Was Sugar Strangling My Taste Buds?

Yesterday was Day 17 of my Weight Loss Challenge.

One of the best things about being off sugar for 17 days is that food I thought I “didn’t like” has become delicious to me.

It’s like something has been “reset” in my perception of taste.

I used to turn up my nose at blueberries.  I love raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.  But blueberries, not so much, before now.

But these beauties were on sale for half the price of raspberries, so I gave them a try.

This picture is a purple container portion of blueberries over a red container portion of non-fat yogurt (which I have always loved.)

So delicious.  Not because it’s sweet, but because it tastes good.

Maybe my body is enjoying what it needs! 

It seems like my body was craving sugar before, because it knew it needed something, so I interpreted it as needing the one thing that I knew gave me an emotional boost.

But cocaine, for goodness sake, would give me an emotional boost.  That doesn’t mean my body needs it.

And now that the sugar craving machine has been turned off, I am enjoying the taste of food more.

And finding out that I really do like nourishing food.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody, except as a full-paying customer.]

At Least I Was Amazed: You May Not Be

Yesterday was Day 15 of my 21-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

I went for hours without thinking about eating.

Marc and I had gone to the gym that morning. 

I was pleased with the way a plot for a new book was shaping up, and I sort of swam laps on auto-pilot while I worked out how the murderer would throw suspicion on other characters.

I swam for 35 minutes and rode stationary bike for 10 minutes, working my heart and lungs, but keeping my pulse below 115.

I had a good breakfast and a mid-morning snack.

When I got home from my workout, I ate breakfast.  Since the nectarines that I had bought last Friday were all suddenly ripe, I decided I would eat both purple container portions for breakfast, along with a red container of no-fat yogurt.

Then about noon, after I got my dad his meal, I drank a frosty cup of chocolate Shakeology nutrition drink.

I had made out my menu for the rest of the day.

It was going to include a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with cottage cheese at about 2:00 and a snack of peanut butter on a toasted English muffin half at about 4:00.

But I was working–writing, editing, going on a walk with Dad, getting the mail, paying bills–and I completely lost track of the time.

Before I knew it, it was 6:30 p.m. and my husband was asking me what I had planned for dinner.

I hadn’t thought of food, and I hadn’t eaten anything since my Shakeology at noon.

What a change.  And yet, I remember living like that before.  When I was a young mother, trying to write when the kids were asleep or at school.  Afternoons would fly and I would have to remind myself that my husband and my kids would soon be expecting dinner.

I want to share a thought about the 21-Day Fix. 

People at Beachbody tell me it takes 21 days to establish a new habit.  Coincidentally, my surgeon has told me it takes 21 days for a skin wound to completely heal.

I have no idea if those two things are related in the scientific world.  But in my world of writing, and symbolism, I kind of like the idea of my body making newer, healthier cells at the same time my mind is making newer, healthier habits.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody or Shakeology except as a customer, paying full price.]

I Stopped Eating in Response to Stress

Wednesday was Day Ten of my 21-Day Weight-loss Challenge.

I didn’t blog about day 10 yesterday–some stress in the house.

Don’t worry, Dad’s okay.  But he needed some extra looking after last night, that involved staying up with him until past 2:00 a.m.

It was a great time to observe that some thought patterns kicked in, but I didn’t let my behavior follow.

Waiting for the home health nurse, I wanted the “comfort” of food.

The same old cookies that I had self-righteously avoided for ten days had a new appeal.

Wasn’t this an exception?  Didn’t I need a little boost to my morale as I fretted over my Dad?

No.  I didn’t buy it. 

I needed the boost to my morale that comes from sticking to my promises to myself.

It’s hard enough staying cheerful all day as a full-time care giver for a 90 year old parent with chronic medical conditions.

It’s even harder to remain upbeat at midnight, after he’s called me into his room and explained why we’d better call the home health nurse.

I prefer to feel good about my life. 

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last ten days, it’s that I like myself better when I can look myself in the mirror and say I’ve honestly done my best today.

That’s a lot more comforting than a cookie.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody, except as a full paying customer.]

I’ve Stopped Rewarding Myself With Food

Yesterday was Day Nine of my 21-Day Challenge.

 All my life, I’ve been pacified, given treats, and rewarded with food.

From the first baby bottle to the last birthday cake (well, actually my husband brought me doughnuts this year) I’ve seen food as a comfort, a way to celebrate, and something I “deserve” for doing well.

• A Hershey bar was my reward for behaving in public, or riding patiently in the car without asking “Are we there yet?”
• Summer fun included Fudgesicles or even home-made ice cream.
• Thanksgiving meant feasting on huge helpings of turkey, cornmeal and onion dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy and sweet-tart cranberry sauce – and maybe a celery stick, before we had pumpkin, apple and mincemeat pie.  With whipped cream.

Food is essential to our lives, and central to the family experience.  Sharing food is a natural and loving thing to do. 

Food has a lot to do with how families treat each other.  Mothers are designed and hormonally driven to feed children.  Fathers throughout history and all over the world have judged success or failure by whether or not they could put a meal on the table.

It’s part of being human to invite family and friends to meals, and share what we have with visitors and travelers.

