and then all I have to do is pack it up in the morning, drop it in my lunch bag and pop it in the micro at work (or eat it cold).
- My biggest challenge so far? Not weighing myself every morning.
As someone who has been working REALLY hard for quite a while to lose weight, I find it a struggle to stay off the scale. At this point in my adventure, the numbers don't really matter anyway...I am strong and fit and feel good in my clothes. Why do I feel such a need for the validation of the numbers getting smaller on the scale? I know that it is all psychological...I have been overweight for so long that there is a fear that the numbers will start going in the wrong direction. In the long run, this experience will be good for my psyche. Right now though, it's a challenge.
