rdf803’s BodyBlog

January 1st workout:

Back, Triceps & Abs

Assisted Pull-ups–3 sets to failure
Bent over rows–3 sets to failure
Overhead Tricep Extensions–3 sets to failure
Bench Dips–3 sets to failure
Decline Crunches–3 sets of 20

Cardio:  40 minutes on treadmill (primarily 15% incline at 2.6-3.5 mph)

Meals:
Meal 1:  Whole wheat pancakes with sf syrup; scrambled egg beaters
Meal 2:  Protein Shake
Meal 3:  Light Key Lime Pie
Meal 4:  Garlic Chicken and Steamed Veggies
Meal 5:  Another piece of Light Key Lime Pie (left over from New Year’s Eve)

Meals weren’t frequent enough or the right nutrients, but I was off work so everything was thrown off a bit. 

So my concept of food has completely changed over the past few months.  I have been eating the EXACT same things every day with absolutely NO variety whatsoever.  Although I thought that was going to be pure torture, I was determined.  I stuck with it even when others around me were eating whatever they wanted.  After a few weeks of adjusting mentally, I settled in and was completely fine with it.  I got into a routine and actually enjoyed not having to figure out what to make for lunch the next day. 

I am now at a point where I can have a weekly cheat meal, but now I don’t know if I want to!  I realized a couple weeks ago that my cravings (real, true cravings, not just something sounding good) have completely vanished.  Then it dawned on me that all of the foods I have been eating every day are low-glycemic.  Huh.  Never thought about it before; I knew they were supposed to help people control cravings, but I’d never experienced it myself.  In addition to those low-glycemic foods, another thing that has really helped to eradicate cravings has been eating every couple hours and not letting myself get hungry.  I have no willpower when I’m hungry, but when I’ve got something on my stomach, I’m usually not even tempted.

So now that I’m allowed that once-a-week cheat meal, I’m afraid that if I eat something that’s high-glycemic, I’ll be back to square one and my eating habits will spiral out of control!  Or even if they don’t, that my cravings will.  I dread that.

Another thing holding me back is that the people around me–family, friends, co-workers–are so impressed with what I’m doing that they have totally stopped offering me junk.  If they were to see me eat a cheat meal, I’m afraid they would start back up again, and I do NOT want that to happen!  I guess if I do decide to have a cheat meal, I’ll need to have it at home so that nobody knows except my husband.  

I was thinking last night about all the cheat foods I planned to have when I got to this point…pizza, burgers, cookies, etc.  Now I find myself just wanting to find a healthy way to make all of those (like the egg white french toast that I wrote about the other day).  I guess that’s a good thing; I hope this change of thinking is permanent.  I really like that I’m enjoying a healthy lifestyle and not feeling like I’m dieting.  I just feel like this is who I am now…

Anyway, just wanted to write about that; it’s such a huge change for me; going from basically being a food addict to finally being in control…but I know that I am not "cured", that I could easily fall back into that pattern if I’m not careful.  It’s scary, but I guess maybe that fear will keep me from going overboard. 

Went to California about a week and a half ago for a family reunion.  Went in search of a breakfast place that served egg white omelets.  Figured that California is a healthier place than Oklahoma, so it shouldn’t be to difficult to find a place that served something like that.  We stopped at one place, but they didn’t have ‘em.  So we went down the road a little ways and found a place called Redondo Beach Cafe. 

We parked around back and the guys who were working out back behind the restaurant greeted us as soon as we got out of our car.  When we walked around and went inside, we got the same treatment in there…super friendly people.  So we took a seat outside on the patio and took a look at the menu.  I was blown away.  Not only did they have healthy options like egg white omelets, they had them clearly marked and provided all the nutritional information.  The service was exceptional, the food was amazing (I ordered an egg white omelet with mushrooms, something else I can’t remember, and salsa, along with a bowl of oatmeal.  We decided that was our new favorite place.

So the next morning we recruited several more family members to go with us.  All in all, I think there nine of us.  This time I ordered the egg white french toast–my first bread in about two months.  I poured sugar-free syrup all over it and dug in (trying to pace myself, but so excited to eat bread that I could barely hold back).  I was a huge portion, and I completely cleaned my plate.  I thought protein pancakes were great, but these have the pancakes beat hands down!  Then I found out that that bread was also low glycemic, which was a big bonus.  

Anyway, I just wanted to share that…if you’re ever in the LA area, find your way to Redondo Beach Cafe and have a phenomenal meal with great service.  Even if you’re having a cheat meal, they have a great full-fat menu, too!  Those who had the Eggs Benedict said they were the best they’d ever had.

(Oh, and I attempted my own egg white french toast last weekend, never even having made regular french toast, and it was super easy!  Just soaked the multi-grain bread in egg whites–about one egg white per slice–and threw ‘em on the skillet!  My husband loved them, and of course, so did I!  Just served ‘em with butter spray and sugar-free syrup!)