BREAKFAST
I've been eating far too many calories lately, breaking the Golden Rule to vary my calorie intake daily. It's because I've also been exercising far too much and not getting enough sleep.
It's raining today, so I can't walk to and from work. I'll see if I can cut down my calorie intake along with my exercise regime in response to the weather.
Breakfast is a low calorie filling favorite: Vegetable Scramble.
Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Fry (in a small amount of water) 2 cups chopped veggies (I used Spanish onion, kale, grape tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms). Add 1 clove garlic, zest from 1 lemon, 1 tsp chia seeds and 1/4 of an avocado. Add 4 egg whites and 1 whole organic egg. Scramble until eggs set.
It's raining today, so I can't walk to and from work. I'll see if I can cut down my calorie intake along with my exercise regime in response to the weather.
Breakfast is a low calorie filling favorite: Vegetable Scramble.
Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Fry (in a small amount of water) 2 cups chopped veggies (I used Spanish onion, kale, grape tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms). Add 1 clove garlic, zest from 1 lemon, 1 tsp chia seeds and 1/4 of an avocado. Add 4 egg whites and 1 whole organic egg. Scramble until eggs set.
MORNING SNACK
I have hit the nail on the head. Bananas make me incredibly, unfightably hungry. I've eaten banana and sweet potato crumble for breakfast the past 3 days, and each of those days had me starving by the time I got to work at 9:30am.
This morning, after my filling, sugar-free egg-based breakfast I was full until 11am. I started feeling a little peckish and probably could have forced myself to last until midday before eating, but I was not occupying myself with anythign exciting.
So I drank a Licorice Spice Tea ....
This morning, after my filling, sugar-free egg-based breakfast I was full until 11am. I started feeling a little peckish and probably could have forced myself to last until midday before eating, but I was not occupying myself with anythign exciting.
So I drank a Licorice Spice Tea ....
.... and ate 14 Raw Organic Almonds. The theory being that I won't eat as much at lunch. If I let myself get ravenous, lunch wouldn't even touch the sides. Studies show that a handful of nuts an hour before a meal lowers your calorie intake substancially.
LUNCH
.... 2 squares of Republica Del Cacao 75% Chocolate that Dave bought last night.
I'm still confused about the calorie and carb content of my Eggplant Bean Moussaka. The portion is *tiny* yet packs a whopping 230 calories and 38 grams of carbs. How can this be right? (I calculated my recipe on Livestrong.com).
I then have to balance this meal by adding protein and fat which takes me up over 400 calories for lunch. (I usually try to stick around 300 calories per meal).
Theoretically, I've eaten far too many carbs in the meal. I aim for 27 grams. Today's lunch ended up with 58 grams of carbs once the chocolate, apple and cottage cheese were added.
But if I eat just the tiny slice of Moussaka with 1/3 cup cottage cheese added for protein and 1/4 of an avocado for fat, (no chocolate or apple sugar) I'm starving within an hour. So confusing and unsettling not to be sure what I'm eating. But my freezer is stacked with about a dozen more Moussaka portions and they're made with the most wholesome, yummy ingredients, I'll have to eat them no matter what.
I'm listening to my body though. It wanted more carbs with the Moussaka this time, hence the Pink Lady half and the 2 squares of decadent chocolate.
I hate being obsessive like this, but I have an uneasy feeling when I delve into the unknown. For too many years I've been kidding myself about what I'm ingesting. For my weight loss success it's important for everything to be crystal clear, save the odd brunch or restaurant meal once or twice a week.
I then have to balance this meal by adding protein and fat which takes me up over 400 calories for lunch. (I usually try to stick around 300 calories per meal).
Theoretically, I've eaten far too many carbs in the meal. I aim for 27 grams. Today's lunch ended up with 58 grams of carbs once the chocolate, apple and cottage cheese were added.
But if I eat just the tiny slice of Moussaka with 1/3 cup cottage cheese added for protein and 1/4 of an avocado for fat, (no chocolate or apple sugar) I'm starving within an hour. So confusing and unsettling not to be sure what I'm eating. But my freezer is stacked with about a dozen more Moussaka portions and they're made with the most wholesome, yummy ingredients, I'll have to eat them no matter what.
I'm listening to my body though. It wanted more carbs with the Moussaka this time, hence the Pink Lady half and the 2 squares of decadent chocolate.
I hate being obsessive like this, but I have an uneasy feeling when I delve into the unknown. For too many years I've been kidding myself about what I'm ingesting. For my weight loss success it's important for everything to be crystal clear, save the odd brunch or restaurant meal once or twice a week.
I grabbed another half a handful of Raw Organic Almonds before the gym.
AFTERNOON SNACK
Creamy XXX Salsa Dip with Crudites.