Something in us responds to a hungry stranger by helping out with a meal.

But habitually over-indulging in food, or pushing it on others, is neither natural nor loving.

No one needs to eat three pieces of pie at one sitting.  I don’t care if it is a holiday.

And is breaking the bank to impress the family with an ostentatious spread of starch and fat and sugar-filled dishes really the way I want to show thanks to my Father in Heaven for the blessings of life and health?

Yet that is how I treated food.

Even the guilt and regret didn’t keep me from reaching for that cookie I knew I didn’t need.

I could rationalize, though, and tell myself things like, “I’ve worked hard today.  I deserve a reward.”  But in my moments of honesty, I would know that I had sold my long-term happiness for a fleeting sugar high.

Admitting I had an addiction was the first step.

And with the help of God, my family, my coach and support group (which includes you, if you are reading this) I now understand that I am not going to ever “reward” myself with food again.

If someone can eat sugar and not plunge into a cycle of craving and indulging in more, I suppose there is no harm in saying, “I did so well on my diet today, I’m going to splurge a little and have cupcake.”

But I’m not going to risk it.

That’s not to say I’m never going to reward myself.

I’ll get a manicure.  I’ll watch a movie.  I’ll buy a swimming suit – in a smaller size!

But I’m not going to reward myself with food again.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with the Beachbody program except as a customer, paying full price.]

Sunday Nachos Will Never Be the Same

Yesterday was Sunday, Day Seven of my 21-Day Challenge.

I spend about four hours in church every Sunday. 

My Mormon friends will understand.  As the Primary Music Director, I get to church about 30 minutes early to set up, and to have some time for reflection and listen to prelude music in the chapel.

Then an hour of Sacrament Meeting, an hour of Sunday School (I sneak out 15 minutes early, though, to sing with the younger-than-three kids in the nursery) and an hour of Primary.

Then, of course, I’ve got to spend about half an hour talking to my friends, telling parents how beautifully their kids sang–and behaved–in Primary, and getting my fellowship fix.

That all happens between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

So how did my meal plan go?

The breakfast I ate before church doesn’t sound like much on paper–a nectarine and a red container full of non-fat, plain yogurt.

But it was a lusciously ripe nectarine, and the combination was mouth-watering and satisfying.

By the time I got home, I was ready for my Shakeology, though.  So even though it was after noon, I was having my “mid-morning” snack.

Visitors from out of state!

Then a real treat.  A favorite aunt and uncle I haven’t seen for four years were driving through eastern Idaho, and we spent the afternoon having a great time reminiscing and catching up.

By the time we said goodbye, it was dinner time.  I had missed my lunch and my afternoon snack.

Did I try to eat everything on my meal plan anyway?

My dad and my husband traditionally eat frozen pizza for Sunday dinner – because it doesn’t involve any work.

But I look forward to Sunday as the one day that I make a plate of nachos for myself.

So I wasn’t interested in eating the lunch and snack I’d put on my menu.  I was looking forward to nachos!

Not my regular plate of Nachos, though.

On the right is the plate I have always filled with tortilla chips and shredded cheddar and jack cheese, seasoned with healthy dollops of chunky salsa.

I don’t even want to know how many calories I chowed down on every Sunday even before last night.

But the plate on the left is the one I used yesterday to put my yellow containers of tortilla chips (saved up all week from the “treat” column) and my blue container of cheese.  I didn’t measure the salsa.

Next to it is a green container’s worth of chopped kale, cabbage, carrots and green onions, with an orange container of dressing.

It’s a better meal.  And the nachos were a satisfying treat.

I still had a purple container of fruit, two eggs, half a baked chicken breast, sliced cucumbers and a teaspoon of peanut butter that I hadn’t eaten.

There was no way I was going to eat all that.

Especially after a plateful of kale and cabbage.

I did decide to eat a hard-boiled egg for a snack before bedtime.  But I wasn’t craving food.  I have learned there is only one time I crave sugar:  after I have eaten sugar.

I’m glad I’m recording this, because the day may come when I forget the satisfaction and pleasure it is to NOT FEEL GUILTY about giving in to cravings for food I don’t need.

I really, truly hope Sunday Nachos will never be the same.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody or Shakeology except as a satisfied customer, paying full price.]

Five Days Off Sugar: What I’ve Learned

Yesterday was DAY FIVE of my 21-Day Challenge.

Biggest success:  Five days with no sugar – and no cravings for it.

(And I learned that Shakeology tastes a bazillion times better if you follow the directions and make it in a blender with ice.)

Biggest challenge:  Going to the trouble to make separate meals for myself while still being responsible for feeding my family. 

While I’ve always tried to serve my family lots of vegetables and fruit, we don’t all like the same things.

• My husband, for example, loves raw broccoli.  I prefer mine steamed.
• My 90 year old dad loves cantaloupe.  But neither my husband nor I can eat it.
• When I make a salad, Dad and I both like cucumbers, but my husband doesn’t.

So when I am pressed for time, I tend to make the same old meals that I know everyone will eat.

But this week, I’ve made separate menus for everybody – and made separate meals for me.

