Now About that Diet…

Um yeah the D word. After laying out my “off season” workout plan I said something about new eating discipline didn’t I? Let’s just say, for me the time between Halloween and New Year’s is a veritable mine field of bad eating potential. I’ve been known to pack on up to 10 “festivity” pounds in years past. Typically, I kick it off by virtually eating my weight in snack size candy bars, then chasing that with obnoxious amounts of pumpkin pie, Christmas cookies, fudge, you get the picture. When it comes to naming my poison, sugar is surely it. Once I dive in, I have a hard time finding my “off switch”.

Which is why I have not one but 2 initiatives underway:
Week 1, Initiative #1: NO MORE CANDY AFTER HALLOWEEN. I’ll admit I enjoyed some m&ms…Kit; Kat….Almond Joy…a peanut butter cup or 3. But once Halloween was done so was I. I am happy to report I have had no candy since October 31. As the days passed it became easier because I didn’t want to ruin my perfect record. And somehow, although this wasn’t the officially sanctioned plan, I haven’t had any cookies or cake either. Go figure.

Week 2, Initiative #2: I decided to turn up the heat a little…ok a lot…for me anyway. If you take away refined sugar I’m a pretty good eater, meaning I like me some veggies/fruit/lean protein. So since I’ve been mostly sugar free for a week, why not up the ante? I’m on here touting whole foods…no HFCS…yada, yada…how about if I only ate whole foods for a week? Like nothing processed, a few exceptions but overall a really “clean” diet. Nothing in a box. Game on! So yesterday I trekked to the farmer’s market and loaded up.

My day went like this:
Breakfast: Protein shake (mixed berries, plain kefir, protein powder)
Lunch: Giant salad w/tuna, 1/2 a grapefruit
Afternoon snack: apple and greek yogurt, still hungry enough to chew off a limb so more tuna
Dinner: Left over sirloin steak with roasted sweet potatoes, onions, broccoli, red bell peppers.

So far:
Weight is the same, although I am maintaining marathon weight while running loads less
My body fat is lower
My complexion is clearer

For now, it’s all good. And if some of these habits stick, and I get past the afternoon “chew off a limb” hunger it’ll be even better!