7 Organic Raw Almonds.
I'm eating a lot of these today, but I'm going half-portion everytime.
I'm eating a lot of these today, but I'm going half-portion everytime.
Grilled Octopus Salad.
Oh. My. Lordy.
My boss just took a trip to Eataly in the Flatiron District and brought back the most delicious octopus. Who needs sugar to be in heaven? I am on ocean-dwelling olive oil Cloud 9. Oooh, those Italians really know food. How could such a simple concoction of fresh tentacles and the purest quality olive oil with crisp celery slices taste so darn good?
I want to jump on a plane to Italy right now.
I had just a small taste of the salad. Probably 1.5 - 2 oz of octopus. My tastebuds are singing.
Oh. My. Lordy.
My boss just took a trip to Eataly in the Flatiron District and brought back the most delicious octopus. Who needs sugar to be in heaven? I am on ocean-dwelling olive oil Cloud 9. Oooh, those Italians really know food. How could such a simple concoction of fresh tentacles and the purest quality olive oil with crisp celery slices taste so darn good?
I want to jump on a plane to Italy right now.
I had just a small taste of the salad. Probably 1.5 - 2 oz of octopus. My tastebuds are singing.
A WORD ON EXERCISE
I spend a lot of my time researching health and fitness trends in the world, trying to keep up with the latest scientific discoveries and the best way to lose weight. Considering all the cardio I've been doing lately, i was shocked to read an article entitled: "How To Avoid Chunky Fat Aerobics Instructor Syndrome".
It comes from the blog of Kat Eden, a former Cardio Queen Gym Junkie and current Personal Trainer who has revolutionized her workouts. Instead of cardio 3 hours a day, 7 days a week to barely maintain her figure, she ditched it all in favor of weight lifting 30-45 minutes 2-3 days a week and a kickboxing class once a week. She, and all her successful clients, now have far more free time to live their lives and they are burning far more fat for much less effort. She wrote another eye-opening article entitled: "New Study Shows Aerobic Exercise A Waste of Time".
Her theory works on the fact that cardio actually makes you fat. After 6 weeks of intense cardio your body will begin to anticipate the workload and store fat as energy reserves to cope with the onslaught. Cardio also raises cortisol in our bodies, (the stress hormone), which increases appetite and fat storage at a cellular level.
Interesting food for thought, especially since I'm basing my Golden Rules on the 'Energy In = Energy Out' premise. And since cardio appears to burn more calories on the face of the workout compared to weights, I'm choosing that option every day just to ensure I reach my 625 daily deficit.
Apparently weight lifting and repeated 'historically natural movements' (squats, twist lunges, etc) done in HIIT routines (High Intensity Interval Training), raise your metabolism with their afterburn effect, whereas cardio offers no such benefits. So after lifting weights you actually do end up burning more calories. My question is, how do you track this?
I am a little hesitant to give up cardio altogether, but I'm going to now increase my weight training sessions from 10 minutes 3 times a week to 30 minutes 3 times a week. I may even try some HIIT. Let's see how it goes.
It comes from the blog of Kat Eden, a former Cardio Queen Gym Junkie and current Personal Trainer who has revolutionized her workouts. Instead of cardio 3 hours a day, 7 days a week to barely maintain her figure, she ditched it all in favor of weight lifting 30-45 minutes 2-3 days a week and a kickboxing class once a week. She, and all her successful clients, now have far more free time to live their lives and they are burning far more fat for much less effort. She wrote another eye-opening article entitled: "New Study Shows Aerobic Exercise A Waste of Time".
Her theory works on the fact that cardio actually makes you fat. After 6 weeks of intense cardio your body will begin to anticipate the workload and store fat as energy reserves to cope with the onslaught. Cardio also raises cortisol in our bodies, (the stress hormone), which increases appetite and fat storage at a cellular level.
Interesting food for thought, especially since I'm basing my Golden Rules on the 'Energy In = Energy Out' premise. And since cardio appears to burn more calories on the face of the workout compared to weights, I'm choosing that option every day just to ensure I reach my 625 daily deficit.
Apparently weight lifting and repeated 'historically natural movements' (squats, twist lunges, etc) done in HIIT routines (High Intensity Interval Training), raise your metabolism with their afterburn effect, whereas cardio offers no such benefits. So after lifting weights you actually do end up burning more calories. My question is, how do you track this?
I am a little hesitant to give up cardio altogether, but I'm going to now increase my weight training sessions from 10 minutes 3 times a week to 30 minutes 3 times a week. I may even try some HIIT. Let's see how it goes.
ANOTHER AFTERNOON SNACK
I think I've eaten too many carbs and too much sugar today. I was a little hungry again this afternoon and had to have a snack. I'm worried I haven't exercised enough today now. I won't reach my deficit unless I go home and exercise some more.