My snacks are not their snacks.

The guys still have their doughnuts and cookies sitting right out on the kitchen counter.  But they don’t tempt me.   I can think of two reasons for that.

• I’ve decided, really decided, to do this program, and to change the way I eat.
• I eat three meals and two snacks a day, from a pre-determined menu that I’ve created myself, from a variety of food that satisfies my body’s needs.

I don’t just go wandering into the pantry, looking for “something” to eat every time I feel a little hunger pang.

When I feel that desire to eat, I just look at the menu I’ve drawn up, and enjoy looking forward to the next meal or snack.

And I eat a lot.

For example, here’s all the vegetables I ate yesterday (about 3 cups, uncooked) and 1/4 of the meat I ate (about 4 oz. of lean red steak.)

I made this, plus 8 walnut halves, a teaspoon of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice into a stir-fry for dinner yesterday.

Honestly, I should have left it like this, because after I added the cabbage,

I had so much to eat, I couldn’t finish my dinner.  I ate all the meat and nuts and left about a half-cup of vegetables on my plate.

All those colors mean natural vitamins and minerals.

I think I’ve figured out why I don’t crave sugar any more.

oOo

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody or Shakeology, except as a satisfied customer, paying full price.]

 

Test of Will: A Restaurant Lunch and a Summer Blockbuster Movie

Yesterday was DAY THREE of my 21-Day Challenge.

How’s this for fun?  My husband Marc took me out to lunch yesterday, and to the opening of a big-screen movie theater in our town.

But he also wanted to be super-supportive and help me stay on my meal plan.  So he approached me in the morning, before I had made up my menu for the day,  and asked if it would work for me to go to a restaurant.

After a quick look at my lists, I saw that I could plan my menu around having a shredded beef taco salad from our favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch.  They have the best shredded beef in the world.  And the portion in the taco salad is the same as a “red container”.  I also used the portion size of the “blue container” for cheese, and two of my “green containers” for lettuce and tomatoes.  I politely said no to the offer of guacamole and sour cream, and used salsa instead of any other dressing.

Did I eat popcorn at the movie?  

You need to know that popcorn is my hands-down, number one favorite snack.  And for years, before a recent surgery, I couldn’t eat it.  I love eating popcorn.

But instead of going off my meal plan, I drank my fiber and nutrient-rich Shakeology  (which I had made up and taken with me) right before the movie.  And my husband gallantly told me he had eaten plenty at the restaurant, and wasn’t going to order popcorn. 

I don’t think I can fail with support like that.

Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with Beachbody, 21-day Fix, or Shakeology, except as a full-paying customer.  I am not affiliated with Chapala Restaurant – except as a satisfied customer.]

How I Fought Sugar Cravings and Won

Yesterday was DAY ONE.

Here are some things that went right:

• I stuck to my new diet.
• I worked out a way to personalize my eating plan that I’m really excited to share
• I experienced for myself that a high protein, low carb diet, rich in fresh fruit and vegetables is VERY different from what I have been eating.
• I felt physically and emotionally satisfied throughout the day.

I stuck to my diet.

I have no clue how many calories I ate, but they came from food, not from cookies or sugary/fat-laden “treats.”

I personalized my eating plan – and I’m excited to share it.

Changing what I eat and controlling how much I eat is the crux of this whole project.  And I tell you, changing my life was not as simple as, “Choose one from column A, two from column B….”  Well, it actually is that simple – but it wasn’t easy for me.

The eating plan I am using is a variation on the “exchange” theme popular since the 1950s.  But in isn’t just a color-coded list of what to eat; it uses colorful little containers to show how much to eat.

So here’s what I did:

• Instead of just referring to list of “yellow container” or “purple container” foods in the book,  I personalized each list by typing it out with my favorite foods on top.  I didn’t type the foods that I know I will never eat (like legumes, which I am allergic to) but I did leave foods I want to try (like quinoa) near the bottom of the list.
• I took all eight of the food-group lists I typed out, and put them on one color-coded page.  I labeled that document “all containers” in my computer.
• I renamed  the file “Menu 6 July” and started editing it.  Soon I had only 4 foods left on my “red” list, 3 on my “green” list and so on.  The result:  a list of foods I felt like eating yesterday!
• Then I just portioned out that food among three meals and two snacks.
• I printed off my menu and stuck it on my kitchen counter, next to my colorful containers.

I ate a lot more protein, more fruit and vegetables than I have been eating.

I could have sworn that I was eating a well-balanced diet before – except for all the extra empty sugar-and-fat-laden calories I was adding to it.  But honestly, I must have been craving those extra calories because I have not been getting the protein, vitamins and minerals that my body needs.

I felt physically and emotionally satisfied throughout the day.

I had expected to suffer withdrawal from sugar.  Instead, the protein, fruit and vegetables were all I could eat.

As far as the emotional satisfaction?  Well, I suspect a lot of my behavior yesterday was a start at replacing a negative compulsion (eating sugar) with a positive one (making lists).

But sugar is my addiction.  And this blog is documenting my recovery.

[Note:  At the time I wrote this post, I was not affiliated with the Beachbody program, except as a full-paying customer.]