It's raining and I didn't bring my walking shoes to work anyway, so walking home is out. Even though my body is hanging for a powerwalk right now.
I ate half an Organic Pink Lady Apple ....
It's raining and I didn't bring my walking shoes to work anyway, so walking home is out. Even though my body is hanging for a powerwalk right now.
I ate half an Organic Pink Lady Apple ....
.... and 2 Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.
Incidentally, I've just learned that even though apples are low GI, they are extremely high in fructose and should be avoided except for the odd occasion. (Much like bananas). Sarah Wilson's blog post entitled: "Why Sugar Makes Us Fat" explains this in more detail. At first I was skeptical as I swore I'd been told that apples are as low-sugar as pears. But then I began to watch my own body's reaction to apples. I only ever eat them in halves and still I get a surge of sweetness coursing through my veins that has me craving more food right after.
Have you ever noticed that if you aren't that hungry and you eat an apple, suddenly you're ravenous?
I'm going to go easy on the apples from now on. I'm not giving them up, just using them as a condiment rather than a third of the carb content of my meals.
Incidentally, I've just learned that even though apples are low GI, they are extremely high in fructose and should be avoided except for the odd occasion. (Much like bananas). Sarah Wilson's blog post entitled: "Why Sugar Makes Us Fat" explains this in more detail. At first I was skeptical as I swore I'd been told that apples are as low-sugar as pears. But then I began to watch my own body's reaction to apples. I only ever eat them in halves and still I get a surge of sweetness coursing through my veins that has me craving more food right after.
Have you ever noticed that if you aren't that hungry and you eat an apple, suddenly you're ravenous?
I'm going to go easy on the apples from now on. I'm not giving them up, just using them as a condiment rather than a third of the carb content of my meals.
DINNER
I ended up walking all the way home from work. The rain had stopped but the wind was whipping down the avenues like a knife.
For dinner I made a quick and easy meal: Balsamic Herring Salad with Grilled Eggplant.
Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Chop 3/4 cup pickled herrings, 2 roma tomatoes, 8 grape tomatoes, 1/4 of an avocado, 1/2 cup cilantro, and 1 cup kale. Dress salad with the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon and 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar. Slice and broil half an eggplant. Sprinkle with salt.
For dinner I made a quick and easy meal: Balsamic Herring Salad with Grilled Eggplant.
Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Chop 3/4 cup pickled herrings, 2 roma tomatoes, 8 grape tomatoes, 1/4 of an avocado, 1/2 cup cilantro, and 1 cup kale. Dress salad with the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon and 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar. Slice and broil half an eggplant. Sprinkle with salt.
2 Organic Vegan Choc Coconut Cookies.
1 Strawberry.
1 x Coconut Water Icypop.
I've broken a Golden Rule again and gone over 1700 calories. (1800 today - woah). So much for cutting down the intake today.
I really have to readjust my calories in and out. All this exercise is going to kill me. It's already beginning to take over my life as there's so many hours I have to squeeze in each day. I think I'm being lazy with my eating. I really didn't need all those extra snacks today. I made up excuses in my head as to why I should.
Tomorrow I'm going to avoid fruit, (except berries) and try to eat small. I'm going out for a birthday dinner so it will be a bit of a challenge, but I've been pushing the boundaries far too much lately and I need to focus on my end result .... that wedding gown and the bikini on the beach in Fiji! Only 9 weeks and 1 day to go.
I think I used up all my snack quotas today. It's bedtime without a pre-bedtime snack. Boooo.
I've broken a Golden Rule again and gone over 1700 calories. (1800 today - woah). So much for cutting down the intake today.
I really have to readjust my calories in and out. All this exercise is going to kill me. It's already beginning to take over my life as there's so many hours I have to squeeze in each day. I think I'm being lazy with my eating. I really didn't need all those extra snacks today. I made up excuses in my head as to why I should.
Tomorrow I'm going to avoid fruit, (except berries) and try to eat small. I'm going out for a birthday dinner so it will be a bit of a challenge, but I've been pushing the boundaries far too much lately and I need to focus on my end result .... that wedding gown and the bikini on the beach in Fiji! Only 9 weeks and 1 day to go.
I think I used up all my snack quotas today. It's bedtime without a pre-bedtime snack. Boooo.
STATS
TOTAL CALORIES: 1800
CALORIE DEFICIT: 669
EXERCISE: Tracy Anderson Method Mat 60 mins + Arm Weights 12 mins + Elliptical 30 mins + Brisk Walk 85 mins
CALORIE DEFICIT: 669
EXERCISE: Tracy Anderson Method Mat 60 mins + Arm Weights 12 mins + Elliptical 30 mins + Brisk Walk 85 mins